sappho

Your name is Sappho, and you are a girl of around twelve living in Ancient Greece during the year 615 BCE. You are part of an aristocratic family, living on (cycling-link: "the isle of Lesbos", "a large island in the northeastern Aegean Sea, which is the sea to the East of Greece and the West of Turkey,") with your mother, Kleis, your father, Scamandronymus, and your three brothers, Charaxos, Larichos, and Eurygios. You, being a girl, don’t have an especially bright future ahead of you; most girls in your day get married in their mid-teens and live the rest of their days as a wife and mother. Although the life for women on Lesbos is much better than life on the Greek mainland, you would much rather spend your days furthering your education and recording your observations about the world around you. Therefore, although it goes against the societal norm, you decide to write your first poem. While there are many poetry-worthy topics around you, you are drawn to two in particular: nature, which is an integral part of Greek society (although not a very popular topic in art), and human emotion, which is equally as significant (and more often used in poetry). What inspires you? [[Nature->nature]] [[Human emotion->love]] (cycling-link: "𐙚", "Most of Sappho's life is a mystery. Nobody knows precisely when she lived, but she was born around the late seventh/early sixth century. Additionally, most information about Sappho's family is assumed, but the existence of Charaxos and Larichos are confirmed in her poetry. However, the identities of her parents, and the existence of other family members, are mere guesses based off poetry fragments and information from other historical sources. For instance, the name of her father, Scamandronymus, is so widely disputed that many sources don't mention it at all, and some even say he died when Sappho was young. (Hilary Ilkay, 'Sappho,' The New Historia, last modified October 25, 2022, accessed September 22, 2024. Joshua J. Mark, 'Sappho of Lesbos,' World History Encyclopedia, last modified June 10, 2021, accessed September 22, 2024. Paige DuBois, 'Sappho(s),' Wiley Online Library, last modified October 31, 2019, accessed September 22, 2024.) On Lesbos, women were more highly respected than on other parts of Greece, especially places like Athens or Sparta. (Mark, 'Sappho of Lesbos,' World History Encyclopedia.)")

Inspired by the nature around you, you wrote about the tranquil scenery of your beautiful home island, Lesbos. Although you aren't as well-known as other poets of your time, you're happy with writing for your own pleasure. Unfortunately, this means you will likely get married off soon, as you are the age that most girls become brides. This could limit your freedom in the future. [[Four years later...->continue]] (cycling-link: "𐙚", "It's pretty accurate that she wouldn't have been very popular if she wrote about nature, as nature wasn't a very popular subject in ancient Greek poetry; a theory as to why this is is that the ancient Greeks hadn't yet lost their connection with nature, so they didn't feel the need to depict it in art as much as we do in the modern world. (Mark Payne, 'The Natural World in Greek Literature and Philosophy,' in Oxford Handbook Topics in Classical Studies (2014), accessed October 24, 2024.)") (set:$love to false)

You wrote about love and passion, drawing from personal experiences and even inventing your own (cycling-link: "meter", "way of writing poetry (an example is iambic pentameter, which was used by Shakespeare)"). Here is an excerpt from one of your first poems, which you decide to title Ode to Aphrodite: //Come to me now thus, Goddess, and release me From distress and pain; and all my distracted Heart would seek, do thou, once again fulfilling, Still be my ally!// Your poetry was extremely successful; in the future, you are included in (cycling-link: "the canon of the nine lyric poets", "a group of poets in the 7-5th century BCE who made significant contributions to Greek lyric poetry"), and even Plato himself later hails you as "the Tenth Muse." [[Four years later...->continue]] (cycling-link: "𐙚", "The translation of Sappho's Ode to Aphrodite is from this source: John Myers O'Hara, trans., 'Ode to Aphrodite,' Sacred Texts Archive, last modified 1910, accessed October 21, 2024. Sappho of Lesbos was the only female poet included in the nine lyric poets, with the others being Alcaeus, Anacreon, Stesichorus, Pindar, Bacchylides, Ibycus, Simonides, and Alcman. ('Nine Lyric Poets,' History and Culture, last modified March 24, 2024, accessed October 22, 2024. Ilkay, 'Sappho,' The New Historia.) Although Plato technically referred to Sappho as 'the //twelfth// muse,' historians and scholars often change it to 'the //tenth// muse,' so I chose to do the same. Additionally, it is thought that Plato might not have even said this, and a group of later philosophers could be credited with the phrase. Even though the author is unknown, the importance of the phrase still stands. (Mark, 'Sappho of Lesbos,' World History Encyclopedia.)") (set:$love to true)

In the past four years, you have continued to live with your family and write poetry.(if:$love is true)[ On the Greek mainland, your name is known and respected, and fellow citizens of Lesbos are proud to say you come from their island.](else:)[ You've built a reputation for yourself on your home island, and although women are treated with slightly less respect than men, citizens of Lesbos know your name and admire your poetry.] However, you can't help but remember the other young women of Greece who wish to be educated as well. Four years ago, you decided to start writing lyric poetry. Not every girl has that opportunity, especially on the mainland; some are married off to cruel husbands, and others have families that disapprove of female artists and authors. You're in a delicate position: you could start a (cycling-link: "//thiasos//", " female community, sacred to Aphrodite (the Greek goddess of love and beauty) and somewhat like a school, that meets under a single person's leadership for the purpose of education and marriage preparation"), but that would cut down on your time for writing. Additionally, only wealthy aristocratic families like your own would be able to send their children, and many poorer girls would miss out on the opportunity. However, if you continue to devote all your time to writing, you wouldn't be able to be as active in your social circle. This might displease your family, since they profit off your (if:$love is true)[fame](else:)[ local prominence] as well. What do you choose? [[I will found a //thiasos//, I want to pass my knowledge on to other girls.->school]] [[I would rather focus on my poetry full time.->no school]] (cycling-link: "𐙚", "Most young girls in Greece were not excluded from education; however, their education was different than that of boys. Girls mostly learned about domestic tasks and their expectations as a woman in society, whereas boys received a more 'stereotypical' education. (Maup van de Kerkhof, 'The Life of Women in Ancient Greece,' History Cooperative, last modified October 21, 2024, accessed October 23, 2024.) Because we only vaguely know when Sappho lived, it's hard to know for certain whether she began to write first or founded a //thiasos// first. In much (but not all) of her poetry, she mentions her //thiasos// and her pupils, so I'm making an educated guess that she founded it some time after she had already written her first poem. ('Sappho,' Encyclopaedia Britannica, last modified August 12, 2024, accessed September 22, 2024.)")

A number of wealthy families from all over Greece express interest in sending their daughters to meet in your //thiasos//. However, they would like to know what their children will be learning before shipping them off. You could teach them how to look and act eloquent, which would prepare them for their almost-inevitable marriage. Alternatively, they could study philosophy under your hand and become great thinkers and scholars. However, most people wouldn't take them or their work seriously, due to the fact that women were respected much less than men. Will they learn eloquence or philosophy? [[Eloquence->eloquence]] [[Philosophy->philosophy]] (cycling-link: "𐙚", "It's very improbable that the wealthy families would willingly send their daughters to study philosophy with Sappho; women's intelligence was often underestimated, and in reality, the girls studied eloquence to make them more charming and prepare them for their marriage. Female philosophers were few and far between, and most of the ones that we now know about were pushed to the side in favor of men. For instance, Xanthippe, Socrates' wife, was dismissed as an unintelligent woman, causing her work to go unrecognized. However, I chose to include both options to raise the stakes and make the twine more interesting. (Mark, 'Sappho of Lesbos,' World History Encyclopedia. Kathleen Wider, 'Women Philosophers in the Ancient Greek World: Donning the Mantle,' Hypatia 1, no. 1 (1986): 21, accessed October 22, 2024.)") (set:$school to true)

Writing poetry brings you more joy than teaching, so you decide to focus on writing full-time. (if:$love is true)[However, your parents want you to marry Isidoros, the prince of a small kingdom on the Greek mainland.](else:)[However, your aristocratic family is marrying you off to strengthen bonds with another noble family. Your husband-to-be is Isidoros, the prince of a small kingdom on the Greek mainland.] You don't want to marry him; you could never love him, but at least he's not as bad as other suitors. He is young, relatively kind, and able to provide for you. Nevertheless, you still don't want to marry him. Women are treated with less respect in different parts of Greece, and you would rather stay on Lesbos, where you're happy and able to write. (if:$love is true)[Despite your well-known poetry, your aristocratic family is still set on marrying you off in order to establish bonds with another noble family, strengthen your family's status, and bring you back into the aristocratic social circles.](else:)[You tell your parents this, but they're adamant on the marriage. They say this union is needed to establish bonds with another noble family, strengthen your family's status, and bring you back into the aristocratic social circles.] (if:$love is true)[[[Marry him->marry]] [[Refuse to marry him->don't marry]]](else:)[Since you're not very well-known throughout Greece, you don't have enough influence to reject the marriage: [[Marry him->marry]]] (cycling-link: "𐙚", "In real life, Sappho wasn't proven to be married. There were many myths and tales, but most of them are unreliable for historical information; in this twine, however, I'm assuming that she could have been married off by her family because it adds the opportunity for more choices. Additionally, because I'm basing this twine off Sappho's relations and social status, people who picked nature in the first screen get different text from those who picked human emotion; if you picked human emotion, you have the option to refuse the marriage, since writing about love brought her more fame and therefore more influence. However, in real life, Sappho's ability to live as she liked is probably due to Lesbos' respect of women. Because this is just a game, though, I chose to do it differently in order to make the twine more interesting and engaging. (Mark, 'Sappho of Lesbos,' World History Encyclopedia.)") (set:$school to false)

You decide to teach your pupils about how to behave elegantly and speak eloquently, and young girls flock to Lesbos from all over Greece, sent by their affluent families to make them better prospects for marriage. You do your best to educate them and make them feel welcome on Lesbos, but many still long for their families and kingdoms. Although some of their home lives were far from the best, they're torn between homesickness and the desire for independence. Hearing these girls talk about their home lives moves you. You've always had a relatively easy life on Lesbos; on the mainland, though, especially in the north, women are extremely marginalized. In some places, women don't have the right to vote, participate in important contracts, or go to court. It frustrates and saddens you to hear tales of gender discrimination, especially when there's nothing you can do about it. Suddenly, you have an idea:(if:$love is true)[ since your poetry is well-known all throughout Greece, you could incorporate your radical views into your verse.](else:)[ since your poetry is well-loved on Lesbos, you could incorporate your radical views into your verse.] You want to make your opinions on this public, as you know there must be at least a few people in agreement, but this could also be dangerous. At best, you would lose support. At worst, you could be disowned or even exiled. What will you do? [[Speak out->speak out]] [[Keep quiet->keep quiet]] (cycling-link: "𐙚", "In this passage, I make an assumption that numerous girls were shipped to Lesbos to join Sappho's //thiasos//, but in reality, there probably weren't nearly as many; I made this assumption to make the game more interesting and the stakes higher. Additionally, while women all over Greece were marginalized and oppressed, it was much worse in some places than in others. For instance, in Athens, women were denied voting rights and were only allowed to participate in activities for religious, economic, or legal purposes. (Kerkhof, 'The Life,' History Cooperative.) Although it's a plausible theory, very little is actually known about Sappho's supposed radical views. Because we don't even know what they were, or if she expressed them with poetry (or at all), I interpreted her beliefs as feminist opinions that were radical for the time.") (set:$philosophy to false)

You decide to educate your pupils about philosophy, exploring issues of humanity and thinking more deeply about science, politics, and art; although the girls that attend enjoy the subjects, not many are sent in the first place. Many families, especially the (cycling-link: "fathers", "fathers (Greece was a patriarchal society, meaning that the oldest male, often the father, was the most important in the family and made most decisions)"), don't like the idea of a woman in a traditionally male-dominated field such as philosophy. Hearing these few girls talk about their rough home lives moves you. You've always had a relatively easy life on Lesbos; on the mainland, though, especially in the north, women are extremely marginalized. In some places, women don't have the right to vote, participate in important contracts, or go to court. It frustrates and saddens you to hear tales of gender discrimination, especially when there's nothing you can do about it. Suddenly, you have an idea:(if:$love is true)[ since your poetry is well-known all throughout Greece, you could incorporate your radical views into your verse.](else:)[ since your poetry is well-loved on Lesbos, you could incorporate your radical views into your verse.] You want to make your opinions on this public, as you know there must be at least a few people in agreement, but this could also be dangerous. At best, you would lose support. At worst, you could be disowned or even exiled. What will you do? [[Speak out->speak out]] [[Keep quiet->keep quiet]] (cycling-link: "𐙚", "While women all over Greece were marginalized and oppressed, it was much worse in some places than in others. For instance, in Athens, women were denied voting rights and were only allowed to participate in activities for religious, economic, or legal purposes. (Kerkhof, 'The Life,' History Cooperative.) Although it's a plausible theory, very little is actually known about Sappho's supposed radical views. Because we don't even know what they were, or if she expressed them with poetry (or at all), I interpreted her beliefs as feminist opinions that were radical for the time.") (set:$philosophy to true)

You weigh the risks and decide to keep quiet; you don't know what could happen if you express your views, and you would rather not lose your writing or your life - better safe than sorry. (if:$love is true)[Over the course of your life, you are able to write almost 10,000 lines of poetry, although future archaeologists and historians are only able to find and decipher around 650. However, since your lyric poetry focused on your emotions and social life, historians are able to piece together enough information to make guesses about you, aided by (cycling-link: "the //Suda//", "a 10th-century CE encyclopaedia which compiled information about the ancient world") and other ancient writers. You are famous throughout Greece, but especially on Lesbos; there are plays written about you, statues sculpted of you, and pottery made to interpret your poetry. Able to write and live freely, you live the rest of your life surrounded by family and friends, remembered forever as a major contributor to Greek lyric poetry. ](else:)[Over the course of your life, you are able to write almost 10,000 lines of poetry, although future archaeologists and historians are only able to find and decipher around 650. However, since your poetry focused on the natural world around you, historians are able to construct a clearer picture of ancient Lesbos, aided by pottery and other ancient writers. On the island, you're a local legend; after you're gone, citizens still remember you with fondness and cherish the nature poetry you left behind. Able to write and live freely, you live the rest of your life surrounded by family and friends, remembered forever as a major contributor to Greek lyric poetry.] - ''The End'' Would you like to [[try again?->intro]] (cycling-link: "𐙚", "Allegedly, Sappho historically chose to speak out about her political views and was consequently exiled: however, there is much dispute over whether or not Sappho was actually exiled, or if her supposed radical views even existed. However, the presumed exile is said to be due to her political views. If you chose to keep quiet about these views, I made the assumption that she wouldn't have been exiled at all. (Mark, 'Sappho of Lesbos,' World History Encyclopedia.) Historians rely solely on Sappho's poetry, the //Suda//, and other historians' mentions of Sappho to make educated guesses about Sappho's social and home life. Additionally, at least one comedy was written about Sappho, and her likeness was indeed found in statues, pottery, and even in special 'Sappho coins' distributed by Mytilene, the capital of Lesbos. (Mark, 'Sappho of Lesbos,' World History Encyclopedia. Ilkay, 'Sappho,' The New Historia.)")

You board the next ship to the mainland and walk the five miles to Athens on foot; the full journey takes about three weeks. Somewhat to your surprise, your journey to Athens is successful; you manage to gain your footing within a month of being there, and you're able to write poetry in peace, drawing inspiration from the beautiful city around you. (if:$love is true)[Over the course of your life, you are able to write almost 10,000 lines of poetry, although future archaeologists and historians are only able to find and decipher around 650. However, since your lyric poetry focused on your emotions and social life, historians are able to piece together enough information to make guesses about you, aided by (cycling-link: "the //Suda//", "a 10th-century CE encyclopaedia which compiled information about the ancient world") and other ancient writers. You are famous throughout Greece, but especially in Athens and Lesbos; there are plays written about you, statues sculpted of you, and pottery made to interpret your poetry. Able to write and live freely, you live the rest of your life by yourself, remembered forever as a major contributor to Greek lyric poetry. ](else:)[Over the course of your life, you are able to write almost 10,000 lines of poetry, although future archaeologists and historians are only able to find and decipher around 650. However, since your poetry focused on the natural world around you, historians are able to construct a clearer picture of ancient Lesbos and Athens, aided by pottery and other ancient writers. In the two locations, you're a local legend; after you're gone, citizens still remember you with fondness and cherish the nature poetry you left behind. Able to write and live freely, you live the rest of your life by yourself, remembered forever as a major contributor to Greek lyric poetry.] - ''The End'' Would you like to [[try again?->intro]] (cycling-link: "𐙚", "In real life, Sappho probably wouldn't have had a great life in Athens. Women were treated as naturally inferior to men, and had much less rights than their male counterparts. However, I chose to do it this way to have more 'good' endings in the twine. Historians rely solely on Sappho's poetry, the //Suda//, and other historians' mentions of Sappho to make educated guesses about Sappho's social and home life. Additionally, at least one comedy was written about Sappho, and her likeness was indeed found in statues, pottery, and even in special 'Sappho coins' distributed by Mytilene, the capital of Lesbos. (Mark, 'Sappho of Lesbos,' World History Encyclopedia. Ilkay, 'Sappho,' The New Historia.)")

For the next two years, you live a quiet life on Sicily: you write your poetry, and occasionally those in your community lend you a hand by giving you food or money. It's not the most luxurious lifestyle, but it's enough to live off of, and you've grown fond of it. One hot summer's day, you're trying to complete a particularly difficult passage when you hear a knock on the door of your small hut. Although it horribly reminds you of the day when you got exiled, you swallow your apprehension and open the door. Sure enough, there are two messengers, one of them carrying a scroll. "You are Sappho, I take it?" The one with the scroll asks you, not bothering to look up. "Yes. What's the matter?" You ask. Surely nothing else could have happened; you haven't done anything worth being exiled from Sicily, and you don't think you could bear to leave now. You've come to consider the island a second home, and you've built connections with those around you. "The government of Lesbos has decided to pardon you. Should you wish to return, there will be a ship waiting for you in three days' time at sunrise." The messengers turn around and leave, but you aren't paying attention to them anymore. Your heart leaps in happiness, but just as soon, doubt strikes you: you would love with all your heart to return to Lesbos and be with your family and old friends, but you don't want to leave your new friends in Sicily either. What will you do? [[Return to your home island, lesbos->lesbos]] [[Stay in sicily->sicily1]] (cycling-link: "𐙚", "In this passage, I'm assuming that Sappho would have enjoyed her life on Sicily, but in reality, she might not have. Additionally, she probably wouldn't have had a lot of time to write poetry due to the need to provide for herself. Supposedly, Sappho was exiled from Lesbos twice. Because of this, I assumed that she was exiled once, then pardoned, then exiled again; however, most information about Sappho is murky at best, so her life can be interpreted a variety of ways. (Mark, 'Sappho of Lesbos,' World History Encyclopedia.)")

You decide to go back to Lesbos; you deeply miss your family and friends, and would give the world for a chance to see them again. After three days have past, you hug your friends goodbye at the port, promising to visit them in the future. After a week's journey through the Aegean Sea, you're finally in Lesbos again, reunited with your family, your old friends, and your childhood home. (if:$love is true)[Over the course of your life, you are able to write almost 10,000 lines of poetry, although future archaeologists and historians are only able to find and decipher around 650. However, since your lyric poetry focused on your emotions and social life, historians are able to piece together enough information to make guesses about you, aided by (cycling-link: "the //Suda//", "a 10th-century CE encyclopaedia which compiled information about the ancient world") and other ancient writers. You are famous throughout Greece, but especially on Lesbos; there are plays written about you, statues sculpted of you, and pottery made to interpret your poetry. Able to write and live freely, you live the rest of your life surrounded by family and friends, remembered forever as a major contributor to Greek lyric poetry. ](else:)[Over the course of your life, you are able to write almost 10,000 lines of poetry, although future archaeologists and historians are only able to find and decipher around 650. However, since your poetry focused on the natural world around you, historians are able to construct a clearer picture of ancient Lesbos, aided by pottery and other ancient writers. On the island, you're a local legend; after you're gone, citizens still remember you with fondness and cherish the nature poetry you left behind. Able to write and live freely, you live the rest of your life surrounded by family and friends, remembered forever as a major contributor to Greek lyric poetry.] - ''The End'' Would you like to [[try again?->intro]] (cycling-link: "𐙚", "Historians rely solely on Sappho's poetry, the //Suda//, and other historians' mentions of Sappho to make educated guesses about Sappho's social and home life. Additionally, at least one comedy was written about Sappho, and her likeness was indeed found in statues, pottery, and even in special 'Sappho coins' distributed by Mytilene, the capital of Lesbos. (Mark, 'Sappho of Lesbos,' World History Encyclopedia. Ilkay, 'Sappho,' The New Historia.)")

You decide to remain in Sicily; you couldn't bear to leave those you love behind, and, really, you've come to accept and even enjoy your life in Sicily. (if:$love is true)[Over the course of your life, you are able to write almost 10,000 lines of poetry, although future archaeologists and historians are only able to find and decipher around 650. However, since your lyric poetry focused on your emotions and social life, historians are able to piece together enough information to make guesses about you, aided by (cycling-link: "the //Suda//", "a 10th-century CE encyclopaedia which compiled information about the ancient world") and other ancient writers. You are famous throughout Greece, but especially on Sicily and Lesbos; there are plays written about you, statues sculpted of you, and pottery made to interpret your poetry. Able to write and live freely, you live the rest of your life by yourself, remembered forever as a major contributor to Greek lyric poetry. ](else:)[Over the course of your life, you are able to write almost 10,000 lines of poetry, although future archaeologists and historians are only able to find and decipher around 650. However, since your poetry focused on the natural world around you, historians are able to construct a clearer picture of ancient Lesbos and Sicily, aided by pottery and other ancient writers. On the two islands, you're a local legend; after you're gone, citizens still remember you with fondness and cherish the nature poetry you left behind. Able to write and live freely, you live the rest of your life by yourself, remembered forever as a major contributor to Greek lyric poetry.] - ''The End'' Would you like to [[try again?->intro]] (cycling-link: "𐙚", "Historians rely solely on Sappho's poetry, the //Suda//, and other historians' mentions of Sappho to make educated guesses about Sappho's social and home life. Additionally, at least one comedy was written about Sappho, and her likeness was indeed found in statues, pottery, and even in special 'Sappho coins' distributed by Mytilene, the capital of Lesbos. (Mark, 'Sappho of Lesbos,' World History Encyclopedia. Ilkay, 'Sappho,' The New Historia.)")

You choose to marry Isodoros because (if:$love is true)[you know that he would treat you better than other possible suitors, and being married means that no other suitors will pursue you.](else:)[you had no other option; marrying him brings your parents prestige, which is extremely important for an aristocratic family like yours.] You are to take a ship to his kingdom (where the wedding will take place) in three days' time. There are many possessions that you couldn't bear to part with, but with all your writing supplies, garments, and food for the journey, you can only take one. Will you take a small figurine of (cycling-link: "Aphrodite", "the Greek goddess of love and beauty"), given to you by your mother, a wooden carving of a laurel wreath, sacred to (cycling-link: "Apollo", "the Greek god of poetry, health, medicine, light, archery, and prophecy"), or a cord necklace with a single peacock feather, a holy animal of (cycling-link: "Hera", "the queen of the gods, as well as the Greek goddess of marriage, women, childbirth, and the family")? [[The figurine of Aphrodite->aphrodite]] [[The laurel wreath carving->apollo]] [[The peacock feather necklace->hera]] (cycling-link: "𐙚", "In real-life Ancient Greece, weddings were performative ceremonies that involved many rituals and traditions. The actual wedding ceremony, called the //gamos//, was preceded by many other formalities; these included the //engyesis//, or the betrothal, and the //loutra//, a bath ceremony in which the bride was purified. These prerequisite ceremonies could take quite a long time, but I chose to remove most of them (as well as the post-wedding ceremonies, such as the //anakaluptēria, thalamos, epithalamia, epaulia, phernē, apatouria, and gamēlia//) because it would slow down gameplay and make the twine monotonous. (Janet Ozsolak, Sarah Scott, and Hélène Emeriaud, 'Marriage | Part 2: Wedding,' Kosmos Society, last modified June 26, 2020, accessed October 25, 2024.)")

You wrap the figurine in cloth and place it carefully in a small sack; it will make the journey to Isodoros' kingdom with you. When you arrive in the kingdom, the wedding is to take place immediately. You find it is surprisingly short and simple for a royal family. Many ceremonies, like the (cycling-link: "//loutra//", "formal bath ceremony where the new wife is purified"), have already taken place, so all you need to do is attend the marriage ceremony and say your vows. After the wedding, which takes place in front of the palace, you steal away to your new room, which looks cold and uninhabited, with your things. Trying to make the room feel more like home, you dedicate a small table in the corner to an altar to Aphrodite. After gathering strings of pearls, seashells, and other things that remind you of the goddess, you nestle your statuette in the heart of the altar and light a white candle. Already your room looks a little bit brighter. Suddenly, you hear a knock on the door: "Hello, my wife," Isodoros says as he walks in (he looks a little uncomfortable; perhaps he as well was pressured, or even forced, into this marriage). He ambles over to your little corner and puts a hand on your shoulder in greeting, gazing down at the makeshift altar you've set up. Hesitant and awkward, he says, "I see you've set up an altar. I don't know much about Aphrodite, but... your beauty surpasses even her, my... love." Your heart stops in fear. Because you were somewhat of a priestess of Aphrodite back in Lesbos, you know something Isodoros doesn't: Aphrodite is a jealous goddess, very defensive about her beauty and willing to do anything to eliminate possible competition. Isodoros, no doubt oblivious, has just mentioned Aphrodite's name (thus getting her attention) and condemned you to a bleak fate. "I'm tired," you say abruptly, shooing Isodoros out. "I'd like to go to bed now." Once the door is shut behind him, you crawl into bed, dreading the next day; knowing Aphrodite, the consequences of Isodoros' blunder could range from embarrassing to deadly. Slowly, attempting to quiet your racing thoughts, you drift off to sleep... [[Go to sleep->aphrodite1]] (cycling-link: "𐙚", "The description of the wedding in this passage is extremely simplified; as you saw in the last passage's footnotes, there are many other ceremonies before the actual marriage. I simply chose to remove this to make the reading shorter and make the writing easier on me. (Ozsolak, Scott, and Emeriaud, 'Marriage | Part,' Kosmos Society.)")

You wrap the carving in cloth and place it carefully in a small sack; it will make the journey to Isodoros' kingdom with you. When you arrive in the kingdom, the wedding is to take place immediately. You find it is surprisingly short and simple for a royal family. Many ceremonies, like the (cycling-link: "//loutra//", "formal bath ceremony where the new wife is purified"), have already taken place, so all you need to do is attend the marriage ceremony and say your vows. After the wedding, which takes place in front of the palace, you steal away to your new room, which looks cold and uninhabited, with your things. Trying to brighten up the room a little, you pull back the curtains on the west-facing window, letting in yellow rays of light from the setting (cycling-link: "sun", "sun (although Helios, descendant of two of the twelve original titans, was technically the god of the sun, it is often associated with Apollo. Something similar happens with Selene, the goddess of the moon, and Artemis, the goddess of maidenhood and hunting. Additionally, Selene and Artemis are both sisters of Helios and Apollo respectively)"). The windowsill seems a perfect place to set your wodden laurel wreath, so you set it down in a dusty spot of light. Immediately, you're struck with an idea: after gathering a few other items (like sunflowers, candles, and other things), your altar to Apollo is complete, the wooden carving nestled in the center. After lighting a candle on the altar, you hear a knock on the door: "Hello, my wife," Isodoros says as he walks in (he looks a little awkward; perhaps he as well was pressured, or even forced, into this marriage). He ambles over to the windowsill and puts a hand on your shoulder in greeting, gazing down at the makeshift altar you've set up. "I see you've set up..." He trails off, looking uncomfortable. "Is this an altar to Apollo?" "Yes. Is that a problem?" You answer confusedly. Why would an altar to Apollo be problematic? "I'm unsure if you were aware, Sappho, but this kingdom's patron goddess is Hera. She will be displeased if she sees you worshipping Apollo, the (cycling-link: "son of her husband's lover", "son of her husband's lover (Zeus and Hera, the king and queen of the gods, were married - Zeus cheated on Hera multiple times throughout their marriage, often having children with his lovers. One of these children, Apollo, was born because of an affair between Leto, the goddess of motherhood, and Zeus)")." "I'm tired," you say abruptly, shooing Isodoros out. "I'd like to go to bed now." Once the door is shut behind him, you crawl into bed, mulling it all over in your head. You don't appreciate being told what to do, especially by someone you've known for the better part of a week. However, you still feel uneasy. Hera is an extremely powerful goddess, and her hatred for Zeus' lovers and their children is known far and wide. Yawning, you extinguish the candle by your bed; if it was really that big of a deal, Hera would have done something the second you had left behind her necklace in Lesbos. Feeling reassured, you finally drift off to sleep... [[Go to sleep->apollo 13]] (cycling-link: "𐙚", "The description of the wedding in this passage is extremely simplified; as you saw in the last passage's footnotes, there are many other ceremonies before the actual marriage. I simply chose to remove this to make the reading shorter and make the writing easier on me. (Ozsolak, Scott, and Emeriaud, 'Marriage | Part,' Kosmos Society.) In this passage, I'm assuming that Hera and Apollo were enemies at the time. However, due to the gods' being immortal, relationships between them were often fluid, and Hera and Apollo were likely on friendly terms at at least one point in time. I chose to make them enemies to have more 'bad' endings in the twine, as there are much more 'good' endings.")

You carefully untangle the necklace and place it around your neck; it will make the journey to Isodoros' kingdom with you. When you arrive in the kingdom, the wedding is to take place immediately. You find it is surprisingly short and simple for a royal family. Many ceremonies, like the (cycling-link: "//loutra//", "formal bath ceremony where the new wife is purified"), have already taken place, so all you need to do is attend the marriage ceremony and say your vows. After the wedding, which takes place in front of the palace, you steal away to your new room, which looks cold and uninhabited, with your things. Attempting to brighten up the room, you light a candle, but it's not enough. You open the curtains on the window facing the Aegean Sea, looking out to see the waves that your ship crossed just hours earlier. The window faces east, so you can't see the setting sun, but its orangey-pink light still tinges the sky. You fiddle with your peacock-feather necklace, unsure about this new life. Will you still be able to write? What if Isodoros' parents die, and you are expected to fulfill the role of Queen at his side? Feeling restless, you decide to take a walk and explore your new home; fears and doubts about everything flood your mind as you wander the halls, eventually coming to the palace doors. Golden light from the setting sun washes over the landscape, illuminating everything from majestic architecture to people finishing their daily business. One building in particular catches your eye: a beautiful nearby temple, featuring a statue of the goddess Hera. You touch your necklace again and make your way over. The temple and statue are much bigger and more detailed than usual, which probably means that Hera is the patron goddess of the kingdom. This doesn't reassure you. Hera is the goddess of marriage, and if she's the patron goddess of this kingdom, it means your marriage with Isodoros will be blessed. Although you know this should relieve you, it just makes you more worried. You don't love Isodoros, and you can't live up to the standard of 'perfect wife.' It sounds selfish to you, but all you want to do is go back to Lesbos and write poetry, surrounded by your family and friends; this new life, here in an unfamiliar kingdom with an unfamiliar family, doesn't belong to you. Your eyes fill with tears as you leave Hera's temple and walk over to a cliff overlooking the sea. If you squint your eyes, you can pretend that you're able to make out Lesbos on the horizon. A feeling of hopelessness overwhelms you, deeper than anything you've felt before. If you're this overwhelmed and miserable on the first day of your marriage, what will the rest of your life feel like? You take off Hera's necklace and lay it on the ground. The bright peacock feather makes the stone and dirt seem dull in comparison. A feeling of resolution overcomes you as you peer over the cliff face into the choppy Prussian blue waves, which seem to welcome you, greeting you like an old friend. You glance over your shoulder at the palace, tears now pouring down your face. You can see the small light of the candle in your room. "Goodbye. I'm sorry I couldn't be more," you say to Isodoros and his parents, hoping that, somehow, they will be able to hear you. You take a hesitant step toward the edge of the cliff. Maybe the sea will carry your body back to Lesbos. You jump. - ''The End'' Would you like to [[try again?->intro]] (cycling-link: "𐙚", "For this passage, I took inspiration from the story of Sappho and Phaon. Supposedly, Sappho fell in love with a ferryman, Phaon, who did not return her affections. Not wanting to live without him, Sappho jumped off a cliff into the Aegean sea; however, this story is widely regarded as an inaccurate myth told by male Ancient Greek historians to heterosexualize Sappho.")

You refuse to marry Isodoros, arguing that you have already brought honor to your family; your family grudgingly allows this, and luckily, the (cycling-link: "//engyesis//", "legal betrothal ceremony") hasn't taken place yet, so you aren't legally required to marry Isodoros. Over the course of your life, you are able to write almost 13,000 lines of poetry, although future archaeologists and historians are only able to find and decipher around 650. However, since your lyric poetry focused on your emotions and social life, historians are able to piece together enough information to make guesses about you, aided by (cycling-link: "the //Suda//", "a 10th-century CE encyclopaedia which compiled information about the ancient world") and other ancient writers. You are famous throughout Greece, but especially on Lesbos; there are plays written about you, statues sculpted of you, and pottery made to interpret your poetry. Able to write and live freely, you live the rest of your life surrounded by family and friends, remembered forever as a major contributor to Greek lyric poetry. - ''The End'' Would you like to [[try again?->intro]] (cycling-link: "𐙚", "Once she was already betrothed, Sappho likely wouldn't have been able to refuse her marriage; however, I changed it to add more choices to the twine. Additionally, since Sappho was never confirmed to be married in the first place, I'm just assuming that she might have been married off if she hadn't founded a //thiasos//. In reality, Sappho likely would not have been married if she didn't want to be due to the high esteem with which the women of Lesbos were treated. In real-life Ancient Greece, weddings were performative ceremonies that involved many rituals and traditions. The actual wedding ceremony, called the //gamos//, was preceded by many other formalities; these included the //engyesis//, or the betrothal, which was a legal ceremony that could be used to ratify the marriage in court. (Mark, 'Sappho of Lesbos,' World History Encyclopedia. Janet Ozsolak, Sarah Scott, and Hélène Emeriaud, 'Marriage | Part 2: Wedding,' Kosmos Society, last modified June 26, 2020, accessed October 25, 2024.) In actuality, Sappho only wrote around 10,000 lines of poetry (although it is true that only 650 survived). Here, I assume that since you chose not to found a //thiasos//, she would have had more time to write. It is true as well that historians rely solely on Sappho's poetry, the //Suda//, and other historians' mentions of Sappho to make educated guesses about Sappho's social and home life. Lastly, at least one comedy was written about Sappho, and her likeness was indeed found in statues, pottery, and even in special 'Sappho coins' distributed by Mytilene, the capital of Lesbos. (Mark, 'Sappho of Lesbos,' World History Encyclopedia. Ilkay, 'Sappho,' The New Historia.)")

(text-style:"underline","expand")[(text-style:"bold")[Sappho of Lesbos By SC]] ------------------------------------------------------------- (text-colour:(hsl:0,0.8039,0.5,0.55))[Content warning: somewhat detailed description of suicide and human sacrifice (only if certain choices are made). Disclaimer: all references to the supernatural in the twine are purely Sappho's interpretation of events, and may not be used for historical evidence. ] [[Start your story->start]] [[Bibliography->bibliography]]

(text-style:"bold","underline","expand")[''Bibliography''] DuBois, Paige. "Sappho(s)." Wiley Online Library. Last modified October 31, 2019. Accessed September 22, 2024. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/9781118635193.ctwl0040. Ilkay, Hilary. "Sappho." The New Historia. Last modified October 25, 2022. Accessed September 22, 2024. https://thenewhistoria.org/schema/sappho/#:~:text=Sappho%20was%20a%20G reek%20lyric%20poet%20from%20the%20island%20of. Kerkhof, Maup van de. "The Life of Women in Ancient Greece." History Cooperative. Last modified October 21, 2024. Accessed October 23, 2024. https://historycooperative.org/women-in-ancient-greece/. Mark, Joshua J. "Sappho of Lesbos." World History Encyclopedia. Last modified June 10, 2021. Accessed September 22, 2024. https://www.worldhistory.org/Sappho_of_Lesbos/#citation_info. "Nine Lyric Poets." History and Culture. Last modified March 24, 2024. Accessed October 22, 2024. https://www.historyandculture.org/historic-timelines/ancient-greece-800-bc-146-bc/archaic-greece-timeline/nine-lyric-poets. O'Hara, John Myers, trans. "Ode to Aphrodite." Sacred Texts Archive. Last modified 1910. Accessed October 21, 2024. https://sacred-texts.com/cla/pos/pos08.htm. Ozsolak, Janet, Sarah Scott, and Hélène Emeriaud. "Marriage | Part 2: Wedding." Kosmos Society. Last modified June 26, 2020. Accessed October 25, 2024. https://kosmossociety.org/marriage-part-2-wedding/. Payne, Mark. "The Natural World in Greek Literature and Philosophy." In Oxford Handbook Topics in Classical Studies. 2014. Accessed October 24, 2024. https://academic.oup.com/edited-volume/43505. "Sappho." Encyclopaedia Britannica. Last modified August 12, 2024. Accessed September 22, 2024. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Sappho-Greek-poet. Wider, Kathleen. "Women Philosophers in the Ancient Greek World: Donning the Mantle." Hypatia 1, no. 1 (1986): 21. Accessed October 22, 2024. https://www.jstor.org/stable/3810062?seq=1.

You weigh the risks and decide to speak out. Although there is some danger, you would rather risk your safety than sit quietly while your fellow women are oppressed. Intead of the usual (if:$love is true)[love](else:)[nature] poetry, you write something a little different: an complaint against injustice and a call to action. Expecting another smoothly eloquent poem about (if:$love is true)[the woes and joys of emotion,](else:)[the beauty of the natural world,] (if:$love is true)[Greece is](else:)[the citizens of Lesbos are] shocked and taken aback by this abrupt change in subject. A week from the publication of your poem, you wake up to hear a knock coming from your door. When you open it, you see a man standing with a scroll in his hands and an officious expression on his face: "Are you Sappho, daughter of Scamandronymus?" Stunned and confused, you answer, "Yes, that is me. Have you any news?" Clearing his throat, the man replies, "I act as a messenger on behalf of the (cycling-link: "//archon//", "principle magistrate in a Greek city-state"), who has decreed that you are to be exiled-" At your noise of disbelief, he continues, "You are to be exiled for treason. More specifically, for tarnishing the reputation of the (cycling-link: "//polis//", "//polis// (Greek word for city as well as the term for a Greek city-state)"). You have three days to leave Lesbos, or be executed on that same day." He shuts the door in your face before you have the chance to respond. You take a moment to let it all sink in: what will you do? Where will you go? After consulting with your equally dismayed mother, who was watching over your shoulder, you decide to take a ship to (cycling-link: "Sicily", "the island that Italy is 'kicking'") in two days' time. On the day of your departure, you tearfully hug your family goodbye at the port. As you look up at the ship bobbing on the water, you prepare to make the journey to Sicily by yourself: [[Board the ship to Sicily->sicily]] (cycling-link: "𐙚", "Most sources don't mention Sappho's father's name, as it is highly disputed and the known evidence is generally unreliable. However, in this twine, I assumed he was either dead or gone to make the reading less confusing for those who aren't familiar with Sappho, as well as to make the process easier for me. (DuBois, 'Sappho(s),' Wiley Online Library.) Allegedly, Sappho historically chose to speak out about her political views and was consequently exiled: however, there is much dispute over whether or not Sappho was actually exiled, or if her supposed radical views even existed. However, the presumed exile is said to be due to her political views. If you chose to speak out about these views, I assumed that a messenger would have been sent to Sappho with news of her exile and a deadline for her departure (or else death). This might very well have happened, but since there is little to no concrete historical evidence, the specifics of her exile were left to me. (Mark, 'Sappho of Lesbos,' World History Encyclopedia.)")

You arrive in Sicily about a week later, stepping off the ship onto the beach of a small city. There are many opportunities here, but you need to work your way up; to start, you need money, as the meager sum you have already is only enough to last you about a month. Sicily, though, reminds you a little bit of Lesbos, which makes you want to stay. You could see yourself spending the rest of your life here if you had to. However, you have heard talk of the city of Athens, a major city on the Greek mainland and a center of philosophy, arts, and sciences. You have enough money to board a ship to Athens and try to establish a life there; certainly, it would be nice to be able to write poetry surrounded by some of the greatest thinkers and authors of Greek history. However, women are treated much worse on the mainland than in places like Lesbos and Sicily. Additionally, it would be risky to make a gamble on Athens, as you could end up poor and stranded in the middle of an unfamiliar city. Where will you go? [[I will stay in Sicily and settle down->stay]] [[I will seek my fortunes in Athens->leave]] (cycling-link: "𐙚", "I'm assuming that, if Sappho was indeed exiled, she would have had to make a choice like this. However, the choice might already have been made for her, and she might not have had enough resources or agency to make the choice for herself. I chose to do it this way, though, to give the player more agency and make the twine more engaging.")

The next day, you are woken to a figure standing over you, shaking your shoulder; after your eyes adjust to the sudden light, you realize it's your new father-in-law, the King. He apologizes for waking you, but bids you get ready and come outside as soon as possible. Wondering what could possibly be so urgent, you get dressed and light a candle at Aphrodite's altar before meeting the King and (rather teary) Queen in the hall of the palace. "Sappho, we have horrible news," the King says with a somber expression. "While we all were sleeping, Isodoros disappeared. He left only a note explaining he had leapt off a cliff into the sea, rather than be trapped in a marriage with one he does not love. We consulted with many priests and priestesses before coming to the conclusion that Aphrodite is angered, and has influenced this to punish him for his negligence; however, the High Priestess of the goddess additionally mentioned that Aphrodite will not be appeased until the one Isodoros deemed more beautiful is dead as well. Since he never left the palace yesterday, we know it was you. I'm sorry, Sappho, but what must be done will be done." You find yourself being held back and dragged out of the hall by two guards. Although you put up a fight, you're nowhere near as strong as the guards, who might have been training their whole life; as you are wrestled, kicking and yelling, out of the palace doors, you catch a glimpse of your barely-used room, the door still wide open. The candle on your altar has gone out. Struggling all the way, you are hauled a relatively short distance to the nearby temple of Aphrodite, where the High Priestess waits alongside a throng of curious onlookers. The palace guards throw you onto the steps of the temple, your knees striking the stone steps with enough force for you to temporarily forget the bruises and scratches on your arms, and you cry out from the pain. "Let's get this over with," you hear the High Priestess say softly, and you wonder for a moment whether she feels any empathy for a fellow worshipper of Aphrodite, or at least for a fellow woman and Greek subject. Before you can appeal to her better nature, however, your wrists are bound with strips of leather, and the High Priestess is unsheathing a silver dagger. She takes a deep breath, and the blade arcs into the air, reflecting a shining point of light from the rising sun. "Please-" You start to say, eyes filling with tears, but before you have a chance to complete your sentence, the dagger comes crashing down and buries itself in your chest. For a split second, reality and time seem disconnected: you know you've been stabbed, but why don't you feel it yet? Then, pain, sharper than the dagger used for the sacrifice, pierces your heart and disorients you. Your other senses seem muffled, but you can vaguely hear a gasp from the bystanders (or is it the High Priestess?) as the knife is removed. Without any external support, your body falls to the ground. You can taste your own blood on the shockingly cold temple steps, but you're in too much pain to form coherent words, let alone move a muscle. As you lay bleeding out on the steps of the temple, your last thought is that of shock that the goddess you loved so much was the cause of your death in the end. - ''The End'' Would you like to [[try again?->intro]] (cycling-link: "𐙚", "Aphrodite punishing humans for disrespecting her is a very common theme in myths related to her. For this specific scene, I took inspiration from the myth of Psyche, the Greek and Roman goddess of the soul. Psyche was originally a human princess, renowned for her beauty far and wide; eventually, people started to say her beauty surpassed even Aphrodite, and Aphrodite heard the rumors and was angered. She sent her son, Eros (more commonly known by his Roman name, Cupid), to shoot Psyche with an arrow and make her fall in love with a disagreeable and immoral man. However, Eros pricked himself by accident and fell in love with Psyche himself. Meanwhile, Psyche's parents went to an oracle about her marriage, and they were told that she was to marry a horrible being feared even by Zeus (the king of the gods). The oracle instructed her parents to dress her in funeral robes and abandon her on the top of a tall mountain. To everyone in the kingdom, this was akin to a death sentence, and they mourned their princess as if she had been sacrificed. However, that's not the end of the tale - long story short, Eros took her from the mountaintop and, after finding out who he was, Psyche had to perform a series of impossible tasks to win Aphrodite's approval and the right to marry her son. ")

You wake up to a stream of sunlight beaming directly on your face: it appears that you forgot to close the curtains last night. Squeezing your eyes shut against the sudden burst of light, you get up out of bed and stretch. Once you open you eyes, still shielding them against the sunlight, you notice that you must have forgotten to put out the candle on Apollo's altar, although it's no longer burning. It's less than a stub now, the wick frayed and blackened. After getting dressed, you wander into the hall, where you can hear voices reverberating off the stone walls. You follow them into the great hall, where Isodoros and his parents, the King and Queen, are conferring. The room is majestic, with high ceilings, a large throne for the King to receive visitors, and tables scattered throughout. A dagger, glinting from the light of the rising sun, rests on a table nearby. Looking up from the scroll of paper he holds in his hand, Isodoros notices you and gives a reluctant half-smile. Something makes your heart jump, and it's not love. The King and Queen follow Isodoros' eyes, waving their hands by way of saying hello. "Sappho! We've been waiting for you. Come and join us," The Queen greets. Your heart jumps again, picking up pace. Suddenly, you realize what this feeling is: rage. Realizing this just makes you more angry, as well as confused. You have barely any reason to hate the three people in front of you. None of them have done anything to hurt you. In fact, they've been nothing but welcoming and helpful; reasoning with yourself makes your anger no less, however. As you walk over to them, clenching your jaw and hiding your trembling hands in the folds of your dress, you catch sight of a spot of light dancing at the edge of your vision. You glance over to see the dagger laying on the table. Taking shaky breaths, you tear your gaze away and continue to where the other three are waiting for you. The King begins to cheerily discuss wedding gifts, but you find your eyes drifting in and out of focus. The spot of light keeps distracting you, quivering at the edge of your vision as if reminding you it will always be there to tempt you. You aren't paying attention to the King's words anymore, but you can faintly hear an unfamiliar woman's voice, lazily calling your name. //Don't you want to do it, Sappho...?// "Are you paying attention, dear?" The Queen asks, and you catch her eye in surprise. The feeling of blind rage spikes, and in a burst of impulsivity, you dive for the dagger. Everything happens so quickly that you don't have time to think about what you're doing or pay attention to your surroundings. All you hear is laughter, the same voice that goaded you earlier; all you see is a faint haze of white. It's as if someone else is controlling your body. When you finally regain your senses, the King, the Queen, and Isodoros are lying in a crimson heap at your feet, white robes discolored, blood seeping onto the tiles. The stained dagger in your hands no longer seems full of life. Haltingly, you sink to the ground, allowing the dagger to clatter onto the floor and bounce a short distance away. Your heartbeat is slowing down, and your wrath is slowly dissipating, replaced with crushing remorse; whereas before your heart had seemed to rise with anger, now you feel as though you're falling into the depths of (cycling-link: "Tartarus", "the Ancient Greek equivalent to Hell"). Tears course down your face, partially washing away splatters of blood. You weren't particularly attached to any of the victims, but it doesn't replace the fact that they were human lives, each with their own wishes, fears, and joys. Through the haze of anguish, it strikes you: Isodoros warned you of something happening. Hera caused this, as she did with Heracles, who killed his family in a fit of madness. This makes your rage return, tinged with guilt and regret. Suddenly, you notice a glint in your peripheral vision: the dagger, once more laughing at you, egging you on. You realize what you're meant to do. //Very well. As you wish, Hera//, you think, leaning over to pick it up. Resolution and relief flood your body, dried blood caking your face, arms, and clothes. At least you won't have to live with your guilt for the rest of your life. You raise the dagger with steady, albeit weak, hands, and without pausing to let yourself think, you bury it in your bloodstained chest. - ''The End'' Would you like to [[try again?->intro]] (cycling-link: "𐙚", "For this passage, I took inspiration from another one of Zeus' illegitimate children: Heracles, known more commonly by his Roman name, Hercules. Hera, who loathed Heracles, did all in her power to make his life a living hell. One way she attempted to do this was to cause him to go mad and kill his wife and children. He, however, did not commit suicide, and instead performed his famous twelve labors as penance. ")