by Sappho (flourished c610-c580 BCE)
Translation by Michael R. Burch (b. 1958)
δεῦρύ μ’ ἐκ Κρήτας ἐπὶ τόνδε ναῦον
Language: Aeolic Greek
δεῦρύ μ’ ἐκ Κρήτας ἐπ[ὶ τόνδ]ε ναῦον ἄγνον, ὄππ[ᾳ τοι] χάριεν μὲν ἄλσος μαλί[αν], βῶμοι τεθυμιάμε- νοι [λι]βανώντῳ· ἐν δ’ ὔδωρ ψῦχρον κελάδει δι’ ὔσδων μαλίνων, βρόδοισι δὲ παῖς ὀ χῶρος ἐσκίαστ’, αἰθυσσομένων δὲ φύλλων κῶμα κατέρρει· ἐν δὲ λείμων ἰππόβοτος τέθαλεν ἠρίνοισιν ἄνθεσιν, αἰ δ’ ἄηται μέλλιχα πνέοισιν [ [ ἔνθα δὴ σύ . . . . ἔλοισα Κύπρι χρυσίαισιν ἐν κυλίκεσσιν ἄβρως ὀμμεμείχμενον θαλίαισι νέκταρ οἰνοχόαισον
About the headline (FAQ)
Confirmed with The Digital Sappho
Text Authorship:
- by Sappho (flourished c610-c580 BCE), no title, appears in Fragments, no. 2 [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 , "Come to me from Kret", 1998, first performed 1998 [ soprano and mixed chorus ], from The Voice of the Tenth Muse, no. 2
Score: Patricia van Ness [external link]
Publisher: Patricia van Ness [external link] [sung text not yet checked]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in English, a translation by Michael R. Burch (b. 1958) ; composed by Hana Ajiashvili.
- Also set in English, a translation by Mary Barnard (1909 - 2001) , no title, appears in Sappho: A New Translation, no. 37, copyright © ; composed by Sheila Silver.
Other 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: 2026-02-14
Line count: 16
Word count: 68
I sip the cup of costly death
Language: English after the Aeolic Greek
I sip the cup of costly death; I lose my color; I catch my breath whenever I contemplate your presence, or absence.
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
Based on:
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Hana Ajiashvili , no title, 2015 [ 2 sopranos, recorder, viola da gamba, harpsichord and guitar ], from Mere Air, no. 3, Rijswijk : Stichting Donemus Beheer
Publisher: Donemus [external link] [sung text checked 1 time]
Researcher for this page: Joost van der Linden [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2026-03-27
Line count: 4
Word count: 22