Re: Being described as having "violet" hair. Violet in ye olde days wasn't a word for purple, it was a word for blue. One with violet hair would have the classically 'true black' blue-black hair that was so coveted compared to brown-black hair.
Hooray you've said the thing I was coming to say, but could remember the correct examples for. All I could remember was wine-dark sea, which wasn't connecting to an actual hair colour for me! :)
@@nevadag606 Well, apart from, in alphabetical order, the ancient Greek words for blue: γλαυκός (blue-grey or blue-green), καλάινος (iridescent blue-green), κυανεος (dark blue), οὐράνιος (sky-blue), ὑπερκυάνεος (very dark blue), ὑακίνθινος (blue) and χαροπότης (light blue).
Sappho wrote of violet garlands/crowns (στέφανοι ἴων) worn by herself and a gal pal, suggesting she spent some time in the violet season with violet flowers in her hair. Hence "violet-haired", perhaps. ἰάνθινος meant "of the colour of violets", which are violet and were violet then, in a non-Newtonian sense. Definitely a purple on the blueish end of the range. The dark-haired interpretation is from scholars with no poetry in their souls.
@@kalebh3419 True. It's quite scary, honestly. The fact they try to lie and also deny that homosexuality has been a thing for a LONG time is really sus of them and of course, super homophobic.
Yeah, it's kinda like you don't know if you should be worried about their level of intelligence or terrified they'd burn you at the stake if they had a chance. Tbh it normally comes out to be both sides lmao
Fun fact: older cultures sometimes used different words to describe colors. Ancient Japan didn't have a word for "green" and considered it a shade of blue. So maybe Sappho's "violet" hair wasn't actually purple? But probably was a dark color - I would assume raven-colored (as in, black but maybe showing blues, greens, or purples in certain lights?). Or maybe she was just super dedicated go aesthetics and put a shit ton of energy into dying her hair. I would, if I got thrown back in time. I love my crazy colors
I did a little digging, and it seems Alcaeus used the word ιοπλόκος (ioplókos) for her, which apparently was a poetic way to refer to dark hair. On the other hand, the word literally translates to 'violet-knitted', so it's likely she just liked to adorn her hair with violets. Lesbian cottagecore af.
@@CM-ss5pe Sappho wrote in her poetry of violet garlands/crowns (στέφανοι ἴων) worn by herself and a gal pal. The word πλόκος (plokos) can mean a "wreath or chaplet" as well as a lock of hair, according to the Liddell/Scott _Greek-English Lexicon_ The examples given include flowers and herbs. I think you just solved it. The whole "dark-haired" explanation smacks of Victorian academic theory to me. Old men who had never danced with violets in their hair.
I had a Greek literature professor try to argue the "she could have been writing from the perspective of a man" framing and claim that whether or not Sappho was a lesbian isn't really important to understanding her poetry, and I genuinely have never had my respect for a teacher plummet so quickly. Also one of the funniest attempts to straightwash her poetry is that one scholar claimed that the lines "on a soft bed you let loose your longing" from frag. 94 were about taking a nap
As a Greek, I can tell you your professor is wrong. Most likely because they were homophobic. It is the acceptable norm to say that Sappho was a lesbian and she had regular lesbian parties on the Greek Island of Lesbos, which where the word 'lesbian' was originated from . The island also has a statue of Sappho. Homosexuality was considered normal back in ancient Greece.
It amazes me that people think that makes more sense, than. Her wanting to romance women. I mean, yeah. It could be. Maybe he's right. But, like. Is that more likely than her just. Liking women? Is it really?
@@nevadag606 It just reminds me of a few lesbian couples I knew in college who named their favorite dildos and then referred to them by name as boyfriends. Which sounds super weird now, but this was the very early aughts, so most of them weren't out to the larger world yet.
I was recently in a Starbucks here in the Deep South and they had a Sappho quote on their board. Either a) they have no idea she was the original Super Lesbian, or b) they were actually allies and were telling the LGBTQA+ community in a way most people down here wouldn't notice if they didn't belong to the community. Either way, I loved it.
@@erinhowett3630 Was it something like this? "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!" It's from the poem 'Ode to Aphrodite'. (Fun fact: Part of this poem was written by Willow on Tara's back in the Buffy episode 'Restless'.)
10/10 inspiration with this look Jess. I'm also a ginger with EDS, and I have been rather insecure about my decolletage until I saw you rocking this neckline ("Well, Jess is stunning, what's holding me back from enjoying a loose summery dress...").
The outfit is everything. Really, fabulous history video, as usual, and I know that Jessica likes her look to belong to the 1950s repertoire, but THIS period-inspired look....THIS. IS. GORGEOUS on you, Jessica. I found it difficult to concentrate b/c I was staring at you so intensely.
“I’m a lesbian, and sometimes we just eat toast.” I mean, I know most folks here are probably LGBTQ+ or allies (like myself). But damn sis, YES. ITS 👏 NOT 👏 ALL 👏 ABOUT 👏 SEX 👏
As a lesbian myself, I love this. I am not a sexually active person and I feel annoyed when people assume all of us lesbians are super sexual people or something. It's infuriating. lol
I would love to see one on Alan Turing how was know for his Turing machine and played a crucial role in cracking coded messages from the axis power and is considered the father of the modern computer.
As someone who comes from the island of Lesbos, this video makes me really happy. :D I make a point to talk about this whenever there is an opportunity (usually when I introduce myself for the first time, it becomes a talking point) because even though I am not part of the LGBTQ+ community, I think it is really important to highlight parts of history that are often overlooked or intentionally erased in mainstream education. To this day, I am yet to find someone who knows about Sappho or how the term Lesbian came to be; I will be pointing them to your video from now on also. Love your work!
Lovely video, and lovely costume! Thank you for talking about Sappho; it warms my scholarly heart. Sappho's poetry was actually my dissertation focus, and I've spent FAR too much time detangling silly myths about her. I feel inspired to do a deep dive on my own channel now! Suffice to say, YES she loved other women, and NO she likely didn't ever meet Alcaeus or actually know a boatman named Phaon. We don't even have real evidence for her 'circle' except that she seems to have had a lot of female friends, which, would be kinda normal? Also, Erinna was a fellow female poet from a similar time who wrote didactic epic rather than lyric poetry. No evidence they knew each other, either, but HUZZAH for ancient poetesses!
I genuinely believe that if you created videos on the historical topics/periods/places/etc that are taught in high schools and college, the world would learn and retain far more than ever before. I am so happy for your and Claud's growing family and hope you are adjusting as best as you possibly can to parenthood. You both are amazing mothers and I hope you both never doubt that!
Ah, the history books that list roommates. Tale as old as time. Reminds me of when I was ten and my parents finally told me, yeah, Robin is not Grandma's roommate. lol. (They got married in 2011 so yay!)
I just came back from my cousin’s presentation of his poetry book about his coming out, and he talked about Sappho too, so this video is fitting in perfectly in my day 💕
Quora says: “The epithet ioplókamos “violet-tressed”, e.g. having hair of a dark colour, is applied to the Muses.” [edit:] After further research I found that “violet” was also used for describing breasts, and possibly meant “smelling like violets”. So it seems more logical to me that hair and breasts both would be described as smelling like violets, rather than describing color. Or maybe, like Pat The Plant wrote below, it described flower adornments for heads and chests.
The plokamos ending also means wreathed or chapletted, that is, having garlands of flowers in the hair. Not sure about the authenticity of the dark-haired interpretation. Sappho mentioned in her poetry wearing violet crowns (στέφανοι ἴων) with a dear gal pal and Alceus was almost certainly referencing that. The Muses clearly also liked a few flowers in their hair.
@@pattheplanter After further research I also found that “violet” was also used by Sappho for describing Muses’ breasts, and possibly meant “smelling like violets”. So it seems more logical to me that hair and breasts both would be described as smelling like violets, or like you said - adorned with them.
@@kyivstuff Fragment 58, yes. iokolpos has several possible meanings, Sappho was, perhaps, being very naughty with that one. Breasts, lap, folds of clothing or ... look kolpos up in Liddell and Scott at Perseus. Though that sense may be later.
FYI, Natalie Barney wasn't an orphan. She inherited her fortune after her father died, but her mother Alice, and sister Laura, lived on. They're both fascinating in their own right. Alice was a painter for instance, and used Natalie as a model for Lucifer. There's a great book about Natalie her sapphic circle called "Wild Heart" by Suzanne Rodriguez.
The way you give literally voice to people in history, makes their stories matter! Before our eyes you bring them to life in such a compelling way that they matter personally! What a joy to watch this intellectual firework!
Jessica, this video warms my heart and soul! Sappho has been one of my guiding lights since I finally understood that I am bisexual and your so non-judgmental, engaging histories are always a gift!
For my LGBT choir's 20th anniversary we ran a composition competition to increase the amount of LGBT specific choral pieces and the winner was Three Songs of Sappho by Nicholas Tristan. Three of Sappho's poems set to music. It was challenging to learn, but a joy to sing. For some of our younger members this was the first time that they had heard of Sappho. There is a recording on TH-cam if anyone is interested in hearing it.
i did a whole presentation this year on sappho for my interview for teacher training course and i truly think it’s down to her. lesbians keep winning 💞
Don’t worry about butchering the pronunciations of the names. You’re doing much better than I would and I don’t have a hearing disability. Love your outfits
Ancient Greeks actually perceived colour differently from us. The most known example on record is Homer describing the colour of the sea as the colour of good aged wine. So, when Alcaeus said that Sappho had violet hair he probably meant something closer to burgundy or dark brown/black.
@@sedona3663 I'm Greek so I've been taught about that in high school (we learn Ancient Greek actually) but it's been a few years. I've also read a very detailed article by a Classics professor: Can we Hope to understand how the Ancient Greeks saw the world? | Aeon Essays I've found these videos quite informative as well: Were the Greeks colourblind? - by Ancient Greece Revised Why the Ancient Greeks Couldn't See Blue - by ASAPscience Sorry I couldn't use the links, TH-cam didn't like that! I hope that helps 😊
@@e.8977 I am not sure about that one but we still use a lot of homeric expressions in modern Greek like "αιέν αριστεύειν" which means 'forever/always excelling', or "άνοιξαν οι ασκοί του Αιόλου" which literally means "the bags of Aeolus have opened" which can be translated as 'all hell broke loose' and of course the one's that exist in English as well, e.g "Trojan horse" (Δούρειος Ίππος), "siren's call" (ήχησαν οι Σειρήνες) and "Achilles' heel" (Αχίλλειος πτέρνα) and many others. Some of them have even retained their ancient Greek form and syntax and acquired and idiomatic quality like "Αιέν αριστεύειν" or "Έπεα πτερόεντα" ( which means something close to 'spoken words fly away, writing stays forever', equivalent to verba volant, scripta manent). I don't know if that's helpful, but I hope it puts it into perspective... Sorry for the long comment!
I don't think they perceived colors differently, they just named the colours differently. Colours are on a spectrum, so the way they are categorized differs per culture. There is still some debate on whether or not that means they perceive colours differently (i.e. linguistic determinism).
Did my dissertation on Sappho! She was an amazing artist and poet, glad more people in the queer and WLW community are talking about her, makes my heart happy! A brilliant video ❤️
Regarding the whole AD/BC - CE/BCE: 1) I recently had to google it cuz I was utterly confused 2) In my native language (Czech) we simply call it "before/after our counting of time" and I really appreciate that now :D
We have the same expression in Germany 'vor/nach Beginn der Zeitrechnung', but I think the more popular phrase is 'vor/nach Christus', generally abbreviated v.Chr./n.Chr., so you would see e.g. 100 v.Chr. / 100 n.Chr.
I studied classics and loved this video. I've had teachers tell the class "she's not really a lesbian" and it pisses me off. It's because they studied when the fake husband script was the prominent theory
This dress is making you look fabulous! I absolutely love how sassy you are when you're tired 😂 EDIT: as a pansexual woman married to a man I can put my two hands up, why the default couldn't be any other sexuality, was there someone who decided that? May I have a second to talk with their ghost? It will be peaceful. Or maybe not.
I had a vague awareness, long before realizing that I'm bi, that being not 100% heterosexual was probably the actual norm. (I'm very into science fiction, and it's a detail that has casually come up in more stories than I can count. And some of the best science fiction writers have been actual scientists! I knew this before learning about straight-washing of history.)
lol I just commented about this then scrolled down and saw your comment XD Violet was a word for blue way back when, so violet hair was indeed a descriptor for someone with blue-black hair, which would shine with that distinctive violet edge in sunlight!
I'll know I've reached the peak of my transition when I can throw on an ancient Greek inspired gown and sprawl myself upon a piece of long furniture as elegantly as you can Jessica ♥️
Oh my god, I'm so excited you mentioned the Suda because most people don't know that's the source for most of our biographical information about Sappho (plus her poems), however unreliable it might be. Also, I study classics in university and in last semester's linguistics class, one of the things we talked about was dialects, including the "Lesbian dialect" and every time I talked about what I learned at home, my parents would be like: it's so strange to hear that word purely refer to the island of Lesbos and not to sexuality. However, as a perfectionist, I want to add a few details. Sappho actually had 3 brothers (according to the Suda, but still). And historians and literary scholars do have a point when they say you should be careful claiming poetry is biographical because we know that poetry in antiquity, including love poetry, had certain tropes and typical names. However, even if the relationships in Sappho's poetry are not authentic, there's still the fact she lived with a group of girls AND the fact she wrote, as a woman, about her love for other girls, so it doesn't really matter if those relationships were fictional or not, they're still there in her poetry. The acceptance of homosexuality in her own time is also relative because lots of women got away with relationships with other women because people didn't believe women could have s*x with each other. The poem by Plato you mentioned, about the tenth Muse, is probably not by Plato, it's just attributed to him. Regarding Alcaeus, my professor literally told us last semester that he and Sappho never met, despite both being aristocrats in Mytilene in the same period, writing poetry (but quite different poetry, even though it's both monodic). Her supposed husband was Kerkylas, not Kerikles, since the Greek word κέρκος does indeed mean p*nis. (Andros is an actual Greek island, though, even if it's pretty much the word for "man".) Omitting the initial aspiration just means they had no H sound (neither did other dialects in that region, which is the reason the letter H was used for the èta and not the aspiration). Like other people have said, "violet-haired" probably doesn't mean she had purple hair. There's been a lot of debate on Greek colours because Homer described the sea as "wine-coloured" and ξανθός, traditionally interpreted as yellow/green, is used for human skin. So Sappho probably just had dark or black hair. Sorry about the essay (didn't mean to write so many corrections/additions), so as a bonus, I'm gonna say we only have 1 complete poem by Sappho, which was the first in the Alexandrian edition. This is the so-called Hymn to Aphrodite, in which she asks the goddess for help to win back her lover, but only in the 5th (of 6) stanza, it becomes clear that she's talking about a woman, and even then only because of a feminine participle. Naturally, because it's such a small thing, lots of translators and such have tried to erase the fact that poem is about a female lover.
Loved this video ^-^ Highly recommend the book Sapphistries for anyone interested in delving more into this topic and also a history of love between women.
I needed this. Comphet has been wearing me down. I genuinely was starting to question my identity again for no real reason except lack of rep in my life.
first thought 'holy crap! Jessica looks absolutely stunning!' i mean, she always does, but she just looks...even more amazing today! you are just so beautiful! thank you for the wonderful videos and gorgeous style!
I love these history lessons, so much more interesting than class ever was. The extra touch of dressing to the style of the era/person being discussed just makes it more fun. I used to sleep in world history class (back row end seat), probably a mistake then but I am awake now!
Yesterday was a bit stressful for me and I can't believe I missed this perfect sounding video! I have been excited since you shared this costume and headpiece on Instagram.
The bit about "purple hair" probably means that her hair was that kind of black that has a blue-ish shimmer. The ancient Greeks were a bit weird when it comes to describing colours, there are references in old texts to the "wine-coloured" sea... 🤷♀️
The words used for colours have changed meaning a lot over time and between cultures. Homer wrote of a "wine dark sea", the sea wasn't really the colour of wine, that was just what they called it.
AHHH YESSS I'VE WANTED YOU TO DO A VIDEO ON SAPPHO FOR SO LONG!!! :D I'm incredibly interested in her, it's one of my hyperfixations, and your historical profile videos always fill me with so much excitement and glee, so this combination is literally perfection for me!!
Yes! I’ve been waiting for this one and boy it was well worth the wait, I love the sarcasm laced throughout, definitely brightened my week. Thank you and all hail Sappho!
Actually it was pretty common in Ancient Greece for women to completely expose their breasts in hot weather. We’ve got evidence of some dresses specifically designed without any chest covering, presumably meant to be for those days when your boobs become a sweat factory (at least those of us with larger breasts). Total Nudity was also fairly common in certain contexts, like public bathing and swimming.
Hm, that's something new. Female nudity was considered shameful and immoral by the ancient greeks up until roman times. Even when exercising women would not be fully nude and would never let men see them because of this. Do you have any source for this?
@@elektrakomplexet Greek women also tended not to spend a whole lotta time in mixed company, depending on their social status and city. They might have been boobs out in the women's quarters.
@@elektrakomplexet are minoans considered to be greeks? If yes, in some points in history (early minoan period specifically) women were not only allowed but possibly even expected to keep their breasts exposed at all times, hence why there are so many statues and images of women wearing floor length dresses with fully exposed breasts from the time period
@@miglek9613 Minoans are not considered to be Greeks. They predate Ancient Greece and had a completely different culture. They are not indo-european but Greeks are.
@@elektrakomplexet "not letting men see them" has no bearing on the acceptability of nudity in general. That brings a potential sexual aspect into the picture. India for example had comparable climate, light fabrics & flowing robes, & the majority of ancient sculptures leave nothing to the imagination except the genitals, but literature shows that clothes were being worn. People were just less uptight about letting everything air out, to the extent that colonizers called the native women sluts for not covering their breasts in the summer heat while the white men sweated in multiple layers of suits. Even today, you'll frequently find women & men sitting around exposing themselves to the air in private with friends & family, but they will quickly cover up when public decency demands it. The hot & sultry weather has that effect.
I read quite a bit of Sappho's work in school and it was great. Bisexuality was pretty much the norm in ancient Greece (men would marry a woman mostly for the family; many had other relationships with younger boys). Homosexuality however was still frowned upon a bit. It was probably quite clear to the people who read Sappho's work that she was only attracted to women since poetry was seen as something entirely autobiographical at the time. She was still revered as a poet, even though she was gay and a woman, which clearly shows that poets from her time already considered her one of the greatest poets. The reason that we barely have any complete poems of Sappho is because during the Middle Ages, the church refused to copy the 9 volumes since she described romantic feelings towards girls. Such a shame. Historians also decided that Alcaeus must have asked Sappho to marry him because they found a vase that depicted Sappho in a chair and Alcaeus looking a bit dissapointed maybe. I didn't find it very convincing.
The Researcher and Logical part of me says your video is well-presented with adequate info, soothing narration, snarky comments and good humor, concluded wonderfully and meaningfully. You've done justice to her legacy and to Sapphics everywhere. The Lesbian in me can't stop sweating over your appearance and almost fainted when you said "-in a toga that could slip off if needs be-" HAVE MERCY ON MY WEAK HEART
Whatever Alma-Tadema's intentions, I totally interpret his painting as wholesome admiration between colleagues, nothing more nothing less (which is almost the vibe I get from Alcaeus, who almost seems politely worshipful in that fragment to me)
i can't wait for historians to find this TH-cam channel Jessica: Here is my loving wife, who I love romantically in a lesbian way, and our son, who we raise together as a lesbian couple. historians: Aww so glad this heterosexual woman found a girlpal roommate to help raise her child after her husband, Karl, unfortunately died before both finally found new husbands, also both named Karl.
Historians are always like "THERE HAS TO BE A HETEROSEXUAL EXPLANATION FOR THIS."
There really isn't
Historians: *frantically searching for anything VAUGELY straight* c'moon *c'moon*
"Oh my god, they were roommates"
And yet... There somehow never is...
In a good way or a bad way
Re: Being described as having "violet" hair. Violet in ye olde days wasn't a word for purple, it was a word for blue. One with violet hair would have the classically 'true black' blue-black hair that was so coveted compared to brown-black hair.
Still cool though 👀👀 Greeks didn’t have a word for blue so it makes sense that they would give it a different description.
That was my theory too!
Hooray you've said the thing I was coming to say, but could remember the correct examples for. All I could remember was wine-dark sea, which wasn't connecting to an actual hair colour for me! :)
@@nevadag606 Well, apart from, in alphabetical order, the ancient Greek words for blue: γλαυκός (blue-grey or blue-green), καλάινος (iridescent blue-green), κυανεος (dark blue), οὐράνιος (sky-blue), ὑπερκυάνεος (very dark blue), ὑακίνθινος (blue) and χαροπότης (light blue).
Sappho wrote of violet garlands/crowns (στέφανοι ἴων) worn by herself and a gal pal, suggesting she spent some time in the violet season with violet flowers in her hair. Hence "violet-haired", perhaps. ἰάνθινος meant "of the colour of violets", which are violet and were violet then, in a non-Newtonian sense. Definitely a purple on the blueish end of the range. The dark-haired interpretation is from scholars with no poetry in their souls.
Homophobic historians claiming Sappho was straight is simultaneously so hilarious and so infuriating.
That’s why they gave her Penis, from the island of men. The manliest man, a man with a penis from man Island could be 😅😂
It was the original gal with pals and why reddit has a community called sappho and her friend/pal
The way historians and academia perpetuate this lie that homosexuality is a modern western invention is honestly so sinister...
@@kalebh3419 True. It's quite scary, honestly. The fact they try to lie and also deny that homosexuality has been a thing for a LONG time is really sus of them and of course, super homophobic.
Yeah, it's kinda like you don't know if you should be worried about their level of intelligence or terrified they'd burn you at the stake if they had a chance. Tbh it normally comes out to be both sides lmao
Fun fact: older cultures sometimes used different words to describe colors. Ancient Japan didn't have a word for "green" and considered it a shade of blue. So maybe Sappho's "violet" hair wasn't actually purple? But probably was a dark color - I would assume raven-colored (as in, black but maybe showing blues, greens, or purples in certain lights?). Or maybe she was just super dedicated go aesthetics and put a shit ton of energy into dying her hair. I would, if I got thrown back in time. I love my crazy colors
I did a little digging, and it seems Alcaeus used the word ιοπλόκος (ioplókos) for her, which apparently was a poetic way to refer to dark hair.
On the other hand, the word literally translates to 'violet-knitted', so it's likely she just liked to adorn her hair with violets.
Lesbian cottagecore af.
This matches how my classic professor explained it, so while I’ve long forgotten the details I’m pretty sure your right!
Violet was referencing blue-black hair.
@@CM-ss5pe Sappho wrote in her poetry of violet garlands/crowns (στέφανοι ἴων) worn by herself and a gal pal. The word πλόκος (plokos) can mean a "wreath or chaplet" as well as a lock of hair, according to the Liddell/Scott _Greek-English Lexicon_ The examples given include flowers and herbs. I think you just solved it. The whole "dark-haired" explanation smacks of Victorian academic theory to me. Old men who had never danced with violets in their hair.
I believe the Greeks also had no unique word for blue if I'm remembering art history correctly.
I had a Greek literature professor try to argue the "she could have been writing from the perspective of a man" framing and claim that whether or not Sappho was a lesbian isn't really important to understanding her poetry, and I genuinely have never had my respect for a teacher plummet so quickly.
Also one of the funniest attempts to straightwash her poetry is that one scholar claimed that the lines "on a soft bed you let loose your longing" from frag. 94 were about taking a nap
I've read somewhere that she worked writing wedding poems from the husband point of view, i don't know if it's true though
I let loose my longing at least once a week
Like my Labour Law Professor who advocated for reinstating census suffrage.
I almost dropped that course on the spot.
As a Greek, I can tell you your professor is wrong. Most likely because they were homophobic. It is the acceptable norm to say that Sappho was a lesbian and she had regular lesbian parties on the Greek Island of Lesbos, which where the word 'lesbian' was originated from . The island also has a statue of Sappho. Homosexuality was considered normal back in ancient Greece.
It amazes me that people think that makes more sense, than. Her wanting to romance women.
I mean, yeah. It could be. Maybe he's right. But, like. Is that more likely than her just. Liking women? Is it really?
The idea that queer historians were trolling the people who only bothered to read translations just tickles me so so much
“Penis from the Island of Men” what a wonderful name for a husband 🤣😭
@@nevadag606 ooh, is it french? (sarcasm)
@@nevadag606 It just reminds me of a few lesbian couples I knew in college who named their favorite dildos and then referred to them by name as boyfriends. Which sounds super weird now, but this was the very early aughts, so most of them weren't out to the larger world yet.
Sappho might have been a stock character in Attic comedy (that of a horny woman 🙄) and Kerkylas of Andros might have also originated from there.
Maybe Lesbians are just normal woman from the Greek island of Lesbos 😊❤ it has nothing to do with their sexuality
I was recently in a Starbucks here in the Deep South and they had a Sappho quote on their board. Either a) they have no idea she was the original Super Lesbian, or b) they were actually allies and were telling the LGBTQA+ community in a way most people down here wouldn't notice if they didn't belong to the community.
Either way, I loved it.
That’s wonderful, I’m definitely hoping it’s the second!
What was the quote?
@@Angi3_6 I dont remember exactly but it was a really beautiful quote about her being away from her love and wanting to be with them again.
@@erinhowett3630
Was it something like this?
"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!"
It's from the poem 'Ode to Aphrodite'. (Fun fact: Part of this poem was written by Willow on Tara's back in the Buffy episode 'Restless'.)
I hope it was code. We need more allies down here. Southwest for me but southern in ideology. 🧙🏻
This ensemble is fantastic. Sappho would be proud 🥰
awnn thank you!
Agreed. Absolutely STUNNING
I swoon at this outfit and the goddess in it.
10/10 inspiration with this look Jess. I'm also a ginger with EDS, and I have been rather insecure about my decolletage until I saw you rocking this neckline ("Well, Jess is stunning, what's holding me back from enjoying a loose summery dress...").
Hi
"Calm down Victorian historians."
The cry of non-male historians since 1910.
Came here to say the equal. 😂😂😭😭
What is does non-male mean? Are you referring to women?
Victorian historians had both very vivid and yet very limited imaginations. So many historic myths were created by lazy white male intellectuals.
"We're here! We're queer! We're historically-confirmed-to-have-been around-for-at-least-approximately-four-thousand-five-hundred-ish years!"
Lovely video & outfit! 💜
The outfit is everything. Really, fabulous history video, as usual, and I know that Jessica likes her look to belong to the 1950s repertoire, but THIS period-inspired look....THIS. IS. GORGEOUS on you, Jessica. I found it difficult to concentrate b/c I was staring at you so intensely.
Sappho lived 2600 years ago. Still a while ago for sure.
“I’m a lesbian, and sometimes we just eat toast.” I mean, I know most folks here are probably LGBTQ+ or allies (like myself). But damn sis, YES. ITS 👏 NOT 👏 ALL 👏 ABOUT 👏 SEX 👏
**cheers you on in asexual!!**
Be good to see two people frivolously eating toast though.
As a lesbian myself, I love this. I am not a sexually active person and I feel annoyed when people assume all of us lesbians are super sexual people or something. It's infuriating. lol
English is not my first languange, I wasn't sure that "eat toast" wasn't an euphemism for something sexual, tbh.
Kristan:: And. here I was thinking that "Eating toast" was what young folks are calling it these days.
No one can wear a crown of golden laurel leaves like you, Jessica. 🎀💖🎀
This is accurate. I could never pull that off. She's gorgeous
I love the crown.
I would love to see one on Alan Turing how was know for his Turing machine and played a crucial role in cracking coded messages from the axis power and is considered the father of the modern computer.
His genius was ignored for decades just because he was gay, which was a terrible injustice
@@chadfalardeau5396 I know, he was treated horrible and was forced to undergo chemical castration because he was gay.
And that terrible movie too...
As someone who comes from the island of Lesbos, this video makes me really happy. :D I make a point to talk about this whenever there is an opportunity (usually when I introduce myself for the first time, it becomes a talking point) because even though I am not part of the LGBTQ+ community, I think it is really important to highlight parts of history that are often overlooked or intentionally erased in mainstream education. To this day, I am yet to find someone who knows about Sappho or how the term Lesbian came to be; I will be pointing them to your video from now on also. Love your work!
Lovely video, and lovely costume! Thank you for talking about Sappho; it warms my scholarly heart.
Sappho's poetry was actually my dissertation focus, and I've spent FAR too much time detangling silly myths about her. I feel inspired to do a deep dive on my own channel now!
Suffice to say, YES she loved other women, and NO she likely didn't ever meet Alcaeus or actually know a boatman named Phaon. We don't even have real evidence for her 'circle' except that she seems to have had a lot of female friends, which, would be kinda normal?
Also, Erinna was a fellow female poet from a similar time who wrote didactic epic rather than lyric poetry. No evidence they knew each other, either, but HUZZAH for ancient poetesses!
"I'm a lesbian, and sometimes we just eat toast" is a phenomenal statement! I may have to get that on a mug 😂
"That is a niche that honestly....ticks my boxes"
MRS. Kellgren-Fozard, such bold language! 😂
It’s not Lesbian unless it comes from the Lesbos island of Greece, otherwise it’s just sparkling homosexuality
Perfect!!!
Marvelous. 🌴👸
++
Underrated comment
This kind of stuff is why I keep coming to the comments section of videos. You might just find comedy GOLD!!!!
Jessica: proof that homosexuality is as old as legends
Sappho from up above: I'm proud of you my fellow sapphic woman now I could rest at peace
I genuinely believe that if you created videos on the historical topics/periods/places/etc that are taught in high schools and college, the world would learn and retain far more than ever before.
I am so happy for your and Claud's growing family and hope you are adjusting as best as you possibly can to parenthood. You both are amazing mothers and I hope you both never doubt that!
Oh my god! I have that olive branch tiara too! I wear it around the house and it makes life 100 times more fabulous.
Ah, the history books that list roommates. Tale as old as time. Reminds me of when I was ten and my parents finally told me, yeah, Robin is not Grandma's roommate. lol. (They got married in 2011 so yay!)
go grandma!
ah yes, good room mate best friend robin.
All the best wishes to grandma and robin!!
Good for grandma! :D Best wishes to them.
"They were room mates!"
I just came back from my cousin’s presentation of his poetry book about his coming out, and he talked about Sappho too, so this video is fitting in perfectly in my day 💕
Awww good for him! Maybe in the future his poetry will be historically important to LGBTQ people
@@millies2788 that's so sweet, thank you! I really hope so
As a straight, cis black woman i really like your series...it's interesting, entertaining and well researched.
Quora says: “The epithet ioplókamos “violet-tressed”, e.g. having hair of a dark colour, is applied to the Muses.” [edit:] After further research I found that “violet” was also used for describing breasts, and possibly meant “smelling like violets”. So it seems more logical to me that hair and breasts both would be described as smelling like violets, rather than describing color. Or maybe, like Pat The Plant wrote below, it described flower adornments for heads and chests.
The plokamos ending also means wreathed or chapletted, that is, having garlands of flowers in the hair. Not sure about the authenticity of the dark-haired interpretation. Sappho mentioned in her poetry wearing violet crowns (στέφανοι ἴων) with a dear gal pal and Alceus was almost certainly referencing that. The Muses clearly also liked a few flowers in their hair.
@@pattheplanter After further research I also found that “violet” was also used by Sappho for describing Muses’ breasts, and possibly meant “smelling like violets”. So it seems more logical to me that hair and breasts both would be described as smelling like violets, or like you said - adorned with them.
@@kyivstuff Fragment 58, yes. iokolpos has several possible meanings, Sappho was, perhaps, being very naughty with that one. Breasts, lap, folds of clothing or ... look kolpos up in Liddell and Scott at Perseus. Though that sense may be later.
FYI, Natalie Barney wasn't an orphan. She inherited her fortune after her father died, but her mother Alice, and sister Laura, lived on. They're both fascinating in their own right. Alice was a painter for instance, and used Natalie as a model for Lucifer. There's a great book about Natalie her sapphic circle called "Wild Heart" by Suzanne Rodriguez.
The way you give literally voice to people in history, makes their stories matter! Before our eyes you bring them to life in such a compelling way that they matter personally! What a joy to watch this intellectual firework!
Jessica, this video warms my heart and soul! Sappho has been one of my guiding lights since I finally understood that I am bisexual and your so non-judgmental, engaging histories are always a gift!
For my LGBT choir's 20th anniversary we ran a composition competition to increase the amount of LGBT specific choral pieces and the winner was Three Songs of Sappho by Nicholas Tristan. Three of Sappho's poems set to music. It was challenging to learn, but a joy to sing. For some of our younger members this was the first time that they had heard of Sappho. There is a recording on TH-cam if anyone is interested in hearing it.
Yesss recordiiiing
@@PequenaNoobAmaPudim th-cam.com/video/XDzGkZC0Yy0/w-d-xo.html
@@WandaMay22 That was beautiful, thank you so much for sharing
i did a whole presentation this year on sappho for my interview for teacher training course and i truly think it’s down to her. lesbians keep winning 💞
Don’t worry about butchering the pronunciations of the names. You’re doing much better than I would and I don’t have a hearing disability. Love your outfits
Ancient Greeks actually perceived colour differently from us. The most known example on record is Homer describing the colour of the sea as the colour of good aged wine. So, when Alcaeus said that Sappho had violet hair he probably meant something closer to burgundy or dark brown/black.
do you have sources for this? Because if so that is super fascinating.
@@sedona3663 I'm Greek so I've been taught about that in high school (we learn Ancient Greek actually) but it's been a few years.
I've also read a very detailed article by a Classics professor:
Can we Hope to understand how the Ancient Greeks saw the world? | Aeon Essays
I've found these videos quite informative as well:
Were the Greeks colourblind? - by Ancient Greece Revised
Why the Ancient Greeks Couldn't See Blue - by ASAPscience
Sorry I couldn't use the links, TH-cam didn't like that! I hope that helps 😊
@@kat_kami I also remember that Homer’s phrase “black earth”. Is this term still used in modern Greek?
@@e.8977 I am not sure about that one but we still use a lot of homeric expressions in modern Greek like "αιέν αριστεύειν" which means 'forever/always excelling', or "άνοιξαν οι ασκοί του Αιόλου" which literally means "the bags of Aeolus have opened" which can be translated as 'all hell broke loose' and of course the one's that exist in English as well, e.g "Trojan horse" (Δούρειος Ίππος), "siren's call" (ήχησαν οι Σειρήνες) and "Achilles' heel" (Αχίλλειος πτέρνα) and many others. Some of them have even retained their ancient Greek form and syntax and acquired and idiomatic quality like "Αιέν αριστεύειν" or "Έπεα πτερόεντα" ( which means something close to 'spoken words fly away, writing stays forever', equivalent to verba volant, scripta manent).
I don't know if that's helpful, but I hope it puts it into perspective... Sorry for the long comment!
I don't think they perceived colors differently, they just named the colours differently. Colours are on a spectrum, so the way they are categorized differs per culture. There is still some debate on whether or not that means they perceive colours differently (i.e. linguistic determinism).
Ooh I’d been hoping to learn more about Sappho so this video is perfect!
The amount of work you do despite your chronic fatigue is incredible, thank you for another fantastic video!
Jessica is an ABSOLUTE GODDESS! STUNNING! BEAUTIFUL! 💖
21:23 That pose in that dress is iconic, Jessica!
Excellent video on Sappho!
Did my dissertation on Sappho! She was an amazing artist and poet, glad more people in the queer and WLW community are talking about her, makes my heart happy! A brilliant video ❤️
Regarding the whole AD/BC - CE/BCE:
1) I recently had to google it cuz I was utterly confused
2) In my native language (Czech) we simply call it "before/after our counting of time" and I really appreciate that now :D
Same here in Finland. Just keep it simple folks 😆
We have the same expression in Germany 'vor/nach Beginn der Zeitrechnung', but I think the more popular phrase is 'vor/nach Christus', generally abbreviated v.Chr./n.Chr., so you would see e.g. 100 v.Chr. / 100 n.Chr.
@@Marskilius still to this day, after almost 15 years of living in Finland, I'm amazed how many things we say the same way :D
@@AV-we6wo Considering how much German language influenced Czech, this doesn't surprise me at all. 👍
@@Marskilius Same for Estonia, the before/after Crist has been used in the past and I guess still in religious texts but nowhere else now...
I started playing June’s Journey because of you! I’m at level 155 now!
I play everyday on an awesome team!
This is the video all the wlw have been waiting for!
I studied classics and loved this video. I've had teachers tell the class "she's not really a lesbian" and it pisses me off. It's because they studied when the fake husband script was the prominent theory
This dress is making you look fabulous! I absolutely love how sassy you are when you're tired 😂
EDIT: as a pansexual woman married to a man I can put my two hands up, why the default couldn't be any other sexuality, was there someone who decided that? May I have a second to talk with their ghost? It will be peaceful. Or maybe not.
agreed! (another pan married to a man)
I had a vague awareness, long before realizing that I'm bi, that being not 100% heterosexual was probably the actual norm. (I'm very into science fiction, and it's a detail that has casually come up in more stories than I can count. And some of the best science fiction writers have been actual scientists! I knew this before learning about straight-washing of history.)
You look so pretty, it’s insane.
I heard that "violet" was also a poetic way to describe black/dark colored! im not sure though
lol I just commented about this then scrolled down and saw your comment XD Violet was a word for blue way back when, so violet hair was indeed a descriptor for someone with blue-black hair, which would shine with that distinctive violet edge in sunlight!
Sapphist sounds like a professional title, I like it
15:43 This might be the first time I've ever witness Jessica and anime in the same context. I love it!
Also, "stonk" at 17:30!
I love your story telling Jessica. Especially when it is "Salty". Great story.
Salty Jessica is my favorite Jessica.
The vibe when you say "Do we care?" is impeccable. I also love your diadem (tiara?), hair, and dress!
I'm so in love with this dress!
Thank you, I learned a lot about Sappho!
I'll know I've reached the peak of my transition when I can throw on an ancient Greek inspired gown and sprawl myself upon a piece of long furniture as elegantly as you can Jessica ♥️
Oh my god, I'm so excited you mentioned the Suda because most people don't know that's the source for most of our biographical information about Sappho (plus her poems), however unreliable it might be.
Also, I study classics in university and in last semester's linguistics class, one of the things we talked about was dialects, including the "Lesbian dialect" and every time I talked about what I learned at home, my parents would be like: it's so strange to hear that word purely refer to the island of Lesbos and not to sexuality.
However, as a perfectionist, I want to add a few details. Sappho actually had 3 brothers (according to the Suda, but still). And historians and literary scholars do have a point when they say you should be careful claiming poetry is biographical because we know that poetry in antiquity, including love poetry, had certain tropes and typical names. However, even if the relationships in Sappho's poetry are not authentic, there's still the fact she lived with a group of girls AND the fact she wrote, as a woman, about her love for other girls, so it doesn't really matter if those relationships were fictional or not, they're still there in her poetry. The acceptance of homosexuality in her own time is also relative because lots of women got away with relationships with other women because people didn't believe women could have s*x with each other.
The poem by Plato you mentioned, about the tenth Muse, is probably not by Plato, it's just attributed to him.
Regarding Alcaeus, my professor literally told us last semester that he and Sappho never met, despite both being aristocrats in Mytilene in the same period, writing poetry (but quite different poetry, even though it's both monodic).
Her supposed husband was Kerkylas, not Kerikles, since the Greek word κέρκος does indeed mean p*nis. (Andros is an actual Greek island, though, even if it's pretty much the word for "man".)
Omitting the initial aspiration just means they had no H sound (neither did other dialects in that region, which is the reason the letter H was used for the èta and not the aspiration).
Like other people have said, "violet-haired" probably doesn't mean she had purple hair. There's been a lot of debate on Greek colours because Homer described the sea as "wine-coloured" and ξανθός, traditionally interpreted as yellow/green, is used for human skin. So Sappho probably just had dark or black hair.
Sorry about the essay (didn't mean to write so many corrections/additions), so as a bonus, I'm gonna say we only have 1 complete poem by Sappho, which was the first in the Alexandrian edition. This is the so-called Hymn to Aphrodite, in which she asks the goddess for help to win back her lover, but only in the 5th (of 6) stanza, it becomes clear that she's talking about a woman, and even then only because of a feminine participle. Naturally, because it's such a small thing, lots of translators and such have tried to erase the fact that poem is about a female lover.
Jessica looks so flawless and regal in this video and I LOVE it
This look is EVERYTHING. I'm so excited for you to cover this topic!!
Your Sappho costume is absolutely delightful! That crown is just *chief kiss*
Um, can we just appreciate how good Jessica looks here?
Loved this video ^-^ Highly recommend the book Sapphistries for anyone interested in delving more into this topic and also a history of love between women.
I needed this. Comphet has been wearing me down. I genuinely was starting to question my identity again for no real reason except lack of rep in my life.
first thought 'holy crap! Jessica looks absolutely stunning!' i mean, she always does, but she just looks...even more amazing today! you are just so beautiful! thank you for the wonderful videos and gorgeous style!
I love these history lessons, so much more interesting than class ever was. The extra touch of dressing to the style of the era/person being discussed just makes it more fun. I used to sleep in world history class (back row end seat), probably a mistake then but I am awake now!
the most beautiful, smooth, soft, sapphic video ever! seriously, Jessica, you did IT! much love
Yesterday was a bit stressful for me and I can't believe I missed this perfect sounding video! I have been excited since you shared this costume and headpiece on Instagram.
This outfit begs to be worn EVERYWHERE. I love your historical profiles.
The bit about "purple hair" probably means that her hair was that kind of black that has a blue-ish shimmer. The ancient Greeks were a bit weird when it comes to describing colours, there are references in old texts to the "wine-coloured" sea... 🤷♀️
I'm super in love with Jessica's look in this video! The hair, dress, accesories, and everything! Reawakened my Greek mythology phase.
I love this series soooo much!
I love Sappho, so glad to see a video about her❤
Absolutely love the hair and tiara and love the dress and the whole ensemble is just FABULOUS 👌
The words used for colours have changed meaning a lot over time and between cultures. Homer wrote of a "wine dark sea", the sea wasn't really the colour of wine, that was just what they called it.
AHHH YESSS I'VE WANTED YOU TO DO A VIDEO ON SAPPHO FOR SO LONG!!! :D I'm incredibly interested in her, it's one of my hyperfixations, and your historical profile videos always fill me with so much excitement and glee, so this combination is literally perfection for me!!
I continue to be impressed by Jessica's ability to rock literally any outfit
your greek muse inspired getup is absolutely gorgeous jessica omg and im learning so much toooo love your vids!!!
Yes! I’ve been waiting for this one and boy it was well worth the wait, I love the sarcasm laced throughout, definitely brightened my week. Thank you and all hail Sappho!
Actually it was pretty common in Ancient Greece for women to completely expose their breasts in hot weather. We’ve got evidence of some dresses specifically designed without any chest covering, presumably meant to be for those days when your boobs become a sweat factory (at least those of us with larger breasts). Total Nudity was also fairly common in certain contexts, like public bathing and swimming.
Hm, that's something new. Female nudity was considered shameful and immoral by the ancient greeks up until roman times. Even when exercising women would not be fully nude and would never let men see them because of this. Do you have any source for this?
@@elektrakomplexet Greek women also tended not to spend a whole lotta time in mixed company, depending on their social status and city. They might have been boobs out in the women's quarters.
@@elektrakomplexet are minoans considered to be greeks? If yes, in some points in history (early minoan period specifically) women were not only allowed but possibly even expected to keep their breasts exposed at all times, hence why there are so many statues and images of women wearing floor length dresses with fully exposed breasts from the time period
@@miglek9613 Minoans are not considered to be Greeks. They predate Ancient Greece and had a completely different culture. They are not indo-european but Greeks are.
@@elektrakomplexet "not letting men see them" has no bearing on the acceptability of nudity in general. That brings a potential sexual aspect into the picture. India for example had comparable climate, light fabrics & flowing robes, & the majority of ancient sculptures leave nothing to the imagination except the genitals, but literature shows that clothes were being worn. People were just less uptight about letting everything air out, to the extent that colonizers called the native women sluts for not covering their breasts in the summer heat while the white men sweated in multiple layers of suits. Even today, you'll frequently find women & men sitting around exposing themselves to the air in private with friends & family, but they will quickly cover up when public decency demands it. The hot & sultry weather has that effect.
I read quite a bit of Sappho's work in school and it was great. Bisexuality was pretty much the norm in ancient Greece (men would marry a woman mostly for the family; many had other relationships with younger boys). Homosexuality however was still frowned upon a bit. It was probably quite clear to the people who read Sappho's work that she was only attracted to women since poetry was seen as something entirely autobiographical at the time. She was still revered as a poet, even though she was gay and a woman, which clearly shows that poets from her time already considered her one of the greatest poets. The reason that we barely have any complete poems of Sappho is because during the Middle Ages, the church refused to copy the 9 volumes since she described romantic feelings towards girls. Such a shame.
Historians also decided that Alcaeus must have asked Sappho to marry him because they found a vase that depicted Sappho in a chair and Alcaeus looking a bit dissapointed maybe. I didn't find it very convincing.
That is hilarious. Apparently I've had dozens of proposals by that standard.
Great to see you back
Thanks! I really like this narration and videos of such topics, please keep good work : )
Thank you so much!
So glad you enjoyed! I love making queer history videos x
15:51 If someone described my face as a “marvelous phenomenon” I would simply pass away
The Researcher and Logical part of me says your video is well-presented with adequate info, soothing narration, snarky comments and good humor, concluded wonderfully and meaningfully. You've done justice to her legacy and to Sapphics everywhere.
The Lesbian in me can't stop sweating over your appearance and almost fainted when you said "-in a toga that could slip off if needs be-" HAVE MERCY ON MY WEAK HEART
SAPPHO! YES! And the dress suits you so nicely
I'm just all in for Jessica dressing the part on the historical profiles
Goodness I love this video. The dress, the sass, the different camera angles! Beautifully made Jessica!
Lovely as always, Jessica!! And that Greek ATTIRE suits you SO well, I am truly stunned. Your loveliness grows with every video, my dear!
I'm so glad to watch you talk about Sappho ! Her poetry is indeed very gay and we must honor the lesbian icon.
I HAVE BEEN PLAYING JUNE'S JOURNEY FOR 4 YEARS!! GLAD WE SHARE THAT!!
These historical profiles are probably my favorite content from you! Super interesting every time!
The dress! That lipstick color! Your crown! This whole outfit and video overall was perfectttt
Whatever Alma-Tadema's intentions, I totally interpret his painting as wholesome admiration between colleagues, nothing more nothing less (which is almost the vibe I get from Alcaeus, who almost seems politely worshipful in that fragment to me)
I loved EVERYTHING about this video!!!! The message, the outfit, just everything!!!!
Yay! I'm so excited about this one. I did a presentation about Sappho in my humanities class back in high school. :D
I'M SCREAMING im half from Lesbos Greece and currently in vacation here I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU MADE A VIDEO ABOUT HER
This is ㅡ by far ㅡ one of the most entertaining videos I've ever seen. Thanks, Jessica! I'm a big fan. ♡
9:56 this bit really gave me ContraPoints vibes it's awesome
i can't wait for historians to find this TH-cam channel
Jessica: Here is my loving wife, who I love romantically in a lesbian way, and our son, who we raise together as a lesbian couple.
historians: Aww so glad this heterosexual woman found a girlpal roommate to help raise her child after her husband, Karl, unfortunately died before both finally found new husbands, also both named Karl.
just broke up with my gf. watching this kinda helps to get her off my mind..
Oof, we've all been there. Things will get better rather soon!
Hope you feel better soon
I'm sorry and hope you are still doing well all things considered. Do some self care but also let yourself feel whatever you need to feel right now.
@@DieAlteistwiederda wonderfully stated
Sending you loving hugs!
Omg finally, Ive been waiting for this historical profile!!
I'm pausing the video to say YOU LOOK ABSOLUTELY FREAKING GORGEOUS this dress with your hair color and the crown perfection chef kiss ethereal queen
Lol I am never disappointed nor can I get enough of Jessica’s energy and informatively positive spirit 😂❤️🥰❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️😍🤩
The “it didn’t work out” at 4:16 sent me 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
"P---- from the isl;e of man" is the funniest troll I've seen in a while 😂😂😂
can you imagine a chat between sappho and anne lister? they look up to all of us wlw, i just know
also you look fabulous on costume, a true goddess