“Once again love drives me on, that loosener of limbs, bittersweet creature against which nothing can be done.”

“Eros, again now, the loosener of limbs troubles me,Bittersweet, sly, uncontrollable creature….”

“Eros once again limb-loosener whirls me sweetbitter, impossible to fight off, creature stealing up...I don't know what I should do: two states of mind in me...”

“Come to me now and loosen mefrom blunt agony. Laborand fill my heart with fire. Stand by meand be my ally.”

“I can reveal to you that I wished to die -For with much weeping she left meSaying: "Sappho - what suffering is ours!For it is against my will that I leave you."In answer, I said: "Go, happily remembering meFor you know what we shared and pursued -If not, I wish you to see again our [ former joys ] .....The many braids of rose and violet you [ wreathed ]Around yourself at my sideAnd the many garlands of flowersWith which you adorned your soft neck:With royal oils from [ fresh flowers ]You anointed [ yourself ]And on soft beds fulfilled your longing[ For me ] ....”

“[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.”

“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.”