by Sappho (flourished c610-c580 BCE)

Πλήρης μὲν ἐφαίνετ’ ἀ σελάννα
Language: Aeolic Greek 
Our translations:  FRE GER SAN
Πλήρης μὲν ἐφαίνετ’ ἀ σελάννα
αἰ δ’ ὠς περὶ βῶμον ἐστάθησαν

About the headline (FAQ)

Note: this is often referred to as Sappho Fragment 88 D.


Text Authorship:

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 ]

Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:

  • Also set in English, a translation by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist , "The full moon is shining" ; composed by Sheila Silver.
  • Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Raoul Schrott (b. 1964) , appears in Die Erfindung der Poesie, first published 1997 ; composed by Andrea Lorenzo Scartazzini.
  • Also set in Italian (Italiano), a translation by Salvatore Quasimodo (1901 - 1968) ; composed by Luigi Dallapiccola.

Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):


Research team for this page: Ferdinando Albeggiani , Holger Christian Teipel-Jahr

This text was added to the website: 2008-01-04
Line count: 2
Word count: 11