Question 1

Why are most of Sappho's poems lost?

Accepted Answer

Papyrus has its limits, and in the ancient world, there was no printing press. Most classical literature survived because scribes copied it over the generations. Eventually, Sappho's work wasn't copied widely enough to be fully preserved. Today, what we have comes from two primary sources: quotes found in the writings of other ancient authors and fragments dug up from Egyptian rubbish heaps, where dry desert conditions helped preserve the papyrus scraps. This gives us a truly incomplete picture.

Question 2

What is the Ode to Aphrodite?

Accepted Answer

It's the only poem by Sappho that has come down to us in nearly complete form. In this piece, the speaker calls on Aphrodite for assistance with a love that remains unnamed — a person who doesn't share her feelings. Aphrodite responds and softly reminds her that the one who currently overlooks her will eventually be the one pursuing her. This poem explores themes of desire and its twists, and it stands out for its conversational tone and emotional depth, even after so many centuries.

Question 3

What does 'lyric poetry' mean in Sappho's context?

Accepted Answer

In ancient Greece, lyric poetry referred specifically to poetry sung to the lyre. It wasn't just a loose term for personal or emotional writing like we often use today; it defined a particular type of performance. Sappho's poems were created with music in mind, intended to be shared in social or ritual contexts rather than read quietly. Today, that performance aspect is largely absent, meaning we engage with her work in a way that’s fundamentally different from how her original audience experienced it.

Question 4

Why was Sappho called the 'Tenth Muse'?

Accepted Answer

The nine Muses in Greek mythology were the goddesses of the arts and sciences. Referring to Sappho as the Tenth Muse suggested she belonged among them — her talent was so extraordinary it felt almost divine. This title is often linked to Plato, among others. It's a compliment that shows how highly the ancient world regarded her, even if nailing down the exact quote is tricky.

Question 5

What language did Sappho write in?

Accepted Answer

She wrote in Aeolic Greek, the dialect used on Lesbos and in some regions of Asia Minor. This dialect is different from the Attic Greek that most classical literature is written in today. The Sapphic stanza — the meter she famously employed — is named after her and was later taken up by Latin poets like Catullus and Horace. This contributed to her influence enduring, even as her original texts faded away.

Question 6

Are the poems in this database actually by Sappho?

Accepted Answer

Some entries in our database show the intricate history of how her work has been transmitted. Over the centuries, ancient imitations, poems crafted in her style by Hellenistic poets, and works later attributed to her by editors have all been circulated under her name. Three epigrams that were once believed to be hers are now recognized as later imitations. When fragments are authentic, they usually survive as partial texts — a handful of lines, sometimes just a phrase — found within the writings of other ancient authors.

Question 7

How has Sappho influenced later poets?

Accepted Answer

The influence flows in two directions: formal and thematic. Formally, the Sapphic meter she created was adopted by Roman poets and has been echoed ever since. Thematically, her approach to writing about desire—intimate, emotionally raw, and centered on the physical and psychological experience of longing—established a model that poets have engaged with for centuries. Catullus translated her works directly. Tennyson experimented with Sapphics. Anne Carson's *If Not, Winter* introduced her fragments to a new audience.

Sappho

Where to start

a'.

AD VENEREM.

About Sappho

Works

[st]'.

A MADAME A. DE SAINT-REMY.

A SAPHO.

A UNE FEMME IGNORANTE.

a'.

AD VENEREM.

b'.

d'.

e'.

ET CHEZ L'AUTEUR, RUE RICHER, 45.

EUDAIMONIA EN PLOUTOU.

g'.

i'.

i[st]'.

ia'.

ib'.

id'.

ie'.

ig'.

ith'.

iz'.

k'.

ka'.

KALLIOPA.

kb'.

kg'.

L'AMANT VOLAGE.

LA ROSE.

LA TOMBE DE TIMAS.

LE BONHEUR DANS LA RICHESSE.

ODE II.

ODE IV.

ODE V.

ODE VI.

ODE VIII.

OURANIA.

POLYMNIA.

POLYMNIE.

PROS APAIDEUTON GYNAIKA.

RECUEILLIS

SAPPHOUS

th'.

THALIA.

TO RODON.

z'.

Recurring themes

Similar poets

H. D.

Pablo Neruda

Sara Teasdale

Thomas Watson

Elinor Wylie

Sir Philip Sidney

FAQ

More poets in same period

Recurring themes

Poems by Sappho