chapter seven SAPPHO . The tradition For some ancient authors Sappho was a beautiful poetess, “the Muse of Mytilene,” with bright eyes, smooth skin and “face both gay and grave.” For others she was a dark, unpleasant-looking, short, small and lustful woman, but nevertheless honoured for her wisdom and poetry. According to tradition, she came from a well-off family, honoured and influential on Lesbos, which was forced to spend some time in exile on Sicily. Her mother’sname is reported to be Cleis; her father, who may have been of foreign origin, is provided with ten different names by tradition, Scamandronymus being the most frequently mentioned among them. Sappho had three brothers called Larichus, Erigyius (or Eurygius), and Charaxus. The latter had a long-lasting and somewhat ruinous relation- ship with a notorious courtesan called Rhodopis or Doricha, for which he was much reproached by his sister, and which may have led him to become a pirate in the end. Sappho was reportedly married to Cercylas, an immensly rich busi- nessman from Andros. They had a daughter who was named Cleis after her grandmother. Sappho had many female companions, some of them being her friends, some pupils and some lovers. She was also believed to have had relationships with many men. One of these, a particu- larly unhappy love-affair with young, handsome Phaon is reported to haveledher,brokenhearted,toleaptoherdeathfromacliffofLeu- cas. Ancient authors synchronized Sappho with the Egyptian pharaohs Mycerinus, Amasis and Psammetichus, the Lydian king Alyattes, the tyrant Pittacus of Lesbos, and with the poets Alcaeus, Anacreon, Archilo- chus, Stesichorus and Hipponax, placing her therefore in a time span between ca. bc and the second part of the sixth century bc. Her absolute dates in ancient sources pin her, however, clearly to the turn of the seventh and sixth century bc. M. Kivilo - 9789004193284 Downloaded from Brill.com09/30/2021 04:57:49PM via free access chapter seven Biographical information in Sappho’s own and in other archaic poetry Among Sappho’s extant fragments are some which are thought to contain autobiographical material, provided that the “I” in the poems refers to herself,—something which is impossible to prove or disprove. She mentions her name in at least three fragments, spelling it with initial “psi”: Ψ π#’ in frr. , and , and Ψ π#ι in fr. In most other ancient sources the name begins with “sigma.”1 G. Zuntz has explained this inconsistency in spelling by suggesting that Sappho used Ψ to denote a sound not exactly corresponding to Greek “sigma.” He proposes that Sappho’s name is of Asiatic origin, linked to god Sap. on,¯ and “psi” in Ψαπ#ω stands for sibilant s. which other Greek authors replaced by ordinary “sigma.”2 In fr. .– she talks about her brother (probably the one called Charaxus) and his “past mistakes”:3 Κπρι κα4] Νηρ7ιδες 3λ η[ν μι τν κασγνητν δ[ ]τε τυδ’ *κεσ!α[ι κσσα W]. ι. !μωι κε !λη γνεσ!αι π ντα τε]λσ!ην, eσσα δH πρ] σ!’ Eμρτε π ντα λ6σα[ι κα4 #λισ]ι Wσι J ραν γνεσ!αι κSναν @]J!ρισι, γνιτ δ’ Eμμι πμ’ @τι μ]ηδ’ εdς; τ8ν κασιγ]ν7ταν δH !λι π ησ!αι @μμρν] τμας, ... 1 The only exceptions are an inscription on the late sixth century hydria in Goluchow, Poland, and some Lesbian coins of Roman date, see p. below. In a very corrupt fr. A, Sappho’s name is repeatedly mentioned and spelled with an initial “sigma,” but the name in this fragment probably belongs to the commentaries between the verses rather than to poems. 2 Zuntz :–, see also the summary of the other proposed etymologies by different commentators in this article. Podlecki (:) has suggested that there may be a link between Sappho’s family and Naucratis since the name “Sapph-” occurs as the inscription on an early potsherd found there, but does not give any references. According to Zuntz, the name Sappho (Σαπ#ω, Σα##ω) is found in many inscriptions and seems to have been quite common in Asia Minor, at least in the Alexandrian and Roman period. 3 Fr. L.-P. (POxy +.). The fragments are referred to (if not stated otherwise) by Lobel & Page enumeration () in this chapter. Translations are from Campbell () or my own. Charaxus is mentioned also in A(b) Rαρα?[, (c) Rα]ρα?. [, cf. comment. ad loc.(d)R ρα]|?ν. ,(e)Rαρ] ?υ. [andRαρα[?-.MoreaboutSappho’s brothers is in p. M. Kivilo - 9789004193284 Downloaded from Brill.com09/30/2021 04:57:49PM via free access sappho (Cypris and) Nereids, grant that my brother arrive here unharmed and that everything he wishes in his heart be fulfilled, and grant too that he atone for all his past mistakes and be a joy to his friends and a bane to his enemies, and may no one ever again be a grief to us; grant that he may be willing to bring honour to his sister ... According to a corrupt POxy , Sappho seems to have written at least one more poem about her brothers.4 She mentions (her) mother in one fragment, and a daughter Cleis in two fragments.5 In a corrupt fragment she(?) complains about (her) old age, and is confident that through her poetry she will be remembered forever.6 Other names found in Sappho’spublished fragments are actually most- ly emendations and suggestions made by modern commentators in very fragmentarypapyriwhichcouldbereadindifferentways.Infragment , for example, 3ρι-/γνDτα !αι has been read as a name Arignota and as an adjective “far-famed” or “infamous”.7 The commentators have taken the names from tradition, and this, in turn, has influenced the interpre- tation of the poems. However, the names possibly mentioned in Sappho’s extant poetry are Doricha the mistress of her brother; (Sappho’s com- panions) Anactoria, Atthis, Mnasidica, Gyrinno, Irana, Dica, Gongyla, perhapsalsoAbanthis,Mica,Arignota,Megara,Cydro;and(herrivals?) Andromeda, Gorgo, and Archeanassa (or Pleistodica).8 4 POxy fr. , col. iii.(f) –: !απ#ω[]ιπερ4τν[]3δελ[/#νε.[]ωδητιν[]. !ε. 5 Mother in fr. (a): . .].!ςA 3 γ ρ με γννα[τ. In fr. somebody’s “sweet mother” is mentioned. Daughter in frr. (b), . Fr. is reported to have been written to the daughter. 6 Old age: fr. (but see the “Tithonus” poem published by West a and b), cf. frs. , , (a). See also Incertum . fr. L-P [Lobel-Page] with Blass’ emendation (see Campbell : ad loc.). Everlasting fame: frr. , , cf. fr. 7 PBerol fol. .. Schubart & Wilamowitz (:) read it as a name, Lobel and Page (), and Campbell () as an adjective. Other extreme examples are Megara(?) in (POxy fr. .)]. α[...]α[ (Grenfell & Hunt), which has been read as ]μεγαρα.[να. [...]α[ (Lobel, followed by Voigt); Cydro in (POxy fr. , line ) where ]απικυδ[hasbeensuggestedtocontainΚυδ[ρ- (West); and Gorgo in if κεκρημνυ στ ργς (cod.) is read as μ λα δ%M κεκρημνις Γ ργως (Toup). Also fr. ]ντε. ... γ..ι (POxy (a)B) as ]ντε. Γ. ρ. γ.ι. (Lobel, followed by Campbell, Voigt), fr. Voigt (PCair Mediol. col. ii.) Γργ.[, and commentary in fr. ]η. ι.γ.[.]ρ. γι. !υν:υ?.ε[ (POxy .) as τ]. ι. Γ. []ρ. γ. !ν:υ? με-. (Lobel). 8 Doricha may be mentioned in fr. (POxy fr. col. i.– + fr. ) Δω]ρJα τ δε[τ]ερν Sς π !ε[ινν/[ε-/ς] @ρν Wλ!ε (suppl. Hunt), and very tentatively perhaps also in (POxy fr. ) ΔωρJ]α!.[.....].[ (Lobel-Page [L-P]). Anactoria: (POxy fr. col. I.–) MΑνακτρ[ας (Hunt). Atthis: (= Voigt) (in Heph. Ench..)iΑ τ ! ι ; (PBerol fol. .) iΑ τ ! ι - δς, and Voigt (POxy ) iΑ τ ! ι δ !. .TheMSreading“{τε” in fr. is emended as M. Kivilo - 9789004193284 Downloaded from Brill.com09/30/2021 04:57:49PM via free access chapter seven In a very damaged section of fr. (b) Sappho mentions Mytilene (which was traditionally held as her home town), but the context of the poem is not clear. She also refers to the exile of the Cleanactidae in this fragment. Another important family in Lesbos, the house of Penthilus, is mentioned in fr. There are also some references to Sappho(?) in the works ascribed to other poets of the Archaic period. First, she is mentioned in a verse: - πλκ’ Eγνα μελλιJ μειδε Σ π#ι.9 Violet-haired, holy, sweetly-smiling Sappho. Hephaestio, whose Enchiridion is the source for the verse, does not men- tion its author. Modern commentators ascribe the fragment to Alcaeus.10 “iΑ τ ! ι ” in standard editions, but see Parker . In fragment (POxy fr. .) ]τ!ι· !.[ has been read as iΑ ]τ!ιA σι[ (Lobel, Snell); in S . SLG α]γερωJσα. τ.[/]ανJαριεσ- σαν.[ has been read as 3]γρωJς iΑτ.[!ις /]αν Jαριεσσαν. (C Campbell), and in Alc. fr. (= incert. auct. a Voigt) ]!ιδ7αν. κε# λα.[ Lobel has suggested iΑ ]τ!. ιδ7αν. κε# λαν.[. Mnasidica: (a) (Heph. Ench. .) Μνασιδκα. Gyrinno: (a) (Heph. Ench. .) Γυρννως . .; (POxy (a).. = fr. (). L-P) Γ]ριννι (Lobel), cf. commentary in fr. (POxy fr. (a) col. iii.) κα4 Γυρνν[(L-P). πΩ*ρανα πω Ε*ρανα iΩι- Irana: (Heph. loc. cit.) (Voigt: |} ) and fr. (ibid. .) ρανα w Ε*ρανα (Voigt: |} ) (see p. n. ). Dica: (Athen. .e) Δκα. Gongyla: (PBerol fol. .) Γγ)γυλα (Wilamowitz) and Γγγυλα. [(Voigt), perhaps also in (POxy fr. .) Γ]γγλα. [(Wilamowitz, L-P) and . .]. γυλα. (Voigt), and in A(a) (POxy fr. .) Γγγ. υ. [λ- (Page). Cf. the commentary on (POxy .): τ8. τ.[! Γ]γγλη! jν[]μασ!7- /!ετ[αι (Lobel). Abanthis(?): (POxy col. ii fr. .) iΑ ]αν!ι. (L-P), and in Alc. fr. (b) (= incert. auct.Voigt)iΑ α ν ! ι . Mica(?): ]σεμκα (POxy fr. ) has also been read as ]μι!!εΜκα(L-P,followed by Campbell and Voigt).