Born about 630 B.C on the
Greek island of Lesbos, Sappho was one of the most prominent and recognized poets
of ancient Greece. Her work contains themes of marriage, love, sexuality,
and most notably, lesbianism between young girls. The word “lesbian” is
actually derived from Lesbos, her homeland. Many find surprising that a woman
in ancient Greece could be able to achieve muse status
writing works of high eroticism;
additionally, if she, a woman, became so widespread, then how come she is one
of the only ones? Well, much of Sappho’s
work remains lost; all of what we can gather from her life is taken from the
fragments of her recovered poetry, and comments made by critics and historians.
Athenaeus, a Greek rhetorician, wrote that Sappho often praised Larichus (her
youngest brother) for pouring wine in the town hall of Mytilene, an office held
by boys of the best families;[1]
this would indicate that Sappho was born in aristocracy, making it easier for
her to become recognized by the masses, and winning priority over the common
people.
writing works of high eroticism;
additionally, if she, a woman, became so widespread, then how come she is one
of the only ones? Well, much of Sappho’s
work remains lost; all of what we can gather from her life is taken from the
fragments of her recovered poetry, and comments made by critics and historians.
Athenaeus, a Greek rhetorician, wrote that Sappho often praised Larichus (her
youngest brother) for pouring wine in the town hall of Mytilene, an office held
by boys of the best families;[1]
this would indicate that Sappho was born in aristocracy, making it easier for
her to become recognized by the masses, and winning priority over the common
people.
Despite being well known
for her homoerotic work, Sappho wrote about men as well, as seen in the
following fragment of a recovered poem.
Like the very gods in my
sight is he who
sits where he can look in
your eyes, who listens
close to you, to hear the
soft voice, its sweetness
murmur in love and
laughter, all for him.
But it breaks my spirit;
underneath my breast all
the heart is shaken.
Let me only glance where
you are, the voice dies,
I can say nothing,
but my lips are stricken
to silence, under-
neath my skin the tenuous
flame suffuses;
nothing shows in front of
my eyes, my ears are
muted in thunder.
And the sweat breaks
running upon me, fever
Shakes my body, paler I
turn than grass is;
I can feel that I have
been changed, I feel that
death has come near me.[2]
Analyzing the poem, it
becomes evident that it is a narration of sex: “Like the very gods in my sight
is he who sits where he can look in your eyes”. The speaker becomes speechless,
her voice dies, and she feels helpless, but “underneath [her] skin the tenuous
flame suffuses.” She starts breaking sweat in the last stanza, and suddenly,
she feels death coming towards her. The imagery of death is what the French call
“La petite morte”, the short spiritual, transcendent, and life-draining moment
that comes with orgasm. Sappho’s metaphor of the man as a god adds to the transcendental
meaning of her climax.
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