~ Ii]

IF NOT,WINTER

FRAGMENTS 0 F SAPPHO

T R A N S L A T E D

B y

ANNE CARS ON

VINTAGE BOOKS

A DIVISION OF RANDOM HOUSE, INC .

NEW YORK

~
 FIRST VINTAGE BOOKS EDITION, AUGUST 2003

CoJ!yright© 2002 lryAnne Carso11

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions.

Published in the United States by Vintage Books, a division of Random House, Inc.,

New York. Originally published in hardcover in the United Stales by Alfred A. Knopf,

a division of Random House, Inc., New York, in 2002.

Vintage and colophon are registered trademarks of Random Hou se, Inc ,

Grateful acknowledgment is made to Em. Querida's Uitgeverij B.V. for permis sion to

reprint exc erp ts from Sapphoet Alcaeusby Eva- Maria Voigl. Reprinted by permission
of Em. Querido's Uitgeverij B.V .. Amsterdam.

The Library of Congress has cataloged the Knopf edition as follows:

Sappho.
FOR EMMET ROBBINS,
Jf not, winter : fragments of Sappho/ transl'atcd by Ann e Carson.-Jsl ed.
BELOVED TEACHER
p. cm .

Poetry in English and Greek.

ISBN 0-375-41067-8 (alk. paper)

I. Sappho-Translations into English. 2, Lesbos Island (Greece) - Poetry.

3. Women-Greece-Poetry. I. Carson, Anne, 1950- II. Title.

PA4408.e5 c37 2002

884'.01-dc21

200!050247

Vintage ISBN, 0-375-72451-6

Bool· dfsign~ CarolDevineCarsonand GabrieleWilson

www. vintage hooks. com

Printed in the United States of America

IO 9 8
 INTRODUCTION

ON SAPPHO

Sapphowas a musician. Her poetryis lyric, that is, composed

to b the
lyre.Sheaddresses
her lyrein oneo· er poems(fr. 118)andfrequentlymentions
music,songsand singing. Ancientvasepaintersdepictherwith her instrument.
Laterwriters ascribeto her three musicalinventions : that of the plectron,an
instrumentfor pickingthe lyre (Suda);that of the pektis, a particularkind of lyre
(AthenaiosDeipnosophistai
14.635b); and the mixolydianmode,an emotional
modealsousedbytragic poets,wholearnedit fromSappho(Aristoxenos
cited by
PlutarchOnMusic16.113c).All Sappho'smusicis lost.
Sapphowasalsoa poet.Thereis a fifth-centuryhydriain the NationalMuseum
WITH SP E CIAL THANKS TO
of Athensthat depictsSappho,identifiedbyname,readingfroma papyrus.Thisis
DOROTA DUTSCH
an ideal image;whetheror not sheherselfwas literate is unknown.But it seems
likelythat the wordsto hersongswerewrittendownduringor soonafter herlife-
time andexistedon papyrusrolls bythe endof the fifth centurys.c.Ona papyrus
roll the text is writtenin columns,with unctuationor lineation.
Toreadsuch a extis hard evenwhenit comesto us in its entiretyandmostpapyri
don't.Ofthe ninebooksof lyricsthat Sapphois saidto havecomposed, onepoem
hassurvivedcomplete. All the rest arefragments.
Sappholivedin the city of Mytileneonthe islandof Lesbosfromabout630s.c.
It is not knownwhenshedied.Herexileto Sicilysometimebetween604 and 595
s.c. is mentionedin an ancientinscription(the ParianMarble)but no reasonfor it
is given. Biographicalsourcesmentiona mother,a father,a daughter,a husband
andthreebrothersof Sappho . Sheappearsto havedevotedher life to composing
songs;scholarsin Alexandria
collectedthemin ninebooks,of whichthe first book
alonehad1320lines.Mostof this is lost. Herfacewasengravedonthe coinageof
Mytilene(seeG. M. A. Richter,Portraitsof the Greeks,1.70-72)and Hellenistic
poetscalled her "the tenth Muse"or "the mortalMuse"(seePalatineAnthology
9.506and 7.14).Thegeneraltenorof ancientopinionon herworkis summarized
bya remarkof Strabo:

ix
 Sappho[isl an amazingthing. Forweknow ONMARKSANDLACKS
in all of recordedhistorynot onewoman
whocanevencomecloseto rivalingher Sappho
's fragmentsare of two kinds: those preservedon papyrusand those
in the graceof herpoetry. derivedfromcitationin ancientauthors.Whentranslatingtextsreadfrompapyri,I
(13.2.3) haveuseda singlesquarebracketto givean impressionof missingmatter,sothat
l or [ indicatesdestroyed
papyrusor the presence
of lettersnotquitelegiblesome-
Controversiesabout her personalethics and wayof life havetaken up a lot of
herein the line. It is not the casethat everygap or illegibility is specifica\ny
people'stime throughoutthe historyof Sapphicscholarship.It seemsthat she
indicated:this wouldrenderthe pagea blizzardof marksand inhibit reading.
knewandlovedwomenas deeplyas shedid music.Canweleavethe matterthere?
Bracketsare an aestheticgesturetowardthe papyrological eventratherthan an
AsGertrudeSteinsays:
accurate record of IL I havenot usedbrackets lfJ.translatingpassages, , , , ,~/ ~
( words whose existence depend s on citation by ancientauthors, sincf · : ,· .11
Sheoughtto be a veryhappywoman.Nowwe areableto recogn izea photo-
graph.Weareable to getwhatwewant. intentionally incomplete. I emphasizethe distinction betweenbracke ts and n
-"Marry Nettie,"GertrudeSteinWritings1903-1932 bracketsbecauseit will affectyourreadingexperience, if youallowit. Brua
;c
~ ........,
(NewYork,1999),461
-
exciting.EventhoughyouareapproachingSapphoin translation,that Is noreason
youshouldmissthe dramaof tryingto reada papyrustorn in half or riddledwith
holesor smallerthan a postagestamp-brackets implya free spaceof imaginal
adventure.
ONTHETEXT
A duller load of silencesurroundsthe bits of Sapphocited by ancientscho-
Breaks arealways, and fatally, reinscribedin an old cloththat must continually, inter- liasts, grammarians,metricians , etc., whowanta dabof poetryto decoratesome
minablybeundone
. ~ propositionof their ownandso adduceexemplawithoutcontext.Forinstance,the
~• Positions(Chicago, 1981),24 second-century-A.D. grammarianApolloniosDyskolos
, whocomposed a treatiseOn
Conjunctionsin whichhe wishedto makea point aboutthe spellingof the inter-
In generalthe text of this translationis basedon Sapphoet Alcaeus:Fragmenta, rogativeparticle in different dialectsof ancientGreek,cites from Sapphothis
editedby Eva-MariaVoigt(Amsterdam, 1971).I includeall the fragmentsprinted verse:
byVoigtof whichat leastonewordis legible;onoccasionI haveassumed variants
DoI still longfor myvirginity?
or conjecturesfrom her apparatusinto mytranslationand theseare discussed
-Apollonios Dyskolos 490==Sapphofr. 107Voigt
OnConjunctions
below(seeNotes).In translating I tried to put downall that can be readof each
poemin the plainestlanguageI couldfind, using wherepossiblethe sameorderof Whosevirginity?It wouldbeniceto knowwhetherthis questioncomesfroma wed-
words and thoughtsas Sappho did. I liketo think that, the moreI standout of~ dingsong(andso likelyan impersonationof the voiceof the bride)or not (andso
~ay, the more Sapphoshows through.This is an amiablefantasy(transparenc~ possiblya personalremarkof Sappho's).Apo\loniosDyskolos is not interestedin
~If) wtthin whichmosttranslators labor.If light appears • such matters. Or considerthe third-century-s.c.philosopherChrysipposwhose
not ruiningthe eyes(as Sapphosays) treatiseOnNegativesincludesthis negationfromSappho:
but strengthening,nourishingandwatering
Notonegirl I think wholookson the light of the sun will everhavewisdom
- AeliusAristidesOrations18.4
likethis.
weundoa bit of the cloth. -Chrysippos OnNegatives13==Sapphofr. 56 Voigt

X
xi
Wisdomlike what?Andwhois this girl? Andwhyis Sapphopraisingher? Chrysip- Soif not_hing prevented_
the Lesbi_
an Sap~hofrom prayingthat her night be
posis notconcernedwith anythingexceptSappho 's sequenceof negativeadverbs. madetwiceas long,let It be permittedmetooto prayfor somethinglikethis.
Thereis alsothe second-century-
A.o. lexicographerPolluxwhoselexiconincludes - LibaniusOrations12.99= Sapphofr. 197Voigt
the followingentry:
Somesongof Sappho 's that Solonheardsungbya boyis mentioned
in an anecdote
A wordbeudosfound in Sapphois the sameas the wordkimberikonwhich of Stobaiosbut Stobaiosomitsto tell us whatsongit was:
meansa shorttransparentdress.
-Pollux 7.49= Sapphofr. 177Voigt Solonof Athensheardhis nephewsing a songof Sappho'soverthe wineand
sincehe likedthe songso muchhe askedthe boyto teach it to him. When
Whowouldnot liketo knowmoreaboutthis garment? Butthe curiosityof Polluxis someone askedwhyhesaid,Sothat I maylearnit thendie.
strictly lexical.In translatingsuch strandedverseI havesometimes
manipulated -Stobaios Florilegium3.29.58
its seaclng gn the page, to cestocea hint of musicality or suggest syntactic
Someshrewdthinkingof Sappho
's aboutdeathis paraphrased
byAristotle:
motion.Forexamplethe sentencecitedbyChrysippos becomes :
~

Sapphosaysthat to die is evil: sothe godsjudge. Fortheydo notdie.

notonegirl I think
wholooksonthe light of the sun -Aristotle Rhetoric1398b= Sapphofr. 201Voigt
will ever
havewisdom
r-
.
1
As acts of deterrencethesestoriescarrytheir own kind of thrill-at t e ·n~idP 7
edgewhereher wordsgo missing,a sort of antipoemthat condense:
.1
likethis
f youeverwantedherto write- but theycannotbecalledtextsof Sapp'
Thisis a licenseundertaken
in deference
to a principlethat WalterBenjamincalls ~hey arenotincludedin this translation. ~
"the intentiontowardlanguage"of the original.Hesays

Thetask of the translatorconsistsin finding that intendedeffect uponthe

languageinto which he is translatingwhich producesin it the echoof the
original.... Unlikea workof literature, translationdoesnot find itself in
the centerof the languageforest but on the outside; it calls into it without
entering,aimingat that singlespotwherethe echois ableto give, in its own
language , the reverberation
of the workin the alienone.
-W . Benjamin , "DieAufgabedes Ober setzers,"
originallya prefaceto Benjamin'stranslation
of Baudelaire(Heidelberg, 1923), 77

I am neverquitesurehowto hearSappho's
echobut, nowandagain,readingthese
oldcitations, thereis a tingle.
Sofar wehavelookedat examplesof citationwithoutcontext.Still morehaunt-
ing are instancesof contextwithoutcitation. Somewonderfulnight of Sappho's
life, notto saythe prayerthat it evoked,survivesonlyas an allusionof the fourth-
century-A .o. oratorLibanius:

xii xiii
 l

Deathless Aphrodite of the spangled mind,

noJtXlA.04JQOLV
&0C(v&,
'A4>g6otw,
71:C(lJ
ALtJO<:00A.L071:A.OX£,
A.t<:
<:Of1C(l<:£, child of Zeus, who twists lures, I beg you

µ~ µ'J kC(t<:t Lf.lYJO,

ovtC(t<:t MµvC(, do not break with hard pains,
0 lady, my heart
71:01:VJtC(,
0ULf10V,

CXA.A.JIX 0', C(l71:0'CC(

Wto' 8A.L x&'"CE:QW'"CC( but come here if ever before

,&Jc;;eµC(c;;C(llLOC(<:
&fmc;;C(
11:~A.ot you caught my voice far off

8XJA.ll£<:, OE 86µov At11:ot<:C(

11:ix,QOL<: and listening left your father ' s
golden house and came,
XJQktov ~A.0L£<:

&gJµ' UTTC(
<:0£LU~C(tc;;C(·
xixA.otoe: c;;' '&.yov yoking your car. And fine birds brought you ,

WJX££<:
<:1QOUL0ot71:£Ql
y&c;;f1£A.C(
l VC(<: quick sparrows over the black earth

11:uJXVC( wg&vwC(i'.0£-
of vLvcv-re<:11:,ee·&11:· whipping their wings down the sky
through midair-
eoJ<: ot& µe:c;;c;;w·

di 8', <il f.llXXC(tQC(,

C(L~C(8' E~tXOLV'"C0° they arrived. But you, 0 blessed one,

µetOtC(tL<:C(t<:
cx0C(VIX1Wt
0
71:QO<:WTTWt smiled in your deathless face

~JQc' OHLt ori01c 11:e:11:ov8

C( xw
,n and asked what (now again) I have suffered and why
(now again) I am calling out
0YjJ01£XLIXA.JY]Lf.lf.ll

and what I want to happen most of all

f.lJC(tVOA.C(t
L06µwt· ,tVC(OYJ01£
nd0w in my crazy heart. Whom should I persuade (now again)

.JSIXYYJV ,k c;;', <il

LE<:c;;&v4>tA.O,C(1C(; to lead you back into her love? Who, 0

LCX◊L XY]<:t;
'PIXJ71:(f)'' Sappho, is wronging you?

3
 r

XCXJl
yuxe cxi q,eoyet, Tcxxewc;
8tw~€t, For if she flees, soon she will pursue .
cxi 8E 8wecx µ~ OEXET°,
(XI\.A(X8wc;et,
If she refuses gifts, rather will she give them.
cxl OE µ~ q:>tA€L,
Tcxxewc;q:>tA~c;eL If she does not love, soon she will love
XWL>X
e0eAOtC::CX. even unwilling .

EA0e:f-lOl X<Xl
vuv, xcxAerrcxv
OEAtkov Come to me now: loose me from hard
EX µe:e[µvcxv,oc;c;cxOE µot TEAe:c;c::cxt care and all my heart longs
d 8' cxihcx
0Gµoc; iµ&eee:t, TEAe:c;ov, to accomplish, accomplish. You
dµµcxxoc:: kc::o. be my ally.

4
5
Sappho’s Prayer to Aphrodite1
Translations and Commentary by J. R. O’Neill

Deathless Aphrodite, seated on your rainbow throne,2

Daughter of Zeus, deceit weaver,
I beg you—I’m your slave3—don’t crush my heart with anguish and agony.

But, come to me, and listen to me,

Like when you heard me that one time from afar,
When you left your father’s golden house,
Yoking to your chariot your whirling-winged sparrows;
Skipping down the paths of the bright sky,
They brought you down to the black earth. And there you were!4

And, my dear blissful one,5 with a coy smile6 on your deathless face,
You asked me what’s wrong,
Why I called you this time,
What my crazy heart wanted most to see happen.
You said to me, “What beauty do I need to drag into your affection?
Who wrongs you, my dear Sappho?7
For even if she now runs from you, soon she will stalk you.
For even if she now rejects your gifts, soon she will shower you with them.
For even if she now doesn’t love you, soon you’ll be her obsession—
Whether she likes it or not.”8

So, come to me now, again, I’m begging you!

Release me from all cruel heartache,
And bring to fruition all that my heart desires!
Fight alongside me!9

1
The only apparently complete poem of Sappho, preserved for us in the περὶ συνθέσεως ὀνοµάτων (On the Arrangement of Words, commonly called by its
name in Latin, De Compositione Verborum) of Dionysius of Halicarnassus as an example of genius and polish. The poem mixes the formality and high
register of a standard prayer (with the usual invocation, sanctification and entreaty) with a surprising familiarity, even friendly intimacy.
2
The MSS are unclear, but I accept ποικιλόθρον (poikilothron), which means something like ‘enthroned in many colors.’ The image of the rainbow seems
apt.
3
Πότνια (potnia), literally, ‘she who has power over her household and slaves.’ It’s the power of life and death over an individual. It’s usually translated
‘mistress,’ but the brute force of the word seems lost to us. Appropriately, perhaps, it’s a really very ancient word, perhaps borrowed from Mycenaean
Greek. In Classical Greek, the word is usually δέσποινα (despoina), the feminine of δεσπότης (despótēs), from which we get the word ‘despot.’
4
Literally, ‘they brought you,’ but a bit stronger than that sounds in English. I’ve intentionally made it second person since it seems the emphasis is on the
actual, literal arrival of the goddess (via sparrow-yoked chariot). It has the sense of ‘poof, ta-dah, just like that [snap], there you were.’
5
The vocative is conventionally translated into English with the gratingly archaic apostrophe ‘O’, as in ‘O ye of little faith’ and ‘O death, where is thy sting.’
It’s not really as stodgy and formal as all that in the original Greek. ‘My dear so-and-so’ is much more fitting with the sense of the case of direct address.
Μάκαιρα (makaira) is usually translated ‘blessed.’ It’s more about joy than being in a state of grace in the Christian sense.
6
The line literally is ‘smiling with your deathless face,’ but that is awkward in English. Playful goodwill is closer to the sense of the Greek than amused
condescension. And since it’s Aphrodite, the Venusian smile being an ancient trope, ‘playful’ surely has a sexy and sexual coloring, so I’ve chosen ‘coy,’
which feels less archaic than ‘coquettish’.
7
Another vocative. ‘My dear Sappho’ is much closer to the familiar sense of the poem than the stuffy ‘O, Sappho’ of conventional translations.
8
The gender of Sappho’s love interest hinges solely and entirely on the grammatical gender of the participle ἐθέλοισ[α] (ethelois[a]), meaning ‘wishing,
willing, wanting.’ But the text at this point is corrupt, so we really cannot be 100% certain whether Sappho is in love with a woman or a man. The feminine
gender is generally accepted by most scholars going back to ancient times, and other poems of Sappho’s are more definitively expressive of same-sex desire,
so I see no reason to challenge the accepted reading since even in antiquity, Sappho’s sexual and romantic interests in women and girls is a given.
9
The line is literally ‘be my with-fighter’ (σύµµαχος ἔσσο (summachos esso)) and is conventionally translated merely as ‘be my ally.’ However, the truly
militaristic, even violent sense of the Greek generally gets lost in English, as we nowadays tend to think an ally as more of a friendly supporter than a literal
fellow fighter. Love as a violent struggle is a very common theme in Greek and Roman poetry.
Literal Translation

Multicolor-enthroned [?] Deathless Aphrodite, Daughter of Zeus weaving deceit, I beg you, holder of the power of
life and death/slave owner, with anguish and agony don’t crush my mind/soul/heart.

But, come to me as you did before. You heard from afar. Listen. Leaving your father’s golden house, you came
having yoked your chariot. Beautiful swift sparrows pulled [you] over the black earth on whirling wings through the
bright/clear mid sky. They arrived suddenly.

And you, o joyful one, smiling with that deathless face of yours, you ask what now has happened, why I called, what
I wished most to see in my mad heart. ‘What beauty do I need to drag into your friendship? Who, O Sappho, is
unjust to you?

For even if he/she/it now runs, soon he/she/it will stalk. For even if he/she/it now rejects gifts, soon he/she/it will
give. For even if he/she/it now doesn’t love, soon he/she/it will love, even not willing [participle=Masc or Fem?].

So, come to me now too and set free from harsh cares and cause to come to an end for me all that which the
mind/soul/heart wants. And you yourself be my fellow fighter.
 16
I6

O)i µEv inn~wv qe cnov, oi 02 nk owv,

Some men say an army of horse and some men say an army on foot
0( OE:v&wv tpo:ts'irnftl yixv µeAm[V ]o:v
and some men say an army of ships is the most beautiful thing
slµµEV(X[
XCXAAtC:10V,
syw OEx~v· OT- on the black earth. But I say it is
TWTtC:E(?O:Wt. what you love.

n&lvxo o' EUµO:(?€C:

C:UV€10V
71:0Y]
C:O'.l Easy to make this understood by all.
nl&v,t ,[olv, ·, ex ya.e n6lo 1tsec:x~e91c:o: For she who overcame everyone
J:(CX\AQ
~ [cxv0
l(?wnwv'EJ-.svo:[TOlv IXVO(?O: in beauty (Helen)
10Y [ o:ehc:10v left her fine husband

J:(O:AA[i
n0tk' E~C('c; Teofov nH01ko: behind and went sailing to Troy.
xwoofo mxltooc; 000€ tptAWV
rn[xl~wv Not for her children nor her dear parents
'((CX[µno:v]
r,µv&c:0
<ri>, CXA.A.<X
no:e&yff.y'(f.UWV had she a thought, no-
k o:v ] led her astr ay

lo:µnrnv ycxe ]for ,,..

l ... xoutpwc:c[ ] lightly /j
m, now of A?,{tod✓
. . lµ$ VLJV
'Avmno(lf[C(c;o]y~µvm-
hemind,d
c;' ool 71:0:(?EOtc:<XC:, h . I
w o 1s gone. ; /

l/
,iik <x>s ~oUoiµcxv EQcx,6vrn ~iiµcx I would rather see her lovely step
XO'.f-ltXQUXf-lCX
A.tXf-lTIQOV
'{oriv TI(.?OsWTIW and the motion of light on her face
~ TCXAu8wv IXQf-lCXTCX
),{(XV OTIA.Olsl than chariots of Lydians or ranks
TIEsOOf-lJ&XEVTCXs. of footsoldiers in arms. I',

l,µev OU 8uvcx,ov yevss0cxt ]not possible to happen

l . v o:v8(_?wn[
.. (.) nk8exriv 8' 1XQCXs0cxi ] to pray for a share

toward[

(()s o[
l[
.U.lCJJ~.[
, · /,~ o:8ox~[m . out of the unexpected .
23 23

]of desire

cxvhtoval.dowd ]for when I look at you

l 'Eeµt6vcx 't€CXU[
"CCX ] such a Hermione
) ~&v0cxt
o' 'EAEVCXl
c;' Etdx]YJV ]and to yellowhaired Helen I liken you
lxac; ]
l. le; ev&-ccxtc;,
"COO€
o' k(0t,l 't(Xlc;&t ]among mortal women, know this
lncxkcxvXE µa ,(XVµaeiµvcxv ]from every care
l~mc;' cxvnol.. l 'l . h'.0mc; o~ ]you could release me

hcxc;ox0mc; ] dewy riverbanks

hmv ]to last all night long
7rCXV
lvuxk[olYJV ] [
l [

43
24A
24A

lcxv&yc;d
J
l. [ kµvcxc;Ec;0'ex[
]you will remember
xlcx'tyet.(!&µµcc; ev VE6[·rcxn
]for we in our youth
[eln6Y]µµcv·
"CCXl)'l;'
did these things

nc;i~~c;:
[µ]Ev yct.e xcx'tx&[\cx
yes many and beautiful things
, , . tj. [ ]µEv, 7tOA.t[
J
. µµ1?[. lo[. ldmc; Q[ ]
.l. .U .. l

24C
24C

]v0od
J
~lwoµ[Ev
]we live
](;)' V.. l
J
kvcxn[
the opposite
]c;:ncxnn[
J
,]61.µcxv[
daring
lcxv0ewl
J
lovcxl
J
lnmc;c;:[
]

44
45
24D 24D

] _€0(X(j)O[ J
)c;ttxcx-rd J
lcxv€AQ[ J
J
l. [ l . ext ]
A)cTCTO(j)WV[ ]in a thin voice
]_Ee;(. [ ]
31 31

VEtcx.lµot xqvo,:;;koc;; e&otClV

<l>cx.[ He seems to me equal to gods that man
Eµµev' WVYJQ,
o,nc;; ev&nt6c wt whoever he is who opposite you
ko&vet xcx.'tTCA<XC::toV
&ou (j)WVEL- sits and listens close
' '
t;cx,c;;UTCCX.XOUEt to your sweet speaking

lµego&v, ,6 µ' ~ µixv

xcx.'tYEA<Xkcx.c;; and lovely laughing-oh it
X<XQOtcx.v
ev c;;,~0Ec::tv
h,6mc;;gv• puts the heart in my chest on wings

ck yixg <Ee;;>,:;;'tow ~QOXEweµe (j)WVYJ-

0
for when I look at you, even a moment, n~~

is left in me_

<XAAIX
xcx.µµEv y1,,wc;;c;;cx,
o' CX.ll'tlX/J.
XQWlTCOQ
foye, A€7n0V
UTC<J.OEOQOµcx.x&v, --
no: tongue bre!lks and thiA
fire is racing under skin
OTCTCCX'tECC::t
o' OUO€V OQY)µµ',i::m~g6-
µEtC::to' IXXOUCX.t, ----
and in eyes no sight and drumroiog
fills ears

excx.oEµ' t8gwi:;;xcx.xxeE,cx.t,
,g6µo.:;- OE and cold sweat holds me and shaking

TC<J.tC<J.V
&yg&t,X"-WQO'tLEQCX.
OETCJOtcx.c:: grips me all, greener than grass
sµµt, ,Eel V<XXYJV
o' OJALYW
'moELUYJC
(jl<Y.JlVOµ'
sµ' cx.u-dm.

cxUixnixv 161,,µcx.wv,
enEt xcx.'tnevri,cx. But all is to be dared, because even a person of poverty
 44 GREEK LYRIC POETRY

<f,alvE-ralµm 1efjvos-iuos- 8lo«nv

1
lµµEv WVTJp,o-rns- EJIC1117'1.0S"
-ro,
lu8avEL KaL 77,\cfu,ov aSv <f,wvEl-
' ,
uas- V7TaKOVEL Sappho 31

Kat yEAaluas- lµepo&, 7'0 µ' ~ µav That man seems to me to be equal to the gods,
5 Whoever sits facing you
Kapolav & O'TT]fJEaw f7TTOaL0'£11"
t
WS"
\ II
yap ES" O'
, .,~
LOW
Q I
f-'POXE•
, II ..J...f
WS" /J,E 'f'WV<U-
Speaking sweetly nearby,
0'1 ovS' £II €7'1 Ei:'KEt, And listens

a,\,\' ctKav µ.£V y,\waua t layEt, M7T7'ov To your lovely laughter.

a' avn,ca. XPo/rrup v1ra(JESp6µ,7'/KEV, 10
It truly makes the heart tremble in my breast
dmro.TEO'UL 0
1
ouo'
£11OP7lµµ.',lmppoµ - And whenever I look at you just a second,
{Jna, 8' ctKova,, Not a word comes

Kao OEµ' iopws- 'PV')(.POS" EXEt, -rpoµ.os-OE But my tongue is completely broken.
7Ta'iaav aypn, xAwpo-repa OE7TOLas- Right away, a fine flame runs under my flesh.
Eµµ,, TE8va.9v a' oAtyw 11TLOEVf/S' I see nothing with my eyes.
~ I
<pawoµ '.,
Eµ) avr q..
JI [

My ears ring.

d,\,\<i 77(111TOAµa-rov, ·z• , , / Sweat pours down from me.

5 µ71iµav Long. cod. P, em. Lobel 7 ~ yap ai3w P, em. Lobel Trembling seizes me entirely.
,8p6x£C,h·
P, distinxit Tolliw ¢,.wvas-
P, em. Danielsson 9 &.Ua1ea11 I am green as grass. Just shy of death
P, distinx. L.-P. cLV.aKaµ apo_gg. 13 EKCIOEµ' l8pws-,J,uxpd;
1<a1exi,Ta,P d.8£µ.',8p,k; Kak<lsX£ETa< An. Ox. i. 208 Cramer ,ca8
I seem[ ... ]
\.
a, µ' i8pw; ,PU")(pO'i lxn Page V p 'm8.-1n7r ci.
15 1Tt8EV0"7/ I
Hermann •,,.,;s,.-"'7.,
Ah=s 16 vid. Dai Papirz· della Socuto.
Jtali- But all can be endured [ ... ]
ana (Firenze, 1965), 16--17 (Manfredo Manfredi)
34
34

CXC:1'€Q€C:
µev ixµ<pt X<XA.O:V
C:€A.<XVVO:V
stars around the beautiful moon
&~ <X7tUXQU7tWtC:t
(jl<X€VVOV
ltooc;

07t7t01'0: 7tA~8otc;o: µcxAtC:to:Acxµ1tY]

hide back their luminous

whenever~} full she shine~]

-
form

y&.v on the earth

silvery

68
69
36 36

xa.1 no ~w xa.1 µ&oµcxi I long and seek after_

72
73
38 38

~/
you burn me

77
39 39

n6ocx<£;"
> os the feet

7tOLXtAO£;"
µ&dri£;" SXIXAU1t1:e,
Au8t- by spangled straps covered
ov XIXAOV
EQYOV beautiful Lydian work

79
47

"Egoc; 8' hi vc:x~E

<µm>
Eros sh_,2ok1!!.Y
we;&veµoc;x<h ogoc; 8g6c:-tveµrchwv
(!)QEVC:XC",

---
~iQ.Q like a mountain wind falling on oak trees

98
99
 rm
48 48

;)..8ec;-ayw 8E c;-'kµm6µcx.v, you came and I was crazy for you

OV8' a(jiu~cx.c;-
aµcx.v<j)(>EVCX.
xcx.wµEvcx.v
n68wt and you cooled my mind that burned with longing

IOO IOI
51 51

I don't know what to do

two states of mind in me

106 107
58 58

l.[
l_ocd
J
I.o:
]0ym,:;-c,d ] running away

U .. l .. [ ho&x0YJv _)bitten

lxu 0( '.]9([ . lcxAA.[

. luto:v }

l. x0o. [. lcx·rt. [ ..... lELso: ]

lµevo: wv[ .... wlvuµ6v q ]you

]vL0~,o:Lq[ulµo:[nl TT(?Ql,(OtLv ]makes a way with the mouth

]nwv x&Ao:OW(?O:
no:t8e:,:;- ]beautiful gifts children

. l(JltA&moov
ALYUQo:v
xe:Auvvo:v ] songdelighting clearsounding lyre

n&lv-ro:XQ6o:y~Qo:s ~811 ]all my skin old age already

Ae:UXO:l
,· eyevolvrn T(?lxe:,:;-EX µe:ACXl
vcxv hair turned white after black 'f.

J
l~t. y6vo: 8' [o]u (j)B(?Ol<;'L ]knees do not carry
\
lYJ,:;-0'
ko: ve:~QtotsLv ]like fawns

&]~A.a,[ xe:v noe:t'Y)V; ]but what could I do?

] Ol.)OUVO:TOV
yeve:£;0o:L ]not possible to beco1ne

l ~(?OOOno:xuv
Auwv ]Dawn with arms of roses
k lxo:w ya,:;-(JJBQot,:;-o:[ ]bringing to the ends of the earth

]9v Gµw,:;-
Eµo:ete:[ ]yet seized

l&to:v&xomv ]wife

hµevo:v voµk8e:L ]imagines

lo:t,:;-6n&,:;-8ot ]might bestow

l -rou-roxo:f µot But I love delicacy and this to me -

the brillian~e and beauty of the sun - aesire has allott e d.

I20
74A 74B 74C 74A 74B 740

lwv €XO([ JO([ l.[ ] ] ]

l(J(tn61-[ lno09[ he;-'i8Qwl ] goatherd ]longing ]sweat
]µ,[ l.w~c;x[ J.u~O(o.[ ] J ]
l~eooo[ hvl ]roses
]9v0[ ]
lcp(J(tµ[ ]
94 94

,e:0v&xYJV
o' Q'.OOA.Wt;;
0EA.W· ~ I simply want to be dead.

& µe lj>tt;;ooµEVCX
XCX'tEAtµncxVEV Weeping she left me

rr6Hcx xcx't,60' €Em? [µot · with many tears and said this:

wtµ' wt;;OEtVCX
nerr[6v0lcxµe:v, Oh how badly things have turned out for us .
'P&mp',~ µ&v c;' &Exott;;'&rruAtµn&vw. Sappho, I swear, against my will I leave you.
I

't(XVo' syw 'tO'.O,

&µe:t~oµcxv· And I answered her:

xcxieotc;'EQXEO
x&µe:0e:v Rejoice, go and

µEµvcxtt;;', we;<t;;>e 71:EO~rroµe:v·

okecx YtXQ ,emember me. For you know howt• Jheri,hed you.

<Xl08 µ~, Q'.AAO'.

,:;;'eyw 0EAW But if not, I want

[ . .. (.)U .. (.)l.$<Xl
oµvcxtt;;()(l to remind you

]and beautiful times we had.

rr6[Hott;; YtXQ
c;;,e:qi&vlmc;;
'/wv For many crowns of violets

xcx't~e[6owv ... lxiwv ,' uµm and roses

X<X, l rr&e eµot rr<e>ee:0~xcx

<o > ]at my side you put on

xcx't7rQLAA
<Xlt;;
ll7r<XJ06µtocxc; and many woven garlands
rrAEXL
,me;; &µqi'&JrrO:A()(l
OEQ<Xl made of flowers

l rrErrOYJ
µev()(lt;;. around your soft throat.
 And with sweet oil
costly
you anointed yourself

and on a soft bed

7tCX(?[ ]9ywv
IX7CCXA.CXV delicate

B~l't]C1to69[v l.vf8wv
~--
you would let loose your longing

XWUt€ ttd and neither any[ ]nor any

Yeov ou8' M holy place nor
was there from which we were absent

oux CXA.COC
.[ l.eoc no grove[ ]no dance
l~rnpoc ]no sound
l ... Ol8tcxt

186
 95 95

.ou[ not

~e·&[
8rJ(?tXT
.[
royyuA.tX.[ Gongyla

~ Tl sixµ' e8E.[ surely a sign

7t(XtslµocA.lsT(X.
[ for children mostly
µ(Xe;y' ~fQ'J).,,0'
en. [ came in [

Elnov· cil8kno1', en. [ I said, 0 master

olu µ& y&e µocXtXl(?tXV
[ I swear no
olu8Ev &80µ' a1ttXQ0'
&y(X[ I take no pleasure

MT0ocvriv8' 'iµE(?OsTts [exEl µE }{(X( but a kind of ye(91"

~ r g 'has hold of me-to MJ
V
A.WTt
VOls 8(?0s0EVT(X£;
[o- and to look upon the dewy lotus banks

x[ 0lots 'i8riv 'AxEQ[ of Acheron

. l . . 8EstXl8_[ ]
. l. y8ETOy[ ]
µY]Tt7d ]

188 189
 96
96

kcxe8. [ . . l ]Sardis
n6A.]Acxxt
tut81? [. lwv sxotscx often turning her thoughts here

ckn . [ ... l. woµsv, . [ ... l. .xf . . l

ss 8ecxstXEAcxv
cxet- you like a goddess
yvw1cx,s&t 8e µo:Ais1'8XCXlQ8
µ6A.7ICX\. and in your song most of all she rejoiced .

Vl>V8e A68cxtslVaµnesne1cxtyuvcxf- But now she is conspicuous among Lydian women

XEsslVck n01' CXEA.tw as sometimes at sunset

the rosyfingered moon

7IIXV1CX
nee<e>sxots'CXs'CQCX.
tf'O'.Os
8' 87It- surpasses all the stars. And her light
h' <XAµuecxv
s'XEl 80:A.CXssCXV stretches over salt sea
kw,:; XCXl7IOA.l)CXV8sµots
<XQOUQCXK' equally and flowerdeep fields.

And the beautiful dew is poured out

ACXlst8e ~e68cxxcxncxA.'
cxv- and roses bloom and frail
8eusxcxXCXlµeAtAW'COs
cxv8eµw8">']s
· chervil and flowering sweetclover.

7IOAACX
8e (cxtpot1cxtt;'cxyo:vcx,:;
87Il- But she goes back and forth remembering
µ vo:s0ett;' 'A18t80,:; iµsewt gentle Atthis and in longin g
A.Bn'CCXV
not tf'QBVCX
x[. le . . . ~OQ">']1CXl' she bites her tender mind

191
x~flt o' neriv exµµ. [ . . l .. tc;<X.
190' OIJ But to go there

vwvwl. _]uoov uµ[ .. (.)] rc6luc; ]much

Y<XQUE\
[_ . (.)l<X>covl
..... (.)ho µk c;ov· talks[

E](Jµ<XQ[Ec;
µl~v OU. IX. µt 0emst µ6Q- Not easy for us
tp<X.V
r,rc~[Q<X.T]ov
s~kw- to equal goddesses in lovely form

c;0m c;u[.. l~oc; BXYJ<t

>c;0ix[... l. vforiov

ho[ .. . (.) lQ<Xn-

µ<XA.[ l.EQoc; ]desire

XIXlol.lµl ]oc; 'AtpQOOt

10: and[ ]Aphrodite

l VEXWQ8XEUcxrcu 0
]nectar poured from

XQUdixc; ]yixv gold

l XEQc;tTTEt8w ]with hands Persuasion

]fl[. , h]c;EVY]
lcxxtc;
l . .... . m

]Ee;TO lEQ<X.tc;TlOV ]into the Geraistion

lv tpilm ]beloveds
]\Jc;rnv oooEvo[ ]of none

] into desire I shall come

 102
102

n ..6,n1cxf,LCX1"€Q,OU'\"Ol OU\/CXf,LCXl
XQEXY]\/ 1"01)'kw\)
sweet mother I cannot work the loom

rc60wt o&µw:cxrccx'i:ooc:
~gcxot\/CX\/
8t' 'Acpgoot,cx\/ I am broken with longing for a boy by slender Aphrodite

202
105A 105A

olov ,O y1.ux6µix1.ovEQEU8E,1Xl
IXXQWl en'uc;owt, as the sweetapple reddens on a high branch
&xeov h' o:xeo,ixrwt, A.Et.ix8ovwoe µix1.08e61tY]Es
' high on the highest branch and the applepickers forgot-
&n' oux e:86vixvr'enfxec;8ixt
ou µ&v ex1.E1.ix8ovr', no, not forgot: were unable to reach

105B 105B

o'iixv ,&v uixxtv8ov evWQEstnotµEvEc;&v8QEs like the hyacinth in the mountains that shepherd men
116,:;-c;t
xix,ixc;,d~otc;t, xiiµm oe ,e n6elJlueov &v8oc; with their feet trample down and on the ground the purple
flower

214 215
114 114

nixe0ev(ix,nixe0eviix,not µE Ainots' ix<n>o(x'YJr

; virginity

ouxEn ~~w nerx d, ouxbt ~~w virginity

where are you gone leaving me behind?

no.longer will I come to you

no longer will I come

233
130 130

µ' 0 AUs lf-lEAY]

"E goc;-OYJ01E s oovst, Eros the melter of limbs (now again) stirs me -

yAu,n'.mtxgov&µ&xcxvovogncwv sweetbitter unmanageable creature who steals in