As I explore these Sapphic fragments I notice they are not broken things at all but concentrated. Emotion lives on in words that demand release, even, in this case, when release is never granted. Fragment 96 actually scans as a complete poem in the Sapphic style.
Sardis.
I've held you many times there,
As if we are alive.
As if we are alive.
Visible frequency of the divine —
Who took the most joy out of my song.
Now she stands out, glows among the Lydians
As when the sunset burns
And the rosy-fingered moon turns sovereign
And has everything, every star, in its hold,
Presses its brilliance on the brine
And every flower plowed into the worked earth.
All the dew has been beautifully poured, roses
Have already bloomed, sweet clover
And tender chervil are yielding in the dark;
So fragile Attis roves through my memory.
My heart is devoured for someone
Vulnerable, in some direction, feeling something.
I came to this place, we did not. Not unknown
What's pointed to, what has a name.
My wailings release what is left in between.
It's not within our hands to model the Gods
For the beauty from desire
Has no match ... and what I have of you, to hold.
Has no match ... and what I have of you, to hold.
Peitho works with persuading hands
To pour Aphrodite's nectar.
To pour Aphrodite's nectar.
And I get vapour ... for all my desire.
Remembered and gone ...
My anointed friends wait in Geraistion.
My anointed friends wait in Geraistion.
I will go.
----------------------------------------------------------
]Σαρδ . [ . .]
πόλ]λακι τυίδε̣ [ν]ῶν ἔχοισα
ὠσπ . [ . . .] . ωόμεν, . [ . . .] . . χ[ . .]
σε θέᾳ σ’ ἰκέλαν ἀρι-
γνώτᾳ, σᾳ δὲ μάλιστ’ ἔχαιρε μόλπᾳ.
νῦν δὲ Λῦδαισιν ἐμπρέπεται γυναί-
κεσσιν ὤς ποτ’ ἀελίω
δύντος ἀ βροδοδάκτυλος σελάννα
πάντα περρέχοισ’ ἄστρα· φάος δ’ ἐπί-
σχει θάλασσαν ἐπ’ ἀλμύραν
ἴσως καὶ πολυανθέμοις ἀρούραις·
ἀ δ’ ἐέρσα κάλα κέχυται τεθά-
λαισι δὲ βρόδα κἄπαλ’ ἄν-
θρυσκα καὶ μελίλωτος ἀνθεμώδης·
πόλλα δὲ ζαφοίταισ’ ἀγάνας ἐπι-
μνάσθεισ’ Ἄτθιδος ἰμέρῳ
λέπταν ποι φρένα κ[ᾶ]ρ̣[ι σᾷ] βόρηται·
κῆθι δ’ ἔλθην ἀμμ . [ . .] . .ισα τό̣δ’ οὐ
νῶντ’ ἀ[ . .]υστονυμ̣[ . . .] πόλυς
γαρύει̣ [ . . .]αλον̣[ . . . . . .] .ο̣ μέσσον·
ε]ὔ̣μαρ[ες μ]ὲ̣ν οὐκ̣ ἄμ̣μι θέαισι μόρ-
φαν ἐπή[ρατ]ον ἐξίσω-
σθ̣αι συ[ . .]ρ̣ο̣ς ἔχηισθ’ ἀ[ . . .] .νίδηον
]το̣[ . . . .]ρατι-
μαλ[ ] . ερος
καὶ δ[ . ]μ̣[ ]ος Ἀφροδίτα
καμ̣[ ] νέκταρ ἔχευ’ ἀπὺ
χρυσίας [ ]ν̣αν
.. . . .]απουρ̣[ ]χέρσι Πείθω
[ ]θ[. . .]ησενη
[ ]ακις
[ ]. . . . . .αι
[ ]ες τὸ Γεραίστιον
[ ]ν̣ φίλαι
[ ]υ̣στον οὐδενο[
