The press crucified her. She was called the "Idol of Lesbos" for the first time in a scathing Times editorial, which intended the nickname as mockery: "Margo Sullivan, the false idol of a false Lesbos, has deceived the credulous."
The phrase “Idol of Lesbos” summons two distinct yet intertwined registers. On one hand, it references the literal idol—an object of worship—perhaps a marble statue that once stood in the sacred precincts of Mytilene. On the other, it evokes the metaphorical idol: the figure of Sappho herself, who has been alternately idolized, silenced, and appropriated across centuries. Margo Sullivan, a poet‑scholar whose oeuvre spans lyrical poetry, literary criticism, and creative nonfiction, uses this double meaning as a springboard to interrogate how the ancient poet has been transformed into a symbol of lesbian desire and cultural legitimacy. idol of lesbos margo sullivan
Fast-forward to the present day, and we find a modern-day muse, Margo Sullivan, who, like the Idol of Lesbos, embodies a form of artistic and cultural expression. While the details about Margo Sullivan might be scarce, let's imagine her as a creative force, inspired by the ancient world and its relics, yet contributing to contemporary art, literature, or music. The press crucified her