#sappho 1

[mathomgiver]

Deathless Aphrodite of the spangled mind,

child of Zeus, who twists lures, I beg you

do not break with hard pains,

O lady, my heart

but come here if ever before

you caught my voice far off

and listening left your father’s

golden house and came,

yoking your car. And fine birds brought you,

quick sparrows over the black earth

whipping their wings down the sky

through midair —

they arrived. But you, O blessed one,

smiled in your deathless face

and asked what (now again) I have suffered and why

(now again) I am calling out

and what I want to happen most of all

in my crazy heart. Whom should I persuade (now again)

to lead you back into her love? Who, O

Sappho, is wronging you?

For if she flees, soon she will pursue.

If she refuses gifts, rather will she give them.

If she does not love, soon she will love

even unwilling

Come to me now: loose me from hard

care and all my heart longs

to accomplish, accomplish. You

be my ally.

— trans. Anne Carson

[untaintedgraces]

Deathless Aphrodite of the spangled mind, child of Zeus, who twists lures, I beg you do not break with hard pains, O lady, my heart but come here if ever before you caught my voice far off and listening left your father’s golden house and came, yoking your car. And fine birds brought you, quick sparrows over the black earth whipping their wings down the sky through midair - they arrived. But you, O blessed one, smiled in your deathless face and asked what (now again) I have suffered and why (now again) I am calling out and what I want to happen most of all in my crazy heart. Whom should I persuade (now again) to lead you back into her love? Who, O Sappho, is wronging you? For if she flees, soon she will pursue. If she refuses gifts, rather she will give them. If she does not love, soon she will love even unwilling. Come to me now: loose me from hard care and all my heart longs to accomplish, accomplish. You be my ally.

Sappho 1, taken from Anne Carson's 'If Not Winter: Fragments of Sappho'

[dailypoesy]

Sappho I

 Ποικιλόθρον', ἀθάνατ' Ἀφρόδιτα, παῖ Δίος, δολόπλοκε, λίσσομαί σε μή μ' ἄσαισι μήτ' ὀνίαισι δάμνα,         πότνια, θῦμον· ἀλλὰ τυῖδ' ἔλθ', αἴποτα κἀτέρωτα τᾶς ἔμας αὔδως ἀΐοισα πήλυι ἒκλυες, πάτρος δὲ δόμον λίποισα         χρύσιον ἦλθες ἄρμ' ὐποζεύξαισα· κάλοι δέ σ' ἆγον ὤκεες στροῦθοι περὶ γᾶς μελαίνας πύκνα δινεῦντες πτέρ' ἀπ' ὠράνω αἴθε-         ρας διὰ μέσσω. αἶψα δ' ἐξίκοντο· τὺ δ', ὦ μάκαιρα, μειδιάσαισ' ἀθανάτῳ προσώπῳ, ἤρε', ὄττι δηὖτε πέπονθα κὤττι         δηὖτε κάλημι, κὤττι μοι μάλιστα θέλω γένεσθαι μαινόλᾳ θύμῳ· τίνα δηὖτε Πείθω μαῖς ἄγην ἐς σὰν φιλότατα, τίς σ', ὦ         Ψάπφ', ἀδικήει; καὶ γὰρ αἰ φεύγει, ταχέως διώξει, αἰ δὲ δῶρα μὴ δέκετ' ἀλλὰ δώσει, αἰ δὲ μὴ φίλει, ταχέως φιλήσει         κωὐκ ἐθέλοισα. ἔλθε μοι καὶ νῦν, χαλεπᾶν δὲ λῦσον ἐκ μεριμνᾶν, ὄσσα δέ μοι τελέσσαι θῦμος ἰμέρρει, τέλεσον· σὺ δ' αὔτα         σύμμαχος ἔσσο.     Immortal Aphrodite of the broidered throne, daughter of Zeus, weaver of wiles, I pray thee break not my spirit with anguish and distress, O Queen. But come hither, if ever before thou didst hear my voice afar, and listen, and leaving thy father's golden house camest with chariot yoked, and fair fleet sparrows drew thee, flapping fast their wings around the dark earth, from heaven through mid sky. Quickly arrived they; and thou, blessed one, smiling with immortal countenance, didst ask What now is befallen me, and Why now I call, and What I in my mad heart most desire to see. 'What Beauty now wouldst thou draw to love thee? Who wrongs thee, Sappho? For even if she flies she shall soon follow, and if she rejects gifts shall yet give, and if she loves not shall soon love, however loth.' Come, I pray thee, now too, and release me from cruel cares; and all that my heart desires to accomplish, accomplish thou, and be thyself my ally. (translation by H. T. Wharton)