In our final look at Sappho, we see her reflect on her life and legacy. Conventional scholarship did not prepare me for how sad these fragments are.
Another attack
And lamenting.
Trembling ... again.
My skin is old already
It's moved in
Every crack.
Flies pursue
The noble girls.
They've taken up ...
Sing a song for us ...
Violet bandeaus.
Most
Wander off.
Wander off.
---
You will remember
For we too in our youth
What we made of things
Much, yes, beauty
Piercing the city
We lived to oppose
Thin of voice
Bold in footing
---
Let go
Ship
Too refined
Was left behind
What we were
Adrift
---
Any claim
Of standing I have
Came from deeds
The girls
Gave
What was their own
---
And now the ambrosia
Pestle and a bowl,
Hermes poured for the gods from his oinochoe
And they offered prayers
Cradling their wines
For all the good things they knew would be mine.
---
To be remembered
Someone
I say
A different other
Someone
Of us
--------------------------------------
21
]
] . επαβολησ̣[
]α̣νδ᾿ ὄλοφυν [ . . . . ]ε.
] τρομέροις π . [ . . ]α̣λλα
]
] χρόα γῆρας ἤδη
]ν ἀμφιβάσκει
]ς πέταται διώκων
]
]τας ἀγαύας
]ε̣α, λάβοισα
]ἄεισον ἄμμι
τὰν ἰόκολπον
]ρων μάλιστα
]ας π[λ]άναται
24a
]ανάγα̣[
] . [ ]εμνάσεσθ᾿ ἀ[
κ]αὶ γὰρ ἄμμες ἐν νεό[τατι
ταῦ̣τ̣᾿ [ἐ]πόημμεν·
πό̣λ̣λ̣α̣ [μ]ὲν γὰρ καὶ κά[λα
. . . η̣ . [ ]μεν, πολι[
ἂμμε̣[ . ]ὀ[ξ]είαις δ̣[
] . . [ . ] . . [
24b-d
[ ]νθα[].έδαφο[
τ̣ο̣ . [ζ]ώομ[εν]α̣ικατε[
γ̣α[ . ] . . []ω̣ · ν . . []ανέλο[
ἀνδά[]εναντ[]
] . αι . []α̣πάππ[] . [ ] . αι
τ]όλμανλ]επτοφών[
]ανθρω[] . εα̣.[
]ονεχ[
]παισα̣[
25
]γμε . [
]προλιπ[
]ναῦσεπ[
ἄ]βρα·
ἐ]γλάθαν’ ἐσ̣[
]ησμεθα̣[
]ν̣υνθαλα[
32
αἴ με τιμίαν ἐπόησαν ἔργα
τὰ σφὰ δοῖσαι
141
κῆ δ’ ἀμβροσίας μὲν
κράτηρ ἐκέκρατ’,
Ἔρμαις δ’ ἔλων ὄλπιν θέοισ’ ἐοινοχόησε.
κῆνοι δ’ ἄρα πάντες
καρχάσι’ ἦχον
κἄλειβον, ἀράσαντο δὲ πάμπαν ἔσλα γάμβρῳ
147
μνάσεσθαί τινά φαῖμι καὶ ἕτερον ἀμμέων.
