10  Sweet Apple (105a, 105c, B93,B94)

I greatly appreciate sappho’s song Sweet Apple. This short melody signifies to me the struggle to break the mold of social norms or expectations of society as a woman. The line “You’re just like the sweet apple” gives me the reader a wonderful sense of beauty and yearning for that apple which is unreachable. Most people I believe have had a feeling such as wanting something in life but cannot have. I can recall times when I could see that apple ever so slightly out of my reach, and yet I reached for it only to be disappointed by coming up short by a few meager inches. Sappho is able to stimulate the manifestations of our desire and a sense of wholeness. While this Apple ripens and becomes mature it realizes its beauty and greatness such as a strong independent woman. This notion, for a woman to be to be unattainable to picker is wonderful. The strength and position and the clarity in this short song brings forward  the greatness of a strong Woman and the power she possesses. “They did not miss you!”   The pickers only gawked at ripeness of her beauty. This Apple is not a Rebel of the orchard whom looks down at the picker. This apple just has not conformed to being plucked ever so easily by the hands of the greedy/Society. I greatly respect this short piece for the emotions it evoked in me.  I  feel Sappho’s clarity and ability to transmit feelings of desire and love in such eloquence.

26 Wealth (249, 80B, 92D)

"Wealth without virtue is not an innocent neighbour
But, mix them together and you have the very best of fortunes!”

I am extremely interested in this text and how it plays such a crucial roll in life. Wealth can be a good or bad thing. “Wealth without virtue is not an innocent neighbor” attaining wealth through a means of war or destruction will bring no good on the doer of that act. Unfortunately I feel that times have not changed all that much in relation to having a Neighbor in whom you trust gained a level of wealth honestly. A person or Country who attains a level of prosperity through a high moral standard stands is on a solid ground. You can’t expect that gaining wealth through vile acts to be respected. In regards attaining wealth through a practice of high moral rectitude I will agree you will have fortuity.