Sappho Speaks: Some Fragments

Name: Sappho Date:   d. 570 BCE Region:   Lesbos [modern Greece] Citation:    Fragment  160, 38

Haec vero nunc amicis meis voluptati futura canam,

 ... Τάδε νῦν ἐταίραισ

ταῖσ ἔμαισι τέρπνα κάλωσ ἀείσω. [transcription]

Now I will sing these [delights] beautifully for my [girl]friends.

--Sappho fragment 160, Translated into Latin  by Christian Wolf

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Stes coram amice, et oculorum expande gratiam.

Στᾶθι κἄντα φίλοσ,....
καὶ τὰν ἔπ᾽ ὄσσοισ ἀμπέτασον χάριν.

Dear one* [masculine], show me the kindness of your eyes.

Haec vero nunc amicis meis voluptati futura canam,

--Sappho fragment 38 [Cox 27], Translated into Latin  by Christian Wolf

 Sappho [d. 570 BCE, modern Greece] was universally applauded by the ancient world as the “Tenth Muse.” Because she was one of the earliest Greek lyric poets, there is very little definitive information on Sappho’s life.  It is generally agreed that Sappho was a wealthy noblewoman from the island of Lesbos who had three brothers and a daughter named Kleis. She used her prominent social position to support a cohort of other women artists, and composed many poems about them, expressing her love for them, praising their beauty, and celebrating their marriages. Whereas earlier Greek poetry was epic poetry with serious themes of gods, warfare, and the state, Sappho’s lyric poetry was emotional, intimate and personal. Her poetry centered around womanhood and womanly love, providing rare insight into the time period. The modern terms “sapphic” and “lesbian” reveal the longevity of her impact upon modern culture. Unfortunately, although her poetry was universally revered by the Greeks and Romans alike, Sappho’s works only exist as fragments, adding mysterious allure to her larger-than-life status but unfortunately hindering our understanding of her life and thoughts.