Sapphic Figments

by Botched Lobotomy

Rating: teen
Tags: Crossover, Human, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Rarity, Romance
Length: 1253

Famous lesbian Rarity meets even more famous Lesbian Sappho.

A recently discovered batch of 42 lyric fragments by the ancient poet Sappho seem to revolve around her attraction to a pony called Rarity. Scholars are puzzled what to make of this seeming descent into madness.

Botched Lobotomy here presents an arrangement of these "figments of imagination", suggestive perhaps of a narrative quite different from the popular interpretation.

An reflection/homage/companion to the remaining fragments of Sappho's poetry through the medium of fanfiction. Specifically, this translation. Familiarity with Sappho is recommended (because she's great), but not necessary.

An entry to Bicyclette's Twilight Files contest for epistolary fiction. Check out the other stories here!

Published 2022-08-08 00:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2022-08-08 00:00:00 UTC

2.

It is a delicate agony;
the flame that ran beneath my skin,
turned cold, and hot, and embers burning on my heart.
Missing,
I am in pain.

3.

They say that Leda once found
an egg—
like a hyacinth.
I have found a creature
far stranger.
Eggshell elegance,
indebted beyond mortals for her beauty,
her mane—

4.

between such creatures...
...the animal and I
but does not Aphrodite ride a chariot with sparrows?
Does not love make animals of us all?

5.

“Generosity, generosity,
where will you go when you are tired?”

“I will give myself away, Desire,
but never give it all to you.”

6.

Eros,
as the sea in the middle of a storm
batters at the rocks on shore
so I am overwhelmed

7.

Sharp and stinging, an open wound I cannot hide.
She is crying.
tender sharing pain.

8.

She kisses, yet I cannot have her

9.

Rarity, a splendid art

10.

Another world, another life,
That opens intermittently, tiny glimpses of eternity,
bittersweet,
bright sun,
and it is everything.

11.

When you lie dead, it will be without parade,
without fanfare or flourish,
without witness.
Your names will inspire no muses.

12.

...I am lost
with you, I am lost.

14.

Brush against me now and beg

15.

Love trembles my hand,
as a leaf in the wind,
I yield, I yield, I yield,
tossed shimmering...
...your laughter entrances me.

16.

Two moons shine full
And you tell me of her desire,
And I tell you of her desire,
In your world, she fell from the bosom of her sister
In mine, she fell towards her lover.
It’s the middle of the night.
Time passes.
But I am not alone.

17.

Do you control the sea?
the waves?
the heavens?
Do you control the fates, or tragedy, or love?
We are not...
...like gods
...holy
As forth to Troy...

18.

Mother, I can’t do my weaving—
Aphrodite has crushed my heart with desire
for an ivory mare
who has opened like a flower

19.

In longing
My breast you hold

20.

I tell my friends about her
Divinely
Beneath the tree

21.

as we whisper luxuriantly
deep within the folds of moonlight
I am enchanted by your tiny breaths;
small high noises, you steal my laughter with I know not what;
you treasure it in a secret place;
I do not mind being under your spell

22.

I loved you, Rarity, long ago
even when you seemed so strange
a graceful creature

23.

To what shall I compare you, dear bride?
You are as nothing I have ever known,
you belong to no pony and no poem,
I am delighted by you

24.

The shiver of a window underwater,
new blue sky beneath the sea

25.

Coming from the waves like Aphrodite on her shell,
throwing off
small worries
drops of water on your fur, sparkling diamond,
reflective and impervious.

On reflection—
they can’t see you.

26.

Around the fire, leaping flame
there was no dance for which we were not present

27.

For me the bitter fruit
of oversleep
is never quite so bitter
with soft skin or fur beside you.

28.

There are some arguments
which cannot be won.
It has been a long day.
Love, limb-loosener, hold me.

29.

Blessed captor of my heart,
Like an ivory and purple...
My beloved Rarity.
I would not trade you for all Equestria nor...

30.

“We are losing, Aphrodite;
the sailors and their war-ships will pierce the waves,
and shatter our looking glass.
What should we do?”

“Beat your breasts, young maidens.
And tear your garments
in grief.
And fight.”

31.

Her perfume
as the smoke of incense and desire

32.

Candles at an open window,
let us burn together.
For day is near.

33.

Soft neck against my skin,
once garlanded with marriage flowers,
anointed with precious and royal perfumes,
breathing,
warm,
whispering,
In the hollow of your chest I find myself,
...entwined of spirit, hoof to heart

35.

Honestly, I wish I were dead.
Frenzied, tearing at my chest,
my throat is crushed by Aphrodite;
I can no longer say a single thing

37.

Sitting by the water side by side
I think
...of wonderful times.

38.

Celestia, O Blessed Goddess, at your golden throne I lay,
Immortal of Equestria, weaver of wiles, this I pray,
to give me back my love.
To let me breathe again.

Rapidly she came. And you, O Princess,
asked what did I especially desire:
“What can you do? Who can you be?
Sappho, how can I help you?

For even if this window were to open once again,
if I were to give this gift,
soon it would turn to ash,
and she would have to leave again.”

That it will not be so...
...All that my heart longs for, fulfil.

39.

Love shakes my breast.
As the wind in the mountains,
I am battered,
I am not overwhelmed.
Down below, the rocks, the sea,
and glittering below the surface, a window
open to eternity—

I leap.

40.

an agony within my breast,
of transformation...
...Eros,
singing fur on skin and...
Hymenaon, Sing the wedding song!

41.

I tell you
someone will remember us
in the future.

42.

Hyacinth love

1.

SAPPHIC FIGMENTS
Collected and translated by Raven Inkwell, c.1423
Arranged and rearranged by Botched Lobotomy, 2145

Aphrodite, once more at your brocaded throne I lay,
you that know the strength of love not meant to be,
entranced, I ask of you,
Dear Lady, smiling, will you not mend my heart?

“What is wrong, Sappho? Who this time do you desire?
For tell me who your heart now suffers,
and I shall make her yours.”
This time, change not her own, but mine,

for my breast is pierced with beautiful black arrows,
Feathers weighted down with bronze,
Dipped cold into the bottom of my love.
I really wish that I were dead.

Come to me now once again and release me

13.

Men write of battles and of glory,
swinging shields, a thousand dead,
that in the red impassioned heat of war,
true paradise is to be found.

Men write in peace their lyrics to the land,
to the taming of the animal, the wild sea,
and through a window see a world surpassing theirs in beauty,
and say that they must have it.

But I say that this little sight,
the window, not the land beyond it,
is the fairest thing on this black earth;
I say there are things more green than grass.

Aphrodite left her husband for another,
for want of neither war nor peace, but love.
I would much prefer to see her radiant face.
her eyes are delicate and wild.

34.

Wake up, wake up,
Aphrodite, plead your case,
Wake up,
For war is here,
And there are ships on the horizon.

36.

Weeping many tears, she left me and said,
“We suffer, darling, so they may go on.
You know how you were cared for.
And if you have forgotten, I would remind you:
...
When you are lonely, look up to the stars;
and I will look up, too.
And even in those different skies,
the moon may yet shine high and still,
and we shall be together.”