Sappho Speaks

Sappho had a great reputation as a poetess in the time of the ancient Greeks, yet only three complete poems, plus fragments of verse, have survived to our day. So there’s great excitement over the fact that another complete poem (of 12 lines) has now been identified and published. The full story, by Martin West, emeritus fellow of All Souls, Oford, is published in this week’s Times Literary Supplement.

The poem itself is a tiny masterpiece, describing the poetess’ feeling of growing old, while being surrounded by young women. She accepts her fate:

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

I know what she means…