The poem Willow is painting on Tara’s back in her dream in Restless is by Sappho and is in the original Greek:
Deathless Aphrodite on your lavish throne,
Enchantress, daughter of Zeus: I beg you, queen,
Do not overpower my soul with heartaches
and hard troubles,
But come here, if ever at another time
Having heard my voice you paid me attention
And leaving the golden house of your father
you came to me,
Yoking your horse and chariot: gorgeous swift
Sparrows carried you over the coal-black earth,
Thickly whirling their feathers through the midst of
heaven’s ether.
Swiftly they arrived, and you, O blessed one,
Smiling with your immortal face, you asked for
What I suffered, and why again I call you
And what in my maddened soul I desire most
To happen to me: what dearest one shall I now
Persuade to lead you back to her — who, O Sappho,
wronged you this time?
For even if she flees, swiftly she will pursue;
And if she does not receive my gifts, she will give;
And if she does not love me, swiftly she will love,
Even against her will. So come to my aid now,
Release me from my grievous cares, fulfill as much
As my heart yearns to be fulfilled: come, be my
fellow-fighter
August 9th, 2005 at 1:48 am
I think it’s amazing that they went to that much trouble for a few moments on screen. Of course they only did the first few lines:
poikilo’ thron’ athanat’ aphrodita
pai dios doloploka, lissomai se
me m’asaisi med’ oniaisi damna
potnia thumon
alla tuid’ elth’ ai pota katerota
tas emas audos aioisa peloi
Ah her manycoloured throne! now if only they had used Aeolic sigma :-)