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SAPPHO FRAGMENTS: φαίνεταί μοι

Level One: Level Two: Level Three: Translation:

φαίνεταί μοι κῆνος ἴσος θέοισιν

ἡ Ἀφρόδιτα, Ἀφρόδιτᾶς - Aphrodite; 1, f.

φαίνω - to appear, seem; t.v.

ἐγώ, μοῦ - I; 1, f. ὀ θεός - deity; 2, m.

κῆνη, κῆνο, κῆνος - that, those; M ἴση, ἴσον, ἴσος - equal; M

φαίνω - to appear, seem; t.v.

ἐγώ, μοῦ - I; 1, f. ὀ θεός - deity; 2, m. ὀ ἄνηρ - man; 3, m.

κῆνη, κῆνο, κῆνος - that, those; M ἴση, ἴσον, ἴσος - equal; M

That man seems to me equal to the gods

ἔμμεν' ὤνηρ, ὄττις ἐνάντιός τοι

ὀ ἄνηρ - man; 3, m. ἤτις, ὄ τι, ὄστις - anyone who, whoever; M ἐναυντία, ἐναντίον, ἐναντίος - opposed, opposite, hostile; M σύ, σοῦ, σοί/τοί, σέ - you; M

ὀ ἄνηρ - man; 3, m. ἤτις, ὄ τι, ὄστις - anyone who, whoever; M ἐναυντία, ἐναντίον, ἐναντίος - opposed, opposite, hostile; M σύ, σοῦ, σοί/τοί, σέ - you; M

ὀ ἄνηρ - man; 3, m. ἤτις, ὄ τι, ὄστις - anyone who, whoever; M ἐναυντία, ἐναντίον, ἐναντίος - opposed, opposite, hostile; M σύ, σοῦ, σοί/τοί, σέ - you; M

who sits close, across from you

ἰσδάνει καὶ πλάσιον ἆδυ φωνείσας

ἰσδάνω - to make sit, to sit; (Attic ἱζάνω) φωνέω - to produce a sound

ἰσδάνω - to make sit, to sit; (Attic ἱζάνω) φωνέω - to produce a sound

πλασία, πλασίον, πλασίος - near, close to; M ἀδεῖα, ἀδύ, ἀδύς - sweet

ἰσδάνω - to make sit, to sit; (Attic ἱζάνω) φωνέω - to produce a sound

πλασία, πλασίον, πλασίος - near, close to; M ἀδεῖα, ἀδύ, ἀδύς - sweet

καί - and, also; conj.

and listens carefully (to you)

ὐπακούει

ὐπακούω - to listen to; i.v.

ὐπακούω - to listen to; i.v.

ὐπακούω - to listen to; i.v.

speaking sweetly

5.

καὶ γελαίσας ἰμέροεν, τό μ' ἦ μὰν

γελάω - to to laugh; i.v.

ὀ ἰμέροες - longing, passion, love; n. 3 ἐγώ, μοῦ - I

γελάω - to to laugh; i.v.

ὀ ἰμέροες - longing, passion, love; n. 3 ἐγώ, μοῦ - I

γελάω - to to laugh; i.v.

ὀ ἰμέροες - longing, passion, love; n. 3 ἐγώ, μοῦ - I

καί - and, also; conj.

and passionately laughing, and truly my

καρδίαν ἐν στήθεσιν ἐπτόαισεν,

πτοέω - to flutter, excite; i.v.

ἡ καρδία, καρδιᾶς - heart; 1, f. τὸ στῆθος, στῆθεος - breast; 3, n.

πτοέω - to flutter, excite; i.v.

ἡ καρδία, καρδιᾶς - heart; 1, f. τὸ στῆθος, στῆθεος - breast; 3, n.

πτοέω - to flutter, excite; i.v.

ἡ καρδία, καρδιᾶς - heart; 1, f. τὸ στῆθος, στῆθεος - breast; 3, n.

ἐν - in; prep.

heart in my breast began to tremble (then),

ὠς γὰρ ἔς σ' ἴδω βρόχε' ὤς με φώναισ'

βρόχω - gulp down, choke; i.v. ὁράω - I see; t.v. φωνέω - to produce a sound

ἐγώ, μοῦ - I

βρόχω - gulp down, choke; i.v. ὁράω - I see; t.v. φωνέω - to produce a sound

ἐγώ, μοῦ - I

βρόχω - gulp down, choke; i.v. ὁράω - I see; t.v. φωνέω - to produce a sound

ἐγώ, μοῦ - I

εἰς - in; prep. ὠς - how, as, when; adv. γάρ - for; conj.

for as I looked at you, so I choked

οὐδ' ἒν ἔτ' εἴκει,

εἴκω - to yield, give way, allow; i.v.

μία, ἔν, εἴς - one; adj.

εἴκω - to yield, give way, allow; i.v.

μία, ἔν, εἴς - one; adj.

εἴκω - to yield, give way, allow; i.v.

μία, ἔν, εἴς - one; adj.

οὐδε - and not; adv. ἔτι - still; adv.

and not one sound (I) uttered escaped,

ἀλλ' κάμ μὲν γλῶσσα †ἔαγε† λέπτον

ἄγνυμι - to break, shiver; t.v.

ἠ γλῶσσα, γλῶσσης - tongue; 1, f.

ἄγνυμι - to break, shiver; t.v.

ἠ γλῶσσα, γλῶσσης - tongue; 1, f.

λεπτή, λεπτόν, λεπτός - fine, small; M, adj.

ἄγνυμι - to break, shiver; t.v.

ἠ γλῶσσα, γλῶσσης - tongue; 1, f.

λεπτή, λεπτόν, λεπτός - fine, small; M, adj.

ἀλλά - but; conj. κάμ - epic for κατά, down; prep.

but on one hand my tongue was broken and

10.

δ' αὔτικα χρῷ πῦρ ὐπαδεδρόμηκεν,

δρομάω - to run; t.v. ὐποδρομάω - to run under; t.v.

τὸ πῦρ, πῦρος - fire; 3, n. ὀ χρώς, χρωτός - skin; epic dat. χρῷ

δρομάω - to run; t.v. ὐποδρομάω - to run under; t.v.

τὸ πῦρ, πῦρος - fire; 3, n. ὀ χρώς, χρωτός - skin; epic dat. χρῷ

δρομάω - to run; t.v. ὐποδρομάω - to run under; t.v.

τὸ πῦρ, πῦρος - fire; 3, n. ὀ χρώς, χρωτός - skin; epic dat. χρῷ

δέ - and; conj. αὔτικα - forthwith, straight away; adv.

instantly a thin (sheet of) fire ran under my skin

ὀππάτεσσι δ' οὐδ' ἒν ὄρημμ', ἐπιρρόμ-

ὄρημι - to see; t.v. ἐπιρρομβέω - to make a buzzing noise; i.v.

τὸ ὄππα - eye, 3, n. (Attic ὄμμα) ἠ ἀοκά - a hearing, sound heard; 1, f.

ὄρημι - to see; t.v. ἐπιρρομβέω - to make a buzzing noise; i.v.

τὸ ὄππα - eye, 3, n. (Attic ὄμμα) ἠ ἀοκά - a hearing, sound heard; 1, f.

ὄρημι - to see; t.v. ἐπιρρομβέω - to make a buzzing noise; i.v.

τὸ ὄππα - eye, 3, n. (Attic ὄμμα) ἠ ἀοκά - a hearing, sound heard; 1, f.

ἐν - in; prep.

and I saw nothing with my eyes

βεισι δ' ἄκουαι,

ἀκούω - to hear; t.v.

ἀκούω - to hear; t.v.

ἀκούω - to hear; t.v.

δέ - and; conj.

and buzzing (filled my) hearing,

κάδε μ' ἴδρως ψῦχρος ἔχει τρόμος δὲ

ἔχω - I have, hold; t.v.

ἐγώ, μοῦ - I ὀ ἰδρώς, ἰδρῶτος - sweat; 3, m. ὀ τρόμος, τρόμοῦ - a trembling, quaking; 2, m.

ἔχω - I have, hold; t.v.

ἐγώ, μοῦ - I ὀ ἰδρώς, ἰδρῶτος - sweat; 3, m. ὀ τρόμος, τρόμοῦ - a trembling, quaking; 2, m.

ψυχρά, ψυχρόν, ψυχρός - cold, chill; M, adj.

ἔχω - I have, hold; t.v.

ἐγώ, μοῦ - I ὀ ἰδρώς, ἰδρῶτος - sweat; 3, m. ὀ τρόμος, τρόμοῦ - a trembling, quaking; 2, m.

ψυχρά, ψυχρόν, ψυχρός - cold, chill; M, adj.

καί - and, also; conj. δέ - and; conj.

and then a cold sweat and trembling

παῖσαν ἄγρει, χλωροτέρα δὲ ποίας

ἄγρω - to compress, strangle; t.v.

ἠ ποία, ποίας - grass; 1, f.

ἄγρω - to compress, strangle; t.v.

ἠ ποία, ποίας - grass; 1, f.

πᾶσα, πᾶν, πᾶς - all; M, adj. χλωρά, χλωρόν, χλωρός - fresh, living, full of sap, pale yellow-green; M, adj.

ἄγρω - to compress, strangle; t.v.

ἠ ποία, ποίας - grass; 1, f.

πᾶσα, πᾶν, πᾶς - all; M, adj. χλωρά, χλωρόν, χλωρός - fresh, living, full of sap, pale yellow-green; M, adj.

δέ - and; conj.

completely gripped me, and I am more alive than new grass,

15.

ἔμμι, τεθνάκην δ' ὀλίγω 'πιδεύης

θνήσκω - to die; t.v.

ἐγώ, μοῦ - I

θνήσκω - to die; t.v.

ἐγώ, μοῦ - I

ἐπιδευής, ἐπιδευές - in need, lacking of; 3, adj. ὀλίγη, ὀλίγον, ὀλίγος - few, small; M, adj.

θνήσκω - to die; t.v.

ἐγώ, μοῦ - I

ἐπιδευής, ἐπιδευές - in need, lacking of; 3, adj. ὀλίγη, ὀλίγον, ὀλίγος - few, small; M, adj.

δέ - and; conj.

but I seemed nearly to have died

φαίνομ' ἔμ' αὔτ[α·

φαίνω - to appear, seem; t.v.

ἐγώ, μοῦ - I ἐμαυτῆς - myself; reflexive pronoun

φαίνω - to appear, seem; t.v.

ἐγώ, μοῦ - I ἐμαυτῆς - myself; reflexive pronoun

φαίνω - to appear, seem; t.v.

ἐγώ, μοῦ - I ἐμαυτῆς - myself; reflexive pronoun

even to myself;

ἀλλὰ πὰν τόλματον ἐπεὶ †καὶ πένητα†

ἀ πένητα, πένητας - a poor woman; 1, f.

ἀ πένητα, πένητας - a poor woman; 1, f.

πᾶσα, πᾶν, πᾶς - all; M, adj. τολμητά, τολματόν, τολματός - ventured, to be endured; M, adj.

ἀ πένητα, πένητας - a poor woman; 1, f.

πᾶσα, πᾶν, πᾶς - all; M, adj. τολμητά, τολματόν, τολματός - ventured, to be endured; M, adj.

ἀλλά - but; conj. καί - and, also; conj. ἐπεί - since, then; conj.

but all must be endured, since just as a poor woman...

Footnotes

  1. The accusative of this noun is also used as an adjective.
  2. This is a conjecture, as this verb clearly shares a root with words referring to strangulation and choking, but the verb itself is not usually translated with this sense. Nevertheless, with words and sound getting caught in the speaker's throat, the inference seems reasonable.
  3. This is the ever vexed comparative adjective usually taken as meaning greener than grass in this phrase. However, the context of occurrences of this adjective associate it with fresh plant growth in early spring. This is when the colour of new growth is yellow to pale green, the plants fully fleshed out with new sap, and they are often damp with condensation because the local humidity may be high and the general temperature still relatively low. So it seems that the comparison is to the sudden flush of new visible growth indicative of vigorous, but also paradoxically fragile new life.
Copyright © C. Osborne 2024
Last Modified: Sunday, September 08, 2024 13:53:00