Fares Soliman
Prof. C. Wagner
El 206.01
10 Feburary 2023
The Age of Heroes
The Age of Heroes is a term often used to describe the period of ancient Greek literature and culture, during which many famous poets and epic poets flourished. Two of the most notable figures from this era are Sappho and the anonymous author of The Song of Songs, also known as the "Song of Solomon" in the King James translation of the Bible. While these two works were written in different languages and contexts, they share a number of similarities and differences in their aesthetic impact.
One of the most striking similarities between The Song of Songs and Sappho's He Is More Than a Hero is their use of sensual and erotic imagery. Both works are filled with vivid descriptions of love and desire, and they both use imagery that is both lush and rich. For example, in The Song of Songs, the author describes the beauty of the beloved with lines such as "Thy navel is like a round goblet, which wanteth not liquor: thy belly is like a heap of wheat set about with lilies" (7:2). Similarly, Sappho's He Is More Than a Hero describes the beauty and desirability of the hero with lines such as "He is more than a hero—he is a god in my eyes—the man I love" (Fr. 31 V).
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Both The Song of Songs and Sappho's He Is More Than a Hero use repeated phrases and parallel constructions to create a sense of rhythm and musicality. For example, in The Song of Songs, the phrase "I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine" (6:3) is repeated several times, while in Sappho's He Is More Than a Hero, the phrase "he is more than a hero" is repeated several times as