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Sappho: Fragments 3 · 3

Sparrows drew you down the sky

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ἄρμ᾽ ὐπαζεύξαισα, κάλοι δέ σ᾽ ἆγον ὤκεες στροῦθοι περὶ γᾶς μελαίνας πύκνα δίννεντες πτέρ᾽ ἀπ᾽ ὠράνω αἴθερος διὰ μέσσω.

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ἄρμ᾽árm’the chariotὐπαζεύξαισαhypazeúxaisahaving yoked,κάλοιkáloibeautifulδέandσ᾽s’youἆγονâgondrewὤκεεςṓkeesswiftστροῦθοιstroûthoisparrowsπερὶperíaroundγᾶςgâsthe earthμελαίναςmelaínasthe blackπύκναpýknathickδίννεντεςdínnenteswhirringπτέρ᾽ptér’their wingsἀπ᾽ap’fromὠράνωōránōheavenαἴθεροςaítherosof the bright airδιὰdiáthroughμέσσωméssōthe middle.

The setting

The epiphany’s most famous image: Aphrodite’s chariot pulled by sparrows, whirring their wings down through the middle air.

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