News
"The best version of Sappho in English"
January 12, 2015
Sappho: A New Translation of the Complete Works. Introduction by André Lardinois. Editor and translator Diane Rayor. Cambridge University Press, 2014.
Sappho, the earliest and most famous Greek woman poet, sang her songs around 600 BCE on the island of Lesbos. Of the little that survives from the approximately nine papyrus scrolls collected in antiquity, all is translated here: substantial poems, fragments, single words - and, notably, five stanzas of a poem that came to light in 2014. Also included are new additions to five fragments from the latest discovery, and a nearly complete poem published in 2004. The power of Sappho’s poetry - her direct style, rich imagery, and passion - is apparent even in these remnants.
Diane Rayor’s translations of Greek poetry are graceful and poetic, modern in diction yet faithful to the originals. The full range of Sappho’s voice is heard in these poems about desire, friendship, rivalry, family, and "passion for the light of life." In the introduction and notes, internationally respected Sappho scholar André Lardinois presents plausible reconstructions of Sappho’s life and work, the importance of the recent discoveries in understanding the performance of her songs, and the story of how these fragments survived.
Reviews & endorsements
"Rayor's translations allow the poetry of Sappho to shine. Every
piece of what remains of Sappho's songs is reproduced here, including
the most recent discoveries, thereby providing the reader with the
most comprehensive English collection available. A wonderful and
inspiring work."
Marguerite Johnson, University of
Newcastle, Australia
"This book joins an eloquent translation of Sappho's wide range
of expression with a judicious guide to problems of text and
interpretation. The combination provides a reliable and enjoyable
introduction to Sappho's poetry and a firm basis for discussion of the
many responses it has evoked."
Joel Lidov, City University
of New York
"Diane Rayor's translation captures the quality of Sappho's
poetry: seemingly simple, but luminous, with unexpected shifts of
perspective that change the meaning. Neither too literal nor too free,
her lucid, musical rendering of Sappho's Greek is a delight to read,
and to read aloud."
Eva Stehle, University of Maryland
"With lovely translations and lucid commentary, Rayor and
Lardinois re-create the Sapphic fragments (including several
rediscovered in our own century) in subtle colors, presenting Sappho
like Aphrodite on her 'throne of many hues'. This volume is a welcome
addition to the long tradition of translating Sappho; ideal for
students and teachers, and a delight to all readers eager to read
Sappho anew."
Yopie Prins, University of Michigan
"This is the best version of Sappho in English."
Thomas L. Cooksey, Library Journal