Ancient History

» Rosemary Drisdelle - Sappho

I came across an interesting tidbit about Sappho - legend in Greek mythology says that she committed suicide for love, throwing herself off a cliff. The object of her affection was Phaon, a ferryman whose great attractiveness had been bestowed upon him by Aphrodite. My Oxford Classical Dictionary (Oxford, 1996) says there is probably no truth to the story.
What a pity that Sappho's work was not preserved.