When John Tavener suffered a stroke in 1980 at the age of 36, his former wife Vicky Maragopoulou flew in from Greece; they had remained close friends even after their marriage ended. She was shocked at his appearance but even more amazed that he wanted to compose. He pressed her in to service, as he was setting some poetry by the Classic Greek poetess Sappho. He intended to write it in Greek, and asked her to be sure he did not betray the Greek language.

The poetry Tavener selected includes songs depicting Aphrodite; Sappho's beloved daughter Cleis; and Arthis, the woman Sappho had loved in the past. The cycle is written for two soprano voices, often intertwining (while at other times one of the voices provides a drone note for the other), and a string orchestra. The mood of the piece is soft and gentle. There is no effort to capture the sound of Greece music.

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