Classic Sapphics

A journey from digital worlds to ancient verse

Like many, my journey into classical literature has been anything but straightforward. It's a path that took an unexpected turn in the realm of video gaming, specifically within the historical and mythological world of Ubisoft's "Assassin's Creed: Odyssey." As a gamer with an interest in both history and science fiction, I've found I greatly enjoy narratives that not only entertain but also educate. Imagine my surprise when, whilst adventuring within a virtual recreation of the Grecian islands in 420 BCE, I encountered a line that would spark a deep fascination with the ancient poet Sappho and her unique contribution to literature: Sapphic verse.

Sappho, hailing from the island of Lesbos in the 7th century BCE, left behind fragments of poetry that have resonated through the ages. Despite the passage of time, her work captivates with themes of love, passion, and the beauty of the natural world. Known for her lyric poetry, originally accompanied by the lyre, Sappho's exploration of human emotions and personal introspection was groundbreaking. Her legacy, encapsulated in the term "lesbian," derived from her homeland, highlights her significant contributions to expressing female homoerotic desire.

As I learned more about her, what intrigued me most was Sappho's renowned verse form, Sapphic verse, a testament to her enduring influence on poetry. This structured form, combining trochees and dactyls, creates a lyrical quality that captivates both poets and readers alike. The precision of this form, with its rhythm echoing the musical origins of Sappho's poetry, challenges and rewards in equal measure.

The line from the game was a poignantly worded paraphrase of a fragment of her poetry: "Someone, I tell you, in another time will remember us."

This in-game encounter was a bridge between my gaming passion and my interest in poetry, illustrating the timeless nature of Sappho's words and the human desire for remembrance - a theme strongly present in the game's scifi-driven theme involving re-experiencing the lives of historical figures.

This blending of historical gaming and ancient literature has been an enlightening experience. It demonstrates the potential of video games as a medium for cultural and educational exploration, bridging the gap between the ancient and the modern. My initial surprise at finding Sappho in a game has transformed into a deep appreciation for her work and the form that bears her name.

Through this journey, I've learned that traditional art forms can find new life and relevance in contemporary storytelling mediums. Sappho's work, particularly her exploration of the complexities of love and human emotion, has not only endured but also thrived, finding new audiences across time and through unexpected channels.

In closing, my foray into the world of Sappho and Sapphic verse has been a reminder of the enduring power of poetry to connect us across centuries. From the lyre-accompanied verses of ancient Lesbos to the digital landscapes of a video game, Sappho's legacy continues to inspire and resonate. It's a testament to the idea that someone, indeed, will remember us in another time, just as we remember Sappho today.

According to poets.org:

"The sapphic poem dates back to ancient Greece and is named for the poet Sappho, who left behind many poem fragments written in an unmistakable meter."

"The accentual meter of the sapphic approximates the original form by equating long syllables with stressed ones, and short syllables with unstressed ones."

"The main building blocks of the sapphic are trochees and dactyls...The first three lines of the sapphic contain two trochees, a dactyl, and then two more trochees. The shorter fourth, and final, line of the stanza is called an “Adonic” and is composed of one dactyl followed by a trochee."

Here is my interpretation of this guideline, where a trochee (a stressed syllable followed by an unstressed one) and a dactyl (a stressed syllable followed by two unstressed ones) are represented as "DUM da" (trochee: ex. "Normal") and "DUM da da" (dactyl: ex. "Somebody"):

DUM da | DUM da | DUM da da | DUM da | DUM da
DUM da | DUM da | DUM da da | DUM da | DUM da
DUM da | DUM da | DUM da da | DUM da | DUM da
DUM da da | DUM da

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A few efforts at sapphic verse

I love morning sun through my window, others
Shun the daylight, facing the future darkly.
I believe it's better to face the light than
Dwell in the darkness.

Preachers love to say we will live forever
Bathed in God's own light if we tithe, but I say
Think, before you try to buy heaven, know that
God's grace is given.

Smells of pot roast take me way back to Sundays
Spent at mom's old home where I spent my childhood.
When we make it cooking together, I think
I love it more now.

Walking. Walking, all ‘round the walk track, tracking
Tracking when I go ‘round the walking track, my
Watch knows how we walk in the round way never
Ever to... stop now.

Big bang, pressure, plasma to physics, light now,
Faster, darkly stretching expanse now, stars form,
Dark forms swirling, then we are born now, smarter,
That's how we got here.

Scarlett, frantic, "What shall I do...," too late, now,
Rhett said, rudely, "Frankly, my dear...," and then their
Final parting, never together, they were
Gone with the Wind.

Timeless wisdom, Shakespeare is teaching, with his
Quote, "To be or not to be...," He was saying
Greatness hangs on risking it all. His Hamlet
Was, then he wasn't.

Queen Marie did not say the "cake" thing. Rather,
In "Confessions," Jean-Jacques Rousseau had written,
Briefly, "Qu'ils mangent de la brioche," but his
Princess was unnamed.

Bob the Builder built a few buildings, but then
Bob's big brother, Billy the Better Builder
Built a bridge of beauty that broke Bob's builder's
Heart for a moment.

Carroll taught us we could just make up new words
Meaning anything that we wanted. I now
Use these Carrollisms to solve all kinds of
Poetry problems.

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All poetry and text © Copyright Patrick L. Mills 2024. All Rights Reserved.