Joe Antoshak
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Fragments of Longing by Sappho

4/3/2016

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Translation by Anne Carson — "When translating texts read from papyri, I have used a single square bracket to give an impression of missing matter, so that ] or [ indicates destroyed papyrus or the presence of letters not quite legible somewhere in the line" — If Not, Winter

4
               ]heart
               ]absolutely
               ]I can
               ]
]would be for me
]to shine in answer
               ]face
               ]
               ]having been stained
               ]


12
               ]
               ]
               ]
               ]thought
               ]barefoot
               ]
               ]
               ]
               ]


22
               ]
               ]work
               ]face
               ]
               ]
               if not, winter
               ]no pain
               ]
]I bid you sing
of Gongyla, Abanthis, taking up
your lyre as (now again) longing
               floats around you,

you beauty. For her dress when you saw it
stirred you. And I rejoice.
In fact she herself once blamed me
                Kyprogeneia

because I prayed
this word:
I want


23
               ]of desire
               ]
               ]for when I look at you
               ]such a Hermione
]and to yellowhaired Helen I liken you
]
]among mortal women, know this
]from every care
]you could release me
               ]
               ]dewy riverbanks
               ]to last all night long
                                            ]  [


24a
]
]you will remember
]for we in our youth
               did these things

yes many and beautiful things
]
]
               ]


34
stars around the beautiful moon
hide back their luminous form
whenever all full she shines
               on the earth

               silvery


38
               you burn me


42
               their heart grew cold
               they let their wings down


45
               as long as you want


46
                            and i on a soft pillow
               will lay down on my limbs


48
you came and I was crazy for you
and you cooled my mind that burned with longing


51
I don't know what to do
                                      two states of mind in me


52
I would not think to touch the sky with two arms


56
not one girl I think
               who looks on the light of the sun
                              will ever
                              have wisdom
                              like this


57
what country girl seduces your wits
wearing a country dress
not knowing how to pull the cloth to her ankles?


59
              ]
              loves

              new


69
               ]
               ]sinful
               ]


87d
               ]
               ]
               ]
               ]youth
               ]
               ]
               ]
               ]
               ]
               ]


91
never more damaging O Eirana have I encountered you


100
and with delicate woven cloths covered her up well


102
sweet mother I cannot work the loom
I am broken with longing for a boy by slender Aphrodite


104a
Evening
               you gather back
                         all that dazzling dawn has put asunder:
                                                                     you gather a lamb
                                             gather a kid
gather a child to its mother


104b
of all stars the most beautiful


107
               do I still yearn for my virginity?


108
               O beautiful O graceful one


109
               we shall give, says father


114
virginity
          virginity
                    where are you gone leaving me behind?
                                              no longer will I come to you
                                                       no longer will I come


120
               but I am not someone who likes to wound
rather I have a quiet mind

​
125
               I used to weave crowns


136
messenger of spring
                         nightingale with a voice of longing


137
I want to say something but shame
prevents me

yet if you had a desire for good or beautiful things
and your tongue were not concocting some evil to say,
shame would not hold down your eyes
but rather you would speak about what is just


138
               stand to face me beloved
               and open out the grace of your eyes


147
someone will remember us
                                     I say
                                     even in another time


153
               girl sweetvoiced


162
               with what eyes?


163
               my darling one


168b
               Moon has set
               and Pleiades: middle
               night, the hour goes by,
               alone I lie.


173
               a vine that grows up trees


182
               I might go


183
               downrushing


184
               danger


185
               honeyvoiced


188
​               mythweaver
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