Great Throughts Treasury

"When anger swells the heart, the idly-barking tongue restrain."

"I can reveal to you that I wished to die - For with much weeping she left me Saying: "Sappho - what suffering is ours! For it is against my will that I leave you." In answer, I said: "Go, happily remembering me For you know what we shared and pursued - If not, I wish you to see again our [former joys]... The many braids of rose and violet you [wreathed] Around yourself at my side And the many garlands of flowers With which you adorned your soft neck: With royal oils from [fresh flowers] You anointed [ yourself ] And on soft beds fulfilled your longing [For me] "

"Eros once again limb-loosener whirls me sweetbitter, impossible to fight off, creature stealing up...I don't know what I should do: two states of mind in me."

"Live for the gifts the fragrant-breasted Muses send, for the clear, the singing, lyre, my children. Old age freezes my body, once so lithe, rinses the darkness from my hair, now white. My heart’s heavy, my knees no longer keep me up through the dance they used to prance like fawns in. Oh, I grumble about it, but for what? Nothing can stop a person’s growing old. They say that Tithonus was swept away in Dawn’s passionate, rose-flushed arms to live forever, but he lost his looks, his youth, failing husband of an immortal bride. "

"Yet if you had a desire for good or beautiful things and your tongue were not concocting some evil to say shame would not hold down your eyes but rather you would speak about what is just. "

"I have not had one word from her Frankly I wish I were dead When she left, she wept a great deal; she said to me, "This parting must be endured, Sappho. I go unwillingly." I said, "Go, and be happy but remember (you know well) whom you leave shackled by love If you forget me, think of our gifts to Aphrodite and all the loveliness that we shared all the violet tiaras, braided rosebuds, dill and crocus twined around your young neck "myrrh poured on your head and on soft mats girls with all that they most wished for beside them while no voices chanted choruses without ours, no woodlot bloomed in spring without song. "

"[You for] the fragrant-blossomed Muses’ lovely gifts [be zealous,] girls, [and the] clear melodious lyre: [but my once tender] body old age now [has seized;] my hair’s turned [white] instead of dark; my heart’s grown heavy, my knees will not support me, that once on a time were fleet for the dance as fawns. This state I oft bemoan; but what’s to do? Not to grow old, being human, there’s no way. Tithonus once, the tale was, rose-armed Dawn, love-smitten, carried off to the world’s end, handsome and young then, yet in time grey age o’ertook him, husband of immortal wife. "

"What creature is it that is female in nature and hides in its womb unborn children who, although they are voiceless, speak to people far away? The female creature is a letter. The unborn children are the letters (of the alphabet) it carries. And the letters, although they have no voices, speak to people far away. "

"Girls, be good to these spirits of music and poetry that breast your threshold with their scented gifts. Lift the lyre, clear and sweet, they leave with you. As for me, this body is now so arthritic I cannot play, hardly even hold the instrument. Can you believe my white hair was once black? And oh, the soul grows heavy with the body. Complaining knee-joints creak at every move. To think I danced as delicate as a deer! Some gloomy poems came from these thoughts: useless: we are all born to lose life, and what is worse, girls, to lose youth. The legend of the goddess of the dawn I’m sure you know: how rosy Eos madly in love with gorgeous young Tithonus swept him like booty to her hiding-place but then forgot he would grow old and grey while she in despair pursued her immortal way. "

"Then you my goddess with your immortal lips smiling Would ask what now afflicts me, why again I am calling and what now I with my restive heart Desired: Whom now shall I beguile To bring you to her love? Who now injures you, Sappho? For if she flees, soon shall she chase And, rejecting gifts, soon shall she give. If she does not love you, she shall do so soon Whatsoever is her will. Come to me now to end this consuming pain Bringing what my heart desires to be brought: Be yourself my ally in this fight.” ― Sappho 4 people liked it like “Some say an army of horsemen, some of footsoldiers, some of ships, is the fairest thing on the black earth, but I say it is what one loves. It's very easy to make this clear to everyone, for Helen, by far surpassing mortals in beauty, left the best of all husbands and sailed to Troy, mindful of neither her child nor her dear parents, but with one glimpse she was seduced by Aphrodite. For easily bent... and nimbly...[missing text]... has reminded me now of Anactoria who is not here; I would much prefer to see the lovely way she walks and the radiant glance of her face than the war-chariots of the Lydians or their footsoldiers in arms.” “Honestly, I wish I were dead. Weeping many tears, she left me and said, “Alas, how terribly we suffer, Sappho. I really leave you against my will.” And I answered: “Farewell, go and remember me. You know how we cared for you. If not, I would remind you ... of our wonderful times. For by my side you put on many wreaths of roses and garlands of flowers around your soft neck. And with precious and royal perfume you anointed yourself. On soft beds you satisfied your passion. And there was no dance, no holy place from which we were absent." "

"You may forget but let me tell you this: someone in some future time will think of us. "

"Come to me now and loosen me from blunt agony. Labor and fill my heart with fire. Stand by me and be my ally. "

"When I look on you a moment, then I can speak no more, but my tongue falls silent, and at once a delicate flame courses beneath my skin, and with my eyes I see nothing, and my ears hum, and a wet sweat bathes me and a trembling seizes me all over."

"The rose, the rose, that royal flower had been! She is of earth the gem, Of flowers the diadem; And with her flush The meadows blush; Nay, she is beauty's self that brightens In Summer, when the warm air lightens! Her breath's the breath of Love, Wherewith he lures the dove Of the fair Cyprian queen; Her petals are a screen Of pink and quivering green, For Cupid when he sleeps, Or for mild Zephyrus, who laughs and weeps."

"Whoever he is who opposite you sits and listens close to your sweet speaking and lovely laughing – oh it puts the heart in my chest on wings for when I look at you, even a moment, no speaking is left in me no: tongue breaks and thin fire is racing under skin and in eyes no sight and drumming fills ears and cold sweat holds me and shaking grips me all, greener than grass. "

"Sardis often turning her thoughts here you like a goddess and in your song most of all she rejoiced. But now she is conspicuous among Lydian women as sometimes at sunset the rosyfingered moon surpasses all the stars. And her light stretches over salt sea equally and flowerdeep fields. And the beautiful dew is poured out and roses bloom and frail chervil and flowering sweetclover. But she goes back and forth remembering gentle Atthis and in longing she bites her tender mind. "

"This is my fair girl-garden: sweet they grow; rose, violet, asphodel and lily’s snow; and which the sweetest is, I do not know."

"A handsome man guards his image a while; a good man will one day take on beauty."

"A shade amidst the shadowy dead."

"Again love, the limb-loosener, rattles me bittersweet, irresistible, a crawling beast. As a wind in the mountains assaults an oak, Love shook my breast. I loved you, Atthis, long ago even when you seemed to me a small graceless child. But you hate the very thought of me, Atthis, and you flutter after Andromeda."

"Although they are only breath, words which I command are immortal."

"And the sweet song of the flute mixed... and the sound of the cymbals, and then the maidens sang in clear tones a sacred song and a divinely-sweet echo reached the sky... and everywhere through the streets... mixing bowls and cups... and myrrh and cassia and frankincense were mingled. And the older women wailed aloud. And all the men gave forth a high-pitched song, calling on Apollo, the far-shooter, skilled in the lyre. And they sang of Hektor and Andromakhe like to the gods."

"And a sweet expression spreads over her fair face."

"And their feet move rhythmically, as tender feet of Cretan girls danced once around an altar of love, crushing a circle in the soft smooth flowering grass."

"Beautifully for my companions. The moon shone full and when the maidens stood around the altar... ?He is dying, Aphrodite; luxuriant Adonis is dying. What should we do?? ?Beat your breasts, young maidens. And tear your garments in grief.? O, weep for Adonis! But come, dear companions, for day is near. The moon is set. And the Pleiades. it?s the middle of the night. Time [h“rƒ] passes."

"Beauty endures only for as long as it can be seen; goodness, beautiful today, will remain so tomorrow."

"Because you are dear to me marry a younger woman. I don?t dare live with a young man?I?m older."

"Before they were mothers Leto and Niobe had been the most devoted of friends."

"Blessed bridegroom, the marriage is accomplished as you prayed. You have the maiden you prayed for."

"Blest as the immortal gods is he, the youth who fondly sits by thee, a0nd hears and sees thee, all the while, softly speaks and sweetly smile. 'Twas this deprived my soul of rest, and raised such tumults in my breast; for, while I gazed, in transport tossed, my breath was gone, my voice was lost; my bosom glowed; the subtle flame ran quick through all my vital frame; o'er my dim eyes a darkness hung; my ears with hollow murmurs rung; in dewy damps my limbs were chilled; my blood with gentle horrors thrilled: my feeble pulse forgot to play; I fainted, sunk, and died away."

"Awed by her splendor stars near the lovely moon cover their own bright faces when she is roundest and lights earth with her silver."

"As the poet of Lesbos, surpassed all the other."

"At noontime when the earth is bright with flaming heat falling straight down the cricket sets up a high-pitched singing in his wings."

"As an apple reddens on the high bough; high atop the highest bough the apple pickers passed it by?no, not passed it by, but they could not reach it. [Of a girl before marriage]"

"Builders, raise the ceiling high, Raise the dome into the sky, Hear the wedding song! For the happy groom is near, Tall as Mars, and statelier, Hear the wedding song!"

"But come here, if ever before, when you heard my far-off cry, you listened. And you came, leaving your father?s house,"

"But I say whatever one loves, is."

"But I sleep alone. I love the sensual. For me this and love for the sun has a share in brilliance and beauty I desire and I crave. You set me on fire. A servant of wile-weaving Aphrodite... Eros giver of pain... Eros coming from heaven throwing off"

"Celestial visitant, once more thy needful presence I implore. In pity come, and ease my grief, bring my distempered soul relief, favor thy suppliant's hidden fires, and give me all my heart desires."

"Come now, luxuriant Graces, and beautiful-haired Muses. I tell you"

"Come to me now once again and release me from grueling anxiety. All that my heart longs for, fulfill. And be yourself my ally in love?s battle."

"Come to me once more, and abate my torment; take the bitter care from my mind, and give me all I long for; Lady, in all my battles fight as my comrade."

"Death is an evil; the gods have so judged; had it been good, they would die."

"Equal to the gods seems to me that man who sits facing you and hears you nearby sweetly speaking and softly laughing. This sets my heart to fluttering in my breast, for when I look on you a moment, then can I speak no more, but my tongue falls silent, and at once a delicate flame courses beneath my skin, and with my eyes I see nothing, and my ears hum, and a cold sweat bathes me, and a trembling seizes me all over, and I am paler than grass, and I feel that I am near to death."

"Eros harrows my heart: wild gales sweeping desolate mountains, uprooting oaks."

"Evening you gather back all that dazzling dawn has put asunder: you gather a lamb, gather a kid, gather a child to its mother."

"Evening-star, bringing all things that morning dawn scattered you bring back the sheep, you bring the goat, you bring the child to its mother."

"for a tender youth. Like a sweet-apple turning red high on the tip of the topmost branch. Forgotten by pickers. Not forgotten? they couldn?t reach it. Like a hyacinth"

"For gold is Zeus? child."

"For me, neither the honey nor the bee."