Sappho My Anactoria,

̀

οι μεν ιππήων στρότον οι δε πέσδων

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A troop of horse, the serried ranks of marchers,

οἰ δὲ νάων φαῖσ᾽ ἐπὶ γᾶν μέλαιναν

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A noble fleet, some think these of all on earth

έμμεναι κάλλιστον έγω δε κῆν᾽ (οτ)

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Most beautiful. For me none of these comes close

ότ τω τισ έπαται.

_ . . | _ _

to my Anactoria,.

II

πάγχυ δ᾽ εύμαρεσ σύνετον πόησαι

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To understand this is for all most simple,

πάντι τοῦτ᾽. α γαρ πόλυ περσκόπεισα

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You see, that woman who was by far supreme

κάλλοσ ανθρώπων Ελένα τον άνδρα

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in beauty among all mortals, Helen,

κρίννεν άριστον,

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she left her husband

III

οσ το παν σέβασ τροΐασ όλεσσε ,

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him she left behind and sailed to Troy,

κωυδε παῖδοσ ούδε φίλων τοκήων

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caring not about her daughter and her dear parents,

μᾶλλον εμνάσθη, αλλα παράγαγ᾽ αύταν

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But yielded to love, and swept along by her passion,

πῆλε φίλεισαν ,

_ . . | _ _

dared Fate in exile.

IV

ωροσ. εύκαμπτον γαρ αει το θῆλυ

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Thus quickly is bent the will of that woman

αί κέ τισ κούφωσ το πάρον νοήσῃ.

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To whom things near and dear seem to be nothing.

ουδε νῦν, Ανακτορίᾱ, τυ μέμναι

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[All this] reminds me right now of Anaktoria.

δὴ παρειοῖσασ,

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she is not here

V

τᾶσ κε βολλοίμαν έρατόν τε βᾶμα

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oh ! how I would far rather wish to see her taking a dancing step

that arouses passionate love

καμάρυγμα λάμπρον ίδην προσώπω

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and to see the luminous radiance from the look of her face

η τα λύδων άρματα καν όπλοισι

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than to see those chariots and foot soldiers in their armor

πεσδομάχεντασ

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as they fight in battle

VI

ει μεν ίδμεν ού δύνατον γένεσθαι

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So must we learn in world made as this one

λῷστ᾽ ον᾽ ανθρώποισ, πεδέχην δ᾽ άραστηαι ,

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Man can never attain his greatest desire,

τῶν πέδειχόν εστι βρότοισι λῷον

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But must pray for what good fortune Fate holds,

η λελάθεσθαι .

_ . . | _ _

Never unmindful .