Sappho quotes

Goodreads helps you follow your favorite authors. Be the first to learn about new releases! Follow Author.

Sappho, despite being renowned as one of the greatest female poets of ancient Greece, only about lines of her poetry survive today. Her works were highly admired in her time, but due to various reasons such as censorship and natural decay, the majority of her works have been lost over the centuries. Sappho's poetry was highly personal and emotional, often expressing her deep affection for other women. Her love poems, known as "odes to the beloved" were celebrated for their beauty and lyricism. Sappho's writings played a significant role in shaping the concept of romantic love in Western literature. Sappho was not only a poet but also a musician. She is said to have played the lyre, an ancient Greek stringed instrument, while singing her verses.

Sappho quotes

What cannot be said will be wept. You may forget but let me tell you this: someone in some future time will think of us. Beauty endures only for as long as it can be seen; goodness, beautiful today, will remain so tomorrow. When I look on you a moment, then I can speak no more, but my tongue falls silent, and at once a delicate flame courses beneath my skin, and with my eyes I see nothing, and my ears hum, and a wet sweat bathes me and a trembling seizes me all over. May I write words more naked than flesh, stronger than bone, more resilient than sinew, sensitive than nerve. Whatever one loves most is beautiful. Someone, I tell you, in another time will remember us. Love is a cunning weaver of fantasies and fables. Although only breath, words which I command are immortal. Once again love drives me on, that loosener of limbs, bittersweet creature against which nothing can be done. Stand and face me, my love,and scatter the grace in your eyes. No honey for me, if it comes with a bee. All the while, believe me, I prayed our night would last twice as long.

Many famous ancient Greek and Roman poets, including Plato and Catullus, were greatly inspired by her work.

And while little is known of her personal life, she shared so much inspiration and beauty through her poetry. She was known to write over 10, lines of poetry, but today, only about lines survive. But from the remains that are left of her incredibly heart-wrenching work stands as some of the most inspiring and romantic prose of all time. Sappho had a way of writing that was pure and honest and incredibly vulnerable. She let her truths fall from the tip of her pen for the world to bear witness to. And still, centuries later, we are digesting her intimate words.

Sappho, or also spelled Psappho, was born in Greece in BC. Not much is known about her life, but it is said she was married to a man named Cercylas, a wealthy man from Andros Island. She lived in Lesbos her whole life, but they say that at some point she was banished or fled to Sicily. Modern critics say that they believe Sappho lept to certain death in the sea by throwing herself off of a rock for a man named Phaon, a sailor that it is said she loved. Sappho died in BC. Sappho was a great Greek poet, her writing style was beautiful and had bits of her personality in them.

Sappho quotes

Marguerite Johnson does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. For those who have read the fragmented remains of the Greek poet, Sappho the loss of most of her poetic corpus is something to regret. With a mere two complete poems extant from nine books of verse, much is left to the imagination in the reconstruction of the output and life of this most mysterious of ancient poets.

Pages jaunes

Instead, it flourishes, grows, and illuminates, bringing hope and warmth to even the bleakest of nights. Explanation The quote by Sappho, "Your presence touches me deeply, like a gentle breeze on a warm summer day," beautifully captures the profound impact someone's presence can have on our emotions. This quote resonates with the comforting and invigorating power of human connection, highlighting how someone's mere presence can profoundly touch our hearts and soul. The poem I want read to me after sex. Sappho was not only a poet but also a musician. Nonetheless, even in their fragmented state, it is evident that her poetry explores themes of love, desire, beauty, and loss with extraordinary depth and emotional intensity. Explanation Sappho's quote, "To love is to risk everything, but the reward is worth it," exemplifies the complex and often tumultuous nature of love. While some may argue that the sight of an army of horsemen or infantry, or a fleet of black ships, constitutes the most captivating image on Earth, Sappho boldly claims that the loveliest thing is, in fact, whatever one personally desires. She was known to write over 10, lines of poetry, but today, only about lines survive. It suggests that love is not merely an emotion but an intricate dance between two individuals, where their souls are intertwined and in sync. Although only breath, words which I command are immortal. July 15, Brennan Bogert. The evening star Is the most beautiful of all stars Sappho. You came and I was longing for you You cooled a heart that burned with desire Army , Black , Earth.

In this stanza, Sappho uses a shifting speaker to describe the relationship between herself and Aphrodite. By seamlessly moving from one voice to the next, Sappho suggests that she and the goddess are mirrors of one another.

Army , Black , Earth. There is no place for grief in a house which serves the Muse. Books by Sappho. You came and I was longing for you You cooled a heart that burned with desire. Come to me now thus, Goddess, and release me From distress and pain; and all my distracted Heart would seek, do thou, once again fulfilling, Still be my ally! Sappho suggests that the ultimate source of joy lies in being loved by someone dear to us. This quote reminds us of the power of laughter to bring people closer, to create bonds, and to infuse our lives with warmth and joy. They only perish of winter Whom Love, audacious and tender, Never hath visited. When we are apart, I long for your presence like a flower longs for the sun. This quote resonates with the comforting and invigorating power of human connection, highlighting how someone's mere presence can profoundly touch our hearts and soul. Explanation Sappho, the ancient Greek poet, beautifully captures the essence of longing and intense desire through her quote, "Every moment spent without you feels like an eternity. What Do You Think? Sappho's words evoke a sense of bliss and overwhelming pleasure, capturing the essence of the connection and intimacy experienced when two souls meet in a passionate kiss.