Sign in to track this book
Willis Barnstone's translation of Sappho's fragmented verses reveals the stark, unsentimental heart of ancient Greek desire with intense clarity for a modern audience.
Sappho opens by calling directly on Aphrodite, calling her the 'immortal queen' and 'child of Zeus.' She remembers a time when Aphrodite answered her calls, arriving in a chariot pulled by sparrows. The goddess, with a smile on her 'immortal face,' asked Sappho what new trouble had made her call. Aphrodite promised to make the beloved follow Sappho, even if they currently ran, and to offer gifts even if they refused them. Sappho ends by asking Aphrodite to free her from her current pain, asking the goddess to be her friend again in her romantic efforts.
Sappho starts by saying that some think a cavalry unit, others an army of soldiers, and still others a fleet of ships, are the most beautiful things on the dark earth. However, she clearly states that the most beautiful sight is whatever one loves. To show this, she mentions Helen, who, driven by love, left her husband, child, and parents to sail to Troy, ignoring her family's honor. Sappho wants to see her beloved Anactoria, who is now away, remembering her graceful walk and the bright sparkle in her face, valuing this personal connection above all else.
Sappho describes a man sitting across from her beloved, listening to her sweet voice and charming laughter, as being 'equal to gods' in his calm state. In strong contrast, Sappho herself is overcome with a powerful, weakening reaction. When she sees her beloved, her voice fails, her tongue is still, and a subtle fire runs under her skin. Her eyes see nothing, her ears ring, and sweat pours from her body. A trembling takes her, she becomes paler than grass, and feels as if she is about to die. She ends this fragment by regretting her suffering, suggesting her helplessness in the face of such strong emotion.
This fragment describes the large procession and celebration around the wedding of Hector and Andromache. The herald, Idaios, arrives with news, and the people of Troy get ready for the arrival of the bridal party. The fragment details the journey from Thebes, with Hector and Andromache escorted by many people. The city is full of the sounds of lyres, flutes, and castanets, and the women make a sacred shout. The scene is one of great joy and festivity, with the Trojans welcoming their new princess and celebrating the marriage of their hero Hector to the beautiful Andromache, showing the community's joy for a big wedding.
Sappho clearly states how much love affects her. She says that 'Love shakes my soul / like a wind tearing through oaks / on a mountain.' This clear comparison shows the powerful, uncontrollable, and even destructive force that love has on her. It suggests that love is not a gentle feeling but a stormy, almost violent, upset that leaves her feeling weak and exposed, much like a tree hit by a strong wind. The fragment highlights love's ability to disturb inner peace and stability.
Sappho tells of a sad goodbye with a woman who cried a lot and said, 'I wish I were dead.' The woman regretted their separation, saying she was leaving Sappho against her will. Sappho then tells of the many beautiful things they shared, including garlands of violets, roses, and crocuses wrapped around her neck. They lay together on soft beds, and Sappho hints at close moments and shared joys. The fragment brings out a strong feeling of looking back and the pain of lost friendship, emphasizing the deep bond and shared experiences now broken by their separation.
In this short but clear fragment, Sappho talks to her mother, admitting she cannot do a simple home task. She says, 'Sweet mother, I cannot weave; / I am overcome with love / for a boy, because of slender Aphrodite.' This confession shows how consuming her love is. Her passion for the young man is so strong that it makes her unable to focus on normal chores. She blames this overwhelming feeling directly on Aphrodite, the goddess of love, suggesting her feelings are divinely inspired and impossible to resist.
This fragment uses the comparison of a sweet red apple, ripening on the highest branch of a tree. It is so high that the apple pickers have forgotten it, or perhaps, more accurately, they could not reach it. This image suggests a woman of great beauty and desirability, who remains untouched and perhaps impossible to get, either because of her high status or the sheer difficulty of reaching her. The 'sweetness' implies her appeal, while her position shows her uniqueness and perhaps her purity, waiting for a worthy suitor or simply existing in her own high state.
This fragment offers a playful and over-the-top description of a doorkeeper at a wedding. Sappho says that the doorkeeper's feet are seven fathoms long, and his sandals are made of five ox-hides. This exaggeration is clearly meant to be funny, painting a picture of an absurdly large and perhaps scary figure guarding the wedding party. The fragment adds to the theme of weddings in Sappho's poetry, often shown with a mix of respect and playful observation, highlighting the festive mood and the larger-than-life characters involved in such celebrations.
Sappho makes Eros, the god of love, a person, as a force that 'again now melts my limbs and shakes me / a sweetbitter, impossible to fight beast.' This description shows love's two sides: it is 'sweet' in its appeal and pleasure, but also 'bitter' in its pain, longing, and the trouble it causes. Eros is shown as an irresistible 'beast,' highlighting love's basic, uncontrollable nature. The phrase 'impossible to fight' shows how useless it is to resist its power, suggesting that Sappho is completely taken over by its influence, her body and spirit overwhelmed.
The Protagonist
While the fragmented nature of her work prevents a clear narrative arc, Sappho consistently explores the cyclical nature of love, desire, and suffering.
The Supporting/Divine Influence
Aphrodite remains a consistent, powerful divine force, acting as both an instigator of love and a potential helper in Sappho's romantic pursuits.
The Mentioned/Symbolic
Helen's arc is pre-established mythological, serving as a static reference point for the theme of love's power.
The Mentioned/Beloved
Anactoria's arc is not detailed; she serves as a catalyst for Sappho's expression of longing.
The Personified Force/Supporting
Eros consistently acts as a powerful, unchanging force of nature within Sappho's emotional landscape.
The Mentioned/Symbolic
Hector's arc is drawn from mythology, serving as a celebrated figure in a joyous event.
The Mentioned/Symbolic
Andromache's arc is drawn from mythology, featured in a moment of celebration.
Sappho often shows love not as a gentle feeling, but as a strong, often uncontrollable force that upsets a person's physical and emotional balance. In Fragment 31, seeing her beloved with another causes Sappho to have extreme physical symptoms: her voice fails, her tongue is still, fire runs under her skin, and she feels about to die. Similarly, Fragment 47 describes love as shaking her soul 'like a wind tearing through oaks,' a strong and almost violent upset. This theme highlights love's ability to both lift up and destroy, making the lover helpless before its strength.
“Love shakes my soul / like a wind tearing through oaks / on a mountain.”
Sappho's poetry often focuses on women's beauty, often from a woman's point of view. She describes 'the brilliant sparkle in [Anactoria's] face' (Fragment 16) and tells of shared close moments with other women, decorated with 'garlands of violets, roses, and crocuses' (Fragment 94). Her liking for female beauty is not just about looks but is deeply emotional and sensual, celebrating the grace, appeal, and friendship found in these relationships. This theme goes against common male-dominated views by focusing on female desire and admiration.
“some say a host of horsemen / is the most beautiful thing on the dark earth / but I say whatever one loves.”
A large part of Sappho's fragments express deep longing for absent loved ones and the pain of being separated. In Fragment 16, she wants to see Anactoria, who is 'not here.' Fragment 94 clearly tells of a sad goodbye with a woman who cried and said, 'I wish I were dead,' emphasizing the deep bond now broken. This theme highlights how fragile human connection is and the lasting ache of absence, suggesting that even in joy, the shadow of possible loss is always there. The fragments themselves, being incomplete, reflect this feeling of loss and what is missing.
“I wish I were dead. / Weeping she left me / against her will.”
Sappho often calls on and blames her emotional states on the gods, especially Aphrodite and Eros. In Fragment 1, she directly asks Aphrodite for help, remembering past divine help in her love affairs. In Fragment 102, she says, 'I cannot weave; / I am overcome with love / for a boy, because of slender Aphrodite.' This theme suggests that human emotions, especially love, are not just internal but are influenced and even controlled by divine forces. It frames strong passion as a sacred, rather than just personal, experience, giving a wider context for her overwhelming feelings.
“Sweet mother, I cannot weave; / I am overcome with love / for a boy, because of slender Aphrodite.”
Directly addressing gods to seek help or attribute emotional states.
Sappho frequently invokes Aphrodite, the goddess of love, beauty, and pleasure, particularly when she is experiencing intense romantic turmoil. This device serves multiple functions: it elevates her personal suffering to a cosmic level, suggesting divine influence rather than mere human weakness; it provides a framework for understanding the overwhelming power of love; and it establishes a direct, intimate relationship between the poet and the divine. For example, in Fragment 1, Sappho directly calls upon Aphrodite, recalling past interventions and requesting aid in her current romantic predicament. This not only sets a supplicant tone but also implies a shared understanding of love's complexities between the mortal and the immortal.
Using strong visual, auditory, and tactile descriptions to convey emotional states.
Sappho masterfully employs rich sensory details to make her emotional experiences palpable to the reader. In Fragment 31, the physical symptoms of her love are described with striking clarity: 'a subtle fire runs beneath my skin,' 'my eyes see nothing,' 'my ears ring,' and 'sweat pours from my body.' This device allows the reader to viscerally feel Sappho's internal turmoil, translating abstract emotions into concrete, relatable sensations. Beyond personal suffering, she uses imagery for beauty, like 'garlands of violets, roses, and crocuses' (Fragment 94) or the 'graceful walk' and 'brilliant sparkle' in Anactoria's face (Fragment 16), creating a rich, immersive world of feeling and observation.
Comparing disparate things to illuminate emotional intensity or abstract concepts.
Sappho frequently uses similes and metaphors to convey the intensity and nature of her emotions, often drawing from the natural world. In Fragment 47, she compares love shaking her soul to 'a wind tearing through oaks / on a mountain,' vividly illustrating love's powerful, uncontrollable, and potentially destructive force. Fragment 130 describes Eros as a 'sweetbitter, impossible to fight beast,' capturing the duality of love's pleasure and pain, and its overwhelming, primal nature. These comparisons make abstract emotional experiences concrete and relatable, enhancing the depth and impact of her lyrical expressions.
Directly addressing an absent person or an abstract entity.
Apostrophe is a prominent device in Sappho's work, particularly in her direct addresses to Aphrodite (Fragment 1) or to her 'sweet mother' (Fragment 102). This device creates a sense of immediacy and intimacy, as if the reader is privy to a private conversation or prayer. By speaking directly to a deity or a loved one, Sappho expresses her deepest desires, confessions, and laments with raw emotion, even if the addressee is not physically present or capable of responding in a literal sense. It amplifies the personal and confessional tone of her poetry, drawing the reader into her emotional landscape.
“Some say a host of cavalry, others of infantry, others of ships, is the most beautiful thing on the dark earth, but I say it is what one loves.”
— Fragment 16, often considered one of her most famous and a declaration of personal preference over traditional heroic values.
“And you, O Atthis, have become hateful to me to think of.”
— Fragment 49, indicating a shift in affection or a moment of resentment towards a former beloved.
“Eros shook my soul, a wind on the mountain, falling on oaks.”
— Fragment 47, a vivid metaphor for the powerful, almost violent, impact of love.
“And you burn me.”
— Fragment 38, a concise and intense expression of desire or emotional pain.
“Leave Crete and come to me here in this holy temple, where the charming grove of apple trees is, and altars smoking with frankincense.”
— Fragment 2, an invocation to Aphrodite, setting a scene of natural beauty and sacred ritual.
“He seems to me equal to a god, that man who sits facing you and listens nearby to your sweet speaking and lovely laughing.”
— Fragment 31, describing the intense jealousy felt when witnessing the object of her affection with another.
“For when I look at you, then my voice gives out, and my tongue is broken, and a subtle fire runs through my skin.”
— Fragment 31, continuing the description of the physical symptoms of overwhelming love and desire.
“And for you, I would loosen my maiden's zone.”
— Fragment 111, often interpreted as an expression of intimate desire and commitment.
“Someone, I say, will remember us in the future.”
— Fragment 147, a reflection on the desire for lasting fame or remembrance.
“You came, and you did well. I longed for you, and you cooled my burning heart.”
— Fragment 50, a direct address to a beloved, expressing relief and comfort found in their presence.
“The moon has set, and the Pleiades; it is midnight, the hour passes, and I sleep alone.”
— Fragment 168B, a poignant lament of loneliness and unfulfilled desire as time passes.
“And you, my darling, once were a tender girl.”
— Fragment 94, part of a lament or farewell to a beloved, recalling their past youth and beauty.
“And the desire for you consumes me.”
— Fragment 94, a direct and powerful statement of intense longing.
“Come, divine lyre, speak to me and become a voice.”
— Fragment 118, an invocation to her instrument, highlighting the role of poetry and music in her expression.
Ready to see how well you understood this book? Take our interactive quiz with 10 questions.
Biography coming soon.
