by Glenda K. Fralin

Created on: June 28, 2008   Last Updated: July 08, 2008

Works of the ancient poets have a unique ability to give us a glimpse into their culture. "He's More Than a Hero" by the Greek poet Sappho, who lived somewhere between 630 B.C.E. and 570 B.C.E., is one of the few from her volumes of writing salvaged. She is one of the few well known female poets of her time, and wrote mostly lyric pieces likely meant to be part of a stage performance.

Sappho was born on the island of Lesbos into an aristocratic family. Her work has mostly been lost to history by the deterioration of the papyrus that she wrote on. Because of her fame during the ancient world and fragments of her volumes of poems, translators have interpreted a few of her lyrics. Some have tried to translate them according to modern meter and style, but there is a new interest in reviving the meter from which she wrote.

Sappho was also translated and referred to in other ancient writing by poets and philosophers of the time. One thing that is widely accepted is that her sexual preference was women. The term Lesbian actually means from Lesbos, but has been adopted for women who identify with Sappho because of their own sexual preference. "He is More Than a Hero" is a passionate piece written to one of the women she felt sexually drawn to, even in love with. The first line has been used as a title but it is difficult to know if it is a complete work.

The breaking of stanzas in this may be an attempt by the translator to put the lyric into the meter with the original line breaks. However, it is difficult to know how accurate these breaks may be.

He is more than a hero
he is a god in my eyes-
the man who is allowed
to sit beside you he

The first four lines indicate why He' is important. Sappho says "he is more than a hero, he is a god in my eyes", but the reason for this sentiment is in the next two lines. The next two lines reveal the target of her passion. The man of this poem is special only because of the woman at his side. To Sappho the subject of her love and passion could only be taken by a man worthy of being a god.

who listens intimately
to the sweet murmur of
your voice, the enticing

These lines continue this dedication. The emphasis is on the "sweet murmur of your voice" The words are words of desire and passion (sweet, enticing).

laughter that makes my own
heart beat fast. If I meet
you suddenly, I can't

The break of these stanzas is probably a mistake to some extent. Sappho may have meant the line to continue without interruption to the next line. In the above lines

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