Who was Sappho?:
Sappho was an early Greek poet who lived on the island of Lesbos in the Aegean sea. She ran a school for upper-class young women. Many believe that her poetry shows that she was attracted to her students.
What did the Greek poets think of her?:
Though only a small part of her work has reached us, its raw emotional honesty is timeless. Other (male) poets of the time respected her, and the renowned Greek philosopher Plato was a fan; he called Sappho "The Tenth Muse", giving her near-goddess-like status.
Was Sappho a Lesbian?:
Certainly some of her poetry suggests that. However, the tale of her death is that she flung herself off of a high cliff because a ferryman had spurned her. She was also married and had at least one daughter.
When was Sappho born? When did Sappho die?:
Sappho was born to upper-class parents, Scamander and Cleïs, between 630 and 612 BCE. She died sometime after 580 BCE.
What was Sappho's poetry like?:
Unlike previous writers, who concentrated on heroic epics, gods, and political history, she dealt with human emotions and feelings.
"...now I think of Anaktoria, who is far away
I desire to see her lovely gait
the shining sparkle of her face
more than the Lydian chariots, and armoured foot soldiers."
"...now I think of Anaktoria, who is far away
I desire to see her lovely gait
the shining sparkle of her face
more than the Lydian chariots, and armoured foot soldiers."
