Sappho: A New TranslationThese hundred poems and fragments constitute virtually all of Sappho that survives and effectively bring to life the woman whom the Greeks consider to be their greatest lyric poet. Mary Barnard's translations are lean, incisive, direct—the best ever published. She has rendered the beloved poet's verses, long the bane of translators, more authentically than anyone else in English. |
Contents
asked myself 5 And I said | 6 |
confess | 7 |
At noontime | 8 |
took my lyre and said 9 Although they | 9 |
That afternoon 11 We heard them chanting | 10 |
Its no | 11 |
People do gossip | 12 |
Peace reigned in heaven 15 When I saw Eros | 13 |
You are the herdsman of evening | 14 |
In memory | 85 |
Notes | 101 |
Common terms and phrases
Alcman Anactoria Antipoetry Aphrodite Asia Minor Athenaeus Atthis beautiful Bowra says Bridesmaids carol carol II centuries b.c. Cercolas choruses of girls Cleis Cyprian dark earth daughter dear Doricha Dudley Fitts Epithalamia 26 exile father’s name FIVE 62 flowers footnote foreword forget FOUR 44 fragment God’s gold Gongyla Greek Greetings to Gorgo hear that Andromeda heart heaven Hephaestion Hera Hymen Hymenaon kapelmeister know why Eros lady of Paphos Lesbos Leucadian cliffs maidenhead Many’s Mary Barnard Maximus of Tyre meter Miletus Miss Barnard’s Mitylene modern scholar moisopolōn domos mother Muses nightingale’s Pain penetrates papyrus Phocaea phrase Pindar poems poet poet’s poetry priestess purple put the urn quoted Sappho says Sardis say a cavalry scandal sight on dark soft song Sparta star swift oars taught the talented Text from Wharton thiasos THREE 37 Tonight I’ve watched translations Treatise on Etymology urn aboard ship voice second voice wear her livery women word