Sappho

(c. 600 BCE / Greece)

poet Sappho
#102 on top 500 poets
Sappho
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Sappho Poems

All poems of Sappho »


The only contemporary source which refers to Sappho's life is her own body of poetry, and scholars are skeptical of biographical readings of it. Later biographical traditions, from which all more detailed accounts derive, have also been cast into doubt.

An Oxyrhynchus papyrus from around AD 200 and the Suda agree that Sappho had a mother called Cleïs and a daughter by the same name. Two preserved fragments of Sappho's poetry refer to a Cleïs. In fragment 98, Sappho addresses Cleïs, saying that she has no way of obtaining a decorated headband for her. Fragment 132 reads in full: "I have a beautiful child who looks like golden flowers, my darling Cleis, for whom I would not ... more »

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Comments about Sappho

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  • Savita Tyagi Savita Tyagi (6/7/2016 6:08:00 PM)

    Such smooth flow of words in defining a human emotion. Beautiful!

    10 person liked.
    		5 person did not like.
  • Fabrizio Frosini Fabrizio Frosini (1/13/2016 6:41:00 AM)

    ........ even after 2600 years, Sappho's verse keep being very inspirational to us all poets....

    172 person liked.
    		8 person did not like.
  • Sayeed Abubakar Sayeed Abubakar (2/9/2013 8:10:00 AM)

    I am reading your poems how many years later of your death. I do not know who will read my poems two thousand years later. +8801919455479

    51 person liked.
    		32 person did not like.
  • Bleak House (4/17/2011 9:18:00 AM)

    An immortal goddess of inspiration from the isle of Lesbos, the tenth muse according to Plato himself and a high priestess of enchantment for the enduring beauty and contemporary appeal of her surviving fragments. She lives on eternally.

    54 person liked.
    		31 person did not like.
  • Linda Hollander (4/10/2008 2:19:00 PM)

    I hope someone can help me. It is my understanding that Winnaretta Singer, the Princesse de Polignac, made many translations of Sappho's poems at the turn of the 20th century (Perhaps between 1900-1914, but possibly not until after WWl) . I would like to find them, but have not been successful so far.

    Is there a Sappho scholar reading this who can help me? If so, please feel free to email me at Linda5051@aol.com as soon as you read this.

    Any assistance will be greatly appreciated.

    28 person liked.
    		34 person did not like.
  • Rose Noir (9/4/2006 2:11:00 AM)

    Here's another one, not included in this anthology:

    Mountain Wind

    Just as the wind
    in the mountains
    blows the oaks
    assunder, so did
    Eros
    blow my mind.

    32 person liked.
    		31 person did not like.
  • Rose Noir (9/4/2006 1:42:00 AM)

    It's rare to find so many fragments of her divine lyrics. I'm in Arcadia.......!

    14 person liked.
    		15 person did not like.
  • Uriah Hamilton (7/12/2005 7:23:00 AM)

    The greatest poet of them all,
    though only beautiful fragments remain
    because of the Christian Era
    fearing her love!

    15 person liked.
    		13 person did not like.
  • Robert Rorabeck (4/14/2005 3:17:00 PM)

    does anyone know when the Sappho will be reborn and where? i can't wait

    18 person liked.
    		17 person did not like.
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Best Poem of Sappho

Awed By Her Splendor

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

Read the full of Awed By Her Splendor
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