FAQ About Sappho of Lesbos
How did scholars reconstruct Sappho's poems?
Scholars have reconstructed Sappho's poems from fragmented papyri, citations in ancient anthologies, and quotes by later authors. Many fragments are derived from Oxyrhynchus papyri, a significant collection of ancient manuscripts discovered in Egypt. These remnants are pieced together with references found in ancient Greek literary critiques and commentaries to better understand her oeuvre.
