Po-mz

Great Poetry By Sappho Collected And Shared By Tony Johansen

                 I
Shimmering-throned immortal Aphrodite,
Daughter of Zeus, Enchantress, I implore thee,
Spare me, O queen, this agony and anguish,
     Crush not my spirit

                 II
Whenever before thou has hearkened to me--
To my voice calling to thee in the distance,
And heeding, thou hast come, leaving thy father's
     Golden dominions,

                 III
With chariot yoked to thy fleet-winged coursers,
Fluttering swift pinions over earth's darkness,
And bringing thee through the infinite, gliding
     Downwards from heaven,

                  IV
Then, soon they arrived and thou, blessed goddess,
With divine contenance smiling, didst ask me
What new woe had befallen me now and why,
     Thus I had called the.

                  V
What in my mad heart was my greatest desire,
Who was it now that must feel my allurements,
Who was the fair one that must be persuaded,
     Who wronged thee Sappho?

                  VI
For if now she flees, quickly she shall follow
And if she spurns gifts, soon shall she offer them
Yea, if she knows not love, soon shall she feel it
     Even reluctant.

                  VII
Come then, I pray, grant me surcease from sorrow,
Drive away care, I beseech thee, O goddess
Fulfil for me what I yearn to accomplish,
     Be thou my ally.

- Sappho  (Greek, 7th century BC) Translated by Edwin Marion Cox

. 

This is only a portion of the original poem. None of Saphho's poetry 

exists as more than fragments, however what remains supports the 

ancient Greeks opinion that Sappho was the greatest lyric poet of the 

ancient world. They held her in the same regard we hold Shakespeare. 

Unfortunately translation is not an exact science and to help the 

appreciation  of her words, I have included below a literal translation 

of Sappho's original words plus a second poetic tranlation of this 

Hymn To Aphrodite.

.

Immortal Aphrodite of the broidered throne, daughter of Zeus,
weaver of wiles, I pray thee break not my spirit with anguish and
distress, O Queen. But come hither, if ever before thou didst hear my
voice afar, and listen, and leaving thy father's golden house camest
with chariot yoked, and fair fleet sparrows drew thee, flapping fast
their wings around the dark earth, from heaven through mid sky.
Quickly arrived they; and thou, blessed one, smiling with immortal
countenance, didst ask What now is befallen me, and Why now I
call, and What I in my mad heart most desire to see. 'What Beauty
now wouldst thou draw to love thee? Who wrongs thee, Sappho?
For even if she flies she shall soon follow, and if she rejects gifts
shall yet give, and if she loves not shall soon love, however loth.'
Come, I pray thee, now too, and release me from cruel cares; and all
that my heart desires to accomplish, accomplish thou, and be thyself
my ally.

- Sappho, Wharton's literal translation

.

HYMN TO APHRODITE 

Beautiful-throned, immortal Aphrodite,

Daughter of Zeus, beguiler, I implore thee,

Weigh me not down with weariness and anguish

          O thou most holy!



Come to me now, if ever thou in kindness

Hearkenedst my words,--and often hast thou hearkened--

Heeding, and coming from the mansions golden

          Of thy great Father,



Yoking thy chariot, borne by the most lovely

Consecrated birds, with dusky-tinted pinions,

Waving swift wings from utmost heights of heaven

          Through the mid-ether;



Swiftly they vanished, leaving thee, O goddess,

Smiling, with face immortal in its beauty,

Asking why I grieved, and why in utter longing

          I had dared call thee;



Asking what I sought, thus hopeless in desiring,

Wildered in brain, and spreading nets of passion--

Alas, for whom? and saidst thou, 'Who has harmed thee?

          'O my poor Sappho!



'Though now he flies, ere long he shall pursue thee;

'Fearing thy gifts, he too in turn shall bring them;

'Loveless to-day, to-morrow he shall woo thee,

          'Though thou shouldst spurn him.'



Thus seek me now, O holy Aphrodite!

Save me from anguish; give me all I ask for,

Gifts at thy hand; and thine shall be the glory,

          Sacred protector!

- Sappho, translated by T. W. Higginson