15 LGBT Legends from the past for 50 years of Stonewall 12/15: Sappho of LesbosSappho of Lesbos (ca.

15 LGBT Legends from the past for 50 years of Stonewall 12/15: Sappho of Lesbos

Sappho of Lesbos (ca. 630 – ca. 570 BC) was a Lesbian Woman, the words Sapphic andLesbianare named after her. She was an Archaic Greek poet from the island of Lesbos. Sappho is known for her lyric poetry, written to be sung while accompanied by a lyre. In ancient times, Sappho was widely regarded as one of the greatest lyric poets and was given names such as the “Tenth Muse” and “The Poetess”. Most of Sappho’s poetry is now lost, and what is extant has survived only in fragmentary form, except for one complete poem: the “Ode to Aphrodite”. As well as lyric poetry, ancient commentators claimed that Sappho wrote elegiac and iambic poetry. Sappho was a prolific poet, probably composing around 10,000 lines. Her poetry was well-known and greatly admired through much of antiquity, and she was among the canon of nine lyric poets most highly esteemed by scholars of Hellenistic Alexandria. Sappho’s poetry is still considered extraordinary and her works continue to influence other writers. Beyond her poetry, she is well known as a symbol of love and desire between women.