Lover’s Leap

Joseph Addison of the ‘Spectator’ praised the lyric genius of ancient Greek love poet Sappho, before going on to relate the legend of her death. Spurned by her lover Phaon, she travelled to Sicily, where she composed a Hymn to Venus, one of her most famous poems; but this brought no change to Phaon, and no solace to her.

Unwilling to face life without Phaon, Sappho went to the island of Lefkada in Greece, and after pouring out her griefs at the Temple of Apollo, threw herself over the cliffs into the sea. She hoped, perhaps, to be one of those who survived the fall, and were always cured of their hopeless love; but Sappho was not so fortunate.

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Greek Myths (39) Sappho (1) Joseph Addison (2) Greek and Roman Myths (38) Myths and Legends (104) History (777)

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