114
THE POEMS OF SAPPHO
92
Ϝέσπερε, πάντα φέρων, ὄσα φαίνολις ἐσκέδασ᾽ αὔως,
φέρεις οἴν, φέρεις αἶγα φέρεις ἄπυ ματέρι παῖδα.
Evening, thou that bringest all that bright morning scattered, thou bringest the sheep, the goat, and the child back to its mother.
Hail, gentle Evening, that bringest back
All things that bright morning hath beguiled.
Thou bringest the lamb, thou bringest the kid,
And to its mother, her drowsy child.
From the “Etymologicum Magnum,” where the meaning of αὔως (“dawn”) is discussed. The beauty of the fragment needs no emphasizing.
93
Ἀϊπάρθενος ἔσσομαι.
Ever shall I be a maid.
From a manuscript in Paris, edited by Cramer.
94
Δώσομεν, ἦσι πάτηρ.
We will give, says the father.
From the same manuscript as the preceding.
