IN VARIOUS METRES

I am not of a malignant nature, but have a quiet temper.

Quoted in theEtymologicum Magnumto show the meaning ofἀβάκης, 'childlike, innocent.'

macronmacronΑὐτὰρ ὀραῖαι στεφανηπλόκευν.

But charming[maidens]plaited garlands.

Quoted by the Scholiast on AristophanesThesmophoriazusae401, to show that plaiting wreaths was a sign of being in love.

macronmacronmacronΣύ τε κἄμος θεράπων Ἔρος.

Thou and my servant Love.

Quoted by Maximus Tyrius to show that Sappho agreed with Diotima when the latter said to Socrates (Plato,Sympos., p. 328) that Love is not the son, but the attendant and servant, of Aphrodite. Cf. fr.132.

Ἀλλ' ἔων φίλος ἄμμιν [ἄλλο]λέχος ἄρνυσο νεώτερον·οὐ γὰρ τλάσομ' ἔγω ξυνοίκηννέῳ γ' ἔσσα γεραιτέρα.

Ἀλλ' ἔων φίλος ἄμμιν [ἄλλο]

λέχος ἄρνυσο νεώτερον·

οὐ γὰρ τλάσομ' ἔγω ξυνοίκην

νέῳ γ' ἔσσα γεραιτέρα.

But if thou lovest us, choose another and a younger bed-fellow; for I will not brook to live with thee, old woman with young man.

From Stobaeus'Anthology, and Apostolius.

Εὐμορφοτέρα Μνασιδίκα τᾶς ἀπάλας Γυρίννως.

Mnasidica is more shapely than the tender Gyrinno.

Quoted by Hephaestion as an example of metre (cf. p.24).

Ἀσαροτέρας ὄυδαμ' ἐπ', ὦ ῎ραννα, σέθεν τύχοισα.

Scornfuler than thee, Eranna, have I nowhere found.

Quoted by Hephaestion with the foregoing. TheMSS.do not agree; perhapsὦ ῎ρανναis an adjective, forὢ ἐρατεινή,O lovely—.

Σὺ δὲ στεφάνοις, ὦ Δίκα, περθέσθ' ἐράταις φόβαισιν,ὄρπακας ἀνήτοιο συνέρραισ' ἀπαλάισι χέρσιν·εὐάνθεσιν ἔκ γὰρ πέλεται καὶ χάριτος μακαιρᾶνμᾶλλον προτέρην· ἀστεφανώτοισι δ' ἀπυστρέφονται.

Σὺ δὲ στεφάνοις, ὦ Δίκα, περθέσθ' ἐράταις φόβαισιν,

ὄρπακας ἀνήτοιο συνέρραισ' ἀπαλάισι χέρσιν·

εὐάνθεσιν ἔκ γὰρ πέλεται καὶ χάριτος μακαιρᾶν

μᾶλλον προτέρην· ἀστεφανώτοισι δ' ἀπυστρέφονται.

Do thou, Dica, set garlands round thy lovely hair, twining shoots of dill together with soft hands: for those who have fair flowers may best stand first, even in the favour of Goddesses; who turn their face away from those who lack garlands.

Here, fairest Rhodope, recline,And 'mid thy bright locks intertwine,With fingers soft as softest down,The ever verdant parsley crown.The Gods are pleased with flowers that bloomAnd leaves that shed divine perfume,But, if ungarlanded, despiseThe richest offered sacrifice.J. H. Merivale.

Here, fairest Rhodope, recline,

And 'mid thy bright locks intertwine,

With fingers soft as softest down,

The ever verdant parsley crown.

The Gods are pleased with flowers that bloom

And leaves that shed divine perfume,

But, if ungarlanded, despise

The richest offered sacrifice.

J. H. Merivale.

But place those garlands on thy lovely hair,Twining the tender sprouts of anise greenWith skilful hand; for offerings and flowersAre pleasing to the Gods, who hate all thoseWho come before them with uncrowned heads.C. D. Yonge.

But place those garlands on thy lovely hair,

Twining the tender sprouts of anise green

With skilful hand; for offerings and flowers

Are pleasing to the Gods, who hate all those

Who come before them with uncrowned heads.

C. D. Yonge.

Of foliage and flowers love-ladenTwine wreaths for thy flowing hair,With thine own soft fingers, maiden.Weave garlands of parsley fair;For flowers are sweet, and the GracesOn suppliants wreathed with mayLook down from their heavenly places,But turn from the crownless away.J. A. Symonds, 1883.

Of foliage and flowers love-laden

Twine wreaths for thy flowing hair,

With thine own soft fingers, maiden.

Weave garlands of parsley fair;

For flowers are sweet, and the Graces

On suppliants wreathed with may

Look down from their heavenly places,

But turn from the crownless away.

J. A. Symonds, 1883.

Mr. J. A. Symonds has also thus expanded the lines into a sonnet (1883):—

Bring summer flowers, bring pansy, violet,Moss-rose and sweet-briar and blue columbine;Bring loveliest leaves, rathe privet, eglantine,Brown myrtles with the dews of morning wet:Twine thou a wreath upon thy brows to set;With thy soft hands the wayward tendrils twine;Then place them, maiden, on those curls of thine,Those curls too fair for gems or coronet.Sweet is the breath of blossoms, and the Graces,When suppliants through Love's temple wend their way,Look down with smiles from their celestial placesOn maidens wreathed with chaplets of the may;But from the crownless choir they hide their faces,Nor heed them when they sing nor when they pray.

Bring summer flowers, bring pansy, violet,

Moss-rose and sweet-briar and blue columbine;

Bring loveliest leaves, rathe privet, eglantine,

Brown myrtles with the dews of morning wet:

Twine thou a wreath upon thy brows to set;

With thy soft hands the wayward tendrils twine;

Then place them, maiden, on those curls of thine,

Those curls too fair for gems or coronet.

Sweet is the breath of blossoms, and the Graces,

When suppliants through Love's temple wend their way,

Look down with smiles from their celestial places

On maidens wreathed with chaplets of the may;

But from the crownless choir they hide their faces,

Nor heed them when they sing nor when they pray.

Athenaeus, quoting this fragment, says:—'Sappho gives a more simple reason for our wearing garlands, speaking as follows ... in which lines she enjoins all who offer sacrifice to wear garlands on their heads, as they are beautiful things and acceptable to the Gods.'

Ἐγὼ δὲ φίλημ' ἀβροσύναν, καὶ μοι τὸ λάμπρονἔροςmacronἀελίω καὶ τὸ κάλον λέλογχεν.

Ἐγὼ δὲ φίλημ' ἀβροσύναν, καὶ μοι τὸ λάμπρον

ἔροςmacronἀελίω καὶ τὸ κάλον λέλογχεν.

I love delicacy, and for me Love has the sun's splendour and beauty.

In speaking of perfumes, Athenaeus, quoting Clearchus, says:—'Sappho, being a thorough woman and a poetess besides, was ashamed to separate honour from elegance, and speaks thus ... making it evident to everybody that the desire of life that she confessed had brilliancy and honour in it; and these things especially belong to virtue.'

Κὰμ μέν τε τύλαν κασπολέω.

And down I set the cushion.

Quoted by Herodian, along with fr.50.

Ὠ πλοῦτος ἄνευ σεῦ γ' ἀρέτα 'στ' οὐκ ἀσίνης πάροικος[ἤ δ' ἐξ ἀμφοτέρον κρᾶσις εὐδαιμονίας ἔχει τὸ ἄκρον].

Ὠ πλοῦτος ἄνευ σεῦ γ' ἀρέτα 'στ' οὐκ ἀσίνης πάροικος

[ἤ δ' ἐξ ἀμφοτέρον κρᾶσις εὐδαιμονίας ἔχει τὸ ἄκρον].

Wealth without thee, Worth, is no safe neighbour[but the mixture of both is the height of happiness].

Wealth without virtue is a dangerous guest;Who holds them mingled is supremely blest.J. H. Merivale.

Wealth without virtue is a dangerous guest;

Who holds them mingled is supremely blest.

J. H. Merivale.

From the Scholiast on Pindar. The second line appears to be the gloss of the commentator, though Blass believes it is Sappho's.

Αὔτα δὲ σὺ Καλλιόπα.

And thou thyself, Calliope.

Quoted by Hephaestion when he is analysing a metre invented by Archilochus.

Δαύοις ἀπάλας ἐτάραςἐν στήθεσινmacronmacronmacronmacron.

Δαύοις ἀπάλας ἐτάρας

ἐν στήθεσινmacronmacronmacronmacron.

Sleep thou in the bosom of thy tender girlfriend.

From theEtymologicum Magnum. Blass thinks that the proper place for this fragment is among theEpithalamia.

Δεῦρο δηὖτε Μοῖσαι, χρύσιον λίποισαι.

Hither now, Muses, leaving golden...

Quoted by Hephaestion as an example of a verse made of two Ithyphallics.

Ἔστι μοι κάλα πάϊς, χρυσίοισιν ἀνθέμοισινἐμφέρην ἔχοισα μόρφαν, Κλῆϊσ' ἀγαπάτα,ἀντί τᾶς ἔγω οὐδὲ Λυδίαν παῖσαν οὐδ' ἔρανναν.

Ἔστι μοι κάλα πάϊς, χρυσίοισιν ἀνθέμοισιν

ἐμφέρην ἔχοισα μόρφαν, Κλῆϊσ' ἀγαπάτα,

ἀντί τᾶς ἔγω οὐδὲ Λυδίαν παῖσαν οὐδ' ἔρανναν.

I have a fair daughter with a form like a golden flower, Cleïs the beloved, above whom I[prize]nor all Lydia nor lovely[Lesbos]....

I have a child, a lovely one,In beauty like the golden sun,Or like sweet flowers of earliest bloom;And Claïs is her name, for whomI Lydia's treasures, were they mine,Would glad resign.J. H. Merivale.

I have a child, a lovely one,

In beauty like the golden sun,

Or like sweet flowers of earliest bloom;

And Claïs is her name, for whom

I Lydia's treasures, were they mine,

Would glad resign.

J. H. Merivale.

A lovely little girl is ours,Kleïs the beloved,Kleïs is her name,Whose beauty is as the golden flowers.Frederick Tennyson.

A lovely little girl is ours,

Kleïs the beloved,

Kleïs is her name,

Whose beauty is as the golden flowers.

Frederick Tennyson.

Quoted and elaborately scanned by Hephaestion, although Bergk regards the lines as merely trochaic.

Πόλλα μοι τὰνΠωλυανάκτιδα παῖδα χαῖρην.

Πόλλα μοι τὰν

Πωλυανάκτιδα παῖδα χαῖρην.

All joy to thee, daughter of Polyanax.

From Maximus Tyrius. It seems to be addressed to either Gorgo or Andromeda.

VII

Ζὰ δ' ἐλεξάμαν ὄναρ Κυπρογενήᾳ.

In a dream I spake with the daughter of Cyprus.

I.e.Aphrodite. From Hephaestion.

Τί με Πανδίονις ὦ ῎ραννα χελίδων;

Why, lovely swallow, daughter of Pandīon,[weary]me?

From Hephaestion, who says Sappho wrote whole songs in this metre.Ὦ ῎ρανναis Is. Vossius' emendation;ὠράναis the ordinary reading, which Hesychius explains as perhaps an epithet of the swallow 'dwelling under the roof.'

Ah, Procne, wherefore dost thou weary me?Thus flitting out and flitting in ...Tease not the air with this tumultuous wing.Michael Field, 1889.

Ah, Procne, wherefore dost thou weary me?

Thus flitting out and flitting in ...

Tease not the air with this tumultuous wing.

Michael Field, 1889.

... Ἀμφὶ δ' ἄβροις λασίοις εὖ ϝε πύκασσεν.

She wrapped herself well in delicate hairy ...

From Pollux, who says the line refers to fine closely-woven linen.

Γλύκεια μᾶτερ, οὔτοι δύναμαι κρέκην τὸν ἴστον,πόθῳ δάμεισα παῖδος βραδίναν δι' Αφρόδιταν.

Γλύκεια μᾶτερ, οὔτοι δύναμαι κρέκην τὸν ἴστον,

πόθῳ δάμεισα παῖδος βραδίναν δι' Αφρόδιταν.

Sweet Mother, I cannot weave my web, broken as I am by longing for a boy, at soft Aphrodite's will.

[As o'er her loom the Lesbian maidIn love-sick languor hung her head,Unknowing where her fingers strayedShe weeping turned away and said—]'Oh, my sweet mother, 'tis in vain,I cannot weave as once I wove,So wildered is my heart and brainWith thinking of that youth I love.'T. Moore,Evenings inGreece, p. 18.

[As o'er her loom the Lesbian maid

In love-sick languor hung her head,

Unknowing where her fingers strayed

She weeping turned away and said—]

'Oh, my sweet mother, 'tis in vain,

I cannot weave as once I wove,

So wildered is my heart and brain

With thinking of that youth I love.'

T. Moore,Evenings in

Greece, p. 18.

Mother, I cannot mind my wheel;My fingers ache, my lips are dry:Oh, if you felt the pain I feel!But oh, who ever felt as I?W. S. Landor,Simonidea, 1807.

Mother, I cannot mind my wheel;

My fingers ache, my lips are dry:

Oh, if you felt the pain I feel!

But oh, who ever felt as I?

W. S. Landor,Simonidea, 1807.

Sweet mother, I can spin no more,Nor ply the loom as heretofore,For love of him.Frederick Tennyson.

Sweet mother, I can spin no more,

Nor ply the loom as heretofore,

For love of him.

Frederick Tennyson.

Sweet mother, I the webCan weave no more;Keen yearning for my loveSubdues me sore,And tender AphroditeThrills my heart's core.M. J. Walhouse.

Sweet mother, I the web

Can weave no more;

Keen yearning for my love

Subdues me sore,

And tender Aphrodite

Thrills my heart's core.

M. J. Walhouse.

Cf. Mrs. John Hunter's 'My mother bids me bind my hair,' etc.

From Hephaestion, as an example of metre.

VIII

Ἴψοι δὴ τὸ μέλαθρον᾿Υμήναονἀὲρρετε τέκτοντες ἄνδρες·᾿Υμήναονγάμβρος ἔρχεται ἶσος Ἄρευϊ,[᾿Υμήναον]ἄνδρος μεγάλω πόλυ μείζων·[᾿Υμήναον]

Ἴψοι δὴ τὸ μέλαθρον

᾿Υμήναον

ἀὲρρετε τέκτοντες ἄνδρες·

᾿Υμήναον

γάμβρος ἔρχεται ἶσος Ἄρευϊ,

[᾿Υμήναον]

ἄνδρος μεγάλω πόλυ μείζων·

[᾿Υμήναον]

Raise high the roof-beam, carpenters. (Hymenaeus!) Like Ares comes the bridegroom, (Hymenaeus!) taller far than a tall man. (Hymenaeus!)

Artists, raise the rafters high!Ample scope and stately plan—Mars-like comes the bridegroom nigh,Loftier than a lofty man.Anon.,Edinb. Rev., 1832, p. 109.

Artists, raise the rafters high!

Ample scope and stately plan—

Mars-like comes the bridegroom nigh,

Loftier than a lofty man.

Anon.,Edinb. Rev., 1832, p. 109.

High lift the beams of the chamber,Workmen, on high;Like Arés in step comes the Bridegroom;Like him of the song of Terpander,Like him in majesty.F. T. Palgrave, 1854.

High lift the beams of the chamber,

Workmen, on high;

Like Arés in step comes the Bridegroom;

Like him of the song of Terpander,

Like him in majesty.

F. T. Palgrave, 1854.

Quoted by Hephaestion as an example of ames-hymnicpoem, where the refrain follows each line. The hymenaeus or wedding-song was sung by the bride's attendants as they led her to the bridegroom's house, addressing Hymen the god of marriage. The metre seems, says Professor Mahaffy (Hist. of Class. Greek Lit., i., p. 20, 1880), to be the same as that of the Linus song; cf. fr.62.

Πέρροχος, ὠς ὄτ' ἄοιδος ὀ Λέσβιος ἀλλοδάποισιν.

Towering, as the Lesbian singer towers among men of other lands.

Quoted by Demetrius, about 150A.D.It is uncertain what 'Lesbian singer' is here referred to; probably Terpander, but Neue thinks it may mean the whole Lesbian race, from their pre-eminence in poetry.

Οἶον τὸ γλυκύμαλον ἐρεύθεται ἄκρῳ ἐπ' ὔσδῳἄκρον ἐπ' ἀκροτατῳ· λελάθοντο δὲ μαλοδρόπηες,οὐ μὰν ἐκλελάθοντ', ἀλλ' οὐκ ἐδύναντ' ἐπίκεσθαι.

Οἶον τὸ γλυκύμαλον ἐρεύθεται ἄκρῳ ἐπ' ὔσδῳ

ἄκρον ἐπ' ἀκροτατῳ· λελάθοντο δὲ μαλοδρόπηες,

οὐ μὰν ἐκλελάθοντ', ἀλλ' οὐκ ἐδύναντ' ἐπίκεσθαι.

As the sweet-apple blushes on the end of the bough, the very end of the bough, which the gatherers overlooked, nay overlooked not but could not reach.

—O fair—O sweet!As the sweet apple blooms high on the bough,High as the highest, forgot of the gatherers:So thou:—Yet not so: nor forgot of the gatherers;High o'er their reach in the golden air,—O sweet—O fair!F. T. Palgrave, 1854.

—O fair—O sweet!

As the sweet apple blooms high on the bough,

High as the highest, forgot of the gatherers:

So thou:—

Yet not so: nor forgot of the gatherers;

High o'er their reach in the golden air,

—O sweet—O fair!

F. T. Palgrave, 1854.

Quoted by the Scholiast on Hermogenes, and by others, to explain the wordγλυκύμαλον, 'sweet-apple,' an apple grafted on a quince;it is used as a term of endearment by Theocritus (Idylxi. 39), 'Of thee, my love, my sweet-apple, I sing.' Himerius, writing about 360A.D., says: 'Aphrodite's orgies we leave to Sappho of Lesbos, to sing to the lyre and make the bride-chamber her theme. She enters the chamber after the games, makes the room, spreads Homer's bed, assembles the maidens, leads them into the apartment with Aphrodite in the Graces' car and a band of Loves for playmates. Binding her tresses with hyacinth, except what is parted to fringe her forehead, she lets the rest wave to the wind if it chance to strike them. Their wings and curls she decks with gold, and drives them in procession before the car as they shake the torch on high.' And particularly this: 'It was for Sappho to liken the maiden to an apple, allowing to those who would pluck before the time to touch not even with the finger-tip, but to him who was to gather the apple in season to watch its ripe beauty; to compare the bridegroom with Achilles, to match the youth's deeds with the hero's.' Further on he says: 'Come then, we will lead him into the bride-chamber and persuade him to meet the beauty of the bride. O fair and lovely, the Lesbian's praises appertain to thee: thy play-mates are rosy-ankled Graces and golden Aphrodite, and the Seasons makethe meadows bloom.' These last words especially—

Ὦ κάλα, ὦ χαρίεσσα.

O fair, O lovely ...

seem taken out of one of Sappho's hymeneal odes, although they also occur in Theocritus,Idylxviii. 38.

Οἴαν τὰν ὐάκινθον ἐν οὔρεσι ποίμενες ἄνδρεςπόσσι καταστείβοισι, χάμαι δ' ἐπιπορφύρει ἄνθος.

Οἴαν τὰν ὐάκινθον ἐν οὔρεσι ποίμενες ἄνδρες

πόσσι καταστείβοισι, χάμαι δ' ἐπιπορφύρει ἄνθος.

As on the hills the shepherds trample the hyacinth under foot, and the flower darkens on the ground.

Compare Catullus, xi. 21-24:—

Think not henceforth, thou, to recall Catullus'Love; thy own sin slew it, as on the meadow'sVerge declines, un-gently beneath the ploughshareStricken, a flower.(Robinson Ellis.)

Think not henceforth, thou, to recall Catullus'

Love; thy own sin slew it, as on the meadow's

Verge declines, un-gently beneath the ploughshare

Stricken, a flower.

(Robinson Ellis.)

And Vergil,Aeneid, ix. 435, of Euryalus dying:—

And like the purple flower the plough cuts downHe droops and dies.Pines she like to the hyacinth out on the path by the hill top;Shepherds tread it aside, and its purples lie lost on the herbage.Edwin Arnold, 1869.

And like the purple flower the plough cuts down

He droops and dies.

Pines she like to the hyacinth out on the path by the hill top;

Shepherds tread it aside, and its purples lie lost on the herbage.

Edwin Arnold, 1869.

One Girl.

(A combination from Sappho.)

Like the sweet apple which reddens upon the topmost bough,A-top on the topmost twig,—which the pluckers forgot, somehow,—Forgot it not, nay, but got it not, for none could get it till now.

Like the sweet apple which reddens upon the topmost bough,

A-top on the topmost twig,—which the pluckers forgot, somehow,—

Forgot it not, nay, but got it not, for none could get it till now.

II.

Like the wild hyacinth flower which on the hills is found,Which the passing feet of the shepherds for ever tear and wound,Until the purple blossom is trodden into the ground.D. G. Rossetti, 1870;

Like the wild hyacinth flower which on the hills is found,

Which the passing feet of the shepherds for ever tear and wound,

Until the purple blossom is trodden into the ground.

D. G. Rossetti, 1870;

in 1881 he altered the title toBeauty. (A combination from Sappho.)

Quoted by Demetrius, as an example of the ornament and beauty proper to a concluding sentence. Bergk first attributed the lines to Sappho.

Ϝέσπερε, πάντα φέρων, ὄσα φαίνολις ἐσκέδασ' αὔως,φέρεις οἶν, φέρες αἶγα, φέρεις ἄπυ ματέρι παῖδα.

Ϝέσπερε, πάντα φέρων, ὄσα φαίνολις ἐσκέδασ' αὔως,

φέρεις οἶν, φέρες αἶγα, φέρεις ἄπυ ματέρι παῖδα.

Evening, thou that bringest all that bright morning scattered; thou bringest the sheep, the goat, the child back to her mother.

Thus imitated by Byron:—

O Hesperus, thou bringest all good things—Home to the weary, to the hungry cheer,To the young bird the parent's brooding wings,The welcome stall to the o'erlaboured steer;Whate'er of peace about our hearthstone clings,Whate'er our household gods protect of dear,Are gathered round us by thy look of rest;Thou bring'st the child too to its mother's breast.Don Juan, iii. 107.

O Hesperus, thou bringest all good things—

Home to the weary, to the hungry cheer,

To the young bird the parent's brooding wings,

The welcome stall to the o'erlaboured steer;

Whate'er of peace about our hearthstone clings,

Whate'er our household gods protect of dear,

Are gathered round us by thy look of rest;

Thou bring'st the child too to its mother's breast.

Don Juan, iii. 107.

And by Tennyson:—

The ancient poetess singeth, that Hesperus all things bringeth,Smoothing the wearied mind: bring me my love, Rosalind.Thou comest morning or even; she cometh not morning or evening.False-eyed Hesper, unkind, where is my sweet Rosalind?Leonine Elegiacs, 1830-1884.

The ancient poetess singeth, that Hesperus all things bringeth,

Smoothing the wearied mind: bring me my love, Rosalind.

Thou comest morning or even; she cometh not morning or evening.

False-eyed Hesper, unkind, where is my sweet Rosalind?

Leonine Elegiacs, 1830-1884.

Hesperus brings all things backWhich the daylight made us lack,Brings the sheep and goats to rest,Brings the baby to the breast.Edwin Arnold, 1869.

Hesperus brings all things back

Which the daylight made us lack,

Brings the sheep and goats to rest,

Brings the baby to the breast.

Edwin Arnold, 1869.

Hesper, thou bringest back againAll that the gaudy daybeams part,The sheep, the goat, back to their pen,The child home to his mother's heart.Frederick Tennyson, 1890.

Hesper, thou bringest back again

All that the gaudy daybeams part,

The sheep, the goat, back to their pen,

The child home to his mother's heart.

Frederick Tennyson, 1890.

Evening, all things thou bringestWhich dawn spread apart from each other;The lamb and the kid thou bringest,Thou bringest the boy to his mother.J. A. Symonds, 1883.

Evening, all things thou bringest

Which dawn spread apart from each other;

The lamb and the kid thou bringest,

Thou bringest the boy to his mother.

J. A. Symonds, 1883.

Hesper, whom the poet call'd the Bringer home of all good things.Tennyson,Locksley Hall Sixty Years After, 1886.

Hesper, whom the poet call'd the Bringer home of all good things.

Tennyson,Locksley Hall Sixty Years After, 1886.

From theEtymologicum Magnum, where it is adduced to show the meaning ofαὔως, 'dawn.' The fragment occurs also in Demetrius, as an example of Sappho's grace. One cannot but believe that Catullus had in his mind some such hymeneal ode of Sappho's as that in which this fragment must have occurred when he wrote hisVesper adest, juvenes, consurgite: Vesper Olympo, etc. (lxii.), part of which was imitated in the colloquy between Opinion and Truth in Ben Jonson'sThe Barriers.

Ἀϊπάρθενος ἔσσομαι.

I shall be ever maiden.

From a ParisianMS.edited by Cramer, adduced to show the Aeolic form ofἀεί, 'ever.'

Δώσομεν, ησι πάτηρ.

We will give, says the father ...

From a ParisianMS.edited by Cramer.

Θυρώρῳ πόδες ἐπτορόγυιοι,τὰ δὲ σάμβαλα πεμπεβόηα,πίσυγγοι δὲ δέκ' ἐξεπόνασαν.

Θυρώρῳ πόδες ἐπτορόγυιοι,

τὰ δὲ σάμβαλα πεμπεβόηα,

πίσυγγοι δὲ δέκ' ἐξεπόνασαν.

To the doorkeeper feet seven fathoms long, and sandals of five bulls' hides, the work of ten cobblers.

From Hephaestion, as an example of metre. Demetrius says: 'And elsewhere Sappho girds at the rustic bridegroom and the doorkeeper ready for the wedding, in prosaic rather than poetic phrase, as if she were reasoning rather than singing, using words out of harmony with dance and song.'

Ὄλβιε γάμβρε, σοὶ μὲν δὴ γάμος, ὠς ἄραο,ἐκτετέλεστ', ἔχης δὲ πάρθενον, ἂν ἄραο.

Ὄλβιε γάμβρε, σοὶ μὲν δὴ γάμος, ὠς ἄραο,

ἐκτετέλεστ', ἔχης δὲ πάρθενον, ἂν ἄραο.

Happy bridegroom, now is thy wedding come to thy desire, and thou hast the maiden of thy desire.

Happy bridegroom, thou art blestWith blisses far beyond the rest,For thou hast wonThe chosen one,The girl thou lovest best.Frederick Tennyson.

Happy bridegroom, thou art blest

With blisses far beyond the rest,

For thou hast won

The chosen one,

The girl thou lovest best.

Frederick Tennyson.

Quoted by Hephaestion, along with the following, to exemplify metres; both fragments seem to belong to the same ode.

100

Μελλίχιος δ' ἐπ' ἰμέρτῳ κέχυται προσώπῳ.

And a soft[paleness]is spread over the lovely face.

In the National Library of Madrid there is aMS.of an epithalamium by Choricius, arhetorician of Gaza, who flourished about 520A.D., in which the lamented Ch. Graux (Revue de Philologie, 1880, p. 81) found a quotation from Sappho which is partly identical with this fragment preserved by Hephaestion. H. Weil thus attempts to restore the passage:—

Σοὶ χάριεν μὲν εἶδος, ὄππατα δ'macronmacronmacronmacron over breveμέλλιχρ', ἔρος δ' ἐπ' ἰμέρτῳκέχυται προσώπῳ·macronmacronτετίμακ' ἐξοχά σ' Ἀφροδίτα.

Σοὶ χάριεν μὲν εἶδος, ὄππατα δ'macronmacronmacronmacron over breve

μέλλιχρ', ἔρος δ' ἐπ' ἰμέρτῳ

κέχυται προσώπῳ·

macronmacronτετίμακ' ἐξοχά σ' Ἀφροδίτα.

Well favoured is thy form, and thine eyes ... honeyed, and love is spread over thy fair face ... Aphrodite has honoured thee above all.

Two apparent imitations by Catullus are quoted by Weil to confirm his restoration of Sappho's verses; viz.,mellitos oculos, honeyed eyes (48, 1), andpulcher es, neque te Venus negligit, fair thou art, nor does Venus neglect thee (61, 194).

101

Ὀ μὲν γὰρ κάλος, ὄσσον ἴδην, πέλεται [ἄγαθος],ὀ δὲ κἄγαθος αὔτικα καὶ κάλος ἔσσεται.

Ὀ μὲν γὰρ κάλος, ὄσσον ἴδην, πέλεται [ἄγαθος],

ὀ δὲ κἄγαθος αὔτικα καὶ κάλος ἔσσεται.

He who is fair to look upon is[good],and he who is good will soon be fair also.

Beauty, fair flower, upon the surface lies;But worth with beauty e'en in aspect vies.? Felton.

Beauty, fair flower, upon the surface lies;

But worth with beauty e'en in aspect vies.

? Felton.

Galen, the physician, writing about 160A.D., says: 'It is better therefore, knowing that the beauty of youth is like Spring flowers, its pleasure lasting but a little while, to approve of what the Lesbian [here] says, and to believe Solon when he points out the same.'

102

Ἦρ' ἔτι παρθενίας ἐπιβάλλομαι;

Do I still long for maidenhood?

Quoted by Apollonius, and by the Scholiast on Dionysius of Thrace, to illustrate the interrogative particleἆρα, Aeolicἦρα, and as an example of the catalectic iambic.

103

Χαίροισα νύμφα, χαιρέτω δ' ὀ γάμβρος.

The bride[comes]rejoicing; let the bridegroom rejoice.

From Hephaestion, as a catalectic iambic.

104

Τίῳ σ', ὦ φίλε γάμβρε, κάλως ἐϊκάσδω;ὄρπακι βραδίνῳ σε κάλιστ' ἐϊκάσδω.

Τίῳ σ', ὦ φίλε γάμβρε, κάλως ἐϊκάσδω;

ὄρπακι βραδίνῳ σε κάλιστ' ἐϊκάσδω.

Whereunto may I well liken thee, dear bridegroom? To a soft shoot may I best liken thee.

From Hephaestion, as an example of metre.

105

... Χαῖρε, νύμφα,χαῖρε, τίμιε γάμβρε, πόλλα.

... Χαῖρε, νύμφα,

χαῖρε, τίμιε γάμβρε, πόλλα.

Hail, bride! noble bridegroom, all hail!

Quoted by Servius, about 390A.D., on Vergil,Georg.i. 31; also referred to by Pollux and Julian.

106

Οὐ γαρ ἦν ἀτέρα πάϊς, ὦ γάμβρε, τοιαύτα.

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