The ['s and ]'s in the original Aeolic Greek below represent gaps of indeterminate length in the physical papyrus that can't be remedied -- when the lines in between are often one, two words, often just participles or less. Thus most standard translations that actually try to take on this word salad have a distinct broken porcelain feel. This particularly shredded set of threadbare fragments needs to be padded with imaginative and historical reconstructions of their cultic setting.
The Summoning
Memories remain
Of the Thyoisi
That bore what was proper
In the steps of the Mystai
For we’ve not known it
In deeds
Afterwards
Dishonored
When said
---
Rose bouqueted
In their arms
Come
The daughters
Of Zeus
Ritually pure
The Kharites,
The Graces,
Step forth!
---
Stars surround
The lamp of Selanna
Concealing
The lesser lights
And forms
At this turn
When she is full
Most luminous
The earth
---
He arrives now
Out of the sky
To our circle
And dons
The living
Porphyry purple
Chlamys
Of office
And crosses
The Transformation
So it went
To want the children
To fulfill the design
I call the heart
To will it true
Here and now
My luxury
Must be
Persuaded
---
Feet --
A sandal --
Lydian
Fashioned
To consecration
Sanctioned by touch
By beauty
Kept the toes
Inside
---
To you
Beautiful ones
It’s on me
The plan
The shape
The weight
Does not circulate
Not up for
Negotiation
---
We are raw
Shaken
Weary
The weight
Of the wait
Makes us sit
But come
Oh dear ones
Daylight is nearing
---
I will join
Everyone
Together
For celebration
High vibration
Dancing
Rites in motion
Chorus
Pure in tone
The Departure
Once you were a child
Perform now the rites
Of song and dance!
Voice the sacred words
To transfer grace
Before you're whisked away
Where maidens go
On the great path
To Olympus
---
You tucked your wings
The Daphne still
Apollo-scented
I hardly heard
The wayfarer
Again
On her return
To the one
Hallowed soul
---
Oneiros from the Abyss
You haunted me
Like a ghost
God of glucose
I hold my divine force apart
Hope holds me
Not to have a share
In the nothing held
By blessed ones
---
Your allotment,
Sappho my love
The Queen of Cyprus
Hears your eclat
Acclaimed all around
Even in Acheron
Unforgotten
Even on the river
Of Oblivion
---
Go gentle
Of the Aegis-Bearer
Cytherea, I pray
You know my heart
Hear my prayers
Like you have before
Godforsaken
For my voice
Gravel dry
------------------------------------------------
19
]
]μενοισα[
]θ᾿ ἐν θύοισι[
]ἔχοσισαν ἔσλ[
]
]εἰ δὲ βαισα[
]ὐ γὰρ ἴδμεν[
]ιν ἔργων[
]
]δ᾿ ὐπίσσω[
κ]ἀπικυδ[
]τοδ᾿ εἴπη[
53
βροδοπάχεες ἄγναι Χάριτες δεῦτε Δίος κόραι
34
ἄστερες μὲν ἀμφὶ κάλαν σελάνναν
ἂψ ἀπυκρύπτοισι φάεννον εἶδος
ὄπποτα πλήθοισα μάλιστα λάμπη
γᾶν
54
ἐλθόντ᾿ ἐξ ὀράνω πορφυρίαν περθέμενον χλάμυν
60
]τύχοισα
]θέλ᾿ ωνταπαίσαν
τέ]λ̣εσον νόημμα
]έτων κάλημι
]πεδὰ θῦμον αἶψα
ὄ]σ̣σα τύχην θελήση[ς
]ρ ἔμοι μάχεσθα[ι
χ]λιδάναι πίθεισα[ν
]ι, σὺ δ᾿ εὖ γὰρ οἶσθα
]έτει τα[ . ] . λε . .
]κλ̣ασ[
39
πόδας δὲ
ποίκιλος μάσλης ἐκάλυπτε, Λύδι-
ον κάλον ἔργον
41
ταὶς κάλαισ᾿ ὔμιν <τὸ> νόημμα τὦμον
οὐ διάμειπτον
43
]α̣ι̣·
]
]λ̣ε̣τ̣αι̣
][[κ]]αλος
]. ἄκαλα κλόνει
]κάματος φρένα
]ε̣ κ̣ατισδάνε[ι]
] ἀλλ᾿ ἄγιτ᾿ , ὦ φίλαι,
], ἄγχι γὰρ ἀμέρα.
70
]α̣μ̣.λ.[
]ναμ[
]ν̣ δ’ εἶμ’ ε[
]ρσομέν[
]λικ’ ὐπα[
] … [.]βα[
]ς̣ γὰρ ἐ̣παυ[
] μάν κ’ ἀπυ̣θ̣υσ̣[
] αρμονίας δ̣[
πολυγ]άθην χόρον, ἄα[
]δ̣ε λίγηα . [
]ατόν σφι̣[
] πάντεσσι[
]επ[.].[
27
]κ̣αιπ̣[
] . [ . ] . [ . ] ν̣οσ[
]σι·
. . . ] . καὶ γὰρ δ̣ὴ σὺ πάις ποτ[
. . . ]ι̣κ̣ης μέλπεσθ᾿ ἄγι ταῦτα[
. . ] ζάλεξαι, κἄμμ᾿ ἀπὺ τωδεκ[
ἄ]δρα χάρισσαι·
σ]τείχομεν γὰρ ἐς γάμον· εὖ δε[
κα[ὶ σὺ τοῦτ᾿, ἀλλ᾿ ὄττι τάχιστα[
πα]ρ̣[θ]ένοις ἄπ[π]εμπε, θέοι[
]εν ἔχοιεν
] ὄδος̣ μ[έ]γαν εἰς Ὄλ[υμπον
ἀ]νθρω[π ]αίκ.[
62
ἐπτάξατε̣[
δάφνας ὄτα̣[
πὰν δ᾿ ἄδιον[
ἢ κῆνον ἐλο[
καί ταῖσι μὲν ἀ̣[
ὀδοίπορος ἄν[ . . . . ] . . [
μύγις δέ ποτ᾿ εἰσάιον· ἐκλ̣[
ψύχα δ᾿ ἀγαπάτα συ ´.
τέαυτα δὲ νῦν ἔμμ̣[
ἴκεσθ᾿ ἀγανα[
ἔφθατε· κάλαν[
τά τ᾿ ἔμματα κα̣[
63
ὄνοιρε μελαινα[,
φ[ο]ίταις ὄτα τ’ ὔπνος[
γλύκυς̣ θ̣[έ]ο̣ς, ἦ δεῖν’ ὀνίας μ]
4.ζά χῶρις ἔχην τάν δυναμ[
ἔλπις δέ μ’ ἔχει μὴ πεδέχη[ν
μηδὲν μακάρων ἐλ̣[
ο̣ὐ̣ γάρ κ’ ἔον οὔτω[ . ́.
8.ἀθύρματα κα . [
γένοιτο δέ μοι[
τοὶς πάντα[
65
….. ] … α[
….. ]ρομε[
….. ]. ελασ̣[
.ροτ̣ήννεμε[
Ψάπφοι, σεφίλ[
Κύπρωι̣ β̣[α]σίλ[
καίτοι μέγα δ . [
ὄ]σσοις φαέθων̣[
πάνται κλέος[
καί σ’ ἐνν Ἀχέρ[οντ
.. [ …… ]ν̣π̣[
86
ακάλα.[
]α̣ἰ̣γιόχω λ̣α̣[
]. Κ̣υ̣θέρη’ ε̣ὐ̣χ̣ομ[
]ο̣ν ἔχοισα θῦμο̣[ν
κλ]ῦθί μ̣’ ἄρας αἴ π[οτα κἀτέρωτ
]ας π̣ρ̣ολίποισ̣α κ[
]. πεδ’ ἔμαν ἰώ[
] . ν χα̣λέπαι . [
