Tvenne Sapfors tid

Den andra Sapfo söker sin plats i litteraturhistorien

Abstract

The time of the two Sapphos: The other Sappho and her place in literary history

In 1761, the Swedish poet Hedvig Charlotta Nordenflycht published ”Fruentimrets Försvar”, a poem in defence of women. In it, she mentions two Sapphos, both brilliant ancient poets. Who is this second Sappho? Where does she come from? In this article, I trace the other Sappho’s history, from Aelian’s Historical Miscellany written in the 3rd century to Allier de Hauteroche’s Notice sur la Courtesan Sapho, Née a Érésos, published in 1822. I argue that this second Sappho, of whom no historical record exists, has had a twofold purpose in literary history: on the one hand to make sense of the many contradictory stories of Sappho, on the other hand to free the ”real” Sappho from accusations of sexual licentiousness.