Sappho of Lesbos — The first voice of love between women
Queer love Literary love 🇬🇷 Greece

Sappho of Lesbos

The first voice of love between women

EraGreece · 7th–6th c. BCE
Country / cultureIsland of Lesbos, Greece
CategoryQueer love
Type of loveDevotional
EndingOpen
Quick answer

The poet of the island of Lesbos whose verses of love and desire for other women are so famous they gave the words "lesbian" and "sapphic" to language itself.

01Why it matters

She is the founder of Western love poetry and the eternal symbol of love between women.

02The conflict

The loss of nearly all her work; centuries of censorship.

03The iconic moment

Her fragments on the heart that trembles before the beloved.

04What survived

Fragments like the "Ode to Aphrodite"; the words "lesbian" and "sapphic."

05Where to travel

Island of Lesbos
Her home island.
Lesbos · Greece

06Frequently asked questions

Why is the story of Sappho of Lesbos famous?

She is the founder of Western love poetry and the eternal symbol of love between women.

How does the story of Sappho of Lesbos end?

Her fragments on the heart that trembles before the beloved. Fragments like the "Ode to Aphrodite"; the words "lesbian" and "sapphic."

Where can you visit the story of Sappho of Lesbos?

You can visit Island of Lesbos, in Lesbos. Her home island.

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