Sappho
A New Translation of the Complete Works

Graceful modern translations of all the surviving poems and fragments of Sappho, Greece's most famous woman poet.

Diane J. Rayor (Edited and translated by), André Lardinois (Edited by)

9781108926973, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 2 February 2023

214 pages, 2 b/w illus.
21.5 x 13.9 x 1 cm, 0.3 kg

Sappho, the earliest and most famous Greek woman poet, sang her songs around 600 BCE on the island of Lesbos. Of what survives from the approximately nine papyrus scrolls collected in antiquity, all is translated here: substantial poems and fragments, including three poems discovered in the last two decades. The power of Sappho's poetry ? her direct style, rich imagery, and passion ? is apparent even in these remnants. Diane Rayor's translations of Greek poetry are graceful, modern in diction yet faithful to the originals. Sappho's voice is heard in these poems about love, friendship, rivalry, and family. In the introduction and notes, André Lardinois plausibly reconstructs Sappho's life and work, the performance of her songs, and how these fragments survived. This second edition incorporates thirty-two more fragments primarily based on Camillo Neri's 2021 Greek edition and revisions of over seventy fragments.

Note on the 2014 papyri
Introduction
Note on translation: from Sappho to Sappho
Sappho
Notes.

Subject Areas: Gender studies: women [JFSJ1], Ancient history: to c 500 CE [HBLA], Literary studies: poetry & poets [DSC], Literary studies: classical, early & medieval [DSBB], Poetry by individual poets [DCF]