The Poems of Sappho Part 6

I loved you, Atthis--spring of long ago-- Watched you depart, to Andromeda go; Then I, as keen despair its shadow cast, O'er my deserted threshold, sobbing, pa.s.sed.

I loved you, Atthis, once, long years ago!

The thought of me is hateful now, I know; And all the lavish tenderness of old Has gone from me and left my bosom cold.

I loved you, Atthis--dream of long ago-- * * * * * * * * * * * * *

How the fond words, impa.s.sioned music low, Sustain the sigh of love's divine regret No length of time may bid the heart forget.

COMPARISON

Less soft a Tyrian robe Of texture fine, Less delicate a rose Than flesh of thine.

Whiter thy breast than snow That virgin lies, And deeper than the blue Of seas thy eyes.

More golden than the fruit Of orange trees, Thy locks that floating lure The satyr breeze.

Less fine of silver string An Orphic lyre, Less sweet than thy low laugh That wakes desire.

THE SACRIFICE

Upon a cushion soft My limbs I place, My every garment doffed For deeper grace; From burning doves embalmed In baccharis, The scented fumes have calmed Me like a kiss.

Beyond the phallic shrine That tripods light, I pledge with holy wine An image white; Anadyomene, Than foam more fair, When from the ravished sea She rose to air.

Daughter of G.o.d, accept These gifts of mine!

Last night my body slept In arms divine.

These sated lips and eyes That erstwhile sued, Accord this sacrifice In grat.i.tude.

LEDA

Once on a time They say that Leda found Beneath the thyme An egg upon the ground;

And yet the swan She fondled long ago Was whiter than Its sh.e.l.l of peeping snow.

AMBEUM: ALCaeUS AND SAPPHO

ALCUSaeUS

Violet-weaving Sappho, pure and lovely, Softly-smiling Sappho, I would utter Something that my secret hope has cherished, Did no painful sense of shame deter me.

SAPPHO

Had the impulse of thy heart been honest, It had urged no evil supplication; Shame had not abashed thy eyes before me, And thy words had done thee no dishonor.

ALCaeUS

Softly-smiling Sappho, longing bids me Tell thee all that in my heart lies hidden.

SAPPHO

Have no fear, Alcaeus, to offend me!

Thy emotion stirs my heart to pity.

ALCaeUS

I desire thee, violet-weaving Sappho!

Love thee madly, softly-smiling Sappho!

SAPPHO

Hush, Alcaeus! thou must choose a younger Comrade for thy couch, for I would never Join thy years to mine--the G.o.ds forbid it-- Youth and ardent fire to age and ashes.

THE LOVE OF SELENE

Across the still sea's moonlit wave Selene came Softly to seek the Latmian cave, Her breast aflame

With secret pa.s.sion's ruthless throe, Her scruples done, And burning with desire to know Endymion.

THE CRETAN DANCE

As the moon in all her splendor Slowly rose above the forest, Silent stood the Cretan women Round the altar.

Girdled close their clinging tunics, Made of some transparent fabric, Traced the every curve and lissome Of their bodies.

With revering eyes uplifted To the round and rising planet, Soon its drifting beams of silver Lit their faces.

Soft and clear its sphere effulgent, Full defined above the treetops, Steeped in pale unearthly glamor All the landscape.

When the argent glimmer rested On the altar piled with garlands, And its glow unveiled the marble Aphrodite;

Linking hands, the Cretan women Moving gracefully with metric Steps began to dance a measure To the G.o.ddess.

All so light their feet unsandalled Pressed the velvet gra.s.s in treading, That they scarcely bruised its tender Blooming verdure.

Slowly turning in a circle To the east, their voices chanted In a plaintive note the sacred Ithyphallics;

Then they paused, their steps retracing Toward the west, and answered strophe By antistrophe with choric Tones accordant;

With the aftersong epodic, Standing all before the altar, Lo! the hymn in praise of Paphos Was completed.

TO ALCaeUS