Sappho. Fragment 31 "On Jealousy"
Φαίνεταί μοι κήνος ἴσος θέοισιν ἔμμεν ὤνηρ, ὄστις ἐναντίος τοι ἰζάνει, καὶ πλυσίον ἆδυ φωνεύ- σας ὑπακούει καὶ γελαίσας ἰμερόεν, τό μοι μάν καρδίαν ἐν στήθεσιν ἐπτόασεν· ὡς γὰρ εὔιδον βροχέως σε, φώνας οὺδὲν ἔτ' εἴκει· ἀλλὰ κὰμ μὲν γλῶσσα ἔαγε, λέπτον δ' αὔτικα χρῷ πῦρ ὐπαδεδρόμακεν, ὀππάτεσσι δ' οὐδὲν ὄρημ', ἐπιρρόμ- βεισι δ' ἄκουαι. ἀ δέ μίδρως κακχέεται, τρόμος δέ παῖσαν ἄγρει, χλωροτέρα δὲ ποίας ἔμμι, τεθνάκην δ' ὀλίγω 'πιδεύης φαίνομαι [ἄλλα]. ἀλλὰ πᾶν τόλματον, [ἐπεὶ καὶ πένητα]. |
He seems to me equal to the gods that man whoever he is who opposite you sits and listens close to your sweet speaking and lovely laughing — oh it puts the heart in my chest on wings for when I look at you, even a moment, no speaking is left in me no: tongue breaks and thin fire is racing under skin and in eyes no sight and drumming fills ears and cold sweat holds me and shaking grips me all, greener than grass I am and dead — or almost I seem to me. But all is to be dared, because even a person of poverty… |
Reference
Sappho 31. Trans. Anne Carson, 2002. inamidst.com. Sean B. Palmer, n.d. Web. 1 August, 2015.