Sappho-Ode to Aphrodite. Audio, original Greek text and English translation by Ioannidis Nikolaos

Ioannidis N. is a composer, musicologist, multi-instrumentalist performer, media theorist, and digital media creative producer (with formal qualifications in Music, Musicology, Media Studies, and Digital Media Studies) , who is researching ancient Greek music and its relationship with all musical cultures that have been subject to the classical Greek cultural influence.

Immortal Aphrodite, beautiful-throned, wiles-weaving child of Zeus, I beg you, Queen, do not torment my heart with sorrow and pain but come and help me again as you did before when having heard my pleadings from far away you left your father's golden palace and yoked to your shining chariot swift, lovely sparrowsthat brought you over the dark earth, moving their thick-feathered wings through the sky's bright ether. Quickly they arrived; and then you, Goddess, with a smile on your unaging face you asked me what is wrong with me this time and why I am calling you again and what my wild heart wishes again."Again whom must I persuade into the harness of your love? Who isn't treating you well, Sappho? For if now runs away from you, soon will pursue you, if not accepting gifts from you, soon will offer, if not in love with you, soon will love even if you no more care. "Come to me now again, release me from this pain, everything my spirit longs to have fulfilled, fulfill, and you be my ally.

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This song is included in the CD album: IOANNIDIS NIKOLAOS "THE MUSIC OF ANCIENT GREEKS - Early Epic and Lyrical Poetry"

Click this title to listen to audio samples of all songs and read the original Greek texts and their English translation. Available is also an introduction to this work by the author

Contents of CD Album:

Anacreon: My lyre sings only songs of love

Simonides: Danae and Perseus

Alcman: Bucolic

Simonides: There is a saying about virtue

Tyrtaeus: Spartan march

Homer: Iliad - Sing oh goddess the perilous wrath of Achilles

Archilochos: Oh soul

Orphic hymn: In praise of Justice

Sappho: Ode to Aphrodite

Alcaeus: Winter

Mimnermos: Short-lived is treasured youth

Homer: Odyssey - Calypso and Ulysses

Hesiod: Rough is the road to happiness

Bacchylides: Great gifts, peace brings to mortals

Solon: Eunomia

All songs in this album are composed, arranged, performed and produced by Ioannidis Nikolaos

Research, transcription and translation of ancient Greek texts: Ioannidis Nikolaos

Released in 2002 by Homo Ecumenicus Publishing

Purchasing information

This CD and all other works by this composer are available to download at the DOWNLOADS page

LINKS TO OTHER WORKS BY IOANNIDIS

A list of all IOANNIDIS' works (musical works, lyrics, essays, translations of classical texts) is available at his WORKS page.

Works of interest to classicists and composers

The Music of Ancient Greeks an approach to the original singing of the Homeric epics and the lyrical poetry of the 8th-5th century B.C.

MUSIC and RELIGION (extant ancient Greek religious songs, Byzantine chant, Gregorian chant, Quranic chant)

Oedipus Rex English opera. Audio excerpt of this work is available online in mp3 format. Also available is the complete Greek text of Sophocles' tragedy "Oedipus the king".

Works of interest to poets and lyricists Ancient Greek epic and lyrical poems translated into English by Ioannidis (The original Greek texts are also available on the same page)

Works of interest to music performers

Instrumental performance:12-string Guitar Works

Vocal performance: MUSIC and RELIGION (including some tracks with performance of ancient Greek instruments)

Visit also the page: ANCIENT GREEK INSTRUMENTS with information about ancient stringed instruments and replicas of some of them

Reproduction or use in any manner of editorial, pictorial, audio-visual, or other content from this site is prohibited without express written permission from Homo Ecumenicus. To obtain a license for commercial use of files on this site (audio files, mid files, texts, essays, articles, video clips, animations etc.) send email to

Sappho

Audio, original Greek text and English translation

An Approach to the Original Singing of ancient Greek lyrical poetry

by Ioannidis Nikolaos