The Poems of Sappho: An Interpretive Rendition into English

by John Myers O'Hara, Sappho

Hither now, O Muses, leaving the golden House of God unseen in the azure spaces, Come and breathe on bosom and brow and kindle Song like the sunglow; Come and lift my shaken soul to the sacred Shadow cast by Helicon’s rustling forests; Sweep on wings of flame from the middle ether, Seize and uplift me; Thrill my heart that throbs with unwonted fervor, Chasten mouth and throat with immortal kisses, Till I yield on maddening heights the very Breath of my body. Come with Musagetes, ye Hours and Graces, Dance around the team of swans that attend him Up Parnassian heights, to his holy temple High on the hill-top; Come, ye Muses, too, from the shades of Pindus, Let your songs, that echo on winds of rapture, Wake the lyre he tunes to the sweet inspiring Sound of your voices. If Panormus, Cyprus or Paphos hold thee, Either home of Gods or the island temple, Hark again and come at my invocation, Goddess benefic; Come thou, foam-born Kypris, and pour in dainty Cups of amber gold thy delicate nectar, Subtly mixed with fire that will swiftly kindle Love in our bosoms; Thus the bowl ambrosial was stirred in Paphos For the feast, and taking the burnished ladle, Hermes poured the wine for the Gods who lifted Reverent beakers; High they held their goblets and made libation, Spilling wine as pledge to the Fates and Hades, Quaffing deep and binding their hearts to Eros, Lauding thy servant. So to me and my Lesbians round me gathered, Each made mine, an amphor of love long tasted, Bid us drink, who sigh for thy thrill ecstatic, Passion’s full goblet; Grant me this, O Kypris, and on thy altar Dawn will see a goat of the breed of Naxos, Snowy doves from Cos and the drip of rarest Lesbian vintage; For a regal taste is mine and the glowing Zenith-lure and beauty of suns must brighten Love for me, that ever upon perfection Trembles elusive.

Genres: Poetry, Classics, LGBT, Lesbian, Fiction, Love, Ebooks

96 pages, Nook

First published January 1, 1910

About the author

1870-1944

Reviews

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sappho is the gayest poet. Her name and work provide the source for not one, but two (2) common terms for romantic love between women ("sapphic," of obvious etymology, and the somewhat better-known "lesbian," derived from the island of Lesbos, where Sappho lived). I love Sappho not just because I'm a lesbian, but also because her poetry is incredibly beautiful. It's also incredibly gay. One of the less gay things she wrote, in "Love's Banquet," goes:

So to me and my Lesbians round me gathered,
Each made mine, an amphor of love long tasted,
Bid us drink, who sigh for thy thrill ecstatic,
Passion's full goblet;

We also get slightly more explicit gayness, e.g. in "Ode to Anactoria":

Tones that make the heart in my bosom flutter,
For if I, the space of a moment even,
Near to thee come, any word I would utter
Instantly fails me;

Vain my stricken tongue would a whisper fashion,
Subtly under my skin runs fire ecstatic;
Straightway mists surge dim to my eyes and leave them
Reft of their vision;

[...]

Overcome with kisses her faintest protest,
Melt her mood to mine with amorous touches,
Till her low assent and her sigh's abandon
Lure me to rapture.

Fun fact: scholars used to (and to some extent still do) argue whether Sappho was really gay, or just really fond of women. This is what happens when 2600 years of literary scholarship is dominated by men.

Previous review: The Bell Jar, by Sylvia Plath.
Next review: House of Leaves, by Mark Z. Danielewski.

[cynne★ · Rating 4 out of 5]

i am just like sappho: greek and gay

[DivaDiane SM · Rating 3 out of 5]

I recognize the importance of this collection of poetry and Sappho’s place in the pantheon of poets and I am glad I finally read some of them (this is not a complete collection).

I love poetry and read quite a lot of it. That said, I did not love these poems. They were nice enough, but a bit monotone and very same-y with just the names switched out. I wish I had had the leisure to read just one poem a day, because maybe they wouldn’t have struck me quite the same way.

In short, your mileage may vary!

[Emily Fullhardt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just know Sappho was meeeesssyyy

[jacky · Rating 5 out of 5]

wunderschön

[Liza · Rating 3 out of 5]

I certainly liked more poems than others, but I felt pretty lukewarm about all of them. I like how Sappho describes love as almost painful sometimes. I was hoping her poems wouldn’t be quite so male-gazey but I was disappointed in that regard. She writes about her lovers a lot like a man would, especially in Damophyla and Erinna. I liked Gorgo, it captures the feelings of a lot of women towards unwanted but persistent suitors.

[iba · Rating 5 out of 5]

Has not my life been one sole hymn of thee,
One quivering chord on Love's harp overwrought?
My soul has trembled up to thee in thought,
Probed to its depth thy every ecstasy.

Are not my countless heart-beats each a vow,
Of tribute throbs a garland? For thy gain
The Fates have drenched my soul in passion's rain,
Pieria's roses twined about my brow.

sappho is a genius. her poems have such a rhythmic beauty to it. sapphic love and yearning has never been better described in any other writing or saying.

[victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’M IN LOVE WITH SAPPHO

[Maddie]

Not rating this one, cause I’m not really sure how I’d rate it lol
I’m trying to get more into poetry, and this helped me realize how much I can enjoy it when it’s not something I’m being forced to read for school lol

[Aaron Schuschu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not sure if actually Sappho or just when the British went through that phase of fangirling the Greeks.

[Kara Whicker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Listened to it and it was pretty mid. Would way rather of read it

[Daniel Tol · Rating 2 out of 5]

Surprisingly, reading passionate love poetry doesn’t really make you feel anything or relate if you’re never been in love and are basically a virgin. Go figure :p

[Angi Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

thank sappho for beautiful sapphic poetry

[nethescurial · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thousands of years ago Sappho so completely perfected the process of turning passion and yearning into art that it's almost insane how anyone has even fucking tried since then. That's hyperbolic obvs but it's incredible how timelessly this captures the often painful feeling of madness that passion can bring, especially in matters of love [between humans, from humans to the gods, etc]. Just chock full of unbelievably striking imagery and sensory details as well, these are words to just swim in. Probably the perfect work to read during spring and summer nights as well. Writing about good poetry is pointless!!

[Bishop Juneblood · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favorite old and free translation of Sappho. The librivox reader for the free audiobook version also did a fantastic job.