The surprising origins of the word “lesbian” - Diane J. Rayor

Discover the works of poet and songwriter Sappho, and find out why only fragments of her poetry still survive.
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Over 2,500 years ago, one of ancient Greece’s most celebrated popstars and erotic poets enraptured listeners. The singer-songwriter offered a uniquely intimate perspective on love, passion, and longing, and was the first on record to combine the words “bitter” and “sweet,” to describe the ups and downs of romance. So, who was this revered figure? Diane J. Rayor uncovers the writings of Sappho.
Lesson by Diane J. Rayor, directed by Amir Houshang Moein.
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Thank you so much to our patrons for your support! Without you this video would not be possible! Juan Pablo Rodriguez Morales, ANNE FINE, Gerardo Castro, Siddharth Toshniwal, Michel-Ange Hortegat, Enes Kirimi, Amaury BISIAUX, Aravind C V, ND, Samyogita Hardikar, Vanessa Graulich, Vandana Gunwani, LvL042, Abdulmohsin Almadi, Andrew Brodski, AJ Lyon, Anandha Krishnan, Geoffrey Bultitude, Mi Mi, Thomas Rothert, Christopher McVay, Carlo Solaroli, Javier Aldavaz, Ivan Yeung, Brian Elieson, Grayson Garbarino, Oge O, Weronika Falkowska, Stefano Esposito, Nevin Spoljaric, Yvonne Feijoo, Sid Chanpuriya, Arjay Arcinue Dineros, Anoom Yasmin, Anoop Varghese, David Yastremski, Noah Webb, B, Erica Guerrero, Roberto Chena, Oliver Koo, Luke Pisano, Andrea Gordon, Aleksandar Donev, Nicole Klau Ibarra, Milo Vermeulen, Ryan Weiler, Jesse Lira, Ezekiel Raui and Zongpu Kou.

[@PozoBlue]

Plato, who wasn't exactly fond of women, was so blown away with Sappho's work he called her "the Tenth Muse", essentially calling her one of the goddesses of inspiration (the 9 muses). That's how highly of a compliment you could think of.

[@MrBryan-hr1rp]

When an Ancient Greek philosopher with casual Old World misogyny labels you a goddess of creation, you have thus peaked

[@EM2theBee]

And the Christians, specifically the Catholics demonized it, and tried to erase any of the notion that it was acceptable.

[@kittyn5222]

I mean that is a good one

[@rugma1696]

was Plato a misogynist

[@alfredyau2344]

That’s true.

[@mansi8438]

This "someone in another time will remember us" hits really hard!

[@elisal8693]

that gave me the chills

[@jessieplexer]

will use this phrase in my new video - so strong and emotional in the same time

[@gharmanis]

Posthumous fame(ysterophimia) in Ancient Greece was a high value. To be remembered in another time was something big that is why many men fought ferociously or others created marvelous buildings(temples) and art. Money was not so important like it is today.

[@nonybrighto]

I dey tell you!

[@plantsanimateddavidinventa871]

Yeah

[@nada__]

2021 : do you listen to girl in red ? 600 BCE : *do you listen to Sappho ?*

[@anaiya8975]

HELP

[@inaactivee]

HAHA

[@ashhaddleton3841]

this is the best

[@regfcvbn7424]

i wheezed

[@idkjuststantwice]

2021: hm.. briefly, I did hear 600 BCE: DUH, who doesn’t?

[@shainashresth2941]

People should not always associate “ancient” with “underdevelopment”. There are different periods in history, which saw different developments in different fields. Keep in mind that we too are “ancient” for people who will come to earth in the future.

[@InMaTeofDeath]

It's not really untrue though, we are underdeveloped if we compare ourselves to our future just as our past was to us. That doesn't make them any less great or intelligent. Just means they lacked the same advancements. Really the problem is associating underdeveloped people with stupidity or incompetence.

[@ximec.r.2643]

Ancient describes it perfectly, as in a long time ago.

[@ornessarhithfaeron3576]

@@InMaTeofDeath Several ancient cultures are far more advanced than most of us imagine. For example I recall how close the Greeks had come to inventing technology that we wouldn't actually (re?) invent until the final centuries of the previous millennium.

[@shainashresth2941]

@@ornessarhithfaeron3576 Also the Harappa/Indus Valley Civilisation They had an immensely successful drainage system- more successful than what modern countries today have

[@kellydalstok8900]

@@ornessarhithfaeron3576 Blame christianity

[@Nicks721]

Sappho is one of the greatest lyrical poets ever. Her poems, especially in the original with her beautiful vocabulary and placing of the words,are amazing!!!

[@Nicks721]

@Lorenzo Panza yes, I am Greek and I study classics

[@mochiii-.]

Γτ δεν την εχουμε μαθει στο δημοτικο🥺💞

[@devinsmith4790]

@@Nicks721 Lucky you.

[@goodgirl140]

It’s always so heartbreaking to hear when amazing pieces from history are destroyed 😥

[@Ratigan2]

So much knowledge lost to ignorance...

[@nathanwright5543]

and it usually always done by religious leaders

[@trisha8066]

And most of the time it's always womens work. That's the very agriviating part.

[@hahayuck2169]

If only we can time travel :/

[@kuromistan645]

:( makes my heart cry

[@BuiHieuDong]

Sadly to hear that we only discovered about 10% total works of this talented girl :(

[@harrietjameson]

but at least we didnt loose all of it, imagine how much talented people lost all their work to time

[@kinyacat5919]

wait, how did people know it's 10% of it?

[@cleetus_]

@@kinyacat5919 ☠️☠️

[@meischrisv]

I u

[@BlueSmoke216]

@@kinyacat5919 Looking at Wikipedia, there's evidence of how much of her work was originally recorded - at least eight books worth. Testimonies from ancient authors.

[@sohamacharya171]

I screamed "No!" at my computer for three seconds when I heard that 10000 of her verses were in the Library of Alexandria.

[@bruhseriously9297]

mood

[@michaelvstemerman]

@chu Harry The Library of Alexandria was famously (partially) destroyed due to Julius Caesar's rushed evacuation of the city during his civil war. (Most of the building still survived, but given that fire tends to destroy flammable things, even in the sections of the building that survived, most of the works were consumed by the fire)

[@Runix1]

@@michaelvstemerman The fire is mostly overblown. Depressingly, time and neglect did much more damage. She also wrote in a rather obscure dialect, which didn't help.

[@michaelvstemerman]

@@Runix1 I've heard that, but from my limited understanding, the library was simply not seen as valuable enough to rebuild, especially after such a costly civil war. In retrospect, of course more could have been done to preserve it, but by that point, it was a relic of a bygone era. The same way we don't spend public money recreating Roman architecture that was destroyed long ago, they felt the same way about the library. "Who cares, it was cool while it lasted, but couldn't we put something more useful there instead now that it's gone, like a port?" It truly is depressing the extent of the lack of care though, as even at the time, the works in the library were studied by scholars across the Republic/Empire (It depends on how you define the start date of the Empire or end date of the Republic). I'd imagine if her works were transcribed into Latin before the fire, much more would have survived.

[@slvt4legion498]

me when i lie for views

[@MarkArandjus]

"And then a bunch of theocratic prudes who hated fun came along" Every damn time, eh.

[@josephmariani9945]

I think its important to remember just how much of Sappho’s work was lost due to her poems just not being recorded. She wrote in the Aolic dialect of Greek which became much less known after Alexander the Great standardized Greek into the Koine This led to many scholars one or two generations after her death simply not knowing how to read and record her work, causing them to slowly fade with time. So by the time the Roman Catholic Church even came along there was very little even around. Of course all of the writers who plugged in their own canons and stories about Sappho’s life were certainly the worst.

[@MarkArandjus]

@@josephmariani9945 👍

[@linhhoang1363]

@@josephmariani9945 sad story indeed

[@fiatlux4058]

Crusades remember. Church was antichrist all the time

[@thecorlorlesspig1993]

I would like but it's 666

[@odd-ysseusdoesstuff6347]

Where Boys cried: Avengers Infinity War Where Men cried: Wall E Where Historians, Writers, Archeologists, Intellects, and Authors cried: Burning of Ancient Literature

[@19andshy]

and i cried on this comment...it's so true.😭

[@naira8315]

and readers.

[@dreamcanvas5321]

"And then we'll make the whole theater cry when the cockroach is crushed!" "Brilliant! MWHAHAHAHAHHAHA!!!"

[@cristian-bull]

Infuriating. Reason #169 to not like religions.

[@justintime3656]

its just so sad

[@weirdbookshelf49]

There was a poem about literally shaking and sweating at the sight of how pretty someone was Very platonic indeed just sappho and her friend suuuuurrreee

[@jujublue4426]

Just gals being pals

[@kuromistan645]

Bestie goals

[@heather2701]

Bffs 💛

[@ameliasellers6396]

"Oh my good they were roommates."

[@angelodiavolo3915]

Italian most famous poet, Leopardi, Wrote "the Last Lyrics of Saffo" about her death. It is a romantic version of her suiciding over the abandon by her beloved. Loved that poem a lot

[@angelodiavolo3915]

@Lorenzo Panza se la giocano in Italia

[@devinsmith4790]

@Lorenzo Panza I mean he's famous outside his native Italy.

[@devinsmith4790]

@Lorenzo Panza I've read neither so I can't say who is better, though Dante is more famous.

[@angelodiavolo3915]

Dante è più famoso all'estero (e anche in Italia) per l'importanza della Commedia. Ma 9 persone su 10 che hanno letto Leopardi lo preferiscono a Dante. È semplicemente più moderno. Poi Dante si studia di più ma fino al secolo scorso Leopardi aveva tutta un'altra importanza nei licei

[@angelodiavolo3915]

@Lorenzo Panza no ma ti parlo in generale: leopardi è più moderno. La preferenza personale è un conto, ma oggettivamente leopardi è più vicino a noi di Dante (non dico cronologicamente eh). Secondo me poi si studia anche parecchio male e la si butta solo sul pessimismo e solite cose. Ma di Leopardi starebbe da leggere il mondo, ciò che pensa sull' Italia, sulla bellezza fisica, sulla ipocrisia... Dante è molto più antico per certi aspetti, molte delle cose più anacronistiche semplicemente a scuola non si studiano, ma dovendo leggere il pensiero di un intellettuale e politico del '200 molte cose sarebbero del tutto nuove per gli studenti ( sarà che seguo troppo Barbero, ma penso che abbia ragione, Dante a scuola non lo si studia per niente come uomo medioevale, ti sembra quasi un contemporaneo perché lo studi dal 3o al 5o anno, al fianco di Boccacio Petrarca ma anche di Montale e Pirandello). Leopardi invece ti parla in italiano in primis, e soprattutto di tematiche molto più novecentesche: l'amore vero e non ideale, la realtà esistenziale e l'inutilità dell'uomo... sono tutte cose che la filosofia di oggi ha ripreso. Però la si butta sempre in caciara sul pessimismo e invece il suo pensiero è complessissimo e cambia molto in 30 anni

[@joermnyc]

Can’t remember the comedian who said this, but they were of Greek heritage and their grandmother came from Lesbos. They asked grandma, “what do they call people from Athens? Athenians. What about (they went through a few places with similar results). Then they asked, “what do they call people from Lesbos grandma? Les….Greeks.

[@zwhsantwnopoylos5972]

What it your point? Can't tell if it's a joke or you have a point.

[@TheFuriousBrother]

@@zwhsantwnopoylos5972 looks like it's just an anecdote to me

[@aditisk99]

@@zwhsantwnopoylos5972 Uhhh Leabians?

[@zwhsantwnopoylos5972]

@@aditisk99 yeah we use that jokingly

[@abcdtemp]

Lesbosians?

[@mbbbits4847]

As a Greek I am so happy to see one of the most interesting figures of our cultural sphere have a video of her own and a beautiful one at that. Ευχαριστώ πολύ!

[@nragen]

Γειά φίλε!

[@Nicks721]

@@nragen γεια σου κι εσένα μπάρμπα

[@Thermopylae66]

Γεια σε όλους!

[@karapapaxatzidimitrakopoulos]

@@nragen γεια σου απο Ελλάδα, φιλε στην Κύπρο!

[@mbbbits4847]

Γειά σε όλους!

[@mishkasooful4318]

'Thought to have married a man' is a bit of a joke because the man she is thought to have married was named 'Kerkylas of Andros'. Kerkylas wasn't really a name in Greek times, and it is similar to the word 'kerkos', which refers to a man's... ahem. Andros, besides being one of the Greek Islands, is also a word for 'man' in Greek. So her 'husband's name literally translates to '*ahem* of man', which is clearly a cheeky joke, and why some scholars believe she was never married. :)

[@bshuynhthienphuc]

...My FRIEND'S name means man! (Việt Nam)

[@Baby1234Blue]

What about the name "Hercules" then? Does it also have something to do with... :D It sounds kinda similar.

[@mikamaybenerdy]

really named her "husband" P***s McMale

[@zekia7595]

@@Baby1234Blue Hercules is not Greek, it's Roman. His Greek name is Heracles Funny enough his name has nothing to do with d*cks and everything to do with the goddess Hera.

[@kahinaoftheelements4845]

@@Baby1234Blue Hercules or Heracles, translating to "Ηρακλης" is coming from the words Hera( Ήρα=Goddess) Cles(κλεος=glory) so basically the Glory of Hera

[@biswasbudhathoki8144]

Instead of "someone in another time", a lot of people are remembering Sappho's work in every time there is.

[@claudia-uy5gk]

;)

[@meemeleem]

4:25 that is literally the straightest explanation i’ve ever heard, why can nobody just agree that she liked women and leave it at that

[@40watt53]

the church

[@nragen]

Even though I'm Greek (but my nationality is Cypriot) I didn't get taught about ancient Greek history or Greek literature when I was at school. It makes me happy to watch videos from Ted-Ed so I can learn more about the country's literature (and generally many countries literature)

[@user-yj4qz5lo6k]

Why where do you live

[@nragen]

@@user-yj4qz5lo6k cyprus, it is my nationality

[@mikloscsuvar6097]

In Hungary, at least 20 years ago, Sappho was part of the mandatory high school curriculum.

[@gabrielgarcia7554]

Oh wow that’s crazy, I live in the US and even we had some exposure to Ancient Greek literature in the public schools. You didn’t even read the Iliad or the Odyssey?

[@nragen]

@@gabrielgarcia7554 Well, I only read a single extract from the Odyssey at some point in middle school but other than that not that I remember...

[@corslibrary]

"No you guys dont get it, they were friends, uh because uh, well, by saying she quenched her thirst on the bed uh **sweats intensely** she meant uh she drank juice at a sleepover, thats uh thats all"

[@thuthaopham2404]

🤣🤣🤣

[@sahaanat4619]

*sweats even more agressively * um yes just juice

[@r1v3r74]

At least try to make it more poetic than juice 😭 lol

[@ennist5619]

The fact that I have learnt about Sappho in school in a country like Albania really impresses me.We have studied some of her poems and also a legend that a man artist loved her but he got refused because she dedicated herself to teaching the girls.

[@AF-ge4pe]

The fact that we in Greece have not one mention of her in schools...

[@griffithfrancis7004]

Please do a piece on Canada's Residential Schools. I think your level headed and well educated/researched approach would really help spread the knowledge and help people understand this dark and recent piece of Canadian history

[@rckflmg94]

in their typically Leftist and biased fashion.

[@JunoCat1890]

Hey! You mean what they did to native children in the past?

[@keribere244]

@@JunoCat1890 yes, taking indigenous children from their families to residential schools to “christianize” them, literally an attempt to take away their culture.

[@keribere244]

@@importantstuf8870 indigenous elder’s experiences as well as written history has no evidence?

[@importantstuf8870]

@@keribere244 the children really were taken from them and forced into schools, that's true and its horrible, but the whole mass graves thing is a hoax

[@gf4453]

This has got to be one of the most beautiful Ted Ed videos. Not only regarding its content, but also because of the delicate and exquisite animation. Would love to see more by this artist.

[@yellowstarproductions6743]

I agree

[@h-i-i-i]

Finally, someone who actually admits that sappho's poems are about love, not friendship.

[@abhiroopdas3232]

If in some far off future Time Travel to the past becomes a reality, humanity ought to make the Library of Alexandria its first mission.

[@Napoleonic_S]

The power to destroy causality has far more implications than that. Not sure if reality allows that.

[@abbadons8476]

@@Napoleonic_S Just make sure you don't run into anyone who doesn't die, then steal all the literature and bring it with you to the future. Paradoxes avoided :)

[@40watt53]

That'd create a Grandfather Paradox situation.

[@abbadons8476]

@@40watt53 How?

[@KRISHNA-si1tx]

Damn true!!!

[@finnorir5709]

I love Sappho so much her poems are so beautiful

[@overcookedwater1947]

1:58 ohhh. Now the "I thought you were American" kid's statement made even more sense

[@overcookedwater1947]

Wat?

[@overcookedwater1947]

I'm sure you got the wrong comment. Nice copy paste tho

[@StomachAcid]

@@overcookedwater1947 Wait, but it looks like all the comments are from you.

[@VallisYT]

Contemplating the lives of people so far detached from our contemporary world who still dealt with much the same questions and emotional problems as we do is truly humbling, for it sets or own life and problems into perspective.

[@spiderliliez]

This is beautiful. Thank you Ted Ed! Breaks my heart so many of her works are lost forever.

[@korliyon2283]

Sappho: "I say someone in another time will remember us." Christianity: "I'm about to ruin this woman's whole career."

[@russergee49]

Interestingly, TED-ed got this part kind of wrong - there were a couple of claims in the renaissance period that Christianity was to blame, but these claims don’t seem to be backed up by any real evidence. It’s far more likely that, because no one could understand her dialect, her works kind of faded in popularity and no one maintained them because they couldn’t understand them.

[@hannigraham5831]

If i could time travel i would definitely go and meet her.

[@peace-ur6ns]

✨kzbin.info/www/bejne/fWLbq5WIebh0l7c🌿🌹🌿

[@frontandcenter7941]

And when I meet her I'm gonna beatbox so she can rhyme on it.

[@willfakaroni5808]

Never meet your heroes

[@Anniebellsupremacy]

@@willfakaroni5808cause they will disappoint you?

[@notemiehehe]

@@willfakaroni5808cause they’ll disappoint you 😔 But she could never disappoint us

[@iamtrying3094]

History has always been cruel to those who have dared to dream…

[@augenblick9925]

That unique artwork/the characters. Ted-Ed has and will always be ahead in this. Love and Appreciate your hard work! Well done again.

[@yellowstarproductions6743]

Agreed

[@StarCrusher.]

Strange to think that 2000 years ago people were more progressive and tolerant than now in some regards.

[@전브렌트]

abrahamic religions are a disease

[@boondocks8002]

@@전브렌트 explain pkease

[@chickenwarriorr]

@@전브렌트 actually the spread of Christianity and the chrstionaisation of countries wiped out several cultures as well

[@전브렌트]

@@chickenwarriorr im from the philippines and you are speaking FACTS. pre-colonial philippines was much more progressive when it comes to equality

[@chickenwarriorr]

@@전브렌트 As one of these comments said Thanks Christianity! For the destruction of cultures...

[@jessieplexer]

It's sad to see that only fragments of her poetry still survive

[@CrisSelene]

It breaks my heart how destructive religious dogma can be. We lost so much human cultural products because this or that religious leader decided it did not align with their beliefs (I'm not referring only to Christianity here)

[@ehhdt.3909]

Yup my country's culture was very different before colonization.

[@OraProduction]

My religion (I think, I’m not too sure) is very ancient so I’m lucky to hear stuff from them

[@AnthonyP483]

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[@RB-xj9kr]

Why on Christianity? All religions are destructive

[@thaliagrace6631]

Sappho will be remembered, and I hope more people know of the positive and unwavering effect she has on homosexuality today..

[@ent7337]

I love how the mood of the animation matches the topic.

[@phoenixdai3878]

Ted-Ed should have more videos about the LGBT people from history. This is beautiful ❤

[@samuelhoffmann162]

Awesome video. I love ancient history, typically leaning about life back then and individuals, however unique or ordinary seeming. Can't wait to watch similar videos from you in the future!

[@pumpkinclouds3049]

The wisest people understand the degradation of time and come to embrace it and Sappho was one of them

[@Jobe-13]

Sappho was very close friends with her students.

[@cramerfloro5936]

VERY close

[@eliasfilipe1106]

It reminds me a certain french philosopher

[@erlinacobrado7947]

@@eliasfilipe1106 Spreading STDs with his students...

[@tapwater8357]

@@erlinacobrado7947 wha

[@rumblefish9]

@@cramerfloro5936 Well, the ancient Athenians were very open to that sort of thing

[@deadlycucumber9020]

there are two types of historical videos. 1) then the pope came along and destroyed everything 2) then the *insert european country* colonials came along and destroyed everything

[@MutantMonke]

There exist many others. Wonder why you only noticed these.

[@fum4491]

You sure are a person who is very interested in history. Maybe read or do some reaserch yourself sometime instead of watching two videos and closing the subject.

[@mercerholt8299]

Or insert Marxists government that destroyed anything that conflicted with their world veiw.

[@ScorpionClaws789]

@@mercerholt8299 yes, all of those Marxist governments. The ones that followed Marx's ideas. Y'know. Those ideas that. Fundementally require no government. All of those ones.

[@mercerholt8299]

@@ScorpionClaws789 Well Marx basically calls for the anhilation of anything that doesn't fit his dream of a "utopia" so anything that conflicts with that must be removed. So if you question the state toy must be removed. Marxism invariably leads to tyranny because as long as there are people there will be sociopaths who take advantage of the system to play God. Marxs system is flawed to begin either and the ideals are used by tyrants to get in and stay in power. He called religion the opiate of the masses, but created the world's worst cult by doing so.

[@tunasandwich1135]

Truly an icon, her poetry is beautiful, even though we only have fragments of it.

[@favb7931]

To become complete in the future, we must thoroughly grasp our past to preserve our presentness.

[@furanrabbits]

Because nothing says platonic more than the line “you quenched your desires in my bed” 🙄

[@Cheddrrr]

i’ve been looking forward to a new video for the longest time

[@leviathan5095]

it’s been 2 days boy

[@twinkletwinklefallingstar3399]

FINALLY, A VIDEO ON SAPPHO😭💜💜 My god, the animation is stunning. Wonderful job Ted-Ed!!

[@chuubaccatheworld9075]

seeing the title before the thumbnail, sappho on my mind already

[@KonSimpl72]

The artistry in this video is almost too good for youtube. Bravo!

[@fableagain]

The animation in this episode is especially beautiful. I'm glad.

[@treefarm3288]

Good video. Interesting to hear more about Sappho. I read her a little in Greek 4 and my male teacher certainly didn't criticise her, but I had forgotten how early she was. As you suggest, hopefully more of her work will appear. Thanks.

[@luisandrade2254]

It’s really sad how much of ancient knowledge we lost

[@jacksrandomadventures2769]

imagine how frustrating it would be to have all that work of hers on scrolls but unable to open them..

[@aayushilalita7788]

Why don't we study about sappho .. in English literature???

[@fariashabnam5047]

i just learned about her but i think she's one of my most favourite people ever

[@kathaboral3197]

is it because of sappho that the word "sapphic" came to origin?

[@mogenoof]

i think so

[@titichartay7216]

Yes that is the origin 😊

[@rgarlinyc]

Indee, "thankfully we do: (remember Sappho. This is a beautiful remembrance of Sappho, crafted with superlative words, voice, and elegant decoration!

[@visasv.429]

This is unrelated but I really love the background music and vocals for this, I wish there was an OST available for it

[@cta524]

"What is remembered lives." - Pagan saying. Thank you for helping us remember these ancient truths. Long live Sappho!

[@simonsuarez5314]

Hooray for Sappho! I got to read fragments of her work in translation in my Ancient Literature class last school year.

[@sammytech9464]

Illustrations were awesome!

[@tasnime_88]

"Someone in another time will remember us" Sappho

[@keeboikeeboi7168]

I love the background music

[@pocolocoxi]

and 2000 years later I am watching this video about Sappho... May all the Sapphos of today's on this land write their voice of hearts once again...

[@xelal7898]

The most disturbing thing about being Greek is hearing all the wrong accentuation when you re trying to translate Greek names. Her name was Sapfό - Σαπφώ NOT Sάpfo!! But that video was amazing and totally true. Thank you for your time! Ευχαριστούμε για τον χρόνο σας!

[@RB-xj9kr]

Most people don’t know about accents.

[@emmavrijburg6676]

So.. is she on Spotify?

[@taedembanichar8261]

Gays always being hate crimed from the beginning 💔

[@devinsmith4790]

Good video, but the reason little of Sappho's poetry survives to the present isn't because early Christians considered her work to be blasphemous. The real reason is because the dialect of Greek she wrote in was considered archaic and hard to read in later periods of antiquity. The myth that her works were destroyed by early Christians dates only far back to humanist scholars of renaissance Italy.

[@stolenshortsword]

sources please?

[@gchatz6480]

Because christian zealots NEVER destroyed whatever did not fit their agenta, right? Dark ages is just a fairytale after all ;)

[@devinsmith4790]

@@gchatz6480 Pretty much. The only works early Christians destroyed were simple magic texts, texts from Christians they considered heretical, and anti-Christians tracts by pagan writers, most early church fathers (aside from Tertullian) were pretty much fans of the classics the works of philosophy. Indeed the reason many works from antiquity survives to the present is thanks to Christian scribes and copyist transmitting them throught the medieval period. Also, the idea of calling the Middle Ages the "Dark Ages" is pretty much an outdated term no longer used by historians. While the middle ages were far from idyllic, it's far from stereotypically backwards society as it's portrayed in pop culture.

[@marlonmoncrieffe0728]

@@devinsmith4790 The Dark Ages only refers to some but not all of the Middle Ages.

[@4evarwithU]

Thank you for sharing this info.

[@christosgeorgiafentis4825]

It's too bad Sapho didn't have the internet back then. You know what they say; what goes on the internet, stays on the internet.

[@canlyhansen1588]

this video is like a poetry itself. soothing and poetry-ish.

[@yumibro8121]

Me at the beginning of the video: “She wrote erotic poems and was from a place called ‘Lesbos’? If those poems were secretly about women that would be one heck of a coincidence, wouldn’t it?”

[@kirbymarchbarcena]

Sappho's lyrics have more sense and subtlety than what I've been hearing in today's music.

[@stressedflipflop]

Sappho's words were so timeless she even wrote about us and those after us. We are the someone in another time that will remember. And I shall remember in this life and the next.

[@ratuangsa3314]

i never heard about sappho until now, thank you!

[@Darsh.r.m_20]

Historians: What amazing friends!

[@matheusroberto3259]

Her name is the reason of relationship between women that like women are Sapphic relationship

[@eto7194]

Lets take a moment to appreciate this amazing piece of animation

[@lifeonmars3147]

I knew about Sappho, but I didn't _know_ about her. Here to learn part of my communities history, because I feel like not enough lgbt+ people do these days.

[@SamuelSamuelSamuel1]

Nah Fr. LGBT history is cool! Sappho, (for the girl kissers) Khnumhotep and Niankhkhnum (for the male enjoyer’s) And Michael Dillon (For the Shape shifters) 💀

[@miguelpadeiro762]

@@SamuelSamuelSamuel1 The shape shifters what

[@SamuelSamuelSamuel1]

@@miguelpadeiro762 it’s a joke about trans people 💀

[@miguelpadeiro762]

@@SamuelSamuelSamuel1 Do they turn into cylinders or parallelepipeds?🤔

[@Ieatchildren1881]

​@@SamuelSamuelSamuel1 Gilgamesh?

[@extraordinarybee]

SO THE WORD SAPPHIC WAS ORIGINATED FROM SAPPHO??

[@amazingnobodylee]

Ye

[@cazzoneso2456]

This video is super educating and accurate. However, Sappho's works were kind of well known already in the nineteenth century (in the video it is said that she was rediscovered about a century ago). One of Italian most famous writers, Ugo Foscolo, actually mentions her in his most notorious work, "Le ultime lettere di Iacopo Ortis" ('Iacopo Ortis' last letters'), published in 1802, in order to heighten the protagonist's feelings towards his beloved.

[@MrsJudithWright]

Beautiful, interesting and valuable. Great writing. The animation works so well at creating a time and place, customs and sounds. Well done TED-Ed.

[@lotusgal313]

She was almost immortalized as Wonder Woman’s catchphrase. “Suffering Sappho!!”

[@theoviken6046]

I just finished Learning about her at Uni.

[@sheikhasam8012]

Oooh may I know the course you opted for?

[@theoviken6046]

@@sheikhasam8012 litterary science

[@theoviken6046]

@Miss Chalk litterary science

[@sheikhasam8012]

@@theoviken6046 thank you!

[@actonechick]

This was so much gayer than I expected it to be and I am elated by that

[@366jayapandey7]

I don't know why always entire world is like this so cruel.

[@AnthonyP483]

🤦🤦🤦🤦🤦🤦🤦🤦🤦🤦🤦🤦🤦🤦🤦

[@Ratteni]

I wish I could read Sapho's poetry 😔

[@rommeljuneqflores1368]

Things really did changed when Christianity came, I just wonder what the world is without Christianity

[@greenergrass4060]

Worse. Christianity is truth

[@isla.luvs.skellies]

@@greenergrass4060 bruh shut up

[@40watt53]

@@greenergrass4060 david copperfield did more impressive magic tricks than jesus

[@miguelpadeiro762]

@@40watt53 Can he turn water into wine?

[@miguelpadeiro762]

It wouldn't have changed one bit because Islam would still rise and Islam would conquer all of Europe, thus bringing the same Abarhamic values.

[@jenkar5716]

Hey TedEd can you make a video that is something related to Hindu Civilization?

[@bidyhwd]

wow, thank you for inventing love

[@serpentmaster1323]

3:48 breaking news in the reading fragile scrolles department! A word of a scroll from Herculaneum (recovered from the ashes of vesuvius !) Has just been read using a CT x ray scanned image put through an AI algorithm. The Greek word 'purple' has been deciphered. We may be able to recover more of the scrolls soon.

[@zylen3167]

I had to learn some poems by heart at school :D and analysis of the text ... :)

[@deepakkumarmishra583]

Mind blowing explanation

[@skulletzv]

Pretty sure there's a side quest in AC Odyssey related to the Sappho poem. It was a good reference

[@Dougiewoof]

Her name is also where we derive the word sapphic

[@sidritvejseli704]

We just talked about sapho today in literature class

[@liandremarcoricafort6606]

What a very romantic poet

[@jacksondipietro6954]

A Ancient Greek Pop-star is Awesome

[@HonaMalta]

This is a beautiful work.

[@swapnachakraborty4247]

Ancient period was the truly modern one. As time is advancing open mindedness is disappearing. How the people in the medieval age insulted the legend shook me.

[@anuradhahazarika5090]

One can thank Abrahamism for that!

[@axelpatrickb.pingol3228]

Nah, don't glorify them too much. Around the same period of time she existed, Athenian "democracy" limits the vote to any male owning property, Spartan Helots are systematically terrorized by the state, nearly all Greek cities practice female infanticide, and you can get killed for trivial things as snapping an olive branch...

[@-Subtle-]

Socrates has an Argument for you.

[@Tris_muc]

So sapphic also relates to her

[@luciansaulss]

more than likely yes!