“Although only breath, words which I command are immortal.”

“Although only breath, words which I speak are immortal.”

“What creature is it that isfemale in nature and hidesin its womb unborn childrenwho, although they are voiceless, speak to people far away?The female creature is a letter.The unborn children are the letters(of the alphabet) it carries. And the letters, although they have no voices,speak to people far away.”

“Then you my goddess with your immortal lips smilingWould ask what now afflicts me, why againI am calling and what now I with my restive heartDesired: Whom now shall I beguile To bring you to her love? Who now injures you, Sappho? For if she flees, soon shall she chase And, rejecting gifts, soon shall she give. If she does not love you, she shall do so soon Whatsoever is her will.Come to me now to end this consuming painBringing what my heart desires to be brought:Be yourself my ally in this fight.”

“Live for the gifts the fragrant-breasted Musessend, for the clear, the singing, lyre, my children.Old age freezes my body, once so lithe,rinses the darkness from my hair, now white.My heart’s heavy, my knees no longer keep meup through the dance they used to prance like fawns in.Oh, I grumble about it, but for what?Nothing can stop a person’s growing old.They say that Tithonus was swept awayin Dawn’s passionate, rose-flushed arms to liveforever, but he lost his looks, his youth,failing husband of an immortal bride.”

“[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 ageo’ertook him, husband of immortal wife.”

“There is no place for grief in a house which serves the Muse.”