§15.1Ecquid, ut adspecta est studiosae littera dextrae, §15.2Protinus est oculis cognita nostra tuis — §15.3An, nisi legisses auctoris nomina Sapphus, §15.4Hoc breve nescires unde movetur opus?
Is it indeed that, as soon as the letter written by my eager right hand was seen, it was immediately recognized by your eyes as mine — or, unless you had read the name of the author, Sappho, would you not know from where this brief work comes?
Perhaps you may also ask why my verses are alternating, although I am more suited to lyric measures.
My love must be wept for — the elegiac couplet is a tearful song; no lyre is suited to my tears.
I burn, just as when, with untamed East winds driving the flame, a fertile field burns with ignited crops.
You, Phaon, frequent the distant fields of Typhoean Etna; a heat no less than Etna's fire possesses me.
§15.13Nec mihi, dispositis quae iungam carmina nervis, §15.14Proveniunt; vacuae carmina mentis opus!
And no songs come to me to join with arranged strings; songs are the work of a carefree mind!
Neither the girls of Pyrrha nor of Methymna, nor the rest of the crowd of Lesbian women please me.
§15.17Vilis Anactorie, vilis mihi candida Cydro; §15.18Non oculis grata est Atthis, ut ante, meis, §15.19Atque aliae centum, quas hic sine crimine amavi; §15.20Inprobe, multarum quod fuit, unus habes.
Cheap is Anactoria, cheap to me is fair Cydro; Atthis is not pleasing to my eyes as before, and a hundred others, whom I loved here without blame; wicked one, you alone possess what belonged to many.
There is beauty in you, there are years suited for play — O face treacherous to my eyes!
§15.23Sume fidem et pharetram — fies manifestus Apollo; §15.24Accedant capiti cornua — Bacchus eris!
Take the lyre and the quiver — you will become manifest Apollo; let horns be added to your head — you will be Bacchus!
§15.25Et Phoebus Daphnen, et Cnosida Bacchus amavit, §15.26Nec norat lyricos illa vel illa modos; §15.27At mihi Pegasides blandissima carmina dictant; §15.28Iam canitur toto nomen in orbe meum.
Both Phoebus loved Daphne, and Bacchus loved the Cnosian girl, and neither she nor she knew lyric measures; but to me the Muses dictate most charming songs; already my name is sung in the whole world.
§15.29Nec plus Alcaeus, consors patriaeque lyraeque, §15.30Laudis habet, quamvis grandius ille sonet.
Nor does Alcaeus, partner of my homeland and my lyre, have more praise, although he sounds more grandly.
If a hard nature denied beauty to me, repay the losses of beauty with my genius.
Granted that I am short, yet a name that fills all lands is mine; I myself bear the measure of my name.
If I am not fair, Cepheus' daughter Andromeda pleased Perseus, dark with the color of her own land.
And white doves are often joined with variegated ones, and the black turtle-dove is loved by the green bird.
§15.39Si, nisi quae facie poterit te digna videri, §15.40Nulla futura tua est, nulla futura tua est.
If, unless one who can seem worthy of you by her beauty, no woman is to be yours, no woman will be yours.
But when you read my writings, I seemed beautiful enough already; you swore that it became me alone to speak continuously.
I used to sing, I remember — lovers remember everything — you used to give snatched kisses to me as I sang.
§15.45Haec quoque laudabas, omnique a parte placebam — §15.46Sed tum praecipue, cum fit amoris opus.
These things too you praised, and I pleased you in every part — but then especially, when the work of love is done.
§15.47Tunc te plus solito lascivia nostra iuvabat, §15.48Crebraque mobilitas aptaque verba ioco, §15.49Et quod, ubi amborum fuerat confusa voluptas, §15.50Plurimus in lasso corpore languor erat.
Then our playfulness pleased you more than usual, and swift movements, and words suited for play, and that, when the pleasure of both had been mingled, the greatest weariness was in our tired bodies.
§15.51Nunc tibi Sicelides veniunt nova praeda puellae.
Now Sicilian girls come to you as new prey.
§15.52Quid mihi cum Lesbo? Sicelis esse volo.
What have I to do with Lesbos? I want to be a Sicilian woman.
§15.53O vos erronem tellure remittite vestra, §15.54Nisiades matres Nisiadesque nurus, §15.55Nec vos decipiant blandae mendacia linguae!
O you women, send back the wanderer from your land, Nisian mothers and Nisian young wives, and let not the lies of his flattering tongue deceive you!
§15.56Quae dicit vobis, dixerat ante mihi.
What he says to you, he had said before to me.
§15.57Tu quoque, quae montes celebras, Erycina, Sicanos — §15.58Nam tua sum — vati consule, diva, tuae!
You too, Erycina, who frequent the Sicanian mountains — for I am yours — look out for your poetess, O goddess!
Or does heavy fortune continue its begun course, and remain always bitter in its race?
Six birthdays of mine had passed, when my father's gathered bones, before their day, drank my tears.
§15.63Arsit iners frater meretricis captus amore §15.64Mixtaque cum turpi damna pudore tulit; §15.65Factus inops agili peragit freta caerula remo, §15.66Quasque male amisit, nunc male quaerit opes.
My worthless brother burned, captured by love of a courtesan, and bore losses mixed with shameful disgrace; made poor, he traverses the blue seas with active oar, and the wealth he wickedly lost, he now wickedly seeks.
§15.67Me quoque, quod monui bene multa fideliter, odit; §15.68Hoc mihi libertas, hoc pia lingua dedit.
Me too he hates, because I warned him of many things well and faithfully; this my freedom of speech, this my dutiful tongue gave to me.
And as if there were lacking things to weary me without end, a little daughter adds to my cares.
§15.71Ultima tu nostris accedis causa querelis.
You are added as the final cause to our complaints.
§15.72Non agitur vento nostra carina suo.
Our ship is not driven by its own wind.