Sappho
Early Life
Sappho was born in the city of Mytilene on the island of Lesbos around 630 BC. She was a member of an aristocratic family, the daughter of Scamandronymus and Cleïs. Her parents were known to be wealthy, and she grew up in an environment of luxury. Sappho had three brothers: Charaxus, Larichus, and Eurygius.
Education
Sappho was educated in the arts, literature, and music, which was typical for women of her social class in ancient Greece. She was known to have studied under the poet Alcaeus, who was also from Lesbos. Sappho's education and upbringing played a significant role in shaping her poetic style and themes.
Poetic Work
Sappho's poetry is primarily lyric, composed to be sung and accompanied by a lyre. Her work was collected into nine books in the Library of Alexandria, but only a small fraction of it survives today. Sappho's poetry is characterized by its emotional intensity, vivid imagery, and focus on personal relationships. Her themes often revolve around love and desire, particularly for women, leading to her association with female homosexuality and the term "lesbian" derived from her place of birth, Lesbos.
Influence and Legacy
Sappho's influence on later poets and writers is immense. Her style and themes have been imitated and adapted by countless authors, from the ancient Greeks to modern writers. Despite the loss of much of her work, Sappho's surviving fragments continue to be studied and admired for their beauty and emotional depth. Her legacy also extends to the LGBTQ+ community, where she is celebrated as an early symbol of female homosexuality.
Later Life and Death
Little is known about Sappho's later life. She is believed to have lived until around 570 BC. The circumstances of her death are unclear, with various sources providing different accounts. Despite the uncertainty surrounding her life and death, Sappho's influence and legacy have endured through the centuries.