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Αἰ δ' ἦχες ἔσλων ἴμερον η κάλων,
καὶ μή τι ϝείπην γλῶσσ' ἐκύκα κάκον,
αἴδως κέ σ' οὐ κίχανεν ὄππατ',
ἀλλ' ἔλεγες περὶ τῶ δικαίως.
Hadst thou felt desire for things good or noble, and had not thy tongue framed some evil speech, shame had not filled thine eyes, but thou hadst spoken honestly about it.
The Loves of Sappho and Alcaeus.
Alcaeus.—I fain would speak, I fain would tell,
But shame and fear my utterance quell.
Sappho.—If aught of good, if aught of fair