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New Sapphic Poem

Posted in Poetry by Elliott Back on June 25th, 2005. [Del.icio.us]

Scholars have uncovered a new poem by Sappho:

You for the fragrant-blossomed Muses’ lovely gifts
be zealous, girls, and the clear melodious lyre:

but my once tender body old age now
has seized; my hair’s turned white instead of dark;

my heart’s grown heavy, my knees will not support me,
that once on a time were fleet for the dance as fawns.

This state I oft bemoan; but what’s to do?
Not to grow old, being human, there’s no way.

Tithonus once, the tale was, rose-armed Dawn,
love-smitten, carried off to the world’s end,

handsome and young then, yet in time grey age
o’ertook him, husband of immortal wife.