SAPPHO
39

From a Second-Century Papyrus:

unexpectedly,

40 [To Hera]

From the Same and another of the Third Century :

Make stand beside me in a dream, great Hera,
the beauteous shape that appeared in answer to the
prayer of the famous kings of Atreus’ seed when
they had made an end of the overthrow of Troy.
At first when they put forth hither from Scamander’s
swift flood, they could not win home, but ere that
eould be. were fain to make prayer to thee and to
mighty Zeus and to Thyone’s lovely child.! So now

e.g. pray I, O Lady, that of thy grace I may do

again, as of old, things pure and beautiful
among the maids of Mytilene, whom I have
so often taught to dance and to sing upon
thy feast-days; and even as Atreus’ seed by
grace of thee and thy fellow-Gods did put
out then from Ilium, so I beseech thee. gentle
Hera, aid thou now this homeward voyage
of mine.

1 the latter half is very tentatively restored on the sup-
position that S. writes this before embarking to return to
Mytilene from Syracuse on hearing of the amnesty