Sappho
Sappho
Sapphowas a Greek lyric poet from the island of Lesbos. She was born sometime between 630 and 612 BCE, and it is said that she died around 570 BCE, but little is known for certain about her life. Sappho's poetry was well-known and greatly admired through much of antiquity, and she was considered one of the canon of nine lyric poets. However, most of her poetry is now lost, and survives only in fragmentary form...
NationalityGreek
ProfessionPoet
responsibility wealth virtue
Experience shows us Wealth unchaperoned by Virtue is never an innocuous neighbor.
two mind knows
I do not know what to do, my mind's in two.
bees honey caution
No honey for me, if it comes with a bee.
dark earth thermopylae
For some the fairest thing on the dark earth is Thermopylae, And the Spartan phalanx lowering lances to die.
song sky mars
Builders, raise the ceiling high, Raise the dome into the sky, Hear the wedding song! For the happy groom is near, Tall as Mars, and statelier, Hear the wedding song!
music tortoises shells
I took my lyre and said: come now, my heavenly tortoise shell: become a speaking instrument.
thinking two sky
I would not think to touch the sky with two arms
dance moon dancing
Dancing up the full moon Round some fair new altar Trample the soft blossoms of fine grass.
water flow body
I will let my body flow like water over the gentle cushions.
death boon ill
Death is an ill; 'tis thus the Gods decide: / For had death been a boon, the Gods had died.
lying night moon
The moon is setand the Pleiades; Middle ofthe night, time passes by,I lie alone.
queens flower rose
Would Jove appoint some flower to reign, in matchless beauty on the plain, the Rose (mankind will all agree). The Rose the queen of flowers should be.
evil immortality agree
Death must be an evil and the gods agree; for why else would they live for ever?