“]Sardisoften turning her thoughts here]you like a goddessand in your song most of all she rejoiced.But now she is conspicuous among Lydian womenas sometimes at sunsetthe rosyfingered moonsurpasses all the stars. And her lightstretches over salt seaequally and flowerdeep fields.And the beautiful dew is poured outand roses bloom and frailchervil and flowering sweetclover.But she goes back and forth rememberinggentle Atthis and in longingshe bites her tender mind”

“Some say an army of horsemen,some of footsoldiers, some of ships,is the fairest thing on the black earth,but I say it is what one loves.It's very easy to make this clearto everyone, for Helen,by far surpassing mortals in beauty,left the best of all husbandsand sailed to Troy,mindful of neither her childnor her dear parents, butwith one glimpse she was seduced byAphrodite. For easily bent...and nimbly...[missing text]...has reminded me nowof Anactoria who is not here;I would much prefer to see the lovelyway she walks and the radiant glance of her facethan the war-chariots of the Lydians ortheir footsoldiers in arms.”

“I have not had one word from herFrankly I wish I were deadWhen she left, she wepta great deal; she said to me, "This parting must beendured, Sappho. I go unwillingly."I said, "Go, and be happybut remember (you knowwell) whom you leave shackled by love"If you forget me, thinkof our gifts to Aphroditeand all the loveliness that we shared"all the violet tiaras,braided rosebuds, dill andcrocus twined around your young neck"myrrh poured on your headand on soft mats girls withall that they most wished for beside them"while no voices chantedchoruses without ours,no woodlot bloomed in spring without song...”

“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.”

“Now the Earth with many flowers puts on her spring embroidery”

“]sing to usthe one with violets in her lap]mostly]goes astray”

“Some say thronging cavalry, some say foot soldiers, others call a fleet the most beautiful of sights the dark earth offers, but I say it's what- ever you love best.. . . .But that reminds me:now my Anactória is gone, and I'd rather see her lovely step, her sparkling glance and her face than gaze on all the troops in Lydia in their chariots and glittering armor.”