ABSTRACT
According to an Oxyrhynchus papyrus dated to the late second or early third century CE, or only some nine hundred years after Sappho’s death, Sappho in respect to (“shape”) was and (“easy to despise” and “unshapely”); in respect to (“appearance”) she
was (“dark-complexioned”); and in respect to (“size”) she was (“small”).1 Such was the disrepute into which Sappho had fallen by the third century CE that her shape, appearance, and size all receive bad marks. And so perhaps began the stereotypical image of the lesbian as too short, dark, and ugly to attract a man.
