LIFE OF SAPPHO

by an Hippeonax, the subject being pleasing in its
nature. It is as impossible to sing a wedding-song
in a rage, or make Love a Fury or a Giant by mere
choice of expression, as it is to turn laughter into
tears.

Himerius Orations: So it is time for us, my
children, since we are summoning our Muses to
marriage-dance and marriage-love, to relax the
graveness of our music, sv that we may the better
trip it with the maidens in honour of Aphrodite.
How hard it is to find a tune gentle enough to please
the Goddess. we may judge from the poets them-
selves, most of whom, though past masters in love-
poetry, went as br: avely to the description of Hera
as any boy or girl, but when it came to the rites of
Aphrodite, left the sony for the lyre and the making
of the epithalainy entirely bo Sappho, who when the
contests! are over enters the chamber, weaves the
bower, makes the bride-bed, gathers the maidens
into the bride-chamber, and brings Aphrodite in her
Grace-drawn car with a bevy of Loves to be her
playfellows: and her she adorns with hyacinths
about the hair, leaving all but what is parted by
the brow to float free upon the wayward breeze, and
them she decks with gold on wing and tress and
makes to go on before the car and wave their
torches on high.?

Pulatene Anthoiney: Anonymous on Sappho the

lyric poetess of Mytilene: Come, ye daughters of

1 part of the ceremony apparently consisted of a mock
contest of suitors 2 εἴν Hime. ap. Schemhl Afermes 101}.
421, Dion. Hal. Rhet. 247

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