Sappho (Σαπφώ): Poems

(Complete Works – Σαπφώ – English translation)

NOTE: This is an ongoing project started on 19/06/2024 that aims to provide English translations for (most if not) all of Sappho's known fragments. By no means professional, (just whatever my insomniac brain comes up with at night,) but hopefully engaging.

NOTATION:

Missing / highly speculative (unreliable) texts –

KNOWN TEXT [missing / highly speculative text; or

missing / highly speculative text] KNOWN TEXT; or

KNOWN TEXT [missing / highly speculative text] KNOWN TEXT

Blank lines –

[; or

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BOLD Title: Fragments with (relatively) complete stanzas!
(Title)*: First / little- or un-referenced (i.e. not checked with other existing translations) translation – heavily conjectured and largely inaccurate. TAKE EVERYTHING WITH A GRAIN OF SALT!

Book One

1, Ode to Aphrodite ("Resplendently throned...")

2, From heaven

5, Cypris and Nereids*

6, Golden-armed

8, Atthis, to you

15, Blessed godly ones

16, Some, cavalry horsemen

17, Hymn to Hera ("Here and now I pray...")

19, Incensed offerings

20, Surely unwilling sailors

22, If not, winter

23, From across I saw you

24, You all will remember

26, The Cypris poem ("Just how could anyone...")

27, Once a young girl

28, Underworld*

30, Violet-girdled bride

31, Equal of the gods

32, To the Muses ("They have made me...")

33, Gold-crowned

34, Beauteous Moon

39, Fine handiwork

41, Not changeable

Book Two

43, Toil of heart

44, Hector and Andromache

47, Like a wind

48, Cooled my heart

49, Atthis, once

50, Besides good

51, Two, I have

52, Touch heaven

Book Three

54, Purple mantle

55, Lie dead

57, Countrywoman

Book Four

58, The Tithonus Poem ("All of you: ...")

60, Struggle against

63, Black dream

65, You're loved

66, Through her*

67, Ruinous divinity

68, No more guileless

70, Cheerful choir

71, For you Mika

76, Might fulfill

77, You at least*

80, Yet the other

81, Garlands – O Dica

82, Fairer-formed

83, Here and now

85, O bounteous

86, Cytherea I pray

88, A friend – I say

90, Zephyr's breath

91, Eirana, it's you

Book Five

92, A mantle purple

93, Maidens' house

94, Farewell now, go on

95, Along the Acheron

96, As though a goddess

98, For you, my Cleis

99, Upon the strings

100, With delicate linens

101, Outpours a shrill song

Book Six

All content lost.

Book Seven

102, Tenderly by Aphrodite

Book Eight

103, Nimble-footed bride

Book Nine

104, Irradiantly scattered

105, Like the sweet-apple

106, Singer from Lesbos

107, To my maidenhood

108, O graceful

109, Says father

110, The doorkeeper

111, Lift it, carpenter men

112, Blessed bridegroom

113, There isn't another one

114, Maidenhood, maidenhood

115, Best compared

116, Farewell, bride

117, Polished doorway

Uncertain book

118, Lyre divine

120, A quiet heart

121, A friend to us

122, Flower-picking

123, Gold-sandalled Eos

125, In my time

126, Upon her breast

127, Hither once again

128, Fair-tressed

129, You have forgotten

130, Bittersweet

131, Detestable

132, My beautiful daughter

133, A fine response

134, In a dream

135, Pandion's daughter

136, Spring's messenger

137, Hindered by shame

138, Upon your eyes

140, Delicate Adonis

141, Winecups held up

142, Leto and Niobe

143, Golden chickpeas

144, With Gorgo

146, Nor the honeybee

147, Even a stranger

148, Wealth without virtue

150, Muse-attending

151, Black night

153, Sweet-voiced

154, Around the altar

155, Polyanax's daughter

156, Than gold, more golden

158, Futile-barking tongue

159, My attendant Eros

160, Beautifully in song

161, Cities' kings

165, Seems to himself

166, Blossoms' concealment

167, Than an egg

168, Away slips the hour

Glosses

169, Wedding gifts

172, Pain-giving

173, Grapevines

180, Firm-holding

183, Down-blasting

185, Honey-voiced

188, Myth-weaving

190, Many-skilled

192, Anklebone cup

213, Gorgo's yokefellows

Miscellaneous

i.a. 16, Cretan women

VI 269, To Aethopia

VII 489, Timas lies here

VII 505, Fisherman Pelagon