Aphrodite Of The Richly-Wrought Throne
A translation of Sappho, Fragment 1
Immortal Aphrodite of the richly wrought throne
Child of Zeus and weaver of wiles, I beseech you,
Do not break my soul with pain or anguish
Mistress,
But hither you came, now as at another time,
Hearing my voice from afar
You hearkened, and leaving the golden house of your father
You came
After yolking a chariot the beautiful swift sparrows drove you
Above the black earth
Continually fluttering their wings on the sky
Through the middle of the upper air,
And they arrived swiftly- and you, oh blessed one,
Smiling with your undying face
You asked what I suffered this time and why
Again you’re calling on me
And what I wish so much to happen
With a frenzied mind- “And who this time am I to persuade
To come back to your love? Who
Is wronging you, oh Sappho?
For even if she flees, quickly she will pursue
And if she did not accept a gift, she will give
And if she does not love, swiftly she will love
Even not wishing to.”
Come to me even now, and release me greatly
From difficult solitude, and as many things as my soul desires
To accomplish, accomplish them, you yourself
Be my ally.
