Aurelia Preskill- May 22, 2026
Sappho, sometimes spelled Psappho or Psappha, was born around 630 BC. For most of her life, she lived in her hometown of Mytiline, on the island of Lesbos, in Greece. Not much is known about her daily life, but it is said that she was married to a wealthy man named Cercylas, and had two or three brothers. She also had a daughter by the name of Cleis or Clais. We know Sappho to be a poet, but due to the themes within her poetry, she has also become an icon of romantic love between women. So much so that two of the names associated with her: ‘Sappho’ and ‘Lesbos’ have become the roots of the words ‘Sapphic’ and ‘Lesbian.’
In addition to her relation to queerness and LGBTQ+ history, Sappho has been named one of the greatest poets to ever live, hailed by Homer and Plato respectively as “the Poet” and the “tenth muse.” Her visage was honored on coins and statues in Ancient Greece, and she corresponded with other famous poets such as Alcaeus. Her poetry links to themes of gender and sexuality, as well as thiasos, or the education of young women, specifically for marriage. Due to this, Sappho is also considered an important figure in feminism and women’s rights movements. Originally, the word ‘Sapphic’ was the name of the poetic meter she often used in her work, meaning ‘of or pertaining to Sappho.’ However, its meaning has evolved into pertaining to her romantic affection towards women, rather than her poetic form.
Despite the beauty of her acclaimed writing however, she was still attacked for her sexual preferences, and tragically, over time, much of her work has been lost and censored into oblivion. As what remained of her writing began to enter mainstream public consciousness, modern editors changed some of her poems in order to make sure they were not ‘misunderstood’ as what most of them were: an expression of love between women. Additionally, conservative Christian powers were quoted to have called Sappho a “whore who sang about her own licentiousness.” Only the poem “Ode to Aphrodite” remains complete.
Sappho’s life wasn’t perfect, even as a famous, wealthy aristocrat, and it is believed that she was banished or ran to Sicily, where she lived out the remainder of her life. It’s unclear whether she was strictly lesbian, at least in today’s terms, as it is said that she threw herself into the ocean because of the unrequited love of a sailor named Phaeon. She died around 550 BC, at about 60 years of age.
Because she lived such a long time ago, and most records of her existence have been lost, it’s hard to say whether much of the information we claim to know about her is true. We certainly don’t know what her favorite color was, or how she acted as a Greek civilian. However, in the time spanning from when she was alive until now, Sappho has grown from more than just a person. She has become a queer, feminist, literary icon, and symbol of love and pride. Just because Sappho lived 2000 years ago, doesn’t mean she won’t keep living for another 2000 years, inside every person who carries a fragment of her story.
Poetry Foundation. “Sappho.” Poetry Foundation, Poetry Foundation, https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/sappho. Accessed 21 May 2026.
"Sappho." Britannica School, Encyclopædia Britannica, 11 Feb. 2025. school.eb.com/levels/high/article/Sappho/65707. Accessed 21 May. 2026.