He is more than a hero
He is a god in my eyes —
the man who is allowed
to sit beside you — he
who listens intimately
to the sweet murmur of
your voice, the enticing
laughter that makes my own
heart beat fast. If I meet
you suddenly, I can’t
speak — my tongue is broken;
a thin flame runs under
my skin; seeing nothing,
hearing only my own ears
drumming, I drip with sweat;
trembling shakes my body
and I turn paler than
dry grass. At such times
death isn’t far from me.
Translated by Mary Barnard (1958)
phainetai
moi kênos îsos theoisin
emmen’ ônêr ottis
enantios toi
isdanei
kai plâsion âdu phonei-
sâs upakouei
kai gelaisâs îmeroen to m’ êmân
kardiân en
stêthesin eptoaisen
ôs
gar es s’ idô brokhe’ os
me phônai-
s’
oud’ en et’ eikei
alla
kam men glôssa eâge lepton
d’ autika
khrôi pur upadedromâken
oppatessi d’
oud’en orêmm’ epirom-
beisi d’ akouai
kad de m’
idrôs kakkheetai tromos de
paisan
agrei khlôrotera de poiâs
emmi tethnakên d’
oligô ‘pideuês
phainom’ em’ autai.
Alla pan tomaton
. . .
—Sappho (ca. 500 BC)