100
THE POEMS OF SAPPHO
57
Δεῦτέ νυν ἄβραι Χἀριτες, καλλίκομοι τε Μοῖσαι.
Come now gentle Graces, and fair-haired Muses.
Quoted by Hephaestion, Attilius Fortunatianus, and Servius as an example of the choriambic tetrameter used by Sappho.
58
Πάρθενον ἀδύφωνον.
A sweet-voiced maiden.
Quoted by Attilius, about the fifth century A.D.
59
Κατθνάσκει Κυθέρη᾽, ἄβρος Ἄδωνις, τ κε θεῖμεν,
καττύπτερθε κόραι καὶ κατερείκεσθε χίτωνας.
Gentle Adonis is dying, O Cythera; what shall we do? Beat your breasts, O maidens, and rend your garments.
Gentle Adonis wounded lies, dying, dying.
What message, O Cythera, dost thou send?
Beat, beat your white breasts, O ye weeping maidens,
And in wild grief your mourning garments rend.
