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

The woman on the picture is named Sappho. She's one of the best women poets in Greek. Her poems are all about Love and how beautiful women are. When Shanda and I were assigned to report the life of Sappho, we were really shocked because it was our first time to hear about a female poet that's famous. When we were studying about Sappho, we learned that she was a lesbian and she committed suicide because lesbians are not allowed during that time. I was disappointed that she didn't fight for their relationship but her poems are beautifully made and I think it was made for her lover.

This is one of Sappho's Masterpiece. It's title is "The Hymn to Aphrodite"

We have read this before in English and at first I didn't understand it but after repeatedly reading it 3-4 times, I understand it a little bit.

THRONED in splendor, immortal Aphrodite!

Child of Zeus, Enchantress, I implore thee

Slay me not in this distress and anguish,

Lady of beauty.

 

Hither come as once before thou camest,

When from afar thou heard'st my voice lamenting,

Heard'st and camest, leaving thy glorious father's Palace golden,

 

Yoking thy chariot. Fair the doves that bore thee;

Swift to the darksome earth their course directing,

Waving their thick wings from the highest heaven

Down through the ether.

 

Quickly they came. Then thou, O blessed goddess,

All in smiling wreathed thy face immortal,

Bade me tell thee the cause of all my suffering,

Why now I called thee;

 

What for my maddened heart I most was longing.

"Whom," thou criest, "dost wish that sweet Persuasion

Now win over and lead to thy love, my Sappho?

Who is it wrongs thee?

 

"For, though now he flies, he soon shall follow,

Soon shall be giving gifts who now rejects them.

Even though now he love not, soon shall he love thee

Even though thou wouldst not."

 

Come then now, dear goddess, and release me

From my anguish. All my heart's desiring

Grant thou now. Now too again as aforetime,

Be thou my ally.

What a very beautiful poem made by Sappho~!

I was very lucky to read some of her poems because her poems are very beautiful~

Let us dance in lieu of her Brilliance~