Sappho, „The Brothers Poem“, edition Dirk Obbink

ἀλλ’ ἄϊ θρύλησθα Χάραξον ἔλθην

νᾶϊ σὺν πλήαι · τὰ μὲν οἴομαι, Ζεῦς

οἶδε σύμπαντές τε θέοι· σὲ δ᾽οὐ χρῆ

ταῦτα νόησθαι,


ἀλλὰ καὶ πέμπην ἔμε καὶ κέλεσθαι

πόλλα λίσσεσθαι βασίληαν Ἤραν

ἐξίκεσθαι τυίδε σάαν ἄγοντα

νᾶα Χάραξον


κἄμμ’ ἐπεύρην ἀρτέμεας· τὰ δ’ ἄλλα

πάντα δαιμόνεσσιν ἐπιτρόπωμεν·

εὔδιαι γὰρ ἐκ μεγάλαν ἀήταν

αἶψα πέλονται·


τῶν κε βόλληται βασίλευς Ὀλύμπω

δαίμον’ ἐκ πόνων ἐπάρωγον ἤδη

περτρόπην, κῆνοι μάκαρες πέλονται

καὶ πολύολβοι·


κἄμμες, αἴ κε τὰν κεφάλαν ἀέρρη

Λάριχος καὶ δή ποτ᾽ ἄνηρ γένηται,

καὶ μάλ’ ἐκ πόλλαν βαρυθυμίαν κεν

αἶψα λύθειμεν.

Translation:

Chatter, rumors: Ooh, Charaxos has come
safe, ship laden — he is back at home!
If you ask me, that is the gods’ concern.
Don’t think about it.

Better send me to pour out a stream
of supplications; tell me to pray to Queen
Hera: May Charaxos steer safely home.
And may he find us

safe and well. And let us please leave all
the rest to heaven. Out of a stormy squall
a divine calm suddenly can prevail,
if that is how

the king of heaven wills it. Some power may from rough waters steer us skillfully
toward blessings and prosperity.
As for our family,

if Larichos would only lift his head,
leave his childhood, grow to a man instead, then we from this weight of depression would finally be free.