Sappho

In the first part of this poem Sappho cries out to Aphrodite, the goddess of passionate love. The first stanza describes Aphrodite as an ageless beauty, and Sappho begs for her help saying, "I beg you do not with heartbreak and sorrows tame, Lady my spirit" (Line 2-4). In this case, spirit means life force. Next, Sappho asks Aphrodite to leave the kingdom of Zeus (her father's residence) if she ever hears her crying out her name. When Aphrodite arrives she asks Sappho, "Whom should I persuade to lead back to your friendship? Who, O Sappho treats you unjustly...even if unwilling" (Lines 19-25). In this stanza, Aphrodite asks Sappho whose friendship she has lost, and she is telling Sappho that she will convince this person to become friends with Sappho again, even if they are not willing. Again in the final stanza Sappho begs Aphrodite to "release me from harsh anxiety" (line 26-27), that is to help her with the relationship.

The subject of Sappho's problematic relationship is unknown; however I think that it Sappho longs for Aphrodite. Because Aphrodite is a goddess, she may not ever be interested in having a relationship with Sappho. But when Sappho wrote dialogue for Aphrodite in the poem, Aphrodite spoke to Sappho; much like one lover would speak to another. Aphrodite's dialogue promises to fix Sappho's relationship crisis, and go to no end to make everything better for her. Therefore the Hymn to Aphrodite is a love poem expressing Sappho's desire to be with the goddess Aphrodite.