Tuesday, March 31, 2026

Sappho Wedding Song Fragments

I'll leave to the reader whether the rituals expressed in the remaining fragments from the wedding song are so very different than those of today. 

The Threshold
Before the gate, to keep the bride inside
Her chamber, 10 cobblers and 5 cows
For the doorman's sandals, 7 fathoms long.

Chant
Big enough to let the groom in
To the hymen.
Carpenters must raise the roof high;
To the hymen.
For the groom is as long as the God of War;
To the hymen.
Better hung than gargantuan men,
To the hymen.

Blessing
Be happy, nympha, be wealthy hombre!
May you endure, bride -- at your command, groom?

Farewell
Gods at the door, carved in marble;
Leave your blood with the evening star
Like Adonis, who died.

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θυρώρῳ πόδες ἐπτορόγυιοι,
τὰ δὲ σάμβαλα πεμπεβόηα,
πίσσυγγοι δὲ δέκ’ ἐξεπόναισαν.

ἴψοι δὴ τὸ μέλαθρον,
Ὑμήναον,
ἀέρρετε, τέκτονες ἄνδρες·
Ὑμήναον.
γάμβρος (εἰσ)έρχεται ἶσος Ἄρευι,
Ὑμήναον.
ἄνδρος μεγάλω πόλυ μέσδων.
Ὑμήναον.

χαῖρε, νύμφα, χαῖρε, τίμιε γάμβρε, πόλλα
χαίροις ἀ νύμφα, χαιρέτω δ’ ὀ γάμβρος

ξοάνων προθύρων·
Ἔσπερ’ Ὑμήναον
ὦ τὸν Ἀδώνιον