Sappho of Lesbos
Have you ever wondered where the term “ lesbian ” or “ Sapphic ” came from ? It was none other than the archaic female poet , Sapphos hailing from the Greek island of Lesbos , who inspired these terms . Although not a lot remains from her work , it is apparent that she held samesex relationships and wrote about them fairly openly in her poems . Most of her poems are written about an unnamed female lover . Some researchers have speculated that her mention of a female lover is simply a “ persona ” or “ metaphor ,” however this is unlikely considering that many critiques of her work at the time considered her a “ masculine woman ,” alluding to the fact that she participated in Sapphic relationships herself . She was called “ The Poetess ,” just as Homer was called “ The Poet .” She is frequently considered one of the greatest Greek poets of all time , and has cemented her legacy as a bold visionary and artist . Plato considered her “ The Tenth Muse .” She was honored greatly with statues and coins of her .