Sappho Sings of Artemis: fragment 44a

Sappho Sings of Artemis

Name: Sappho Date:   d. 570 BCE Region:   Lesbos [modern Greece] Citation:    Fragment 44a.4 – 11

But Artemis swore a serious oath [to her father Zeus]:

“Upon your head, I vow

That I will always remain a maiden,

Hunting on the desolate mountains

I will roam. Grant this to me.”

This is what she said. Zeus granted her wish.

Now men and gods alike call her Maiden, Hunter of Deer, Goddess.

Eros, stay far from her!

Ἄρτεμις δὲ θεῶν μέγαν ὄρκον ἀπώμοσε· κεφάλαν, ἄϊ πάρθενος ἔσσομαι ...[1] ων ὀρέων κορύφα̣ι̣σ’ ἔπι ...δ̣ε νεῦσον ἔμαν χάριν.” ...σ̣ε θέων μακάρων πάτηρ. ...ολον ἀγροτέραν θέο̣ι ...ι̣σιν ἐπωνύμιον μέγα. ...Ἔρος οὐδάμα πίλναται.

Diana autem deum sacramentum maximum fecit; “Per tibi numen, [Pater hominum et deum], Virgo in aeternum permaneam, Venatrix per montes desolatos errem. Des hoc, pater, mihi optem!” Hoc dicto, annuit deum pater. Mortales immortalesque hanc vocant Virginem, cervos-venatrix, deam. Amor, ne hanc aggrediaris! Translated into Latin by Kris Masters

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[1] There is significant damage to this fragment, and the left portion of many of the lines is missing.

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.