116
THE POEMS OF SAPPHO
98
Ὀ μὲν γὰρ κάλος, ὄσσον ἴδην, πέλεται [ἄγαθος]
ὀ δὲ κἄγαθος αὔτικα καὶ κάλος ἔσσεται.
He who is fair to look upon is good, and he who is good, will soon be fair also.
He should be good who is fair of face,
And he will be fair whose soul has grace.
Galen, writing about A.D. 160, says: “It is better therefore, knowing as we do that youthful beauty is like the flowers of spring, its allurement lasting but a short time, to agree with the Lesbian poetess, and to believe Solon when he points out the same.”
99
Ἦρ᾽ ἔτι παρθενίας επιβάλλομαι;
Do I still long for maidenhood?
Quoted by Apollonius to show the Aeolic form ἦρα, the interrogative particle ἆρα, and also as a specimen of metre.
