The Known Life of Sappho

Sappho and her life

Born on the Island of Lesbos over 2,400 years ago, Sappho is widely known for her lyric poetry in Greek. Her poems were mainly written to bring aboutin a lyric manner accompanied a U-shaped string instrument that is known to be used in Greek classical antiquity. She is recognized as a genius as she was able to capture the Western Imagination. Her poems, though mostly forgotten, were mainly about the love and passion of men and women. In Lesbos, Sappho was born from a wealthy family with the names of both parents unknown.

Though famous back in her days, little is known about her life. Sources from the ancient days state that she was born to a family of three brothers, namely: Charaxus, a merchant, Erigyius, and Larichus, who served as a wine bearer.

According to Athenaeus, it is said that in one of Sappho's poems, her brother Larichus was said to have poured wine in their hometown Mytilene. The wine bearer was a position held by boys from the best families. Unlike her verses in her poems, the brother's characteristics indicate that she was born into a noble family. Though she never mentioned politics. Tradition states that her family was exiled to Sicily for a short period just after 600 B.C. Her human nature is then seen in a poem she wrote rebuking her brother Charaxus who ransomed Rhodopis for a large sum and loving a prostitute in Egypt.

Though not confirmed, it is said that she may have had a daughter namely Cleïs who was referred to in two of her fragments and assumed to have been named after her mother. According to the Suda, it is said that she may have been married to Kerkylas of Andros. However, this name is not confirmed and it is also said that it might have been invented by a comic poet.

Going back to Menander (Fr. 258 K), it is suggested or rather assumed that she committed suicide by jumping off Leucadian cliff after falling in love to Phaon, who was a ferryman. It is considered unhistorical by modern scholars who state that it could be invented by comic poets or a misread of the first-person reference in a non-biographical poem.

Sappho and her Works

It is not clearly known how much she wrote, but her poems are assumed to be numerous since they were collected in nine books in the 3rd Century B.C. Soppho enjoyed great popularity in her days, but due to changes in literary fashion and knowledge in early middle ages and Christian's distaste for the poet, which was looked upon as vile, resulted in the loss of most of her poetry. She was the great poet of the personal. In her first book, it contained 1320 lines, yet only 1000 lines survived. Not only did Ancient Greeks and Romans acclaim her verse, but also the Library of Alexandria collected her poems in nine books that were based on metrical form. Her works later fell into neglect, though it is not known if it was through intellectual or artistic decay.

Her second fame then surfaced with the European Renaissance and still continues. Though her fame progressed until today, there is only one poem commonly known in modern days: The Ode to Aphrodite. Though, a few are almost complete. The rest of her writings were somewhat recovered in brief selections of bits and pieces that were found scratched onto ancient potsherds and written on bits of papyrus.

With the thought that her partial poety would dampen enthusiasm, it has just so happened that its incompleteness has made it attractive and romantic. In the past two centuries, readers have found themselves drawn to Sappho's work. In some cases, we find that poets have translated it a number of times. It is thought that this could have been the case due to the fact that the piece is unfinished hence inviting reworking, recasting, and imitation.

In an article written at Stockton, Sappho's poetry is said to be an original Aeolic Greek that is metrically diverse and filled with assonance consonance that is assumed to be beautiful in sound and form. The article added on stating that even when translated to literal prose, its substance is visually immediate, emotionally mature and self-aware. Having to write about love and emotions, her poems have tonal variations that are dramatic. Most of the translated poems of Sappho is written by Mary Barnard and Anne Carson. David A. Campbell's Greek Lyric vol. 1 Havard University Press is one of a Scholarly treatment from Sappho's poem that has great prose translation.

Her dialect might seem slightly odd to those who are more into classical forms of language, but her poems are found to be amazing to read. Her language dialect doesn't make it any less appealing, as the fragmentary nature of the verse that is enabling.

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