Sappho- Virtual Greece

Unfortunately, up until today, we have been unable to trace the reliable evidence required so as to precisely record the cronology of the poetess´s birth or death. Within a framework of great relativity, we nowadays estimate Sappho´s birth to have taken place within the period of 630 to 609 B.C. She was born on the isle of Lesbos ( in Eressus or - presumably - in Mytilene) and the spent her whole life there with the exception of the period she was banished to Sicily, most likely during 603-595 B.C. At this point, we should actually mention that most of the information we possess concerning the private life of the poetess herself (e.g. conjugal life, sexual orientation, death etc.), vacillates between falsification, alteration and myth, mostly due to the sweeping influence of Attic comedy.

The society of Lesbos which was characterized by unusually solid artistic foundations (considering the era), was also indisputably ruled by both a civil and cultural system that greatly emphasized the role of women in general, and perhaps constituted a unique phenomenon during the whole era of Greek antiquity. The distinctive social structure of the island was undeniably connected with the effect of the Lydian society. The evidence we have on the so-called Sapphic circle has resulted in the writing and publication of countless pages of criticism, consisting of attemps to either censure and criticise or justify and redeem Sappho´s reputation and moral standpoint. The Sapphic circle was a society of young girls, an organized community, the leader of which was Sappho. It was a school of music and dancing? an academy? a society of young ladies educating and preparing themselves for the time of their wedding? Was that community of girls really dedicated to the worship of the goddess Aphrotide?

This is something that we may never live to find out. What we do know though is that this special and intimate relation of Sappho with her young students and frients ( as it arises from the whole of her poetical work), this profound introversion and sometimes hidden passion that breathes forth from her writings, has triggered off contradictive comments, remarks and conjecture both in ancient times as well as in more recent ones. Actually, during the Imperial Times the Latins referred to Sappho by the term "impudica" (=promiscuous, indecent) and the very fact that they did so was a great indication of the contempt in which the poetess´s personal life and morals were held.

For more Useful information

Contact