Searching for Sappho by Philip Freeman

Author:Philip Freeman
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company

A PIECE OF parchment from the sixth century AD preserves a different kind of love poem by Sappho. Like many of her songs, the beginning and end are missing, and the middle has many gaps, but we can read enough of the poem to see that it’s an emotional dialogue between Sappho and a woman as they say farewell to each other, perhaps forever:

. . . “I honestly wish I were dead.”

Weeping she left me

with many tears and said this:

“Oh, this has turned out so badly for us, Sappho.

Truly, I leave you against my will.”

And I answered her:

“Be happy and go—and remember me.

for you know how much we loved you.

But if not, I want to remind

you . . .

. . . and the good times we had.

For many crowns of violets

and roses and . . .

. . . you put on by my side,

and many woven garlands

made from flowers

around your soft throat,

and with much perfume

costly . . .

fit for a queen, you anointed yourself.

And on a soft bed

delicate . . .

you let loose your desire.

And not any . . . nor any

holy place nor . . .

from which we were absent.

No grove . . . no dance

. . . no sound

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