Some Neglected Aspects of Love in Sappho's Fragment 31

SaME NEGLECTED ASPECTS OF LOVE IN SAPPHO'S FR. 3I LP.
MAX TREU EBLJOMHKONTOYTH,

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Modern interpreters of Sappho's fragment 3 I in LobelPage's edition may be divided into two main groups: there are those who see in the "fjvo~ wV'YJe a personal riyal of Sappho and argue that she is jealous of the man 1), and those who reject jealousy and say that the poem expresses Sappho's love for the girl 2). Textual difficulties would seem to account for this, but added to them are certain preconceived notions concerning the nature of Sapphic love: both groups of interpreters share, basically, the same belief of old: Sappho, to put it bluntly, gives expression to her homosexual feelings. As a result the poem has never, in my opinion, been treated fairly. The main purpose of this paper is to discuss additional poetic material 3) which sheds light on the poetic situation. Fundamental in this discussion is the legitimate distinction drawn between the poetic "I" and the personal "I". Unless we rid our minds of the common fallacy that lyric "I" must, with a few notable exceptions, reflect the poet's private affairs and personal feelings, we cannot possibly hope to arrive at a just and fair interpretation of this fragment 01', for that matter, of many a lyric fragment. But let us first turn to the verses which are thought to
1) Of the most recent exponents of this view is G.Devereux, "The Nature of Sappho's Seizure in Fr. 31 LP as Evidence of her Inversion", CQ XXI (1970), 17ff., who folio ws D. L.Page, Sappho and Alcaeus, Oxford 1955, 26ff. 2) See G.M.Kirkwood, Early Creek Monody, Ithaca-London 1974, p. 12, who reiterates the views held by M.Marcovich, "Sappho Fr. 3I: Anxiety Attack or Love Declaration ?", CQ XXII (1972), 19ff., and by G. WilIs, "Sappho 3I and Catullus 51", CRBS VIII (1967), 167ff. G.A. Privitera's approach is different, "Ambiguita antitesi analogia nel fr. 31 L.P. di