by Sappho (flourished c610-c580 BCE)
Translation by Diane J. Rayor
εθνάκην δ’ ἀδόλως θέλω·
Language: Aeolic Greek
εθνάκην δ’ ἀδόλως θέλω·
ἄ με ψισδομένα κατελίμπανεν
πόλλα καὶ τόδ’ ἔειπέ̣ [μοι·
̔ ὤιμ’ ὠς δεῖνα πεπ[όνθ]αμεν,
Ψάπφ’, ἦ μάν σ’ ἀέκοισ΄ ἀπυλιμπάνω.’
τὰν δ’ ἔγω τάδ’ ἀμειβόμαν·
̔ χαίροισ’ ἔρχεο κἄμεθεν
μέμναισ’, οἶσθα γὰρ ὤς σε πεδήπομεν·
αἰ δὲ μή, ἀλλά σ’ ἔγω θέλω
ὄμναισαι [. . . .] . [. . .] . .αι
. . [ ] καὶ κάλ’ ἐπάσχομεν·
πο̣[λλοις γὰρ στεφάν]οις ἴων
καὶ βρ[όδων κρο]κ̣ίων τ’ ὔμοι
κα . .[ ] πὰρ ἔμοι περεθήκαο,
καὶ πό̣[λλαις ὐπα]θύμιδας
πλέκ[ταις ἀμφ’ ἀ]πάλᾳ δέρᾳ
ἀνθέων ἔ̣[βαλες] πεποημμέναις,
καὶ πο̣λ̣λ̣ῳ[ ] . μύρῳ
βρενθείῳ . [ ]ρ̣υ[ . . ]ν
ἐξαλείψαο κα̣[ὶ βασ]ι̣ληίῳ,
καὶ στρώμν[αν ἐ]πὶ μολθάκαν
ἀπάλαν πα . [ ] . . .ων
23.ἐξίης πόθο̣[ν ] . νίδων,
κωὔτε τις[ οὔ]τ̣ε̣ τι
ἶρον οὐδυ[ ]
ἔπλετ’ ὄππ̣[οθεν ἄμ]μες ἀπέσκομεν,
οὐκ ἄλσος . [ χ]ό̣ρος
]ψόφος
] . . .οιδιαι
P. Van Ness sets stanzas 5-10
About the headline (FAQ)
Confirmed with The Digital Sappho
Text Authorship:
- by Sappho (flourished c610-c580 BCE), no title [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Patricia Van Ness , "Movement IX", 1998, copyright © 1998, stanzas 5-10 [ mixed chorus ], from The Voice of the Tenth Muse, no. 9
Score: Patricia van Ness [external link] [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Diane J. Rayor)
Researcher for this page: Joost van der Linden [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2026-02-15
Line count: 29
Word count: 143
I simply wish to die
Language: English after the Aeolic Greek
I simply wish to die. Weeping she left me and told me this, too: We’ve suffered terribly, Sappho. I leave you against my will. I answered: Go happily and remember me — you know how we cared for you. If not, let me remind you * . . . the lovely times we shared. Many crowns of violets, roses, and crocuses together . . . you put on by my side and many scented wreaths woven from blossoms around your delicate throat. And . . . with pure, sweet oil [for a queen] . . . you anointed . . . and on soft beds . . . delicate . . . you quenched your desire. Not any . . . no holy site . . . we left uncovered, no grove . . . dance . . . sound
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
Based on:
- a text in Aeolic Greek by Sappho (flourished c610-c580 BCE), no title
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- [ None yet in the database ]
Researcher for this page: Joost van der Linden [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2026-02-15
Line count: 28
Word count: 140