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151–300

'And each who hears rejoices, more than him who spake, to insult over thy woes.' The participle is added to complete the sense of χαίρων. ἄχεσιν is dative of the cause or occasion. Cp. infr. 955.

ἁμάρτοι] For the omission of τις, which is supplied in the next sentence, see Essay on L. § 39. P. 72, 3. This is the harder and more dignified reading.

ἔρπει implies a stealthy advance, differing from στείχει, which would signify open menace. Cp. Pind. Nem. 8. 36, ἅπτεται δ᾽ ἐσλῶν ἀεί, χειρόνεσσι δ᾽ οὐκ ἐρίζει: Pyth. 11. 45, 6. ἴσχει γὰρ ὄλβος οὐ μείονα φθύνον· | ὁ δὲ χαμηλὰ πνέων ἄφαντον βρέμει.

Some have here supposed a metaphor from building, large and small stones together making the strongest wall. This is fanciful, and not contained in the words; but in any case πύργου ῥῦμα is a 'tower of defence' (Essay on L. § 10. p. 17, 6), and not 'means of defending a tower,' because ῥύεσθαι can hardly mean 'to man,' although in Aesch. S. c. T. 823, it is used of the Divine protection of Thebes. For the whole phrase, cp. Od. 11. 556 (said with reference to Ajax): τοῖος γάρ σφιν πύργος ἀπώλεο: Alc. fr. 23, ἄνδρες πόληος πύργος ἀρεύϊοι : Aesch. Pers. 347.

ἄριστ᾽ ἂν. ὀρθοῖθ᾽'Will best be made secure.' Cp. Thuc. 6. 18, § 4, ὁμοῦ δὲ τό τε φαῦλον καὶ τὸ μέσον καὶ τὸ πάνυ ἀκριβὲς ἂν ξυγκραθὲν μάλιστ᾽ ἂν ἰσχύειν. βαιός] Lit. 'few,' hence 'feeble.'

ὑπό marks that the lesser are to serve the greater: μετά, that the great require the cooperation of the less.

'But foolish men cannot be instructed in these truths.' τούτων γνώμας = ' right judgments about these things.'

τοιούτων, sc. οὕτως ἀνοήτων. 'So foolish are they that clamour against thee,' that there is no hope of bringing them to a better mind.

πρὸς ταῦτ᾽ ἀπαλέξασθαι] Sc. ταῦτα. 'This being so, we have no strength to avert this.'

'But then the truth is that when they have escaped from thine eye.' γάρ covers the whole sentence, and the emphasis is on the latter part, viz. μέγαν, κ.τ.λ. The Chorus mean to say: 'Though we are weak, yet Ajax is strong, and the clamour will subside when he appears.'

The correction of Dawes, which restores the metre by the insertion of δέ, is probably right. For the meaning, cp. Alc. fr. 27. ἔπταζον ὥστ᾽ ὄρνιθες ὦκυν | αἴετον ἐξαπίνας φάνεντα, which also helps to support the punctuation in l. 170.

τάχ᾿ ἄν] 'Soon would they.'

σιγῇ .. ἄφωνοι] Essay on L. §40. p. 75. 'Their noise would be hushed, and they would cower without a word.'

Beginning from a dactylic movement, the ode (expressing the combination of deep sadness with eager hope) continues with trochaic, iambic, and dactylic rhythms, as follows:- ... The slow movement with frequent long syllables increases towards the close.

ἡ ῥα .. Ἄρτεμις] Can it be, as I suspect ( pa), that Artemis?' Ταυροπόλα Διὸς Ἄρτεμις] 'Bull-riding Artemis, daughter of Zeus,' conveys the image of the goddess riding on a bull, as she sometimes appears on coins. In this character (probably derived from the East) Artemis was worshipped in different places with orgiastic rites. Euripides, I. T. 1449 foll., associates this name of Artemis with the supposed derivation of her worship under this attribute from the Tauric Chersonese. She is here alluded to (1) as the subduer of cattle, (2) as the inspirer of frenzy.

ὦ μεγάλα φάτις] ‘Terrible thought!' The simple word μεγάλα has here the special connotation of 'tremendous' or 'overwhelming;' just as the general word κακούς, supr. 133, is opposed to the special word σώφρονας. The Chorus cannot speak of Ajax' supposed error without interposing this expression of horror.

πανδάμους] Cp. supr. ll. 53, 4, and note. ἀγελαίας] (1) Grazing oxen are so called in contradistinction to the labouring ox that is fed at a stall. Or, possibly, (2) the word simply denotes the whole herd of oxen belonging to the host, - the πάνδημος ἀγέλη.

ἡ που] 'Surely, it must have been.' Cp. Trach. 846, 7, where ἢ που is reiterated. τινος νίκας ἀκάρπωτον χάριν] 'Because of a gift of victory that brought her no return.' χάριν = διὰ χάριν. This unusual construction is softened by a reminiscence of the more ordinary (adverbial) use of χάριν = 'because of.' For this confusion, see Essay on L. § 36. p. 67; and cp. Eur. I. T. 566, κακῆς γυναικός χάριν ἄχαριν ἀπώλετο.

ἤ ῥα .. εἴτε] 'Either, as I suspect,.. or whether it were.' Cp. Eur. Alc. 114, 5, ἢ Λυκίας | εἴτ᾽ ἐπὶ τὰς ᾿Αμμωνίδας ἕδρας.

'Disappointed of glorious spoils, or (provoked) because the fall of the stag was followed by no gift.' The MS. reading ψευσθεῖσα δώροις, ‘deceived in the matter of gifts,' is hardly Greek. For the dative, ἀδώροις.. ἐλαφηβολίαις, see Essay on L. § 14. p. 21, and for the order of the words, ibid. § 41. p. 77.

- By reading τιν' for ἤ τιν' a possible construction is obtained, although the text remains doubtful. 'Or can it be that Enyalius of the brazen corslet,' etc. The conjj. ἥντιν', δή τιν', εἴ τιν', are not satisfactory: σοί τιν' (Reiske) is better (sc. μομφὰν ἔχων). The repetition of the η sound in this passage (ll. 176 9, ἢ που, ἤ ῥα, ἤ, ἦ) may have had some poetical or musical effect of which we cannot judge.

μομφὰν . . δορός] ‘Having fault to find with thee on account of his spear associated with thine,' i.e. by reason of some help which he had given thee in battle. Perhaps there is a reminiscence, although the sense is different, of the Epic ξυνὸς Ἐνυάλιος. which Eur. has otherwise applied in Phoen. 1572, κοινὸν ἐνυάλιον . . μαρναμένους. ἐννυχίοις μαχαναῖς] ‘By contriving against thee in the night.'

ἐτίσατο λώβαν] Either (1) 'Punished the wrong done to him,'- τίσασθαι λώβην in ΙΙ. 19. 208, Od. 20. 169, Hes. Theog. 165, is 'to revenge oneself for an outrage:'-or (2) 'Did thee vengeful despite,' λώβαν cogn. acc. Cp. infr. 217, νύκτερος ἀπελωβήθη: 304, ὕβριν ἐκτίσαιτ᾽: Il. 13. 622, 3.

φρενόθεν] Of thine own heart;' i.e. the cause must have been from without, not from within. Ajax could not be himself ( φρενήρης) and do this thing. The gods must have destroyed his senses ( φρένας ὤλεσαν).

ἐπ᾿ ἀριστερά .. ἔβας τόσσον] 'Canst thou have gone so far wrong?" Cp. the metaph. uses of σκαιός, and Plat. Soph. 264 E, where πορεύεσθαι κατὰ τοὐπὶ δεξιὰ ἀεὶ μέρος is 'to make the right selection in each case.'

ἐν ποίμναις πίτνων] ‘As to assault the flocks.' The participle is slightly proleptic (as with πειράσθαι). Cp. Ant. 752, ἢ κἀπαπειλῶν ὧδ᾽ ἐπεξέρχει θρασύς.

ἥκοι γὰρ ἂν θεία νόσος] 'An affliction from the gods, indeed, may have come.' For this use of av with the optative, cp. Aesch. Pers. 706, ἀνθρώπεια δ' ἄν τοι πήματ᾿ ἂν τύχοι βροτοῖς: Ag. 1507, πατρόθεν δὲ συλλήπτωρ γένοιτ᾽ ἂν ἀλάστωρ. These words develop the suggestion conveyed in φρενόθεν γε, το which they are attached with γάρ. Ajax cannot have done this; at least not of his own impulse. It may be, indeed, that a divine visitation is upon him. This possibility is a further reason for rejecting the notion that Ajax is really guilty. ὀλλά] (1) 'It may have come, but Zeus grant that the report may be untrue!' Zeus and Phoebus, as the deities of divination, are implored to grant that the truth may be less terrible than it is according to the report set in motion by the Argives. Or (2) 'It may have come, but even then let not the evil be increased with false rumours spread by Argives.'

'And if, suborning tales of their own making, the mighty kings win currency for them by false means.'

ἢ τᾶς ἀσώτου Σισ. γενεᾶς] The force of the article is continued. Essay on L. § 21. p. 336. The standing reproach against Odysseus, that he was the son of Sisyphus, although not acknowledged as true by Sophocles (see l. 1), is represented as being used against him by his enemies. Cp. especially, Phil. 417, οὑμπολητὸς Σισύφου Λαερτίῳ: Fr. 143, ὡς ὁ Σίσυφος πολὺς | ἔνδηλος ἐν σοί. For Σισυφιδᾶν γενεᾶς, where only one generation is in question, cp. Ant. 981, 2, σπέρμα Ερεχθειδᾶν, of Cleopatra the granddaughter of Erechtheus.

μὴ μή μ', ἄναξ] For the 'Attic' accusative in general construction with what follows, as after verbs of doing good or evil, see E. on L. § 16. р. 23. 'Do not to my hurt incur reproach.' ἐφάλοις κλισίαις ὄμμ' ἔχων] (1) 'Keeping thine eye hidden within the hut by the sea.' The Epic word κλισίαις is used in the Lyric measures. We had σκηναῖς in the dialogue, supr. l. 3. The dative is one of place, as if with ev. For ὄμμα, cp. supr. 167. ἔχων · = κατέχων, 'withholding from sight.' Or (2) 'Keeping thine eye fixed upon the tents.'

ἀλλ᾽ ἄνα ἐξ εδράνων] ‘But up from where thou sittest still.' The hiatus is excused by Hermann on the ground that ava is an interjectional abbreviation. ὅπου.. σχολᾷ] (1) 'Wheresoever thou art thus fixed in a dangerous lethargy of quarrelsome repose.' The Chorus are uncertain of Ajax' whereabouts, as Odysseus was, supr. 33. μακραίωνι implies that some time had passed since the judgment of the arms and Ajax' sullen withdrawal from the fight: cp. infr. 929 foll. ἀγωνίῳ is a difficult word. The inactivity of Ajax was his manner of contending with the chiefs: if the rumour was true, it was an inactivity in which he had been fatally active; and however his leisure was employed, it was becoming full of danger to him. The force of ἀγών, in the sense of a dangerous contest, is therefore suited to the place, and the expression is an oxymoron, 'a perilous quarrelsome rest' (for which, cp. Shak. Ant and Cleo. 1. 3, 'Tis sweating labour To bear such idleness so near the heart.") (2) Others suppose the words merely to mean 'rest from combat,' i.e. from the general combat with the Trojans.

ἄταν οὐρανίαν φλέγων] 'Letting mischief blaze up to the sky.' Cp. Eur. Phoen. 240, 1, αΐμα δάϊον φλέγει. The image of a fire is continued in the following lines.

The arrangement of these lines is difficult. The elision of the last syllable of ὁρμᾶται and the hiatus after ἀτάρβητα and βαρυάλγητα are doubtful points. It can hardly be questioned that the a of εὐανέμοις (for εὐηνέμοις) is long. καχαζόντων is rightly restored for καγχαζόντων. Brambach, (Sophokl. Gesänge) suggesting εὐανέμοις, gives the following scheme... But the difficulties are not thus removed. Perhaps we may venture...

ὧδ'] 'Thus,' as in supr. 141-53.

εὐανέμοις] 'With favouring breezes.' As applied to a harbour, εὐήνεμος is 'sheltered from rough winds;' but the image here is rather that of a forest glade, where, when a little fire is kindled, the wind that is not strong enough to extinguish it only fans it to strength. Cp. I1. 20. 490, 1, ὡς δ᾽ ἀναμαιμάει βαθέ᾽ ἄγκεα θεσπιδαὲς πῦρ | οὔρεος ἀζαλέοιο, βαθεῖα δὲ καίεται ὕλη.

ἐμοὶ .. ἕστακεν] 'I have a grief that will not be removed.'

The exposition of the situation in the Ajax, like the ἀναγνώρισις in the Oed. Tyr., is effected through the meeting of those who on either side know only half the truth. Tecmessa, whose affection for Ajax exceeds that of his own people, comes forth to meet the chorus of mariners before the hut. They learn from her the truth of the calamity. She learns from them the extent of it. Schol. διδάσκει τὸν χόρον ὅτι Αἴας ἐστὶν ὁ σφάξας τὰ ποίμνια. πυνθάνεται δὲ παρὰ τοῦ χοροῦ ὅτι Ἑλληνικὰ ἦν τὰ σφαγέντα, ἑκάτερος οὖν παρ' ἑκατέρου τὸ ἀγνοούμενον μανθάνει.

γενεάς, κ.τ.λ.] 'Of race derived from the Earth-born Erechtheidae.' The Salaminians are, by an anachronism which is repeated infr. 861, counted as originally one with the Athenian people.

ἔχομεν στοναχάς] ‘It is ours to groan.' She claims the sympathy of the chorus, of which they assure her, infr. 210.

τηλόθεν] Sc. ὄντος or σκοπουμένου. Cp. O. T. 1259, οἱ παρῆμεν ἐγγύθεν. The word is not to be immediately joined with κηδόμενοι. Salamis, which she has never seen, seems far away to Tecmessa, whose hopes are notwithstanding centred there.

ὁ δεινὸς μέγας ὠμοκρατής] · Our dread hero, rugged in might.' Various compounds of ὠμός are used to indicate the fierce impetuosity of Ajax, that cannot be reduced to rule: infr. 885, τὸν ὠμόθυμον : 931, ὠμόφρων : 548, ἀλλ᾿ αὐτίκ᾿ ὠμοῖς αὐτὸν ἐν νόμοις πατρὸς | δεῖ πωλοδάμνειν κάξομοιοῦσθαι φύσιν. See also infr. 613, θουρίῳ | κρατοῦντ᾽ ἐν᾿ Αρει. Others would render ὠμοκρατής, 'mighty-shouldered,' comparing the description of Ajax in Il. 3. 227 as ἔξοχος ᾿Αργείων κεφαλὴν ἠδ᾽ εὐρέας ὤμους !

θολερῷ.. χειμῶνι] 'Through a turbid storm.' The darkened mind of Ajax is compared either to the troubling of waters by a flood, or to atmospheric disturbance, as we speak of 'dirty weather.' Cp. Ant. 420, 1, ἐν δ᾽ ἐμεστώθη μέγας | αἰθήρ, μύσαντες δ᾽ εἴχομεν θείαν νόσον, and, for the metaphorical use of θολερός, Aesch. Prom. 885, 6, θολεροὶ δὲ λόγοι παίουσ' εἰκη | στυγνῆς πρὸς κύμασιν ἄτης.

κεῖται] • Is overthrown.' Cp. Plat. Rep. 5. p. 451 Α, κείσομαι, περὶ ἃ ἥκιστα δεῖ σφάλλεσθαι. νοσήσας] ‘Having fallen into madness.' The aorist expresses the suddenness of the stroke.

'What heavy change from the condition of the day hath last night experienced?' This is Triclinius' explanation of τῆς ἁμερίας, sc. καταστάσεως. As in the case of other feminine words used substantively, we need not be precise in supplying the ellipse. Lobeck prefers ὥρας. Ajax' condition on the previous day was lamentable enough: what new trouble has arisen during the night?

Τελεύταντος] The first syllable is to be scanned as long : cp. Ἱππομέδων, Παρθένοπαῖος in Iambic verse. Others read Φρυγίοιο for Φρυγίου, which is questionable both as to the form of the genitive and the division of the line.

λέχος δουριάλωτον] ' In a spear-won marriage.' λέχος cogn. acc.

στέρξας ἀνέχει] 'Having fixed his affection on thee, remains constant to thee.' The mariners accept Tecmessa as their master's choice, although they could have wished a nobler bride for him. For ἀνέχει, see E. on L. § 52. p. 97, and cp. Eur. Hec. 123, Βάκχης ἀνέχων λέκτρ᾽ ᾿Αγαμέμνων: Alc. 304, τούτους ἀνάσχου δεσπότας ἐμῶν δόμων, where the middle voice has a similar force. For cognate uses of ἀνέχω, cp. Fr. 146, Pind. P. 2. 163.

'So that you know, and can tell us what we want to know.' ὑπό in comp. seems here to have the force of 'supplying an answer, or supplying the word that is wanting.' Cp. ὑποκρίνομαι.

πάθος, as the appropriate word, is preferable to βάρος, which may have slipped in in from supr. 209.

νύκτερος] 'In the night.' Essay on L. § 23. p. 36.

τοιαῦτ᾽ ἂν ἴδοις] For τοιοῦτος adducing proof, see Essay on L. § 22. p. 35 a.

χρηστήρια] Either (1) simply 'victims,' or (2) with superstitious reference to the δαίμων of madness. 'Offerings demanded by his rage.'

The metrical scheme (Logaoedic, with frequent syncope) is the following...

ἀνδρὸς αἴθονος] ‘Concerning the fiery man.' Essay on L. § 9. p. 12, 2. If τοι is retained in infr. 245, we may read here οἵαν ἐδήλωσας *κατ᾿ ἀνδρὸς αἴθονος. The short syllable in αἴθονος is sufficiently supported by αΐθονα occurring in Hesychius in the right alphabetical order (immediately after αἶθον). Although αἴθοπος (see v. rr.) may be defended, on the ground that the second part of a compound has sometimes little significance (see esp. infr. 954, κελαινώπαν θυμών), yet αἴθων, which directly expresses character, is more appropriate here, and has the preponderance of MS. authority in its favour.

ἄτλατον οὐδὲ φευκτάν] ‘That can neither be avoided nor endured.'

μεγάλων] 'Terrible.' The mariners, in their feebleness ( supr. 165 foll.), are afraid of the opinion of the host. These words are added as a comment on οὐδὲ φευκτάν. The consequences of the fact cannot be eluded, since it is known to the host, and magnified by rumour.

ὁ μέγας μῦθος] ‘The formidable power of rumour.' Supr. 172, ὦ μεγάλα φάτις. μῦθος is the rumour about this particular thing, with a suggestion of rumour in general. ἀέξει] Not 'exaggerates,' for the evil could not be exaggerated, but, 'which the mighty power of rumour spreads abroad.'

περίφαντος.. θανεῖται] 'He will be discovered and will die.' περίφαντος is explained by the words that follow, παραπλήκτῳ χερί, κ.τ.λ. The nature of the crime defies concealment.

κελαινοῖς ξίφεσιν] · With darkened brand.' The plural, as in Ant. 820, ξιφέων ἐπίχειρα, denotes the action of the sword rather than the sword itself. The epithet κελαινοῖς, as in Trach. 856, κελαινὰ λόγχα, suggests the colour of a sword or spear that has been much used in battle. βοτήρας] Supr. 27, αὐτοῖς ποιμνίων ἐπιστάταις. This fact is known to the mariners from the report of the army, not from Tecmessa. ἱππονώμας] Either (1) because captive horses, like those of Rhesus, were included in the spoil (this might add force to ἱππομανῆ, supr. 143), or rather (2) because the herdsmen were mounted, as might well happen where the herd was so extensive.

ὧν τὴν μέν] Sc. ποίμναν. 'Whereof one part.' The plural ὧν is equivalent to a collective ἧς, referring to ποίμναν supr. The force of ἔσω ('in the tent') is continued to the subsequent clauses. For τὴν μέν followed by τὰ δέ, see Essay on L. § 20. p. 31.

πλευροκοπών δίχ᾽ ἀνερρήγνυ] 'He smote beneath the ribs and ripped asunder.' The two white-footed rams are probably Agamemnon and Odysseus. Menelaus may have been imagined to be slain in combat, while the king of men was brought away in triumph to be the object of more condign vengeance. Ll. 105 foll. leave no room to doubt that the second ram is intended by Ajax for Odysseus.

ἀνελών] · Having lifted,' i.e. by the forefeet.

'He sheared off and threw away (first) the tongue-tip and (then) the head.' E. on L. § 41. p. 78 β, b. The tongue, which had pronounced the judgment, the head, which was the seat of sovereignty, are the first to suffer. For ῥιπτεῖ, cp. Hdt. 4. 61, ὁ θύσας, τῶν κρεῶν καὶ τῶν σπλάγχνων ἀπαρξάμενος, ῥίπτει ἐς τὸ ἔμπροσθεν.

‘Bound up to a pillar erect.' ἄνω marks that the bonds were fastened from above, so as almost to suspend the creature from the ground.

'With a great harness-thong.' ῥυτήρ is (1) a trace, (2) a rein, (3) any strap used in harnessing.

'He smites him with resounding double lash ;' i.e. He holds the thong by the middle, and plies it, thus doubled, with a whizzing noise.

ἃ δαίμων, κ.τ.λ.] i.e. The words gave evidence of superhuman passion. Ср. О. Т. 1258, 9, δαιμόνων δείκνυσί τις, οὐδεὶς γὰρ ἀνδρῶν.

'Reviling him with evil language.' Cp. Ant. 759, ἐπὶ ψόγοισι δεννάσεις ἐμέ.

κάρα is the emendation of Triclinius for κρᾶτα, which is in most MSS., generally with τοι preceding: according to Hermann this was due to a mistaken metrical emendation. Reading κάρα and retaining τοι, we might read in supr. 221, οἴαν ἐδήλωσας *κατ᾿ ἀνδρὸς αἴθονος. τιν'] ἱ.ε. ἡμᾶς. Essay on L. § 22. p. 36. κάρα καλύμμασι κρυψάμενον] 'Veiling one's head,' either (1) in token of confusion and shame as well as sorrow. Cp. Od. 8.92; Plat. Phaedr. 243 В. Or (2) by way of disguise. ποδοῖν κλοπὰν ἀρέσθαι] i. e. φυγὴν ἀρέσθαι, 'to steal away on foot.' Cp. Eur. Or. 1499, ἐκκλέπτειν πόδα: Rhes. 54, αἴρεσθαι φυγήν.

θοὸν εἰρεσίας ζυγὸν ἑζόμενον] 'Pressing the swift rowing-bench.' Cp. Aesch. Ag. 982, θάρσος . . ἵζει φρενὸς φίλον θρόνον. And for the hypallage ( =θοᾶς εἰρεσίας ζυγόν), see Essay on L. § 42. p. 80.

ποντοπόρῳ ναὶ μεθεῖναι] 'Let the sea-faring ship go on her way.' No definite ellipse (as of πλοῦν or πείσματα) is to be supplied with μεθεῖναι.

ματα) need be supposed. The verb 'to let go' is first used absolutely, and then again acquires a remote object, which is put in the dative. The ship is 'a thing of life.'

ἐρέσσουσιν] 'Launch.' Ant. 158, μῆτιν ἐρέσσω. For the unconscious tautology, εἰρεσίας .. ἐρέσσουσιν, see Essay on L. § 44. pp. 83, 4. The mariners think of the Atreidae as chasing them astern. The words καθ' ἡμῶν mark that their lot is bound up with that of Ajax, a thought which is developed in the succeeding lines. The accusative Ἄρη is in two constructions, first after πεφόβημαι, and then with ξυναλγεῖν, which is added in epexegesis. For Apns of destructive violence, cp. esp. Aesch. Prom. 861, 2, θηλυκτόνῳ | Ἄρει δαμέντων.

τὸν αἰσ᾿ ἄπλατος ίσχει] 'Possessed by an all-endangering doom.' The chorus long to stand by Ajax, but are deterred by his madness. Cp. Trach. 785, κοὐδεὶς ἐτόλμα τἀνδρὸς ἀντίον μολεῖν : ib. 797, ὦ παῖ, πρόσελθε, μὴ φύγῃς τοὐμὸν κακόν, | μηδ' εἴ σε χρὴ θανόντι συνθανεῖν ἐμοί: ib. 1030, ἀποτίβατος ἀγρία νόσος.

οὐκέτι] Sc. ἴσχει νιν ἡ μανία. 'He may be approached with safety now.' λαμπρᾶς, κ.τ.λ.] 'For he, like a Southern storm, after a sharp outburst, ceases to rage, and the lightning plays no more.' ἄτερ, κ.τ.λ. is to be taken proleptically = ὥστε ἄτερ στεροπῆς εἶναι. E. on L. § 38. p. 70. Otherwise the words might mean, 'He desists without lightning:' i.e. his violence comes to an end without doing irreparable harm. Cp. Eur. Med. 93, 4, οὐδὲ παύσεται | χόλου, σάφ' οἶδα, πρὶν κατασκῆψαί τινα: Shak. King John, 4. 2, 'So foul a sky clears not without a storm.' But although Tecmessa is for the moment relieved, her apprehensions are not sufficiently calmed to make this natural.

Φρόνιμος] Sc. ὤν. Essay on L. § 39. Ρ. 72. φρόνιμον (sc. ὄντα) is a v. r. or MS. conjecture.

οἰκεῖα πάθη] Troubles all one's own.' i.e. both as home-felt and self-wrought. Cp. El. 215, οἰκείας εἰς ἄτας.

παραπράξαντος] «Having assisted.' Cp. παραδράω ( οἷά τε τοῖς ἀγαθοῖσι παραδρώωσι χέρηες, Od. 15, 324).

μεγάλας ὀδύνας ὑποτείνει] 'Causes intense grief within.' ὑποτείνει, 1.2. ὑπέχει ἐντεταμένως. Cp. Pind. O1. 2. 100, βαθεῖαν ὑπέχων μέριμναν ἀγροτέραν.

'But if he hath ceased' (from his madness), 'he must be surely happy.' Others take εὐτυχεῖν impersonally, as in Oed. Tyr 88, πάντ᾽ ἂν εὐτυχεῖν, –‘All must be well.'

'For trouble counts for less when it is gone.' The gen. is first absolute, and then in regimen with λόγος. Cp. infr. 1161, 2, κἀμοὶ γὰρ αἴσχιστον κλύειν | ἀνδρὸς ματαίου φλαῦρ᾽ ἔπη μυθουμένου.

αἵρεσιν] Sc. τούτων, viz. ll. 266, 7, which πότερα anticipates.

ἔχειν] Supr. 203.

κοινὸς ἐν κοινοῖσι] Essay on L. § 44. p. 83. Or to be with others and mingle your sorrow with theirs.' ξυνών marks that while Ajax was delirious, he stood apart from the grief which others felt for him.

'Our case, then, since the madness left us, is grown more desperate.' Tecmessa identifies her lot with that of Ajax. Compare infr. 791, μῶν ὀλώλαμεν; A few lines below (273-6) she speaks of herself in the plural as contrasted with him.

οἶσιν. . κακοῖς] i. e. κακοῖς ἐν οἶσιν εἴχετο. Cp. infr. 1144, 5, ἡνίκ᾽ ἐν κακῷ | χειμῶνος εἴχετ'.

πᾶς ἐλήλαται] 'Is vexed to the uttermost.' πᾶς is adverbial. See Essay on L. § 23. p. 38, and cp. infr. 519, ἐν σοὶ πᾶσ᾽ ἔγωγε σώζομαι. The perfect, as in πεφόβημαι, supr. 139, expresses a completed state.

ἆρ'..;] Essay on L. § 29. p. 50. 'What is this but to have the sorrow doubled that before was single?' Cp. Constance in King John, 3. 4. 'I am not mad; - I would to heaven I were! For then 'tis like I should forget myself: O, if I could, what grief should I forget!'

μὴ ἐκ θεοῦ | πληγή τις ἥκει] 'That a calamity is really come from Heaven.' The chorus before admitted as a possibility ( supr. 186, ἥκοι γὰρ ἂν θεία νόσος) what now appears to be too certain. Hence the indicative is more forcible here, although the subjunctive ( ἥκῃ) is more regular and may be the true reading.

'In what wise lighted on you the commencement of the trouble? Tell us, who grieve with you at the misfortune, what it is.' τύχας, continuing the notion of κακοῦ, is governed either (1) both of δήλωσον and of ξυναλγοῦσιν, or (2) of ξυναλγοῦσιν only.

ὡς κοινωνὸς ὤν] 'As you are no less interested.'

ἄκρας νυκτός] 'At dead of night.' That this, and not 'on the verge of night,' is the meaning here, appears from the context. The flames lighted at evening were burnt out, so that all was dark. ἄκρᾳ σὺν ἑσπέρᾳ in Pind. Pyth. 11. 16, is explained by Dissen 'ad seram vesperam.'

Cp. Od. 18. 307, αὐτίκα λαμπτῆρας τρεῖς ἵστασαν ἐν μεγάροισιν, | ὄφρα φαείνοιεν, περὶ δὲ ξύλα κάγκανα θῆκαν καὶ δᾷδας μετέμισγον: ib. 19. 64, φύως ἔμεν ἠδὲ θέρεσθαι.

κενάς] «Objectless;' i.e. without apparent cause. Tecmessa knows little of what Ajax does abroad. But she knows that there is something strange in his going forth at night without a summons.

ἄκλητος is expanded with οὔτε-οὔτε, 'neither-nor.'

ἀλλά] i. e. 'Instead of there being an alarm of any kind.'

βαί, ἀεὶ δ᾽ ὑμνούμενα] 'Few words, but to a well-known tune.' Eur. Phoen. 438, πάλαι μὲν οὖν ὑμνηθέν, ἀλλ᾽ ὅμως ἐρῶ: Plat. Rep. 8. 549 D, ὅσα φιλοῦσιν αἱ γυναῖκες περὶ τῶν τοιούτων ὑμνεῖν.

Cp. Fr. 61, ἄλλως τε καὶ κόρῃ τε κἀργείᾳ γένος, | αἷς κόσμος ἡ σιγή τε καὶ τὰ παῦρ᾽ ἔπη.

μαθοῦσ᾽] 'When I perceived,' viz. that he was not to be reasoned with. The unusual division of the line marks the reluctant desistence of Tecmessa. Cp. O. T. 1513, ib. 110, and notes.

πάθας] 'Misfortunes.' The word is used with a vague sense of the horror of a scene, in which Ajax was no less unfortunate than his victims.

εὔκερών τ᾿ ἄγραν] The horns of the sheep are the most conspicuous object as they are seen in front and from above. The objection 'that the bulls were also horned' is absurdly logical. There is no sufficient reason for preferring the conj. εὔερον. The word describes all the cattle, small and great, excepting the bulls, which have been mentioned separately.

τοὺς μέν] The bulls.

ἐρράχιζε] 'Clove in twain.'

τοὺς δὲ δεσμίους | ᾐκίζεθ᾽] 'Others, as his prisoners, he tormented at his pleasure.' ὥστε φῶτας] 'As if human creatures.' ἐν ποίμναις πίτνων] 'Making onsets on the cattle.' Cp. supr. 185.

Ajax. Lewis Campbell. ed. Lewis Campbell. Oxford. 1879.

Current edition Experimental

Commentary (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) (English) (Commentary (Lewis Campbell, 1879))

Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.

Editions (4)

Αἴας μαστιγοφόρος First1KGreek (Sophocles. Sophoclis Aiax. Lobeck Christian, editor. Berlin: Weidmann, 1866.) — 172-201 focus

str. 1

ΧΟΡΟΣ

1

ᾖ ῥά σε Ταυροπόλα Διὸς Ἄρτεμις,

ὦ μεγάλα φάτις, ὦ

μᾶτερ αἰσχύνας ἐμᾶς,

ὥρμασε πανδάμους ἐπὶ βοῦς ἀγελαίας,
175

ἦ πού τινος νίκας ἀκάρπωτον χάριν,

ἤ ῥα κλυτῶν ἐνάρων

ψευσθεῖσ’, ἀδώροις εἴτ’ ὲλαφηβολἐαις.

ἢ χαλκοθώραξ ἥντιν’ Ἐννυάλιος

μομφὰν ἔχων
180

ξυνοῦ δορὸς, ἐννυχίοις μαχαναῖς

ἐτίσατο λώβαν.

ant. 1

ΧΟΡΟΣ

1

Οὐ, τοτε γὰρ φρενόθεν γ’ ἐπ’ ἀριστερὰ,

παῖ Τελαμῶνος, ἔβας

τόσσον ὲν ποίμναις πίτνων·
185

ἥκοι γὰρ ἂν θεία νόσος· ἀλλ’ ἀπερύκοι

καὶ Ζεὺς κακὰν καὶ Φοῖβος Ἀργείων φάτιν ·

εἰ δ’ ὑποβαλλόμενοι

κλέπτουσι μύθους οἱ μεγάλοι βασιλῆς

ἢ τᾶς ἀσώτου Σισυφιδᾶν γενεᾶς,
190

μὴ, μή μ’, ἄναξ,

ἔθ’ ὦδ’ ἐφάλοις κλισίαις ὄμμ’ ἔχων

κακὰν φάτιν ἄρῃ.

ep.

ΧΟΡΟΣ

1

Ἀλλ’ ἄνα ἐς ἐδράνων, ὅπου μακραίωνι

στηρίζει ποτὲ τᾷδ’ ἀγωνίῳ σχολᾷ
195

ἄταν οὐρανίαν φλέγων

ἐχθρῶν δ’ ὕβρις ὧδ’ ἀτάρβηθ’

ὁρμᾶται ὲν εὐανέμοις βάσσαις,

πάντων καγχαζόντων

γλώσσαις βαρυάλγητα·
200

200 ἐμοὶ δ’ ἄχος ἕστακεν.

ΤΕΚΜΗΣΣΑ

Ναὸς ἀρωγοὶ τῆς Αἴαντος,

γενεᾶς χθονίων ἀπ’ Ἐρεχθειδᾶν,

ἔχομεν στοναχὰς οἱ κηδόμενοι

τοῦ Τελαμῶνος τηλόθεν οἴκου.
205

205 νῦν γὰρ ὁ δεινὸς, μέγας, ὠμοκρατὴς

Αἴας θολερός

κεῖται χειμῶνι νοσήσας.

ΧΟΡΟΣ

τί δ’ ἐνήλλακται τῆς ἀμερίας

νὺξ ἥδε βάρος;
210

210 παῖ τοῦ Φρυγίου Τελεύταντος,

λέγ’, ἐπεὶ σὲ, λέχος δουριάλωτον,

στέρξας ἀνέχει θούριος Αἴας,

ὥστ’ οὐκ ἂν ἄιδρις ὑπείποις.

ΤΕΚΜΗΣΣΑ

Πῶς δῆτα λέγω λόγον ἄῤῥητον;
215

215 θανάτῳ γὰρ ἴσον πάθος ἐκπεύσει.

μανίᾳ γὰρ ἁλοὺς ἧμιν ὁ κλεινὸς

νύκτερος Αἴας ἀπελωβήθη.

τοιαῦτ’ ἂν ἴδοις σκηνῆς ἔνδον

χειροδάικτα σφάγι’ αίμοβαφῆ,
220

220 κείνου χρηστήρια τἀνδρός.

str.

ΧΟΡΟΣ

1

Οἵαν ἐδήλωσας ἀνδρὸς

αἴθοπος ἀγγελίαν,

ἄτλατον οὐδὲ φευκτὰν,

τῶν μεγάλων Δαναῶν ὕπο κλῃζομέναν, 225
225

τὰν ὁ μέγας μῦθος ἀέξει.

Οἴ μοι, φοβοῦμαι τὸ προςἐρπον· περίφαντος ἀνὴρ

230 θανεῖται, παραπλήκτῳ χερὶ συγκατακτὰς

κελαινοῖς ξίφεσιν βοτὰ καὶ

βοτῆρας ἱππονώμους.
230

ΤΕΚΜΗΣΣΑ

ὦ μοι, κεῖθεν, κεῖθεν ἄρ’ ἡμῖν

δεσμῶτιν ἄγων ἤλυθε ποίμναν·

235 ὧν τὴν μὲν ἔσω σφάζ’ ἐπὶ γαίας,

τὰ δέ πλευροκοπῶν διχ’ ἀνερρήγνυ.

δύο δ’ ἀργίποδας κριοὺς ἀνελὼν
235

τοῦ μὲν κεφαλὴν καὶ γλῶσσαν ἄκραν

ῥιπτεῖ θερίσας, τὸν δ’ ὀρθὸν ἄνω

240 κίονι δήσας

μέγαν ίπποδέτην ῥυτῆρα λαβὼν

παίει λιγυρᾷ μάστιγι διπλῆ,
240

κακὰ δεννάζων ῥήμαθ’, ἃ δαίμων

κοὐδεὶς ἀνδρῶν ἐδίδαξεν.

ant.

ΧΟΡΟΣ

1

245 Ὥρα τιν’ ἤδη κάρα κα-

λύμμασι κρυψάμενον

ποδοῖν κλοπὰν ἀρέσθαι,
245

ἢ θοὸν εἰρεσίας ζυγὸν ἑζόμενον

250 ποντοπόρῳ ναὶ μεθεῖναι.

τοίας ἐρέσσουσιν ἀπειλὰς δικρατεῖς Ἀτρεῖδαι

καθ’ ἡμῶν· πεφόβημαι λιθόλευστον Ἄρη

255 ξυναλγεῖν μετά τοῦδε τυπεὶς,
250

τὸν αἶσ’ ἄπλατος ἴσχει.

ΤΕΚΜΗΣΣΑ

Οὐκ ἔτι· λαμπρᾶς γὰρ ἄτερ στεροπᾶς

ᾄξας ὀξὺς νότος ὣς, λήγει.

καὶ νῦν φρόνιμος νέον ἄλγος ἔχει.

260 τὸ γὰρ ὲςλεύσσειν οἰκεῖα πάθη,
255

μηδενὸς ἄλλου παραπράξαντος

μεγάλας ὀδύνας ὑποτείνει.

ΧΟΡΟΣ

Ἀλλ’ εἰ πέπαυται, κάρτ’ ἂν εὐτυχεῖν

δοκῶ. φρούδου γὰρ ἤδη τοῦ κακοῦ μείων λόγος.

ΤΕΚΜΗΣΣΑ

265 Πότερα δ’ ἂν, εἰ νέμοι τις αἵρεσιν, λάβοις,
260

φίλους ἀνιῶν αὐτὸς ἡδονὰς ἔχειν,

ἢ κοινὸς ὲν κοινοῖσι λυπεῖσθαι ξυνών;

ΧΟΡΟΣ

Τό τοι διπλάζον, ὦ γύναι, μεῖζον κακόν.

ΤΕΚΜΗΣΣΑ

Ἡμεῖς ἄρ’ οὐ νοσοῦντες ἀτώμεσθα νῦν.

ΧΟΡΟΣ

Πῶς τοῦτ’ ἔλεξας; οὐ κάτοιδ’ ὅπως λέγεις. 270
265

ΤΕΚΜΗΣΣΑ

Ἀνὴρ ἐκεῖνος, ἡνίκ’ ἦν ὲν τῇ νόσῳ,

αὐτὸς μὲν ἥδεθ’ οἷσιν εἰιχετ’ ὲν κακοῖς,

ἡμᾶς δὲ τοὺς φρονοῦντας ἠνία ξυνών·

νῦν δ’, ὡς ἔληξε κἀνέπνευσε τῆς νόσου,

κεῖνός τε λύπῃ πᾶς ἐλήλαται κακῇ, 275
270

ἡμάς θ’ ὁμοίως οὐδὲν ἧσσον ἢ πάρος.

ἆρ’ ἔστι ταῦτα δὶς τόσ’ ἐξ ἁπλῶν κακά;

ΧΟΡΟΣ

Ξύμφημι δή σοι καὶ δέδοικα μὴ ’κ θεοῦ

πληγή τις ἥκῃ· πῶς γὰρ, εἰ πεπαυμένος

μηδέν τι μᾶλλον ἢ νοσῶν εὐφραίνεται; 280
275

ΤΕΚΜΗΣΣΑ

Ὡς ὧδ’ ἐχόντων τῶνδ’ ἐπίστασθαί σε χρή,

ΧΟΡΟΣ

Τις γάρ ποτ’ ἀρχὴ τοῦ κακοῦ προςέπτατο ;

δήλωσον ἡμῖν, τοῖς ξυναλγοῦσιν τύχας.

ΤΕΚΜΗΣΣΑ

Ἅπαν μαθήσει τοὖργον, ὡς κοινωνὸς ὤν.

κεῖνος γὰρ ἄκρας νυκτὸς, ἡνίχ’ ἕσπεροι 285
280

λαμπτῆρες οὐκἐτ’ ᾖθον, ἄμφηκες λαβὼν

ὲμαίετ’ ἔγχος ἐξόδους ἕρπειν κενάς.

κἀγὼ ’πιπλήσσω καὶ λέγω, τί χρῆμα δρᾷς,

Αἴας; τί τήνδ’ ἄκλητος οὔθ’ ὑπ’ ἀγγέλων

κληθεὶς ἀφορμᾷς πεῖραν, οὔτε του κλύων 290
285

σάλπιγγος; ἀλλὰ νῦν γε πᾶς εὕδει στρατός. —

ὁ δ’ εἶπε πρός με βαί’, ἀεὶ δ’ ὑμνούμενα,

γύναι, γυναιξὶ κόσμον ἡ σιγὴ φέρει.

κἀγὼ μαθοῦσ’ ἔληξ’, ὁ δ’ ἐσσύθη μόνος.

καὶ τὰς ὲκεῖ μὲν οὐκ ἔχω λέγειν πάθας. 295
290

ἔσω δ’ ὲςῆλθε συνδέτους ἄγων ὁμοῦ

ταύρους, κύνας βοτῆρας, εὔκερών τ’ ἄγραν.

καὶ τοὺς μὲν ηὐχένιζε, τοὺς δ’ ἄνω τρέπων

ἔσφαζε κἀρράχιζε, τοὺς δὲ δεσμίους

300 ᾐκίζεθ’, ὥστε φῶτας, ὲν ποίμναις πίτνων.
295

τέλος δ’ ὑπάξας διὰ θυρῶν, σκιᾷ τινὶ

λόγους ἀνέσπα, τοὺς μὲν Ἀτρειδῶν κάτα,

τοὺς δ’ ἀμφ’ Ὀδυσσεῖ, ξυντιθεὶς γέλων πολὺν,

ὅσην κατ’ αὐτῶν ὕβριν ἐκτίσαιτ’ ἰών·

305 κἄπειτ’ ἐπᾴξας αὖθις ἐς δόμους πάλιν,
300

ἔμφρων μόλις πως ξὺν χρόνῳ καθίσταται,

καὶ πλῆρες ἄτης ὡς διοπτεύει στέγος,

παίσας κάρα ’θώὐζεν· ὲν δ’ ἐρειπίοις

νεκρῶν ὲρειφθεὶς ἕζετ’ ἀρνείου φόνου,

310 κόμην ἀπρὶξ ὄνυξι συλλαβὼν χερί.
305

καὶ τὸν μὲν ἧστο πλεῖστον ἄφθογγος χρόνον·

ἔπειτ’ ἐμοὶ τὰ δείν’ ἐπηπείλησ’ ἔπη,

εἰ μὴ φανοίην πᾶν τὸ συντυχὸν πάθος,

κἀνήρετ’, ὲν τῷ πράγματος κυρεῖ ποτἐ.

315 κἀγὼ, φίλοι, δείσασα τοὐ ἑιργασμένον
310

ἔλεξα πᾶν, ὅσονπερ ἐξηπιστάμην,

ὁ δ’ εὐθὺς ἐξῴμωξεν οἰμωγὰς λυγρὰς,

ἃς οὔποτ’ αὐτοῦ πρόσθεν εἰςήκουσ’ ἐγώ.

πρὸς γὰρ κακοῦ τε καὶ βαρυψύχου γόους

320 τοιούςδ’ ἀεί ποτ’ ἀνδρὸς ὲξηγεῖτ’ ἔχειν.
315

ἀλλ’ ἀψόφητος ὀξέων κωκυμάτων

ὑπεστέναζε, ταῦρος ὣς βρυχώμενος.

νῦν δ’ ὲν τοιᾷδε κείμενος κακῇ τύχῃ

ἄσιτος ἀνὴρ, ἄποτος, ὲν μέσοις βοτοῖς

325 σιδηροκμῆσιν ἥσυχος θακεῖ πεσών.
320

καὶ δῆλός έστιν ὥς τι δρασείων κακόν.

τοιαῦτα γάρ πως καὶ λέγει κὠδύρεται.

Ἀλλ’, ὦ φίλοι, τούτων γὰρ οὕνεκ’ ἐστάλην,

ἀρήξατ’ εξελθόντες, εἰ δύνασθέ τι.

330 φίλων γὰρ οἱ τοιοίδε νικῶνται λόγοις.
325

ΧΟΡΟΣ

Τέκμησσα, δεινὰ, παῖ Τελεύταντος, λέγεις

ἡμῖν, τὸν ἄνδρα διαπεφοιβάσθαι κακοῖς.

ΑΙΑΣ

Ἰώ μοί μοι.

ΤΕΚΜΗΣΣΑ

Τάχ’, ὡς ἔοικε μᾶλλον. ἢ οὐκ ἠκούσατε

Αἴαντος, οἵαν τήνδε θωύσσει βοήν; 335
330

ΑΙΑΣ

Ἰώ μοί μοι.

ΧΟΡΟΣ

ἀνὴρ ἔοικεν ἢ νοσεῖν ἢ τοῖς πάλαι

νοσήμασι ξυνοῦσι λυπεῖσθαι παρών.

ΑΙΑΣ

Ἰὼ παῖ, παῖ.

ΤΕΚΜΗΣΣΑ

Ὤ μοι τάλαιν’, Εὐρύσακες, ἀμφὶ σοὶ βοᾷ. 340
335

τί ποτε μενοινᾷ; ποῦ ποτ’ εἶ; τάλαιν’ ἐγώ.

ΑΙΑΣ

Τεῦκρον καλῶ, ποῦ Τεῦκρος; ἦ τὸν εἰςαεὶ

λεηλατήσει χρόνον; ἐγὼ δ’ ἀπόλλυμαι.

ΧΟΡΟΣ

ἀνὴρ φρονεῖν ἔοικεν· ἀλλ’ ἀνοίγετε.

τάχ’ ἄν τιν’ αἰδῶ κἀπ’ ἐμοὶ βλέψας λάβοι. 345
340

ΤΕΚΜΗΣΣΑ

Ἴδου, διοίγω· προςβλἐπειν δ’ ἔξεστί σοι

τὰ τοῦδε πράγη, καὐτὸς ὡς ἔχων κυρεῖ.

¹

Αἴας First1KGreek (Sophocles. Sophoclis Fabulae. Pearson, Alfred Chilton, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1924.) — 172-200 focus

str. 1

Χορός

1

ἦ ῥά σε Ταυροπόλα Διὸς Ἄρτεμις,

ὦ μεγάλα φάτις, ὦ

μᾶτερ αἰσχύνας ἐμᾶς, ὥρ-

μασε πανδάμους ἐπὶ βοῦς ἀγελαίας,
175

ἦ πού τινος νίκας ἀκάρπωτον χάριν,

ἤ ῥα κλυτῶν ἐνάρων

ψευσθεῖσʼ, ἀδώροις εἴτʼ ἐλαφαβολίαις;

ἢ χαλκοθώραξ εἴ τινʼ Ἐνυάλιος

μομφὰν ἔχων ξυνοῦ δορὸς ἐννυχίοις
180

μαχαναῖς ἐτείσατο λώβαν;

ant. 1

Χορός

1

οὔποτε γὰρ φρενόθεν γʼ ἐπʼ ἀριστερά,

παῖ Τελαμῶνος, ἔβας

¹²³⁴⁵⁶⁷⁸⁹¹⁰¹¹

τόσσον ἐν ποίμναις πίτνων· ἥ-

κοι γὰρ ἂν θεία νόσος· ἀλλʼ ἀπερύκοι
185

καὶ Ζεὺς κακὰν καὶ Φοῖβος Ἀργείων φάτιν.

εἰ δʼ ὑποβαλλόμενοι

κλέπτουσι μύθους οἱ μεγάλοι βασιλῆς,

ἢ τᾶς ἀσώτου Σισυφιδᾶν γενεᾶς,

μὴ μηκέτʼ, ὦναξ, ὧδʼ ἐφάλοις κλισίαις
190

ὄμμʼ ἔχων κακὰν φάτιν ἄρῃ.

ep.

Χορός

ἀλλʼ ἄνα ἐξ ἑδράνων

ὅπου μακραίωνι

στηρίζει ποτὲ τᾷδʼ ἀγωνίῳ σχολᾷ,

ἄταν οὐρανίαν φλέγων.
195

ἐχθρῶν δʼ ὕβρις ὧδʼ ἀτάρβητα

ὁρμᾶτʼ ἐν εὐανέμοις βάσσαις,

πάντων καχαζόντων

γλώσσαις βαρυάλγητα·

ἐμοὶ δʼ ἄχος ἕστακεν.
200

Τέκμησσα

ναὸς ἀρωγοὶ τῆς Αἴαντος,

γενεᾶς χθονίων ἀπʼ Ἐρεχθειδᾶν,

ἔχομεν στοναχὰς οἱ κηδόμενοι

τοῦ Τελαμῶνος τηλόθεν οἴκου.

νῦν γὰρ ὁ δεινὸς μέγας ὠμοκρατὴς
205

Αἴας θολερῷ

κεῖται χειμῶνι νοσήσας.

Χορός

τί δʼ ἐνήλλακται τῆς ἠρεμίας

¹²¹³¹⁴¹⁵¹⁶¹⁷¹⁸¹⁹²⁰²¹²²²³²⁴

νὺξ ἥδε βάρος;

παῖ τοῦ Φρυγίου σὺ Τελεύταντος,
210

λέγʼ, ἐπεί σε λέχος δουριάλωτον

στέρξας ἀνέχει θούριος Αἴας·

ὥστʼ οὐκ ἂν ἄϊδρις ὑπείποις.

Τέκμησσα

πῶς δῆτα λέγω λόγον ἄρρητον;

θανάτῳ γὰρ ἴσον πάθος ἐκπεύσῃ.
215

μανίᾳ γὰρ ἁλοὺς ἡμὶν ὁ κλεινὸς

νύκτερος Αἴας ἀπελωβήθη.

τοιαῦτʼ ἂν ἴδοις σκηνῆς ἔνδον

χειροδάικτα σφάγιʼ αἱμοβαφῆ,

κείνου χρηστήρια τἀνδρός.
220

str.

Χορός

οἵαν ἐδήλωσας ἀνδρὸς αἴθονος

ἀγγελίαν ἄτλατον οὐδὲ φευκτάν,

τῶν μεγάλων Δαναῶν ὕπο κλῃζομέναν,
225

τὰν ὁ μέγας μῦθος ἀέξει.

οἴμοι φοβοῦμαι τὸ προσέρ-

πον. περίφαντος ἁνὴρ

θανεῖται, παραπλάκτῳ

χερὶ συγκατακτὰς
230

κελαινοῖς ξίφεσιν βοτὰ καὶ

βοτῆρας ἱππονώμας ποίμναν·

Τέκμησσα

ὤμοι· κεῖθεν κεῖθεν ἄρʼ ἡμῖν

δεσμῶτιν ἄγων ἤλυθε ποίμναν·

²⁵²⁶²⁷²⁸²⁹³⁰³¹³²³³³⁴³⁵³⁶³⁷³⁸³⁹

ὧν τὰ μὲν εἴσω σφάζʼ ἐπὶ γαίας,
235

τὰ δὲ πλευροκοπῶν δίχʼ ἀνερρήγνυ.

δύο δʼ ἀργίποδας κριοὺς ἀνελὼν

τοῦ μὲν κεφαλὴν καὶ γλῶσσαν ἄκραν

ῥιπτεῖ θερίσας, τὸν δʼ ὀρθὸν ἄνω

κίονι δήσας
240

μέγαν ἱπποδέτην ῥυτῆρα λαβὼν

παίει λιγυρᾷ μάστιγι διπλῇ,

κακὰ δεννάζων ῥήμαθʼ, ἃ δαίμων

κοὐδεὶς ἀνδρῶν ἐδίδαξεν.

ant.

Χορός

ὥρα τινʼ ἤδη κάρα καλύμμασι
245

κρυψάμενον ποδοῖν κλοπὰν ἀρέσθαι,

ἢ θοὸν εἰρεσίας ζυγὸν ἑζόμενον

ποντοπόρῳ ναῒ μεθεῖναι.
250

τοίας ἐρέσσουσιν ἀπει-

λὰς δικρατεῖς Ἀτρεῖδαι

καθʼ ἡμῶν· πεφόβημαι

λιθόλευστον Ἄρη

ξυναλγεῖν μετὰ τοῦδε τυπείς,
255

τὸν αἶσʼ ἄπλατος ἴσχει.

Τέκμησσα

οὐκέτι· λαμπρᾶς γὰρ ἄτερ στεροπᾶς

ᾄξας ὀξὺς νότος ὣς λήγει,

καὶ νῦν φρόνιμος νέον ἄλγος ἔχει·

τὸ γὰρ ἐσλεύσσειν οἰκεῖα πάθη,
260

μηδενὸς ἄλλου παραπράξαντος,

μεγάλας ὀδύνας ὑποτείνει.

Χορός

ἀλλʼ εἰ πέπαυται, κάρτʼ ἂν εὐτυχεῖν δοκῶ·

φρούδου γὰρ ἤδη τοῦ κακοῦ μείων λόγος.

⁴⁰⁴¹⁴²⁴³⁴⁴⁴⁵⁴⁶⁴⁷

Τέκμησσα

πότερα δʼ ἄν, εἰ νέμοι τις αἵρεσιν, λάβοις,
265

φίλους ἀνιῶν αὐτὸς ἡδονὰς ἔχειν,

ἢ κοινὸς ἐν κοινοῖσι λυπεῖσθαι ξυνών;

Χορός

τό τοι διπλάζον, ὦ γύναι, μεῖζον κακόν.

Τέκμησσα

ἡμεῖς ἄρʼ οὐ νοσοῦντος ἀτώμεσθα νῦν.

Χορός

πῶς τοῦτʼ ἔλεξας; οὐ κάτοιδʼ ὅπως λέγεις.
270

Τέκμησσα

ἁνὴρ ἐκεῖνος, ἡνίκʼ ἦν ἐν τῇ νόσῳ,

αὐτὸς μὲν ἥδεθʼ οἷσιν εἴχετʼ ἐν κακοῖς,

ἡμᾶς δὲ τοὺς φρονοῦντας ἠνία ξυνών·

νῦν δʼ ὡς ἔληξε κἀνέπνευσε τῆς νόσου,

κεῖνός τε λύπῃ πᾶς ἐλήλαται κακῇ
275

ἡμεῖς θʼ ὁμοίως οὐδὲν ἧσσον ἢ πάρος.

ἆρʼ ἔστι ταῦτα δὶς τόσʼ ἐξ ἁπλῶν κακά;

Χορός

ξύμφημι δή σοι καὶ δέδοικα μὴ ʼκ θεοῦ

πληγή τις ἥκει. πῶς γάρ, εἰ πεπαυμένος

μηδέν τι μᾶλλον ἢ νοσῶν εὐφραίνεται;
280

Τέκμησσα

ὡς ὧδʼ ἐχόντων τῶνδʼ ἐπίστασθαί σε χρή.

Χορός

τίς γάρ ποτʼ ἀρχὴ τοῦ κακοῦ προσέπτατο;

δήλωσον ἡμῖν τοῖς ξυναλγοῦσιν τύχας.

Τέκμησσα

ἅπαν μαθήσῃ τοὔργον, ὡς κοινωνὸς ὤν.

κεῖνος γὰρ ἄκρας νυκτός, ἡνίχʼ ἕσπεροι
285

λαμπτῆρες οὐκέτʼ ᾖθον, ἄμφηκες λαβὼν

ἐμαίετʼ ἔγχος ἐξόδους ἕρπειν κενάς.

κἀγὼ ʼπιπλήσσω καὶ λέγω, τί χρῆμα δρᾷς,

Αἴας; τί τήνδʼ ἄκλητος οὔθʼ ὑπʼ ἀγγέλων

κληθεὶς ἀφορμᾷς πεῖραν οὔτε του κλύων
290

σάλπιγγος; ἀλλὰ νῦν γε πᾶς εὕδει στρατός.

ὃ δʼ εἶπε πρός με βαίʼ, ἀεὶ δʼ ὑμνούμενα·

γύναι, γυναιξὶ κόσμον ἡ σιγὴ φέρει.

⁴⁸⁴⁹⁵⁰⁵¹⁵²⁵³⁵⁴⁵⁵⁵⁶

κἀγὼ μαθοῦσʼ ἔληξʼ, ὃ δʼ ἐσσύθη μόνος.

καὶ τὰς ἐκεῖ μὲν οὐκ ἔχω λέγειν πάθας·
295

εἴσω δʼ ἐσῆλθε συνδέτους ἄγων ὁμοῦ

ταύρους, κύνας βοτῆρας, εὔερόν τʼ ἄγραν.

καὶ τοὺς μὲν ηὐχένιζε, τοὺς δʼ ἄνω τρέπων

ἔσφαζε κἀρράχιζε, τοὺς δὲ δεσμίους

ᾐκίζεθʼ ὥστε φῶτας ἐν ποίμναις πίτνων.
300

τέλος δʼ ἀπᾴξας διὰ θυρῶν σκιᾷ τινι

λόγους ἀνέσπα τοὺς μὲν Ἀτρειδῶν κάτα,

τοὺς δʼ ἀμφʼ Ὀδυσσεῖ, συντιθεὶς γέλων πολύν,

ὅσην κατʼ αὐτῶν ὕβριν ἐκτείσαιτʼ ἰών·

κἄπειτʼ ἐπᾴξας αὖθις ἐς δόμους πάλιν
305

ἔμφρων μόλις πως ξὺν χρόνῳ καθίσταται,

καὶ πλῆρες ἄτης ὡς διοπτεύει στέγος,

παίσας κάρα ʼθώυξεν· ἐν δʼ ἐρειπίοις

νεκρῶν ἐρεισθεὶς ἕζετʼ ἀρνείου φόνου,

κόμην ἀπρὶξ ὄνυξι συλλαβὼν χερί.
310

καὶ τὸν μὲν ἧστο πλεῖστον ἄφθογγος χρόνον·

ἔπειτʼ ἐμοὶ τὰ δείνʼ ἐπηπείλησʼ ἔπη,

εἰ μὴ φανοίην πᾶν τὸ συντυχὸν πάθος,

κἀνήρετʼ ἐν τῷ πράγματος κυροῖ ποτε.

κἀγώ, φίλοι, δείσασα τοὐξειργασμένον
315

ἔλεξα πᾶν ὅσονπερ ἐξηπιστάμην.

ὃ δʼ εὐθὺς ἐξῴμωξεν οἰμωγὰς λυγράς,

ἃς οὔποτʼ αὐτοῦ πρόσθεν εἰσήκουσʼ ἐγώ.

πρὸς γὰρ κακοῦ τε καὶ βαρυψύχου γόους

τοιούσδʼ ἀεί ποτʼ ἀνδρὸς ἐξηγεῖτʼ ἔχειν·
320
⁵⁷⁵⁸⁵⁹⁶⁰⁶¹⁶²⁶³⁶⁴⁶⁵⁶⁶⁶⁷⁶⁸⁶⁹⁷⁰

ἀλλʼ ἀψόφητος ὀξέων κωκυμάτων

ὑπεστέναζε ταῦρος ὣς βρυχώμενος.

νῦν δʼ ἐν τοιᾷδε κείμενος κακῇ τύχῃ

ἄσιτος ἁνήρ, ἄποτος, ἐν μέσοις βοτοῖς

σιδηροκμῆσιν ἥσυχος θακεῖ πεσών.
325

καὶ δῆλός ἐστιν ὥς τι δρασείων κακόν·

τοιαῦτα γάρ πως καὶ λέγει κὠδύρεται.

ἀλλʼ, ὦ φίλοι, τούτων γὰρ οὕνεκʼ ἐστάλην,

ἀρήξατʼ εἰσελθόντες, εἰ δύνασθέ τι.

φίλων γὰρ οἱ τοιοίδε νικῶνται λόγοις.
330

Χορός

Τέκμησσα δεινὰ παῖ Τελεύταντος λέγεις

ἡμῖν τὸν ἄνδρα διαπεφοιβάσθαι κακοῖς.

Αἴας

ἰώ μοί μοι.

Τέκμησσα

τάχʼ, ὡς ἔοικε, μᾶλλον· ἢ οὐκ ἠκούσατε

Αἴαντος οἵαν τήνδε θωύσσει βοήν;
335

Αἴας

ἰώ μοί μοι.

Χορός

ἁνὴρ ἔοικεν ἢ νοσεῖν, ἢ τοῖς πάλαι

νοσήμασι ξυνοῦσι λυπεῖσθαι παρών.

Αἴας

ἰὼ παῖ παῖ.

Τέκμησσα

ὤμοι τάλαινʼ· Εὐρύσακες, ἀμφὶ σοὶ βοᾷ.
340

τί ποτε μενοινᾷ; ποῦ ποτʼ εἶ; τάλαινʼ ἐγώ.

Αἴας

Τεῦκρον καλῶ. ποῦ Τεῦκρος; ἢ τὸν εἰσαεὶ

λεηλατήσει χρόνον, ἐγὼ δʼ ἀπόλλυμαι;

Χορός

ἁνὴρ φρονεῖν ἔοικεν. ἀλλʼ ἀνοίγετε.

τάχʼ ἄν τινʼ αἰδῶ κἀπʼ ἐμοὶ βλέψας λάβοι.
345

Τέκμησσα

ἰδού, διοίγω· προσβλέπειν δʼ ἔξεστί σοι

τὰ τοῦδε πράγη, καὐτὸς ὡς ἔχων κυρεῖ.

Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) — 172 focus

στρ. ἡ ῥά σε Ταυροπόλα Διὸς Ἄρτεμις, -

—ὦ μεγάλα φάτις, ὦ

μᾶτερ αἰσχύνας ἐμᾶς, –

ὥρμασε πανδάμους ἐπὶ βοῦς ἀγελαίας ;
175

ἢ πού τινος νίκας ἀκάρπωτον χάριν,

ἤ ῥα κλυτῶν ἐνάρων

ψευσθεῖσ᾽, ἀδώροις ψευσθεῖσα δώροις εἴτ' ἐλαφαβολίαις εἴτ᾿ ἐλαφαβολείαις εἴτ᾽ ἐλαφαβολίαις εἴτ᾿ ἐλαφηβολίαις.

ἢ χαλκοθώραξ †ἢ τιν' ἤ την᾿ ἢ τίν' ή τιν' ᾿Ενυάλιος

μομφὰν ἔχων ξυνοῦ δορὸς ἐννυχίοις δ... δουρὸς ἐννυχίαις μαχαναῖς δορὸς ἐννυχίοις μαχαναῖς
180

μαχαναῖς ἐτίσατο λώβαν;

ἀντ. οὔ ποτε γὰρ φρενόθεν γ᾽ ἐπ᾿ ἀριστερά,

παῖ Τελαμῶνος, ἔβας

τόσσον ἐν ποίμναις ποίμναισι πίτνων πίτνῶν πιτνῶν·

ἥκοι γὰρ ἂν θεία νόσος· ἀλλ' ἀπερύκοι
185

καὶ Ζεὺς κακὰν καὶ Φοῖβος ᾿Αργείων φάτιν.

εἰ δ᾽ ὑποβαλλόμενοι

κλέπτουσι μύθους οἱ μεγάλοι βασιλῆς βασιλεῖς,

ἢ τᾶς ἀσώτου Σισυφιδᾶν γενεᾶς,

μὴ μή μ᾽, ἄναξ, ἔθ᾽ ὧδ᾽ ἐφάλοις κλισίαις
190

ὄμμ᾽ ἔχων κακὰν φάτιν ἄρῃ.

ἐπ. ἀλλ᾽ ἄνα ἐξ ἑδράνων, ὅπου μακραίωνι

στηρίζει ποτὲ τᾷδ᾽ ἀγωνίῳ σχολᾷ

ἄταν οὐρανίαν φλέγων.
195

†ἐχθρῶν δ᾽ ὕβρις ὧδ᾽ ἀτάρβητα ὧδ᾽ ἀταρβῆτα ὧδ᾽ ἀτάρβῆτα

ὁρμᾶτ᾽ εὐανέμοις ὁρματ᾽ ἐν εὐανέμοις ὁρμᾶτ᾽ ἐν δ᾽ ἄνέμοις βάσσαις,

πάντων καγχαζόντων βακχαζόντων βαγχαζόντων

γλώσσαις βαρυάλγητα'·†

ἐμοὶ δ᾽ ἄχος ἕστακεν ἕστακε ἕστηκεν.
200

ΤΕΚΜΗΣΣΑ.

ναὸς ἀρωγοὶ τῆς Αἴαντος,

γενεᾶς χθονίων ἀπ᾿ ᾿Ερεχθειδᾶν,

ἔχομεν στοναχὰς οἱ κηδόμενοι

τοῦ Τελαμῶνος τηλόθεν οἴκου.

νῦν γὰρ ὁ δεινὸς μέγας μέγας ὁ μέγας ὠμοκρατὴς
205

Αἴας θολερῷ

κεῖται χειμῶνι νοσήσας.

ΧΟΡΟΣ.

τί δ᾽ ἐνήλλακται τῆς ἁμερίας

νὺξ ἥδε βάρος;

παῖ τοῦ Φρυγίου Τελεύταντος τελλεύταντος,
210

λέγ', ἐπεί σε λέχος δουριάλωτον δοριάλωτον δορυάλωτον

στέρξας ἀνέχει στερξασ·.· ἀνέχει στέρξας ἀνέχει θούριος Αἴας·

ὥστ᾽ οὐκ ἂν ἄϊδρις ὑπείποις.

ΤΕΚΜΗΣΣΑ.

πῶς δῆτα λέγω λόγον ἄρρητον ;

θανάτῳ γὰρ ἴσον πάθος πάθος βάρος ἐκπεύσει.
215

μανίᾳ γὰρ ἁλοὺς ἡμὶν ἡμῖν ἡμὶν ὁ κλεινὸς

νύκτερος Αἴας ἀπελωβήθη.

τοιαῦτ᾽ ἂν ἴδοις (ε)ἴδοις ἴδοις σκηνῆς ἔνδον

χειροδάϊκτα σφάγι' αἱμοβαφῆ,

κείνου χρηστήρια τἀνδρός.
220

ΧΟΡΟΣ.

στρ. οἵαν ἐδήλωσας ἀνδρὸς αἴθονος αἴθο.νος αἴθο.νος αἴθο.πος αἴθοπος αἴθωνος

ἀγγελίαν ἄτλατον οὐδὲ φευκτάν φευκτὸν φευκτὰν,

τῶν μεγάλων Δαναῶν ὕπο κλῃζομέναν ὑποκληιζομέναν,

τὰν ὁ μέγας μῦθος ἀέξει.

οἴμοι ὠίμοι οἴμοι ὤμοι, φοβοῦμαι τὸ προσέρπον, περίφαντος ἁνὴρ ἀνὴρ
225

θανεῖται, παραπλήκτῳ χερὶ συγκατακτὰς συνκατακτάσ συγκατακτὰς

κελαινοῖς ξίφεσιν βοτὰ καὶ βοτῆρας ἱππονώμας ἱππονόμους ἱππονώμας.

ΤΕΚΜΗΣΣΑ.

ὤμοι· κεῖθεν κεῖθεν ἄρ᾽ ἡμῖν

δεσμῶτιν ἄγων ἤλυθε ποίμναν·

ὧν τὴν μὲν ἔσω σφάζ᾽ ἐπὶ γαίας,
230

τὰ τὰσδέ τὰς δὲ τὰσδὲ δὲ πλευροκοπῶν δίχ᾽ ἀνερρήγνυ ἂν ἐρρήγνυ ἀνερρήγνυ.

δύο δ᾽ ἀργίποδας κριοὺς ἀνελὼν

τοῦ μὲν κεφαλὴν καὶ γλῶσσαν ἄκραν

ῥιπτεῖ θερίσας,

τὸν δ᾽ ὀρθὸν ἄνω κίονι δήσας
240

μέγαν ἱπποδέτην ἱππολέτην ἱπποδέτην ῥυτῆρα λαβὼν

παίει λιγυρᾷ μάστιγι διπλῇ,

κακὰ δεννάζων δ᾽ ἐννάζων δεννάζων ῥήμαθ᾽, ἃ δαίμων

κοὐδεὶς ἀνδρῶν ἐδίδαξεν.

ΧΟΡΟΣ.

ἀντ. ὥρα τιν᾽ ἤδη τίν᾽ ἤδη τοι κρᾶτα ἤδη κράτα ἤδη τοι κράτα κάρα καλύμμασι
245

κρυψάμενον ποδοῖν κλοπὰν ἀρέσθαι,

ἢ θοὸν εἰρεσίας ζυγὸν ἑζόμενον

ποντοπόρῳ ναὶ μεθεῖναι.

τοίας ἐρέσσουσιν ἀπειλὰς δικρατεῖς δυσκρατεις ᾿Ατρείδαι

καθ᾽ ἡμῶν· πεφόβημαι λιθόλευστον Ἄρη

ξυναλγεῖν μετὰ τοῦδε τυπείς, τὸν αἶσ᾿ ἄπλατος ἴσχει.

ΤΕΚΜΗΣΣΑ.

οὐκέτι· λαμπρᾶς γὰρ ἄτερ στεροπᾶς

ἄξας ὀξὺς νότος ὣς λήγει,
255

καὶ νῦν φρόνιμος φρόνιμοσ νέον ἄλγος ἔχει.

τὸ γὰρ ἐσλεύσσειν ἐσλεύσειν ἐσλεύσσειν εἰσλεύσειν οἰκεῖα πάθη,

μηδενὸς ἄλλου παραπράξαντος,

μεγάλας ὀδύνας ὑποτείνει.

ΧΟΡΟΣ.

ἀλλ᾽ εἰ πέπαυται, κάρτ᾽ ἂν εὐτυχεῖν δοκῶ·
260

φρούδου γὰρ ἤδη τοῦ κακοῦ μείων λόγος.

ΤΕΚΜΗΣΣΑ.

πότερα δ᾽ ἄν, εἰ νέμοι νεμοι νέμει νέμοι τις αἵρεσιν, λάβοις
265

φίλους ἀνιῶν αὐτὸς ἡδονὰς ἔχειν,

ἢ κοινὸς ἐν κοινοῖσι λυπεῖσθαι ξυνών;

ΧΟΡΟΣ.

τό τοι διπλάζον, ὦ γύναι, μεῖζον κακόν.

ΤΕΚΜΗΣΣΑ.

ἡμεῖς ἄρ᾽ οὐ νοσοῦντες ἀτώμεσθα νῦν.

ΧΟΡΟΣ.

πῶς τοῦτ᾽ ἔλεξας; οὐ κάτοιδ᾽ ὅπως λέγεις.
270

ΤΕΚΜΗΣΣΑ.

ἁνὴρ ἀνὴρ ἐκεῖνος, ἡνίκ ἦν ἐν τῇ νόσῳ,

αὐτὸς μὲν ἥδεθ᾽ οἶσιν εἴχετ᾿ ἐν κακοῖς,

ἡμᾶς δὲ τοὺς φρονοῦντας βλέποντας φρονοῦντας ἠνία ξυνών·

νῦν δ᾽ ὡς ἔληξε κἀνέπνευσε τῆς νόσου,

κεῖνός τε λύπῃ πᾶς ἐλήλαται κακῇ
275

ἡμεῖς θ᾽ ὁμοίως οὐδὲν ἦσσον ἢ πάρος.

ἆρ᾿ ἔστι ταῦτα δὲς τόσ᾽ ἐξ ἁπλῶν κακά;

ΧΟΡΟΣ.

ξύμφημι δή σοι καὶ δέδοικα μὴ ἐκ θεοῦ

πληγή τις ἥκει ἥκοι ἥκοι ἥκει. πῶς γάρ, εἰ πεπαυμένος

μηδέν τι μᾶλλον ἢ νοσῶν εὐφραίνεται ;
280

ΤΕΚΜΗΣΣΑ.

ὡς ὧδ᾽ ἐχόντων τῶνδ᾽ ἐπίστασθαί σε χρή.

ΧΟΡΟΣ.

τίς γάρ ποτ᾿ ἀρχὴ τοῦ κακοῦ προσέπτατο ;

δήλωσον ἡμῖν τοῖς ξυναλγοῦσιν ξυναλγοῦσι ξυναλγοῦσιν τύχας.

ΤΕΚΜΗΣΣΑ.

ἅπαν μαθήσει τοὔργον, ὡς κοινωνὸς ὤν.

κεῖνος γὰρ ἄκρας νυκτός, ἡνίχ᾽ ἕσπεροι
285

λαμπτῆρες οὐκέτ᾽ ἦθον, ἄμφηκες λαβὼν

ἐμαίετ᾽ ἔγχος ἐξόδους ἕρπειν κενάς.

κἀγὼ ἐπιπλήσσω καὶ λέγω, τί χρῆμα δρᾷς,

Αἴας; τί τήνδ᾽ ἄκλητος οὔθ᾽ ὑπ᾿ ἀγγέλων ὑπαγγέλων

κληθεὶς ἀφορμᾷς πεῖραν οὔτε του κλύων
290

σάλπιγγος ; ἀλλὰ νῦν γε πᾶς εὕδει στρατός.

ὁ δ᾽ εἶπε πρός με βαί᾽ αἰβὰ βαιὰ βάι', ἀεὶ δ᾽ ὑμνούμενα·

γύναι, γυναιξὶ κόσμον ἡ σιγὴ φέρει.

κἀγὼ μαθοῦσ᾽ ἔληξ᾽ ἐληξ(α) ἔληξ᾽ ἔληξα, ὁ δ᾽ ἐσσύθη μόνος.

καὶ τὰς ἐκεῖ μὲν οὐκ ἔχω λέγειν πάθας·
295

ἔσω δ᾽ ἐσῆλθε συνδέτους ἄγων ὁμοῦ

ταύρους, κύνας βοτῆρας κύνας· βοτῆρας, εὔκερών εὔκερων εὔκερων τ᾽ ἄγραν.

καὶ τοὺς μὲν ηὐχένιζε, τοὺς δ᾽ ἄνω τρέπων

ἔσφαζε κἀρράχιζε κἀράχιζε κἀρράχιζε, τοὺς δὲ δεσμίους

ᾐκίζεθ᾽ ὥστε φῶτας ἐν ποίμναις ποίμναις ποίμναις πίτνων πίτνῶν.
300

τέλος δ᾽ ὑπάξας ἀπᾶξασ ὑπάξασ ὑπαίξας ἀπάιξασ ὑπάξας διὰ θυρῶν σκιᾷ τινὶ

λόγους ἀνέσπα, τοὺς μὲν ᾿Ατρειδῶν κάτα,

τοὺς δ᾽ ἀμφὶ Ὀδυσσεῖ, συντιθεὶς γέλων πολύν,

ὅσην κατ᾿ αὐτῶν αὐτὸν αὐτῶν ὕβριν ἐκτίσαιτ᾿ ἰών·

κἄπειτ᾽ ἐπάξας ἀπάξαις ἑπάξας ἐπαίξας ἀπαίξας επάξας ἐπαίξας αὖθις ἐς δόμους πάλιν
305

ἔμφρων μόλις πως ξὺν χρόνῳ καθίσταται,

καὶ πλῆρες ἄτης ὡς διοπτεύει στέγος,

παίσας κάρα θώϋξεν· ἐν δ᾽ ἐρειπίοις ἐριπίοισ ἐρειπίοις ἐρειπτίοις

νεκρῶν ἐρειφθεὶς ἐρεισθεὶς ἐρριφθεὶς ἔζετ᾽ ἀρνείου φόνου,

κόμην ἀπρὶξ ὄνυξι συλλαβὼν χερί.
310

καὶ τὸν μὲν ἦστο πλεῖστον ἄφθογγος χρόνον·

ἔπειτ᾿ ἐμοὶ τὰ δείν᾽ ἐπηπείλησ᾽ ἔπη,

εἰ μὴ φανοίην φανείην πᾶν τὸ συντυχὸν πάθος,

κἀνήρετ᾽ ἐν τῷ πράγματος κυροῖ κύροι κυρεῖ ποτέ.

κἀγώ, φίλοι, δείσασα, δείσασα, τοὐξειργασμένον
315

ἔλεξα πᾶν ὅσονπερ ἐξηπιστάμην ἐξεπιστάμην ἐξηπιστάμην.

ὁ δ᾽ εὐθὺς ἐξῴμωξεν οἰμωγὰς ἐξώιμοξεν οἰμογὰς ἀνωμωξεν αἰμωγὰς ἐξώιμωξεν οἰμωγὰς ἐξώμωξεν οἰμωγὰς λυγράς,

ἃς οὔποτ᾽ αὐτοῦ πρόσθεν εἰσήκουσ᾽ ἐγώ.

πρὸς γὰρ κακοῦ τε καὶ βαρυψύχου βαρυψύχους βαρυψύχου γόους

τοιούσδ᾽ ἀεί ποτ᾽ ἀνδρὸς ἐξηγεῖτ᾽ ἔχειν εἶναι·
320

ἀλλ᾽ ἀψόφητος ὀξέων κωκυμάτων

ὑπεστέναζε ταῦρος ὣς βρυχώμενος.

νῦν δ᾽ ἐν τοιᾷδε κείμενος κακῇ τύχῃ

ἄσιτος ἁνήρ ἀνὴρ, ἄποτος, ἐν μέσοις βοτοῖς βροτοῖς βοτοῖς

σιδηροκμῆσιν ἥσυχος θακεῖ θάκει θακεῖ πεσών.
325

καὶ δῆλός ἐστιν ὥς τι δρασείων κακόν κακων κακὸν.

τοιαῦτα γάρ πως καὶ λέγει κὠδύρεται.

ἀλλ᾽, ὦ φίλοι, τούτων γὰρ οἵνεκ᾽ ἐστάλην,

ἀρήξατ᾽ εἰσελθόντες, εἰ δύνασθέ δύνασθαι δύνασθε τι.

φίλων γὰρ οἱ τοιοίδε νικῶνται λόγοις φίλοι λόγοις.
330

ΧΟΡΟΣ.

Greek (F. Storr, 1912) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. Storr, 1912)) — 172-200 focus

Χορός

ἦ ῥά σε Ταυροπόλα Διὸς Ἄρτεμις—

ὦ μεγάλα φάτις, ὦ

μᾶτερ αἰσχύνας ἐμᾶς—

ὥρμασε πανδάμους ἐπὶ βοῦς ἀγελαίας,
175

ἦ πού τινος νίκας ἀκάρπωτον χάριν,

ἤ ῥα κλυτῶν ἐνάρων

ψευσθεῖσʼ, ἀδώροις, εἴτʼ ἐλαφαβολίας;

ἢ χαλκοθώραξ μή τινʼ Ἐνυάλιος

μομφὰν ἔχων ξυνοῦ δορὸς ἐννυχίοις
180

μαχαναῖς ἐτίσατο λώβαν;

182

Χορός

οὔ ποτε γὰρ φρενόθεν γʼ ἐπʼ ἀριστερά,

παῖ Τελαμῶνος, ἔβας

τόσσον, ἐν ποίμναις πίτνων·
185

ἥκοι γὰρ ἂν θεία νόσος· ἀλλʼ ἀπερύκοι

καὶ Ζεὺς κακὰν καὶ Φοῖβος Ἀργείων φάτιν.

εἰ δʼ ὑποβαλλόμενοι

κλέπτουσι μύθους οἱ μεγάλοι βασιλῆς

ἢ τᾶς ἀσώτου Σισυφιδᾶν γενεᾶς,
190

μὴ μή, ἄναξ, ἔθʼ ὧδʼ ἐφάλοις κλισίαις

ὄμμʼ ἔχων κακὰν φάτιν ἄρῃ.

193

Χορός

ἀλλʼ ἄνα ἐξ ἑδράνων, ὅπου μακραίωνι

στηρίζει ποτὲ τᾷδʼ ἀγωνίῳ σχολᾷ

ἄταν οὐρανίαν φλέγων.
195

ἐχθρῶν δʼ ὕβρις ὧδʼ ἀτάρβητα

ὁρμᾶται ἐν εὐανέμοις βάσσαις,

πάντων καγχαζόντων

γλώσσαις βαρυάλγητα·

ἐμοὶ δʼ ἄχος ἕστακεν.
200

Τέκμησσα

ναὸς ἀρωγοὶ τῆς Αἴαντος,

γενεᾶς χθονίων ἀπʼ Ἐρεχθειδῶν,

ἔχομεν στοναχὰς οἱ κηδόμενοι

τοῦ Τελαμῶνος τηλόθεν οἴκου.

νῦν γὰρ ὁ δεινὸς μέγας ὠμοκρατὴς
205

Αἴας θολερῷ

κεῖται χειμῶνι νοσήσας.

Χορός

τί δʼ ἐνήλλακται τῆς ἡμερίας

νὺξ ἥδε βάρος;

παῖ τοῦ Φρυγίου Τελεύταντος,
210

λέγʼ, ἐπεὶ σὲ λέχος δουριάλωτον

στέρξας ἀνέχει θούριος Αἴας·

ὥστʼ οὐκ ἂν ἄϊδρις ὑπείποις.

Τέκμησσα

πῶς δῆτα λέγω λόγον ἄρρητον;

θανάτῳ γὰρ ἴσον βάρος ἐκπεύσει.
215

μανίᾳ γὰρ ἁλοὺς ἡμὶν ὁ κλεινὸς

νύκτερος Αἴας ἀπελωβήθη.

τοιαῦτʼ ἂν ἴδοις σκηνῆς ἔνδον

χειροδάϊκτα σφάγιʼ αἱμοβαφῆ,

κείνου χρηστήρια τἀνδρός.
220

221

Χορός

οἵαν ἐδήλωσας ἀνέρος αἴθονος

ἀγγελίαν ἄτλατον οὐδὲ φευκτάν,

τῶν μεγάλων Δαναῶν ὕπο κλῃζομέναν,
225

τὰν ὁ μέγας μῦθος ἀέξει.

οἴμοι φοβοῦμαι τὸ προσέρπον· περίφαντος ἁνὴρ

θανεῖται, παραπλάκτῳ χερὶ συγκατακτὰς
230

κελαινοῖς ξίφεσιν βοτὰ καὶ βοτῆρας ἱππονώμας.

233

Τέκμησσα

ὤμοι· κεῖθεν κεῖθεν ἄρʼ ἡμῖν

δεσμῶτιν ἄγων ἤλυθε ποίμνην·

ὧν τὴν μὲν ἔσω σφάζʼ ἐπὶ γαίας,
235

τὰ δὲ πλευροκοπῶν δίχʼ ἀνερρήγνυ.

δύο δʼ ἀργίποδας κριοὺς ἀνελὼν

τοῦ μὲν κεφαλὴν καὶ γλῶσσαν ἄκραν

ῥιπτεῖ θερίσας, τὸν δʼ ὀρθὸν ἄνω

κίονι δήσας
240

μέγαν ἱπποδέτην ῥυτῆρα λαβὼν

παίει λιγυρᾷ μάστιγι διπλῇ,

κακὰ δεννάζων ῥήμαθʼ, ἃ δαίμων

κοὐδεὶς ἀνδρῶν ἐδίδαξεν.

245

Χορός

ὥρα τινʼ ἤδη τοι κρᾶτα καλύμμασι
245

κρυψάμενον ποδοῖν κλοπὰν ἀρέσθαι

ἢ θοὸν εἰρεσίας ζυγὸν ἑζόμενον

ποντοπόρῳ ναῒ μεθεῖναι.
250

τοίας ἐρέσσουσιν ἀπειλὰς δικρατεῖς Ἀτρεῖδαι

καθʼ ἡμῶν· πεφόβημαι λιθόλευστον Ἄρη

ξυναλγεῖν μετὰ τοῦδε τυπείς, τὸν αἶσʼ ἄπλατος ἴσχει.
255

257

Τέκμησσα

οὐκέτι· λαμπρᾶς γὰρ ἄτερ στεροπῆς

ᾄξας ὀξὺς νότος ὣς λήγει,

καὶ νῦν φρόνιμος νέον ἄλγος ἔχει·

τὸ γὰρ ἐσλεύσσειν οἰκεῖα πάθη,
260

μηδενὸς ἄλλου παραπράξαντος,

μεγάλας ὀδύνας ὑποτείνει.

Χορός

ἀλλʼ εἰ πέπαυται, κάρτʼ ἂν εὐτυχεῖν δοκῶ·

φρούδου γὰρ ἤδη τοῦ κακοῦ μείων λόγος.

Τέκμησσα

πότερα δʼ ἄν, εἰ νέμοι τις αἵρεσιν, λάβοις,
265

φίλους ἀνιῶν αὐτὸς ἡδονὰς ἔχειν,

ἢ κοινὸς ἐν κοινοῖσι λυπεῖσθαι ξυνών;

Χορός

τό τοι διπλάζον, ὦ γύναι, μεῖζον κακόν.

Τέκμησσα

ἡμεῖς ἄρʼ οὐ νοσοῦντες ἀτώμεσθα νῦν.

Χορός

πῶς τοῦτʼ ἔλεξας; οὐ κάτοιδʼ ὅπως λέγεις.
270

Τέκμησσα

ἁνὴρ ἐκεῖνος, ἡνίκʼ ἦν ἐν τῇ νόσῳ,

αὐτὸς μὲν ἥδεθʼ οἷσιν εἴχετʼ ἐν κακοῖς,

ἡμᾶς δὲ τοὺς φρονοῦντας ἠνία ξυνών·

νῦν δʼ ὡς ἔληξε κἀνέπνευσε τῆς νόσου,

κεῖνός τε λύπῃ πᾶς ἐλήλαται κακῇ
275

ἡμεῖς θʼ ὁμοίως οὐδὲν ἧσσον ἢ πάρος.

ἆρʼ ἔστι ταῦτα δὶς τόσʼ ἐξ ἁπλῶν κακά;

Χορός

ξύμφημι δή σοι καὶ δέδοικα μὴ ʼκ θεοῦ

πληγή τις ἥκῃ. πῶς γάρ, εἰ πεπαυμένος

μηδέν τι μᾶλλον ἢ νοσῶν εὐφραίνεται;
280

Τέκμησσα

ὡς ὧδʼ ἐχόντων τῶνδʼ ἐπίστασθαί σε χρή.

Χορός

τίς γάρ ποτʼ ἀρχὴ τοῦ κακοῦ προσέπτατο;

δήλωσον ἡμῖν τοῖς ξυναλγοῦσιν τύχας.

284

Τέκμησσα

ἅπαν μαθήσει τοὔργον ὡς κοινωνὸς ὤν.

κεῖνος γὰρ ἄκρας νυκτός, ἡνίχʼ ἕσπεροι
285

λαμπτῆρες οὐκέτʼ ᾖθον, ἄμφηκες λαβὼν

ἐμαίετʼ ἔγχος ἐξόδους ἕρπειν κενάς.

κἀγὼ ʼπιπλήσσω καὶ λέγω· τί χρῆμα δρᾷς,

Αἴας; τί τήνδʼ ἄκλητος οὔθʼ ὑπʼ ἀγγέλων

κληθεὶς ἀφορμᾷς πεῖραν οὔτε τοῦ κλύων
290

σάλπιγγος; ἀλλὰ νῦν γε πᾶς εὕδει στρατός.

ὁ δʼ εἶπε πρός με βαίʼ, ἀεὶ δʼ ὑμνούμενα·

γύναι, γυναιξὶ κόσμον ἡ σιγὴ φέρει.

κἀγὼ μαθοῦσʼ ἔληξʼ, ὁ δʼ ἐσσύθη μόνος.

καὶ τὰς ἐκεῖ μὲν οὐκ ἔχω λέγειν πάθας·
295

ἔσω δʼ ἐσῆλθε συνδέτους ἄγων ὁμοῦ

ταύρους, κύνας βοτῆρας, εὔερόν τʼ ἄγραν.

καὶ τοὺς μὲν ηὐχένιζε, τοὺς δʼ ἄνω τρέπων

ἔσφαζε κἀρράχιζε, τοὺς δὲ δεσμίους

ᾐκίζεθʼ ὥστε φῶτας ἐν ποίμναις πίτνων.
300

τέλος δʼ ὑπᾴξας διὰ θυρῶν σκιᾷ τινι

λόγους ἀνέσπα, τοὺς μὲν Ἀτρειδῶν κάτα,

τοὺς δʼ ἀμφʼ Ὀδυσσεῖ, συντιθεὶς γέλων πολύν,

ὅσην κατʼ αὐτῶν ὕβριν ἐκτίσαιτʼ ἰών·

κἄπειτʼ ἐπᾴξας αὖθις ἐς δόμους πάλιν,
305

ἔμφρων μόλις πως ξὺν χρόνῳ καθίσταται,

καὶ πλῆρες ἄτης ὡς διοπτεύει στέγος,

παίσας κάρα ʼθώϋξεν· ἐν δʼ ἐρειπίοις

νεκρῶν ἐρειφθεὶς ἕζετʼ ἀρνείου φόνου,

κόμην ἀπρὶξ ὄνυξι συλλαβὼν χερί.
310

καὶ τὸν μὲν ἧστο πλεῖστον ἄφθογγος χρόνον·

ἔπειτʼ ἐμοὶ τὰ δείνʼ ἐπηπείλησʼ ἔπη,

εἰ μὴ φανοίην πᾶν τὸ συντυχὸν πάθος,

κἀνήρετʼ ἐν τῷ πράγματος κυροῖ ποτέ.

κἀγώ, φίλοι, δείσασα τοὐξειργασμένον
315

ἔλεξα πᾶν ὅσονπερ ἐξηπιστάμην.

ὁ δʼ εὐθὺς ἐξῴμωξεν οἰμωγὰς λυγράς,

ἃς οὔποτʼ αὐτοῦ πρόσθεν εἰσήκουσʼ ἐγώ·

πρὸς γὰρ κακοῦ τε καὶ βαρυψύχου γόους

τοιούσδʼ ἀεί ποτʼ ἀνδρὸς ἐξηγεῖτʼ ἔχειν·
320

ἀλλʼ ἀψόφητος ὀξέων κωκυμάτων

ὑπεστέναζε ταῦρος ὣς βρυχώμενος.

νῦν δʼ ἐν τοιᾷδε κείμενος κακῇ τύχῃ

ἄσιτος ἁνήρ, ἄποτος, ἐν μέσοις βοτοῖς

σιδηροκμῆσιν ἥσυχος θακεῖ πεσών·
325

καὶ δῆλός ἐστιν ὥς τι δρασείων κακόν.

τοιαῦτα γάρ πως καὶ λέγει κὠδύρεται.

ἀλλʼ, ὦ φίλοι, τούτων γὰρ οὕνεκʼ ἐστάλην,

ἀρήξατʼ εἰσελθόντες, εἰ δύνασθέ τι·

φίλων γὰρ οἱ τοιοίδε νικῶνται λόγοις.
330

331

Χορός

Τέκμησσα, δεινά, παῖ Τελεύταντος, λέγεις

ἡμῖν, τὸν ἄνδρα διαπεφοιβάσθαι κακοῖς.

Αἴας

ἰώ μοί μοι.

Τέκμησσα

τάχʼ, ὡς ἔοικε, μᾶλλον· ἢ οὐκ ἠκούσατε

Αἴαντος οἵαν τήνδε θωΰσσει βοήν;
335

Αἴας

ἰώ μοί μοι.

Χορός

ἁνὴρ ἔοικεν ἢ νοσεῖν ἢ τοῖς πάλαι

νοσήμασιν ξυνοῦσι λυπεῖσθαι παρών.

Αἴας

ἰὼ παῖ παῖ.

Τέκμησσα

ὤμοι τάλαινʼ· Εὐρύσακες, ἀμφὶ σοὶ βοᾷ.
340

τί ποτε μενοινᾷ; ποῦ ποτʼ εἶ; τάλαινʼ ἐγώ.

Αἴας

Τεῦκρον καλῶ. ποῦ Τεῦκρος; ἢ τὸν εἰσαεὶ

λεηλατήσει χρόνον, ἐγὼ δʼ ἀπόλλυμαι;

Χορός

ἁνὴρ φρονεῖν ἔοικεν. ἀλλʼ ἀνοίγετε.

τάχʼ ἄν τινʼ αἰδῶ κἀπʼ ἐμοὶ βλέψας λάβοι.
345

Τέκμησσα

ἰδού, διοίγω· προσβλέπειν δʼ ἔξεστί σοι

τὰ τοῦδε πράγη, καὐτὸς ὡς ἔχων κυρεῖ.

Translations (5)

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 201 focus

Helpers of Aias’ vessel’s speed,

Erechtheus’ earth-derivèd seed,

Sorrows are ours who truly care

For the house of Telamon afar.

The dread, the grand, the rugged form

Of him we know,
205

Is stricken with a troublous storm;

Our Aias’ glory droopeth low.

CHORUS

What burden through the darkness fell

Where still at eventide ’twas well?

Phrygian Teleutas’ daughter, say;

Since Aias, foremost in the fray,

Disdaining not the spear-won bride,

Still holds thee nearest at his side,

And thou may’st solve our doubts aright.

TEC

How shall I speak the dreadful word?

How shall ye live when ye have heard?

Madness hath seized our lord by night

And blasted him with hopeless blight.

Such horrid victims mightst thou see

Huddled beneath yon canopy,

Torn by red hands and dyed in blood,

Dread offerings to his direful mood.

CH

What news of our fierce lord thy story showeth,

Sharp to endure, impossible to fly!

News that on tongues of Danaäns hourly groweth,

Which Rumour’s myriad voices multiply!

Alas! the approaching doom awakes my terror.

The man will die, disgraced in open day,

Whose dark dyed steel hath dared through mad brained error

The mounted herdmen with their herds to slay.

O horror! Then ’twas there he found

The flock he brought as captives tied,

And some he slew upon the ground,

And some, side smiting, sundered wide

Two white foot rams he backward drew,

And bound. Of one he shore and threw

The tipmost tongue and head away,

The other to an upright stay

He tied, and with a harness thong

Doubled in hand, gave whizzing blows,

Echoing his lashes with a song

More dire than mortal fury knows.

CH

Ah! then ’tis time, our heads in mantles hiding,
245

Our feet on some stol’n pathway now to ply,
245

Or with swift oarage o’er the billows gliding,
245

With ordered stroke to make the good ship fly
245

Such threats the Atridae, armed with two fold power,

Launch to assail us. Oh, I sadly fear

Stones from fierce hands on us and him will shower,

Whose heavy plight no comfort may come near.

’Tis changed, his rage, like sudden blast,

Without the lightning gleam is past

And now that Reason’s light returns,

New sorrow in his spirit burns.

For when we look on self made woe,

In which no hand but ours had part,

Thought of such griefs and whence they flow

Brings aching misery to the heart.

CH

If he hath ceased to rave, he should do well
260

The account of evil lessens when ’tis past.

TEC

If choice were given you, would you rather choose
265

Hurting your friends, yourself to feel delight,

Or share with them in one commingled pain?

CH

The two fold trouble is more terrible.

TEC

Then comes our torment now the fit is o’er.

CH

How mean’st thou by that word? I fail to see.
270

TEC

He in his rage had rapture of delight

And knew not how he grieved us who stood near

And saw the madding tempest ruining him.

But now ’tis over and he breathes anew,

The counterblast of sorrow shakes his soul,
275

Whilst our affliction vexeth as before,

Have we not double for our single woe?

CH

I feel thy reasoning move me, and I fear

Some heavenly stroke hath fallen. How else, when the end

Of stormy sickness brings no cheering ray?
280

TEC

Our state is certain. Dream not but ’tis so.

CH

How first began the assault of misery?

Tell us the trouble, for we share the pain.

TEC

It toucheth you indeed, and ye shall hear

All from the first. ’Twas midnight, and the lamp

Of eve had died, when, seizing his sharp blade,

He sought on some vain errand to creep forth.

I broke in with my word: ‘Aias, what now?
285

Why thus uncalled for salliest thou? No voice
285

Of herald summoned thee. No trumpet blew.
285

What wouldst thou when the camp is hushed in sleep?’

He with few words well known to women’s ears

Checked me: ‘The silent partner is the best.’

I saw how ’twas and ceased. Forth then he fared

Alone—What horror passed upon the plain

This night, I know not. But he drags within,

Tied in a throng, bulls, shepherd dogs, and spoil

Of cattle and sheep. Anon he butchers them,

Felling or piercing, hacking or tearing wide,

Ribs from breast, limb from limb. Others in rage

He seized and bound and tortured, brutes for men.

Last, out he rushed before the doors, and there

Whirled forth wild language to some shadowy form,

Flouting the generals and Laërtes’ son

With torrent laughter and loud triumphing
290

What in his raid he had wreaked to their despite.
290

Then diving back within—the fitful storm
290

Slowly assuaging left his spirit clear.
290

And when his eye had lightened through the room

Cumbered with ruin, smiting on his brow

He roared; and, tumbling down amid the wreck

Of woolly carnage he himself had made,

Sate with clenched hand tight twisted in his hair.

Long stayed he so in silence. Then flashed forth

Those frightful words of threatening vehemence,

That bade me show him all the night’s mishap,

And whither he was fallen I, dear my friends,

Prevailed on through my fear, told all I knew.

And all at once he raised a bitter cry,

Which heretofore I ne’er had heard, for still

He made us think such doleful utterance

Betokened the dull craven spirit, and still

Dumb to shrill wailings, he would only moan
295

With half heard muttering, like an angry bull.
295

But now, by such dark fortune overpowered,
295

Foodless and dry, amid the quivering heap

His steel hath quelled, all quietly he broods;

And out of doubt his mind intends some harm:

Such words, such groans, burst from him. O my friends.—

Therefore I hastened,—enter and give aid

If aught ye can! Men thus forgone will oft

Grow milder through the counsel of a friend.

CH

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 172 focus

Trieb dich die Tochter des Zeus, die Vertilgerin,

Artemis, schweres Gerücht, Quelle bitt'rer Schande mir!

Auf unsres Volkes Gut, in die weidenden Rinder,

Wohl wegen eines ohne Dank erkämpften Siegs,¹
175

Sei es um Gaben getäuscht

Von stolzer Rüstung oder um Beuten der Sagd?

Wie? Oder zürnt dir Ares im ehernen Kleid,

Hat, weil mit Undank ihm du die Hülfe gelohnt,

Dich gestraft mit nächtlichem Blendwerk?
180
Gegenstrophe.

Nie doch in früherer Zeit, Telamonier,

Hast du dich also verirrt, wider Heerden loszugeh'n;

Dir schlugen wohl die Götter den Geist: doch es halte

Das üble Volksgerede Zeus und Phöbos fern!

Wenn im Geheimen indeß
185

Die Lüg' ersann der mächtigen Könige Groll²

Und jener arge Sprosse von Sisyphos' Blut:

Nicht länger birg dich, Herr, in den Zelten am Meer,

Nicht den Ruf, den schmähenden, wecke!

Schlußgesang.

Raffe dich auf von dem Size, wo du schon so lang
190

Meidend Werke des Krieges, hingefesselt ruhst,

Daß dein Jammer zum Himmel flammt!

Hier toben die Feinde keck, ohne Zittern,

In säuselnden Thalbuchten,

Und ringsher zischen um dich
195

Hohnlachende Zungen;

Doch zehrender Gram quält uns.

Tekmessa (tritt aus dem Zelte). Der Chor.

Tekmessa.

Ihr Führer von Ajas' Schiffe, gezeugt

Aus Erechtheus' Stamm, den die Erde gebar!³

Wohl jammern wir laut, wir, liebend und treu
200

Um Telamons Haus in der Ferne besorgt;

Denn Ajas, der Held, groß, riesiger Kraft,

Liegt niedergebeugt

Von dem Sturm wildwühlenden Wahnsinns.

Der Chor.

Wie hat sich des Tages Geschick in der Nacht
205

So bitter gewandt?

O sage, des Phrygers Teleutas Kind!

Du, welche der Held mit dem Speer sich errang,

Zur Geliebten erkor, du kannst es gewiß,

Dir ist es bekannt, mir verkünden.
210

Tekmessa.

Wie sprech' ich es aus, das unsägliche Wort?

Ihr vernehmet ein Schicksal, schwer wie der Tod.

Denn in Rasen verfiel uns Ajas, der Held,

Hat nächtlich (o Graun!) mit Schmach sich befleckt.

So könnt ihr es anschau'n, drinnen im Zelt
215

Von den Händen zerfleischt und gebadet in Blut,

Die geschlachteten Opfer des Mannes.

Strophe.

Der Chor.

Ha, welchen Ruf offenbarst du, Frau, von dem grimmigen Mann,

Ha, schrecklich, unentrinnbar!

Ruchtbar gemacht von den Fürsten des Danaerheers,
220

Mehrt ihn die stets wachsende Sage.

Bang ahn' ich, bang, was mir herannaht! Vor den Augen Aller

Erschlägt ihn auch die wahnsinnige Hand, die eben

Mit bluttriefendem Stahle die Heerden mordet' und die Hirten.

Tekmessa.

Weh! Dorther, dorther kam er zu uns,
225

Und führte die Heerd' in gefesseltem Zug;

Und die einen erwürgt' er am Boden im Zelt,

Und die anderen hieb er mitten entzwei,

Griff zween weißfüßige Widder sodann,

Mäht' einem das Haupt und die Zunge herab,
230

Und warf sie hinweg;

Und den anderen band er am Pfeiler empor,

Und faßte den Roßzaum doppelt und schwang

Und geißelte, daß hell schwirrte der Schlag,

Schmachworte zugleich ausschüttend, die nur
235

Ein Gott, kein Mensch, ihm gelehrt hat.

Gegenstrophe.

Der Chor.

Nun ist es Zeit, unser Haupt in bergende Hüllen versteckt,⁴

Verstohlen fortzuflüchten,

Oder gewandt zu den Rudern, in Eile des meer-

wandelnden Schiffs Bande zu lösen.
240

Mit solchen Drohworten bestürmt uns das Atridenpaar hier,

Die Trozvollen: mir bangt, ach, vom erhobnen Steine

Erreicht, muß ich verderben, wie er, den grauses Leiden fesselt.

Tekmessa.

Nicht mehr! Er ruht nun, schnell wie der Süd,

Der ohne den Bliz aufstürmte, sich legt.⁵
245

Den Genesenen quält jezt anderes Leid;

Denn zu sehen das Unheil, das du dir selbst,

Kein Anderer sonst mitwirkend erschuf,

Das weckt unsägliche Schmerzen.

Der Chor.

Nun, wich die Krankheit, acht' ich's wohl für großes Glück;
250

Des schon entschwundnen Leides denkt man weniger.

Tekmessa.

Was nähmst du lieber, gönnte man dir freie Wahl:

Dem Freund zum Kummer, dich zu freu'n in eignem Glück,

Oder in der gleichen Trauer ihm gesellt zu sein?

Der Chor.

Ein doppelt Unglück wäre, Frau, das härtere.
255

Tekmessa.

So wären wir jezt leidend, ohne krank zu sein.

Der Chor.

Wie meinst du dieses? Was du sagst, versteh' ich nicht.

Tekmessa.

Der Mann, so lang ihn seine Wuth gebunden hielt,

War frohes Muths im Leide, das ihn fesselte;

Doch uns Gesunde quält' es, ihn so krank zu sehn.
260

Nun, da die Krankheit rastet und er sich erholt,

Wird er von bösem Kummer ganz umhergestürmt,

Und wir ingleichen, nicht geringer als zuvor.

Ward so die Noth nicht doppelt, die nur Eine war?

Der Chor.

Recht hast du wahrlich, und mir bangt, ihn traf ein Schlag
265

Von Göttern: kann es anders sein, wenn Ajas, nun

Die Wuth von ihm gewichen, sich nicht heitrer fühlt?

Tekmessa.

Und wohl verhält sich's also, daran zweifle nicht.

Der Chor.

Wie kam der Anfang dieser Noth herangestürmt?

Erzähl' es uns; wir theilen alles Leid mit dir.
270

Tekmessa.

Vernehmen sollt ihr Alles, weil ihr Freunde seid.

In tiefer Nachtzeit, als die Abendleuchten schon

Erloschen waren, nahm er sein zweischneidig Schwert,

Und sann in unnüz eitlen Kampf hinauszuziehn.

Ich schelte laut und rufe: was beginnst du, Herr?
275

Was stürmst du nichtgerufen jezt ins Feld hinaus,

Wo keine Boten riefen, kein Drommetenschall

Dich weckte? Ruht im Schlummer doch das ganze Heer.

Da stimmt' er kurz das stetsgesungne Lied mir an:

Weib, des Weibervolkes Schmuck ist Schweigen mur.
280

Dies hörend, schwieg ich, und er stürmt' allein hinaus;

Doch nicht zu sagen weiß ich, was sich dort begab.

Zurückgekommen, trieb er angefesselt heim

Der Hirten Hunde, Ninder und gehörnten Raub.

Und diese köpft er, jene würgt und schlachtet er
285

Am aufgebognen Halse, die mißhandelt er

Gebunden: so wie Männer, fiel er Heerden an.

Am Ende rannt' er durch die Thür, und schwazte viel

Mit einem Schatten, schalt des Atreus Söhne, schalt

Den Sohn Laertens; oft in Lachen brach er aus,
290

Mit welcher Schmach er diese strafend heimgesucht.

Nach diesem rannt' er wiederum in's Haus zurück,

Und kehrte mühsam endlich zur Besonnenheit.

Und als er voll von Gräuel sein Gemach erblickt,

Da schlug er brüllend sich das Haupt, und stürzte sich
295

Auf todter Widder blutumströmte Trümmer hin,

Und krallt' in seine Locken wild die Nägel ein.

Und also saß er ohne Laut geraume Zeit:

Dann droht' er mir mit grauenvollem Wort den Tod,

Enthüll' ich ihm nicht Alles, was mit ihm geschehn,
300

Und fragte, was jezt über ihn das Loos verhängt.

Und ich in Angst, o Freunde, sagt' ihm Alles an,

Was mir von seinen Thaten kund geworden war.

Da brach er schnell in jammervolles Winseln aus,

Das ich zuvor aus seinem Munde nie gehört.
305

Denn sonst erklärt' er immer, nur des Feigen Art

Sei solche Klage, zieme nur dem schwachen Geist,

Und leise stöhnt' er, ohne lautes Wehgeschrei,

In rauhem, dumpfem Tone nur, dem Stiere gleich.

Nun sizt der Mann, in solches herbe Leid versenkt,
310

Die Speise missend, ohne Trank, in stiller Ruh

Inmitten jener Heerden, die sein Eisen traf.

Und offenbar ist's, daß er sinnt auf arge That;

Denn völlig also redet er, so jammert er.

Nun kommt, o Freunde, denn ich kam deßhalb heraus
315

In's Zelt, gewährt mir Hülfe, wenn ihr helfen könnt;

Denn Freundeswort nur überwindet solchen Sinn.

Der Chor.

English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 201 focus

Chorus.

Tecmessa

Sons of Erectheus, of Athenian race,

Oppressed with grief behold a wretched woman,

Far from her native soil, appointed here
215

To watch your hapless lord, and mourn his fate.

CnoR What new misfortune hath the night brought

forth ?

Say, daughter of Teleutas, for with thee.

To share the nuptial bed, and therefore thou

Canst best inform us.
220

Tecmessa

How shall 1 declare

Sadder than death th' unutterable woe !

This night, with madness seized, hath Ajax done

A dreadful deed ; within thou mayst behold
230

The tent 's o'erspread with bloody carcases
230

Of cattle slain, the victims of his rage.

Chorus

A dire disease ! and not by human aid

To be removed ; already Greece hath heard

And wond'ring crowds repeat the dreadful tale ;
245

Alas ! I fear th' event ! I fear me much.

Lest, with their flocks and herds the shepherds slain,

Against himself he lift his murth'rous hand.

Tecmessa

Alas ! this way he led his captive spoils.

And some he slew, and others tore in sunder ;

From out the flock two rams of silver hue
255

He chose, from one the head and tongue divided,

He cast them from him ; then the other chained

Fast to the pillar, with a double rein

Bore cruel stripes, and bitt'rest execrations,

Which not from mortal came, but were inspired

By that avenging god who thus torments him.

Chorus

Now then, ray friends (for so the time
260

demands),
260

Each o'er his head should cast the mournful veil,
260

And instant fly, or to our ships repair,
260

And sail with speed ; for dreadful are the threats

Of the Atridse ; death may be our lot,

And we shall meet an equal punishment

With him whom we lament, our frantic lord.

Tecmessa

He raves not now ; but like the southern blast.
265

When lightnings cease and all the storm is o'er,
265

Grows calm again ; yet to his sense restored,

He feels new griefs ; for oh ! to be unhappy.

And know ourselves alone the guilty cause

Of all our sorrows, is the worst of woes,

Chorus

Yet if his rage subside we should rejoice ;

The ill removed, we should remove our care.

Tecmessa

Hadst thou then rather, if the choice were given,

Thyself at ease, behold thy friend in pain.

Than with thy friend be joined in mutual sorrow 1

Chorus

The double grief is sure the most oppressive.
270

Tecmessa

Therefore, though not distempered, I am

wretched.

Chorus

I understand thee not.

Whilst he was mad, was happy in his frenzy,

And yet the while affected me with grief

Who was not so ; but now his rage is o'er,

And he hath time to breathe from his misfortune,

Himself is almost dead with grief, and I
275

Not less unhappy than I was before ;

Is it not double then ?

Chorus

It is indeed ;

And much I fear the wrath of angry heaven,

If from his madness ceased he yet receive

No kind rehef .
280

Tecmessa

'Tis so ; and 'twere most fit

You knew it well.

Chorus

Say then how it began ;

For like thyself we feel for his misfortune.^.

Tecmessa

Since you partake the sorrows of a friend,

I'll tell vou all. Know then, at dead of ni'^'ht,

What time the evening taper were expired,

Snatching his sword, he seemed as if he meant

To roam abroad. I saw and chid him for it ;
285

What wouldst thou do, I cried, my dearest Ajax i
285

Unasked, uncalled for, whither wouldst thou go 1
285

No trunipt't sounds to battle, the whole host

Is wrapped in sleep. Then did he answer me

With brief but sharp rebuke, as he was wont :

'* Woman, thy sex's noblest ornament

jl; Is silence." Thus reproved, I said no more.

• Tlien forth he rushed alone, where, and for what,

I knew not ; but returning, he brought home

In chains tlie captive herd, in pieces some

He tore, whilst others bound like slaves he lashed

Indignant ; then out at the portal ran,

And with some shadow seemed to hold discourse

Against tli' Atrida?, and Ulysses oft

Would he inveigh ; or, laughing loud, rejoice

That he had ta'en revenge for all his wrongs ;
290

Then back he came. At length, by slow degrees,
290

His frenzy ceased ; when, soon as he beheld
290

The tents o'erwhelmed with slaughter, he cried out,

And beat his brain ; rolled o'er the bloody heaps

Of cattle slain, and tore his clotted hair.

Long fixed in silence : then, with horrid threats

He bade me tell him all that had befallen

And what he had been doing. I obeyed.

Trembling with fear, and told him all I knew.

Instant he poured forth bitt'rest lamentations,

Such as I ne'er had heard from him before.

For grief like that, he oft would say, betrayed

A weak and little mind, and therefore ever

When sorrow came refrained from loud complaint.

And, like the lowing heifer, inly mourned.

But sinking now beneath this sore distress.
295

He will not taste of food or nourishment ;
295

Silent he sits, amid the slaughtered cattle,
295

Or, if he speaks, utters such dreadful words

As shows a mind intent on something ill.

Now. then, my friends, for therefore came I hither.

Oh I if ye have the power, assist me now ;

Perhaps ye may ; for oft th' afflicted man

Will listen to the counsels of a friend.

Chorus

English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 201 focus

Ye faithful train, that o'er the billows steer

The bark of Ajax, from Erectheus sprung

A generous race, with sorrow pierced we groan,

Who in a foreign land with zeal attend

The house of Telamon: for now the great,
205

The strong, the daring Ajax sinks beneath

The turbid storm of a distemper'd mind.

Chorus

What weight of sorrow hath this night produced

Changing the fortune of the former day,

Daughter of Phrygian Teuthras, tell thy friends;

For since his spear achieved thee as his prize,

The ardent Ajax gave thee all his love;

Thou then, as one not ill inform'd, canst speak.

Tecmessa

How can I speak unutterable ills?

This will fall on thee with a weight like death;
215

Such thou wilt feel it; for with frenzy seized

This night th' illustrious Chief hath done a deed

Destructive to his fame: within the tent

Thou may'st behold the victims of his sword

Weltering in gore, and slaughter'd by his hand.
220

Chorus

What hast thou said of one, that in the works

Of war flamed foremost! We can neither bear

The infamy, nor shun it. By the Chiefs

Already it is whisper'd, and anon

Wide through the Grecian camp it will be spread.

Ah me! I fear th' advancing ills; the man

By the same hand, by frenzy arm'd, will die,

Amidst the darkness of the night which whirl'd

His sword, and with the herdsmen slew the herds.

Tecmessa

Ah, what a grief! Thence, thence he came, and led

The herds as captives; some within the tent

He slew, and on the ground some mangled lie.

Two rams of snow-white fleece he seized; from one

He rent away the tongue, smote off the head,

And threw it from him; to a pillar high
230

The other bound, then snatch'd his chariot-reins,
230

And scourges it with many a sounding stroke,
230

Reviling it with loud and shameful taunts,

The dictates of some Fury, not of man.

Chorus

Time is it then we veil our heads, and steal
245

With secret foot away; or mount our seats, 1
245

Ply the strong oar, and to the ocean give

Our lightly-bounding bark. Such threats severe

The sons of Atreus, who command our host,

Denounce against us: crush'd with stones, I fear,

We too shall feel their vengeance, with our lord.

Now struggling in the bonds of ruthless fate.

Tecmessa

Not struggling now, for, as the boisterous South

That rose without the lightening's flashing fires,
255

His rage subsides. But to his sense return'd

A new affliction grieves him; for to view

Ills all our own, where no associate shares

The deed, with keenest anguish racks the heart.

Chorus

But we are happy if his sense returns;
260

The ill now ceased, less anxious are our fears.

Tecmessa

Hadst thou thy choice, wou'dst thou with grief afflict
265

Thy friends, that unshared pleasure might be thine;

Or bear in mutual grief a mutual part?

Chorus

The double, lady, is the greater ill.

Tecmessa

We, the disease not sharing, feel its pains.

Chorus

Why this? I know not what thy words import.
270

Tecmessa

When his disease raged highest, in the ills,

Which round encompass'd him, he felt a joy,

To us, whose sense was perfect, causing grief.

Now he is calm, and from his wild disease

Breathes free, with anguish all his soul is rack'd,
275

Nor less is our affliction than before.

From single is not this a double ill?

Chorus

To thee my heart assents; and much I fear

Some fatal stroke impending from a god:

Else why, his mind now calm, no more of joy

Feels he, than 'midst the storm of his disease?
280

Tecmessa

Be thou assured that things have reach'd this height.

Chorus

But tell us how this sudden ill began;

For we too melt in sympathy of woe.

Tecmessa

Thou shalt know all, as one that shares the grief.

The night was far advanced, the evening lamps

No longer blazed, when grasping in his hand

His dreadful sword, he bent his eager steps

Towards the passes from all haunt now clear;
285

I gently chide him, What thy purpose now?..
285

Of herald calls thee, nor the trumpet's sound,
285

Why thus rush forth? Now all the army sleeps.

Few were his words, the tune of every tongue,..

"To women silence gives their proper grace."

I stood rebuked, he issued forth alone.

What then befel I know not: he return'd

Driving in bonds the bulls, the herdsmen's dogs,

And lowing herds; some by his sword was slain,

And hewn in pieces; some like captives bound,

Raging against the flocks, he scourged as men.

At length he issued from the tent, and held

Long converse with some shadow; of the sons

Of Atreus much, and of Ulysses much

He spoke, and laugh'd aloud, how their base deeds

He in this sally amply had revenged.
290

Slow he regain'd; but when he saw the ground
290

With carnage cover'd thus, he smote his head,
290

And raised a mournful cry; then prostrate lay

Stretch'd 'midst the havoc of the slaughter'd flocks,

Rending with violence his hair. Long time

He lay, nor utter'd word; with rigorous threats

Then bade me tell him every circumstance

Of what had pass'd, and whence the carnage ask'd

That lay around him: struck with fear, my friends,

Distinct I told him all that had been done,

Far as I knew it; strait with mournful cries

Loud he lamented; such from him before

I never heard; for wailings he disdain'd

As marks of base and abject minds, nor gave

His griefs a voice, but like a murmuring bull

Groan'd inwardly: and now in this ill plight,
295

Refusing to be cheer'd with food or wine,
295

Grovelling amidst the slaughter'd herds he sits
295

In gloomy silence, forming in his mind

Some ill intent; this his imperfect words

And griefs denote. But, O my friends, (this cause

Impell'd me forth to seek you) go to him,

Give him your aid, if aught avails your pow'r;

Oft on such minds the words of friends prevail.

Chorus
Entering the tent again his sense at length,

English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904)) — 172-200 focus

Chorus

Was it Artemis ruler of bulls, Zeus’s daughter, that drove you, O powerful Rumor, O mother of my shame,

drove you against the herds of all our people? Was she exacting retribution, perhaps, for a victory that had paid her no tribute, whether it was because she had been cheated of the glory of captured arms, or because a stag had been slain without gifts for recompense? Or can the bronze-cuirassed Lord of War
175

have had some cause for anger arising out of an alliance of spears, and taken vengeance for the outrage by contrivance shrouded in night?
180

182

Chorus

For never of your own heart alone, son of Telamon, would you have gone so far down the sinister path

as to fall upon the flocks. When the gods send madness, it cannot but reach its target, but may Zeus and Phoebus avert the evil rumor of the Greeks!
And if it is the great kings who slander you with their furtive stories,
185

or if it is he born of the abject line of Sisyphus, do not, my king, do not win me an evil name by keeping your face still hidden in the tent by the sea.
190

193

Chorus

Come now, up from your seat, wherever you are settled in this long-lived pause from battle

and are making the flame of disaster blaze up to the sky! The violent insolence of your enemies rushes fearlessly about in the breezy glens, while the tongues of all the army cackle out a load of grief.
195

For me, sorrow stands firmly planted.
200

Enter Tecmessa.

Tecmessa

Mates of the ship of Ajax, offspring of the race that springs from the Erechtheids, the soil’s sons, cries of grief are the portion of us who care from afar for the house of Telamon.

Ajax, our terrible, mighty lord of untamed power, now lies plagued by a turbid storm of disease.
205

Chorus

And what is the heavy change from the fortune of yesterday which this night has produced?

Daughter of Teleutas the Phrygian, speak, since for you his spear-won mate bold Ajax maintains his love, so that with some knowledge you could suggest an explanation.
210

Tecmessa

Oh, how am I to tell a tale too terrible for words?

Grave as death is the suffering which you will hear. By madness our glorious Ajax was seized in the night, and he has been subjected to utter disgrace. All this you may see inside his dwelling—butchered victims bathed in blood,
215

sacrifices of no hand but his.
220

221

Chorus

What report of the fiery warrior have you revealed to us, unbearable, nor yet escapable—

a report which the great Danaans propound, which their powerful storytelling spreads! Ah, me, I shudder at the future’s advancing step. In public view the man will die
225

because the dark sword in his frenzied hand massacred the herds and the horse-guiding herdsmen.
230

231

Tecmessa

Ah! Then it was from there, from there that he came to me with his captive flock!

Of part, he cut the throats on the floor inside; some, striking their sides, he tore asunder. Then he caught up two white-footed rams and sheared off the head of one and its tongue-tip, and flung them away;
235

the other he bound upright to a pillar, and seizing a heavy strap from a horse’s harness he flogged it with a whistling, doubled lash, while he cursed it with awful imprecations which a god, and no mortal, had taught him.
240

245

Chorus

The time has come for each of us to veil his head and steal away on foot, or to sit and take on the swift yoke of rowing,
245

giving her way to the sea-faring ship. So angry are the threats which the brother-kings, the sons of Atreus, speed against us! I fear to share in bitter death beneath an onslaught of stones,
250

crushed at this man’s side, whom an untouchable fate holds in its grasp.
255

257

Tecmessa

It grips him no longer. For like a southerly wind after it has started up sharply without bright lightning he grows calm. And now in his right mind he has new pain.

To look on self-made suffering, when no other has had a hand in it—this induces sharp pains.
260

Chorus

But if he has stopped his madness, I have good hope that all may yet be well, since the trouble is of less account once it has passed.

Tecmessa

And which, if the choice were given you, would you choose—to distress your friends, and have joy yourself, or to share the grief of friends who grieve?
265

Chorus

The twofold sorrow, lady, is certainly the greater evil.

Tecmessa

Then we are ruined now, although the plague is past.

Chorus

What do you mean? I do not understand what you say.
270

Tecmessa

That man, while afflicted, found joy for himself in the dire fantasies that held him, though his presence distressed us who were sane. But now, since he has had pause and rest from the plague,

he has been utterly subjected to lowly anguish, and we similarly grieve no less than before. Surely, then, these are two sorrows, instead of one?
275

Chorus

Indeed, I agree, and so I fear that a blow sent by a god has hit him. How could it be otherwise, if his spirit is no lighter

than when he was plagued, now that he is released?
280

Tecmessa

This, you must know, is how matters stand.

Chorus

In what way did the plague first swoop down on him? Tell us who share your pain how it happened.

284

Tecmessa

You will hear all that took place, since you are involved.

In the dead of night when the evening lamps were no longer aflame, he seized a two-edged sword and wanted to leave on an aimless foray. Then I admonished him and said, What are you doing, Ajax? Why do you set out unsummoned on this expedition,
285

neither called by messenger, nor warned by trumpet? In fact the whole army is sleeping now. But he answered me curtly with that trite jingle: Woman, silence graces woman. And I, taking his meaning, desisted, but he rushed out alone.

290

What happened out there, I cannot tell. But he came in with his captives hobbled together—bulls, herding dogs, and his fleecy quarry. Some he beheaded; of some he cut the twisted throat or broke the spine; others
295

he abused in their bonds as though they were men, though falling only upon cattle. At last he darted out through the door, and dragged up words to speak to some shadow—now against the Atreidae, now about Odysseus—with many a mocking boast of all the abuse that in vengeance he had fully repaid them during his raid.
300

After that he rushed back again into the house, and somehow by slow, painful steps he regained his reason. And as he scanned the room full of his disastrous madness, he struck his head and howled; he fell down, a wreck amid the wrecked corpses of the slaughtered sheep, and there he sat
305

with clenched nails tightly clutching his hair. At first, and for a long while, he sat without a sound. But then he threatened me with those dreadful threats, if I did not declare all that had happened, and he demanded to know what on earth was the business he found himself in.
310

And in my fear, friends, I told him all that had been done, as far as I knew it for certain. But he immediately groaned mournful groans, such as I had never heard from him before. For he had always taught that such wailing
315

was for cowardly and low-hearted men. He used to grieve quietly without the sound of loud weeping, but instead moaned low like a bull.
And now, prostrate in such miserable fortune, tasting no food, no drink,
320

the man sits idly where he has fallen in the middle of the iron-slain cattle. And plainly he plans to do something terrible. Somehow his words and his laments say as much. Ah, my friends—for it was my errand to ask you this—come in and help him, if in any way you can.
325

Men of his kind can be won over by the words of friends.
330

331

Chorus

Tecmessa, daughter of Teleutas, terrible is your news that our lord has been possessed by his sorrows.

Within.

Ajax
wailing.

Oh! Ah, me! Ah, me!

Tecmessa

Soon there will be more sorrow, it seems. Did you not hear

Ajax, did you not hear his resounding howl?
335

Ajax
wailing.

Oh! Ah, me! Ah, me!

Chorus

The man seems to be sick, or else to be still pained by the disease which was recently with him, since he sees its traces.

Ajax
wailing.

Oh my son, my son!

Tecmessa

Ah, miserable me! Eurysaces, it is for you he calls! What can his purpose be? Where are you? I am miserable!
340

Ajax

Teucer! Where is Teucer? Will his raid last for ever? While I perish?

Chorus

He seems to be sane—open the door!

Perhaps merely at the sight of me he will come to a more respectable mood.
345

Tecmessa

There, it is open. Now you can look on this man’s deeds, and his true condition.

Commentary

Commentary (R. C. Jebb) (OCR draft) (Commentary (R. C. Jebb))

mvp-comment-112-1 τοῦ λέξαντος ¹

mvp-comment-113-1 ἄχεσιν καθυβρίζων ²

mvp-comment-114-1 τῶν … μεγάλων ψυχῶν ³

mvp-comment-114-2 ἱεὶς ⁴

mvp-comment-114-3 ἁμάρτοις ⁵ ἁμάρτοι ⁶

mvp-comment-114-4 κατὰ δ’ ἄν τις ἐμοῦ ⁷

mvp-comment-115-1 τὸν ἔχονθ’ ⁸

mvp-comment-115-2 ὁ φθόνος ⁹

mvp-comment-116-1 πύργου ῥῦμα ¹⁰

mvp-comment-117-1 μετὰ ¹¹ ὑπό ¹²

mvp-comment-117-2 ὀρθοῖθ’ ¹³

mvp-comment-118-1 τούτων γνώμας ¹⁴ προδιδάσκειν ¹⁵

mvp-comment-119-1 τοιούτων ¹⁶

mvp-comment-119-2 ἀπαλέξασθαι ¹⁷

mvp-comment-120-1 ἀλλ’ ὅτε γὰρ δὴ … πτήξειαν ἄφωνοι ¹⁸ δ’ ¹⁹

mvp-comment-120-2 (1) ἀλλὰ ²⁰

mvp-comment-120-3 (2) ἀλλὰ … γὰρ ²¹

mvp-comment-120-4 (3) The reading μέγαν αἰγυπιὸν δ’ ὑποδείσαντες ²² ἀπέδραν ²³

mvp-comment-120-5 (4) This reading is confirmed by the fact that since ὑποδείσαντες ²⁴

mvp-comment-120-6 ὅτε … δὴ ²⁵

mvp-comment-120-7 ἀπέδραν ²⁶

mvp-comment-120-8 αἰγυπιὸν ²⁷

mvp-comment-120-9 τάχ’ ἂν ²⁸ ἐξαίφνης ²⁹ πτήξειαν ³⁰

mvp-comment-120-10 σιγῇ πτήξειαν ἄφωνοι ³¹

mvp-comment-121-1 The Chorus being now drawn up in the orchestra (134 n.), the lyric part of the Parodos begins. Strophe 172—182=antistr. 183—193: epode 194 —200. For metres, see Metrical Analysis.

mvp-comment-121-2 ἦ ῥά σε ³² ἦ ³³ ἠέ ³⁴

mvp-comment-121-3 The sailors ask whether Artemis or Ares can have driven Ajax to such a deed. In connection with their chief, the deities of hunting and war naturally occur to them. They do not think of Athena.

mvp-comment-121-4 Ταυροπόλα ³⁵

mvp-comment-121-5 It is possible that Sophocles here was thinking only of the

Ταυροπόλος

proper, and names her simply because bulls had been among the victims of Ajax. On the other hand, the savage nature of the bloody onslaught might suggest that she was associated in his thought with the

Ταυρική

. Such an association occurs as early as I. T. 1457 where the Brauronian Artemis (

ἐπώνυμον γῆς Ταυρικῆς

, 1454) is called

Ταυροπόλος

. The dithyrambic poet Timotheus of Miletus ( c. 400 B.C.) addressed the Ephesian Artemis as

μαινάδα, θυιάδα, φοιβάδα, λυσσάδα

(Bergk fr. 1). See Appendix.

mvp-comment-121-6 Διὸς ³⁶

mvp-comment-122-1 μεγάλα ³⁷

mvp-comment-122-2 μᾶτερ αἰσχύνας ἐμᾶς ³⁸

mvp-comment-123-1 πανδάμους … βοῦς ³⁹

mvp-comment-124-1 ἦ που ⁴⁰

mvp-comment-124-2 νίκας τινὸς ἀκάρπωτον χάριν ⁴¹ ἤ ῥα … ψευσθεῖσα ἐνάρων ⁴² εἴτ’ ἀδώροις ἐλαφαβολίαις ⁴³

mvp-comment-124-3 νίκας ἀκάρπωτον χάριν ⁴⁴

mvp-comment-124-4 ἤ ῥα ⁴⁵ ἢ … εἴτε ⁴⁶

mvp-comment-124-5 κλυτῶν ⁴⁷

mvp-comment-124-6 ψευσθεῖσα ⁴⁸

mvp-comment-124-7 ἀδώροις … ἐλαφαβολίαις ⁴⁹ δώροις ⁵⁰ ἀδώροις ⁵¹

mvp-comment-124-8 ἐλαφαβολίαις ⁵²

mvp-comment-124-9 The causes here conjectured for her wrath remind us of her anger with Oeneus, who had failed to render firstfruits at harvest-tide ( Il. 9. 534

χωσαμένη, ὅ οἱ οὔ τι θαλύσια γουνῷ ἀλωῆς | Οἰνεὺς ῥέξ’

). Cp. Eur. Hipp. 147 where the Chorus suggest that the Cretan Dictynna may be wroth with Phaedra, as

ἀνίερος ἀθύτων πελάνων

(for having failed to make holy offerings of honey-cakes).

mvp-comment-125-1 ἢ ⁵³ μὴ ⁵⁴ ἤ ⁵⁵ μή ⁵⁶ δή ⁵⁷ σοί ⁵⁸ εἴ ⁵⁹ ἦ ⁶⁰

mvp-comment-125-2 Ἐνυάλιος ⁶¹

mvp-comment-126-1 μομφὰν ἔχων ⁶²

mvp-comment-126-2 ξυνοῦ δορὸς ⁶³ ξυνοῦ ⁶⁴

mvp-comment-126-3 ἐννυχίοις μαχαναῖς ⁶⁵

mvp-comment-126-4 ἐτείσατο ⁶⁶

mvp-comment-127-1 φρενόθεν γ’ ⁶⁷ γε ⁶⁸

mvp-comment-127-2 ἐπ’ ἀριστερὰ … ἔβας ⁶⁹

mvp-comment-127-3 τόσσον ⁷⁰

mvp-comment-127-4 πίτνων ⁷¹

mvp-comment-128-1 ἥκοι γὰρ ἂν ⁷² γὰρ ⁷³

mvp-comment-128-2 From verse 172 down to this point, the Chorus have been asking whether the rumour can be true. Now they pass to the alternative:—‘But if it is untrue, then up and refute it.’

mvp-comment-128-3 Ζεὺς … Φοῖβος ⁷⁴

mvp-comment-129-1 ὑποβαλλόμενοι ⁷⁵

mvp-comment-130-1 κλέπτουσι μύθους ⁷⁶ ὑποβαλλόμενοι ⁷⁷ κλέπτουσι ⁷⁸ μύθους ⁷⁹

mvp-comment-130-2 οἱ μεγάλοι βασιλῆς ⁸⁰

mvp-comment-131-1 ἢ τᾶς ⁸¹

mvp-comment-131-2 ἀσώτου ⁸²

mvp-comment-131-3 Σισυφιδᾶν ⁸³

mvp-comment-132-1 μή, μή μ’, ἄναξ ⁸⁴ μ’ ⁸⁵ κακὰν φάτιν ἄρῃ ⁸⁶

mvp-comment-132-2 The simplest remedy is that which is proposed by Prof. v. Wilamowitz-Möllendorff (cr. n.), who, referring to the hiatus after

ἄνα

in 193, would here omit μ’ ⁸⁷ μή, μή, ἄναξ ⁸⁸ μὴ μηκέτ’, ὦναξ ⁸⁹

mvp-comment-132-3 κλισίαις ὄμμ’ ἔχων ⁹⁰ ὧδ’ ⁹¹ ἄρῃ ⁹² α ⁹³

mvp-comment-133-1 ἄνα ⁹⁴

mvp-comment-133-2 ὅπου … ποτέ ⁹⁵ ποτὲ ⁹⁶ ποτὶ ⁹⁷

mvp-comment-133-3 ἀγωνίῳ σχολᾷ ⁹⁸

mvp-comment-134-1 ἄταν οὐρανίαν φλέγων ⁹⁹

mvp-comment-135-1 ἀτάρβητα ¹⁰⁰ ὧδ’ ¹⁰¹ ἀτάρβητος ¹⁰² ἀτάρβητα ¹⁰³ ἀτάρβητα ὁρμᾶται ¹⁰⁴

mvp-comment-135-2 εὐανέμοις ¹⁰⁵ α^ ¹⁰⁶ α— ¹⁰⁷

mvp-comment-135-3 βάσσαις ¹⁰⁸

mvp-comment-136-1 καγχαζόντων ¹⁰⁹ καχαζόντων ¹¹⁰

mvp-comment-136-2 βαρυάλγητα ¹¹¹ βαρυάλγητ’ ¹¹²

mvp-comment-136-3 ἕστακεν ¹¹³

mvp-comment-137-1 vαὸς ἀρωγοὶ ¹¹⁴

mvp-comment-138-1 γενεᾶς ¹¹⁵

mvp-comment-138-2 χθονίων ἀπ’ Ἐρεχθειδᾶν ¹¹⁶

mvp-comment-138-3 Erechtheus,

ὁ γηγενής

( Her. 8. 55 ), ‘whom Earth, the grain-giver, brought forth, and Athena, daughter of Zeus, fostered’ ( Il. 2. 547 ), is representative of the Athenian claim to be

αὐτόχθονες

. It was in his reign, acc. to Her. 8. 44 , that the folk once called

Κραναοί

, and then

Κεκροπίδαι

, were first named

Ἀθηναῖοι

. For

Ἐρεχθεῖδαι

as=

Ἀθηναῖοι

, cp. Pind. I. 2. 19

κλειναῖς Ἐρεχθειδᾶν χαρίτεσσιν ἀραρὼς | ταῖς λιπαραῖς ἐν Ἀθάναις

, ‘having attained to the glorious honours given by the Erechtheidae in shining Athens.’ (In Soph. Ant. 981 f., however, the patronymic has a narrower sense, denoting merely the family of Erechtheus.) So, again, the Athenians are

Θησεῖδαι

( Soph. O. C. 1066 ), the Thebans

Καδμεῖοι

, the Trojans or Romans Aeneadae; and an unknown poet (frag. adesp. 274) calls the Argives

χθονίους Ἰναχίδας

, where Hesychius explains the adj. by

αὐτόχθονας καὶ οὐκ ἐπήλυδας

,— the sense of χθονίων ¹¹⁷

mvp-comment-138-4 Salamis is in this play a kingdom independent of Athens, but the Salaminians are of Athenian stock, and revere ‘sacred Athens’ (1222) as the metropolis of their race. See Introduction, § 4.

mvp-comment-139-1 τηλόθεν ¹¹⁸

mvp-comment-140-1 ὠμοκρατὴς ¹¹⁹

mvp-comment-141-1 θολερῷ ¹²⁰ χειμῶνι ¹²¹

mvp-comment-141-2 νοσήσας ¹²²

mvp-comment-142-1 τί δὲ βάρος ἐνήλλακται νὺξ ἥδε τῆς ἡμερίας ¹²³ ἐνήλλακται ¹²⁴

mvp-comment-142-2 No tolerable emendation has been made. ἠρεμίας ¹²⁵ εὐμαρίας ¹²⁶ ἀμμορίας ¹²⁷ νὺξ ἥδε ¹²⁸

mvp-comment-142-3 The schol. in L has:

γρ. δὲ ἀημερίας ἀντὶ τῆς ἀηδοῦς φορᾶς

(‘unpleasant course’),

καὶ ἔσται ὁ νοῦς, ποῖον βάρος ἔλαβεν αὕτη ἡ νὺξ ἀπὸ τῆς προτέρας ἀηδίας;

This explanation of

ἀημερίας

ἀηδοῦς φορᾶς

and

ἀηδίας

indicates (I think) a reference, not to

ἡμέρα

—as if

ἀημερία

could mean

δυσημερία

—but to

ἥμερος

: the original scholium may have had

ἀνημερίας

(meant as ‘unkindly fortune’).

mvp-comment-143-1 Φρυγίου Τελεύταντος ¹²⁹

mvp-comment-143-2 Lobeck remarks that the father of Tecmessa is called Teuthras by Malela and others, Tethras by Cedrenus, and Teuthas by Tzetzes.

mvp-comment-144-1 λέχος ¹³⁰

mvp-comment-144-2 σε … στέρξας ἀνέχει ¹³¹

mvp-comment-145-1 ὑπείποις ¹³²

mvp-comment-146-1 λέγω ¹³³

mvp-comment-146-2 θανάτῳ … ἴσον ¹³⁴

mvp-comment-147-1 μανίᾳ γὰρ ¹³⁵ ἡμὶν ¹³⁶

mvp-comment-147-2 νύκτερος ¹³⁷

mvp-comment-147-3 ἀπελωβήθη ¹³⁸

mvp-comment-148-1 τοιαῦτ’ ¹³⁹ αἱμοβαφῆ ¹⁴⁰

mvp-comment-148-2 χρηστήρια ¹⁴¹

mvp-comment-149-1 A strophe, to which vv. 245—256 form the antistrophe. For the metres, see Metrical Analysis.

mvp-comment-149-2 ἀνέρος … ἀγγελίαν ¹⁴²

mvp-comment-149-3 αἴθονος ¹⁴³

mvp-comment-149-4 The v.l. αἴθοπος ¹⁴⁴ ο ¹⁴⁵

mvp-comment-149-5 ἄτλατον οὐδὲ φευκτάν ¹⁴⁶

mvp-comment-150-1 τῶν μεγάλων Δαναῶν ¹⁴⁷

mvp-comment-150-2 κλῃζομέναν ¹⁴⁸

mvp-comment-151-1 ὁ μέγας μῦθος ¹⁴⁹

mvp-comment-151-2 ἀέξει ¹⁵⁰

mvp-comment-152-1 περίφαντος ¹⁵¹

mvp-comment-153-1 παραπλάκτῳ ¹⁵²

mvp-comment-153-2 συγκατακτὰς ¹⁵³ κελαινοῖς ¹⁵⁴

mvp-comment-154-1 ξίφεσιν ¹⁵⁵

mvp-comment-154-2 ἱππονώμας ¹⁵⁶ βοτῆρας ¹⁵⁷ βοτά ¹⁵⁸ ἱππονόμους ¹⁵⁹

mvp-comment-155-1 ἄρα ¹⁶⁰

mvp-comment-155-2 ἤλυθε ¹⁶¹

mvp-comment-156-1 ὧν ¹⁶² ποίμνην ¹⁶³ τὴν μὲν ¹⁶⁴ τὰ δὲ ¹⁶⁵

mvp-comment-156-2 ἔσω ¹⁶⁶ ἔσω σφάζε ¹⁶⁷

mvp-comment-156-3 ἐπὶ γαίας ¹⁶⁸

mvp-comment-156-4 πλευροκοπῶν ¹⁶⁹

mvp-comment-157-1 ἀργίποδας ¹⁷⁰

mvp-comment-157-2 If the two rams are the two Atreidae, then Odysseus is ignored here. This would be consistent both with vv. 97— 110 and with 298—306. The flogging of the second ram here would correspond with the words

τοὺς δὲ δεσμίους | ᾐκίζεθ’

in 299 f. Then came the colloquy of Ajax with Athena (301); after which, he slowly regained his sanity,—before he had inflicted the lash upon Odysseus. That the ‘two rams’ are here the royal brethren might be suggested by the analogy of the two eagles in Ag. 115. On the other hand, the special ferocity with which Ajax treats the second ram rather indicates that it represents Odysseus. There would be no point in so distinguishing Menelaüs from Agamemnon. On the whole, it seems most probable that the poet meant Agamemnon and Odysseus, but was careless of strict consistency with vv. 97—110.

mvp-comment-158-1 κεφαλὴν καὶ γλῶσσαν ἄκραν ¹⁷¹

mvp-comment-159-1 ῥιπτεῖ ¹⁷²

mvp-comment-159-2 ὀρθὸν ἄνω … δήσας ¹⁷³

mvp-comment-159-3 κίονι ¹⁷⁴

mvp-comment-160-1 ἱπποδέτην ῥυτῆρα ¹⁷⁵

mvp-comment-161-1 λιγυρᾷ ¹⁷⁶

mvp-comment-162-1 κακὰ δεννάζων ῥήμαθ’ ¹⁷⁷

mvp-comment-162-2 δαίμων ¹⁷⁸

mvp-comment-163-1 ἤδη τοι κρᾶτα ¹⁷⁹ ἀνδρὸς ¹⁸⁰ ἀνέρος ¹⁸¹ τοι ¹⁸² κρᾶτα ¹⁸³ κάρα ¹⁸⁴ ἐδήλωσας ¹⁸⁵ ἔδειξας ¹⁸⁶ ἔφηνας ¹⁸⁷ ἐδήλους ¹⁸⁸ τοι ¹⁸⁹ ἤτοι ¹⁹⁰

mvp-comment-163-2 κρᾶτα … κρυψάμενον ¹⁹¹

mvp-comment-163-3 ποδοῖν κλοπὰν ἀρέσθαι ¹⁹² κλοπὰν ¹⁹³

mvp-comment-164-1 θοὸν ¹⁹⁴ εἰρεσίας ¹⁹⁵ ζυγὸν ¹⁹⁶

mvp-comment-164-2 ναῒ μεθεῖναι ¹⁹⁷

mvp-comment-165-1 τοίας ¹⁹⁸

mvp-comment-165-2 ἐρέσσουσιν ¹⁹⁹

mvp-comment-165-3 δικρατεῖς Ἀτρεῖδαι ²⁰⁰

mvp-comment-166-1 πεφόβημαι ²⁰¹

mvp-comment-166-2 λιθόλευστον Ἄρη ²⁰²

mvp-comment-166-3 The accus. is, in the first place, object to πεφόβημαι ²⁰³ ξυναλγεῖν ²⁰⁴ τυπείς ²⁰⁵

mvp-comment-166-4 αἶσ’ ἄπλατος ²⁰⁶

mvp-comment-167-1 The words λαμπρᾶς ἄτερ στεροπῆς ²⁰⁷ λήγει ²⁰⁸ ᾄξας ²⁰⁹

mvp-comment-168-1 οἰκεῖα πάθη ²¹⁰

mvp-comment-168-2 παραπράξαντος ²¹¹

mvp-comment-168-3 ὑποτείνει ²¹²

mvp-comment-169-1 πέπαυται ²¹³ εὐτυχεῖν ²¹⁴

mvp-comment-169-2 φρούδου γὰρ ²¹⁵ λόγος ²¹⁶

mvp-comment-170-1 πότερα ²¹⁷

mvp-comment-171-1 The words κοινὸς ἐν κοινοῖσι ²¹⁸

mvp-comment-172-1 τὸ … διπλάζον ²¹⁹

mvp-comment-173-1 Though οὐ νοσοῦντος ²²⁰ οὐ νοσοῦντες ²²¹

mvp-comment-173-2 ἀτώμεσθα ²²²

mvp-comment-174-1 πῶς … ὅπως ²²³

mvp-comment-175-1 οἷσιν εἴχετ’ ἐν κακοῖς ²²⁴

mvp-comment-175-2 φρονοῦντας ²²⁵ βλέποντας ²²⁶ κακοῖς ²²⁷

mvp-comment-176-1 κἀνέπνευσε ²²⁸ ἔληξε ²²⁹

mvp-comment-177-1 Instead of κεῖνος ²³⁰

mvp-comment-177-2 πᾶς ²³¹

mvp-comment-177-3 ἐλήλαται ²³²

mvp-comment-178-1 ἆῤ ²³³

mvp-comment-178-2 δὶς τός’ ²³⁴ ἐξ ἁπλῶν ²³⁵

mvp-comment-179-1 δέδοικα μὴ … ἥκῃ ²³⁶ ἥκει ²³⁷ ἥκῃ ²³⁸ ἥκοι ²³⁹

mvp-comment-179-2 πῶς γάρ ²⁴⁰

mvp-comment-179-3 εἰ πεπαυμένος ²⁴¹

mvp-comment-179-4 μηδέν τι ²⁴²

mvp-comment-180-1 ὡς ὧδ’ ἐχόντων ²⁴³

mvp-comment-181-1 τίς γάρ ²⁴⁴

mvp-comment-181-2 προσέπτατο ²⁴⁵

mvp-comment-181-3 From the Homeric

ἔπτατο

( Il. 13. 592 , etc.) Tragedy borrows this non-thematic aor. (of which the active form would be

ἔπτην

): cp. 693 . The aor. of

πέτομαι

in Attic Comedy and prose is usu.

ἐπτόμην

(see Veitch, Irreg. Verbs, 2nd ed., p. 530): and of this we have the inf.

πτέσθαι

in O. T. 17 ,—again in accord with Homeric precedent ( Il. 4. 126

ἐπιπτέσθαι

mvp-comment-181-4 τύχας ²⁴⁶ δήλωσον ²⁴⁷ τύχαις ²⁴⁸ ξυναλγοῦσιν ²⁴⁹

mvp-comment-182-1 κεῖνος γὰρ ²⁵⁰

mvp-comment-182-2 ἄκρας νυκτός ²⁵¹

mvp-comment-183-1 λαμπτῆρες ²⁵²

mvp-comment-183-2 For this mode of indicating the time, cp. Her. 7. 215

περὶ λύχνων ἁφάς

: Propert. 3. 8. 1

ad extremas..lucernas

: Aul. Gellius 3. 2

post primam facem.

mvp-comment-184-1 ἔγχος ²⁵³

mvp-comment-184-2 ἐξόδους ἕρπειν ²⁵⁴

mvp-comment-184-3 κενάς ²⁵⁵

mvp-comment-185-1 The general word, ἄκλητος ²⁵⁶ οὔτε ²⁵⁷

mvp-comment-185-2 ἀφορμᾷς ²⁵⁸ πεῖραν ²⁵⁹

mvp-comment-185-3 σάλπιγγος ²⁶⁰

mvp-comment-185-4 πᾶς εὕδει στρατός ²⁶¹

mvp-comment-186-1 ὑμνούμενα ²⁶²

mvp-comment-186-2 γυναιξὶ ²⁶³

mvp-comment-186-3 κόσμον ²⁶⁴

mvp-comment-187-1 μαθοῦς’ ²⁶⁵

mvp-comment-187-2 ἐσσύθη ²⁶⁶

mvp-comment-188-1 τὰς ἐκεῖ … πάθας ²⁶⁷ τύχας ²⁶⁸

mvp-comment-189-1 κύνας βοτῆρας ²⁶⁹

mvp-comment-189-2 εὔερον ²⁷⁰ εύκερων ²⁷¹

mvp-comment-190-1 ηὐχένιζε ²⁷²

mvp-comment-190-2 ἄνω τρέπων ²⁷³

mvp-comment-190-3 ἔσφαζε ²⁷⁴

mvp-comment-190-4 κἀρράχιζε ²⁷⁵

mvp-comment-190-5 δεσμίους ²⁷⁶

mvp-comment-190-6 ὥστε ²⁷⁷

mvp-comment-190-7 φῶτας ²⁷⁸

Commentary (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) (Commentary (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) focus

134-200. mvp-comment-100-1 The first part of the parodos consists of six anapaestic systems (ll. 134-171), during the recitation of which the Chorus pace to and fro in the orchestra, before the tent of Ajax. This long-continued movement, which betokens the restless anxiety of the mariners for their prince, also strikes a note in harmony with the feelings of the spectator, to whom the horror that is going on within has already been revealed. He knows that their dreadful apprehensions are only too true. It is followed by a strophe, antistrophe, and epode (ll. 172-200), which mark the climax of their agitation before the entrance of Tecmessa.

152-153. mvp-comment-113-1 'And each who hears rejoices, more than him who spake, to insult over thy woes.' The participle is added to complete the sense of χαίρων. ἄχεσιν is dative of the cause or occasion. Cp. infr. 955.

155. mvp-comment-114-1 ἁμάρτοι] For the omission of τις, which is supplied in the next sentence, see Essay on L. § 39. P. 72, 3. This is the harder and more dignified reading.

157. mvp-comment-115-1 ἔρπει implies a stealthy advance, differing from στείχει, which would signify open menace. Cp. Pind. Nem. 8. 36, ἅπτεται δ᾽ ἐσλῶν ἀεί, χειρόνεσσι δ᾽ οὐκ ἐρίζει: Pyth. 11. 45, 6. ἴσχει γὰρ ὄλβος οὐ μείονα φθύνον· | ὁ δὲ χαμηλὰ πνέων ἄφαντον βρέμει.

158-159. mvp-comment-116-1 Some have here supposed a metaphor from building, large and small stones together making the strongest wall. This is fanciful, and not contained in the words; but in any case πύργου ῥῦμα is a 'tower of defence' (Essay on L. § 10. p. 17, 6), and not 'means of defending a tower,' because ῥύεσθαι can hardly mean 'to man,' although in Aesch. S. c. T. 823, it is used of the Divine protection of Thebes. For the whole phrase, cp. Od. 11. 556 (said with reference to Ajax): τοῖος γάρ σφιν πύργος ἀπώλεο: Alc. fr. 23, ἄνδρες πόληος πύργος ἀρεύϊοι : Aesch. Pers. 347.

160-161. mvp-comment-117-1 ἄριστ᾽ ἂν. ὀρθοῖθ᾽'Will best be made secure.' Cp. Thuc. 6. 18, § 4, ὁμοῦ δὲ τό τε φαῦλον καὶ τὸ μέσον καὶ τὸ πάνυ ἀκριβὲς ἂν ξυγκραθὲν μάλιστ᾽ ἂν ἰσχύειν. βαιός] Lit. 'few,' hence 'feeble.'

161. mvp-comment-118-1 ὑπό marks that the lesser are to serve the greater: μετά, that the great require the cooperation of the less.

162-163. mvp-comment-119-1 'But foolish men cannot be instructed in these truths.' τούτων γνώμας = ' right judgments about these things.'

164. mvp-comment-120-1 τοιούτων, sc. οὕτως ἀνοήτων. 'So foolish are they that clamour against thee,' that there is no hope of bringing them to a better mind.

165. mvp-comment-121-1 πρὸς ταῦτ᾽ ἀπαλέξασθαι] Sc. ταῦτα. 'This being so, we have no strength to avert this.'

167. mvp-comment-122-1 'But then the truth is that when they have escaped from thine eye.' γάρ covers the whole sentence, and the emphasis is on the latter part, viz. μέγαν, κ.τ.λ. The Chorus mean to say: 'Though we are weak, yet Ajax is strong, and the clamour will subside when he appears.'

169. mvp-comment-123-1 The correction of Dawes, which restores the metre by the insertion of δέ, is probably right. For the meaning, cp. Alc. fr. 27. ἔπταζον ὥστ᾽ ὄρνιθες ὦκυν | αἴετον ἐξαπίνας φάνεντα, which also helps to support the punctuation in l. 170.

170. mvp-comment-124-1 τάχ᾿ ἄν] 'Soon would they.'

171. mvp-comment-125-1 σιγῇ .. ἄφωνοι] Essay on L. §40. p. 75. 'Their noise would be hushed, and they would cower without a word.'

172-200. mvp-comment-126-1 Beginning from a dactylic movement, the ode (expressing the combination of deep sadness with eager hope) continues with trochaic, iambic, and dactylic rhythms, as follows:- ... The slow movement with frequent long syllables increases towards the close.

172. mvp-comment-127-1 ἡ ῥα .. Ἄρτεμις] Can it be, as I suspect ( pa), that Artemis?' Ταυροπόλα Διὸς Ἄρτεμις] 'Bull-riding Artemis, daughter of Zeus,' conveys the image of the goddess riding on a bull, as she sometimes appears on coins. In this character (probably derived from the East) Artemis was worshipped in different places with orgiastic rites. Euripides, I. T. 1449 foll., associates this name of Artemis with the supposed derivation of her worship under this attribute from the Tauric Chersonese. She is here alluded to (1) as the subduer of cattle, (2) as the inspirer of frenzy.

173. mvp-comment-128-1 ὦ μεγάλα φάτις] ‘Terrible thought!' The simple word μεγάλα has here the special connotation of 'tremendous' or 'overwhelming;' just as the general word κακούς, supr. 133, is opposed to the special word σώφρονας. The Chorus cannot speak of Ajax' supposed error without interposing this expression of horror.

175. mvp-comment-129-1 πανδάμους] Cp. supr. ll. 53, 4, and note. ἀγελαίας] (1) Grazing oxen are so called in contradistinction to the labouring ox that is fed at a stall. Or, possibly, (2) the word simply denotes the whole herd of oxen belonging to the host, - the πάνδημος ἀγέλη.

176. mvp-comment-130-1 ἡ που] 'Surely, it must have been.' Cp. Trach. 846, 7, where ἢ που is reiterated. τινος νίκας ἀκάρπωτον χάριν] 'Because of a gift of victory that brought her no return.' χάριν = διὰ χάριν. This unusual construction is softened by a reminiscence of the more ordinary (adverbial) use of χάριν = 'because of.' For this confusion, see Essay on L. § 36. p. 67; and cp. Eur. I. T. 566, κακῆς γυναικός χάριν ἄχαριν ἀπώλετο.

177. mvp-comment-131-1 ἤ ῥα .. εἴτε] 'Either, as I suspect,.. or whether it were.' Cp. Eur. Alc. 114, 5, ἢ Λυκίας | εἴτ᾽ ἐπὶ τὰς ᾿Αμμωνίδας ἕδρας.

177-178. mvp-comment-132-1 'Disappointed of glorious spoils, or (provoked) because the fall of the stag was followed by no gift.' The MS. reading ψευσθεῖσα δώροις, ‘deceived in the matter of gifts,' is hardly Greek. For the dative, ἀδώροις.. ἐλαφηβολίαις, see Essay on L. § 14. p. 21, and for the order of the words, ibid. § 41. p. 77.

179. mvp-comment-133-1 - By reading τιν' for ἤ τιν' a possible construction is obtained, although the text remains doubtful. 'Or can it be that Enyalius of the brazen corslet,' etc. The conjj. ἥντιν', δή τιν', εἴ τιν', are not satisfactory: σοί τιν' (Reiske) is better (sc. μομφὰν ἔχων). The repetition of the η sound in this passage (ll. 176 9, ἢ που, ἤ ῥα, ἤ, ἦ) may have had some poetical or musical effect of which we cannot judge.

180. mvp-comment-134-1 μομφὰν . . δορός] ‘Having fault to find with thee on account of his spear associated with thine,' i.e. by reason of some help which he had given thee in battle. Perhaps there is a reminiscence, although the sense is different, of the Epic ξυνὸς Ἐνυάλιος. which Eur. has otherwise applied in Phoen. 1572, κοινὸν ἐνυάλιον . . μαρναμένους. ἐννυχίοις μαχαναῖς] ‘By contriving against thee in the night.'

181. mvp-comment-135-1 ἐτίσατο λώβαν] Either (1) 'Punished the wrong done to him,'- τίσασθαι λώβην in ΙΙ. 19. 208, Od. 20. 169, Hes. Theog. 165, is 'to revenge oneself for an outrage:'-or (2) 'Did thee vengeful despite,' λώβαν cogn. acc. Cp. infr. 217, νύκτερος ἀπελωβήθη: 304, ὕβριν ἐκτίσαιτ᾽: Il. 13. 622, 3.

183. mvp-comment-136-1 φρενόθεν] Of thine own heart;' i.e. the cause must have been from without, not from within. Ajax could not be himself ( φρενήρης) and do this thing. The gods must have destroyed his senses ( φρένας ὤλεσαν).

183-185. mvp-comment-137-1 ἐπ᾿ ἀριστερά .. ἔβας τόσσον] 'Canst thou have gone so far wrong?" Cp. the metaph. uses of σκαιός, and Plat. Soph. 264 E, where πορεύεσθαι κατὰ τοὐπὶ δεξιὰ ἀεὶ μέρος is 'to make the right selection in each case.'

185. mvp-comment-138-1 ἐν ποίμναις πίτνων] ‘As to assault the flocks.' The participle is slightly proleptic (as with πειράσθαι). Cp. Ant. 752, ἢ κἀπαπειλῶν ὧδ᾽ ἐπεξέρχει θρασύς.

186. mvp-comment-139-1 ἥκοι γὰρ ἂν θεία νόσος] 'An affliction from the gods, indeed, may have come.' For this use of av with the optative, cp. Aesch. Pers. 706, ἀνθρώπεια δ' ἄν τοι πήματ᾿ ἂν τύχοι βροτοῖς: Ag. 1507, πατρόθεν δὲ συλλήπτωρ γένοιτ᾽ ἂν ἀλάστωρ. These words develop the suggestion conveyed in φρενόθεν γε, το which they are attached with γάρ. Ajax cannot have done this; at least not of his own impulse. It may be, indeed, that a divine visitation is upon him. This possibility is a further reason for rejecting the notion that Ajax is really guilty. ὀλλά] (1) 'It may have come, but Zeus grant that the report may be untrue!' Zeus and Phoebus, as the deities of divination, are implored to grant that the truth may be less terrible than it is according to the report set in motion by the Argives. Or (2) 'It may have come, but even then let not the evil be increased with false rumours spread by Argives.'

188-189. mvp-comment-140-1 'And if, suborning tales of their own making, the mighty kings win currency for them by false means.'

190. mvp-comment-141-1 ἢ τᾶς ἀσώτου Σισ. γενεᾶς] The force of the article is continued. Essay on L. § 21. p. 336. The standing reproach against Odysseus, that he was the son of Sisyphus, although not acknowledged as true by Sophocles (see l. 1), is represented as being used against him by his enemies. Cp. especially, Phil. 417, οὑμπολητὸς Σισύφου Λαερτίῳ: Fr. 143, ὡς ὁ Σίσυφος πολὺς | ἔνδηλος ἐν σοί. For Σισυφιδᾶν γενεᾶς, where only one generation is in question, cp. Ant. 981, 2, σπέρμα Ερεχθειδᾶν, of Cleopatra the granddaughter of Erechtheus.

191. mvp-comment-142-1 μὴ μή μ', ἄναξ] For the 'Attic' accusative in general construction with what follows, as after verbs of doing good or evil, see E. on L. § 16. р. 23. 'Do not to my hurt incur reproach.' ἐφάλοις κλισίαις ὄμμ' ἔχων] (1) 'Keeping thine eye hidden within the hut by the sea.' The Epic word κλισίαις is used in the Lyric measures. We had σκηναῖς in the dialogue, supr. l. 3. The dative is one of place, as if with ev. For ὄμμα, cp. supr. 167. ἔχων · = κατέχων, 'withholding from sight.' Or (2) 'Keeping thine eye fixed upon the tents.'

194. mvp-comment-143-1 ἀλλ᾽ ἄνα ἐξ εδράνων] ‘But up from where thou sittest still.' The hiatus is excused by Hermann on the ground that ava is an interjectional abbreviation. ὅπου.. σχολᾷ] (1) 'Wheresoever thou art thus fixed in a dangerous lethargy of quarrelsome repose.' The Chorus are uncertain of Ajax' whereabouts, as Odysseus was, supr. 33. μακραίωνι implies that some time had passed since the judgment of the arms and Ajax' sullen withdrawal from the fight: cp. infr. 929 foll. ἀγωνίῳ is a difficult word. The inactivity of Ajax was his manner of contending with the chiefs: if the rumour was true, it was an inactivity in which he had been fatally active; and however his leisure was employed, it was becoming full of danger to him. The force of ἀγών, in the sense of a dangerous contest, is therefore suited to the place, and the expression is an oxymoron, 'a perilous quarrelsome rest' (for which, cp. Shak. Ant and Cleo. 1. 3, 'Tis sweating labour To bear such idleness so near the heart.") (2) Others suppose the words merely to mean 'rest from combat,' i.e. from the general combat with the Trojans.

196. mvp-comment-144-1 ἄταν οὐρανίαν φλέγων] 'Letting mischief blaze up to the sky.' Cp. Eur. Phoen. 240, 1, αΐμα δάϊον φλέγει. The image of a fire is continued in the following lines.

197-200. mvp-comment-145-1 The arrangement of these lines is difficult. The elision of the last syllable of ὁρμᾶται and the hiatus after ἀτάρβητα and βαρυάλγητα are doubtful points. It can hardly be questioned that the a of εὐανέμοις (for εὐηνέμοις) is long. καχαζόντων is rightly restored for καγχαζόντων. Brambach, (Sophokl. Gesänge) suggesting εὐανέμοις, gives the following scheme... But the difficulties are not thus removed. Perhaps we may venture...

197. mvp-comment-146-1 ὧδ'] 'Thus,' as in supr. 141-53.

198. mvp-comment-147-1 εὐανέμοις] 'With favouring breezes.' As applied to a harbour, εὐήνεμος is 'sheltered from rough winds;' but the image here is rather that of a forest glade, where, when a little fire is kindled, the wind that is not strong enough to extinguish it only fans it to strength. Cp. I1. 20. 490, 1, ὡς δ᾽ ἀναμαιμάει βαθέ᾽ ἄγκεα θεσπιδαὲς πῦρ | οὔρεος ἀζαλέοιο, βαθεῖα δὲ καίεται ὕλη.

200. mvp-comment-148-1 ἐμοὶ .. ἕστακεν] 'I have a grief that will not be removed.'

201. mvp-comment-149-1 The exposition of the situation in the Ajax, like the ἀναγνώρισις in the Oed. Tyr., is effected through the meeting of those who on either side know only half the truth. Tecmessa, whose affection for Ajax exceeds that of his own people, comes forth to meet the chorus of mariners before the hut. They learn from her the truth of the calamity. She learns from them the extent of it. Schol. διδάσκει τὸν χόρον ὅτι Αἴας ἐστὶν ὁ σφάξας τὰ ποίμνια. πυνθάνεται δὲ παρὰ τοῦ χοροῦ ὅτι Ἑλληνικὰ ἦν τὰ σφαγέντα, ἑκάτερος οὖν παρ' ἑκατέρου τὸ ἀγνοούμενον μανθάνει.

202. mvp-comment-150-1 γενεάς, κ.τ.λ.] 'Of race derived from the Earth-born Erechtheidae.' The Salaminians are, by an anachronism which is repeated infr. 861, counted as originally one with the Athenian people.

203. mvp-comment-151-1 ἔχομεν στοναχάς] ‘It is ours to groan.' She claims the sympathy of the chorus, of which they assure her, infr. 210.

204. mvp-comment-152-1 τηλόθεν] Sc. ὄντος or σκοπουμένου. Cp. O. T. 1259, οἱ παρῆμεν ἐγγύθεν. The word is not to be immediately joined with κηδόμενοι. Salamis, which she has never seen, seems far away to Tecmessa, whose hopes are notwithstanding centred there.

205. mvp-comment-153-1 ὁ δεινὸς μέγας ὠμοκρατής] · Our dread hero, rugged in might.' Various compounds of ὠμός are used to indicate the fierce impetuosity of Ajax, that cannot be reduced to rule: infr. 885, τὸν ὠμόθυμον : 931, ὠμόφρων : 548, ἀλλ᾿ αὐτίκ᾿ ὠμοῖς αὐτὸν ἐν νόμοις πατρὸς | δεῖ πωλοδάμνειν κάξομοιοῦσθαι φύσιν. See also infr. 613, θουρίῳ | κρατοῦντ᾽ ἐν᾿ Αρει. Others would render ὠμοκρατής, 'mighty-shouldered,' comparing the description of Ajax in Il. 3. 227 as ἔξοχος ᾿Αργείων κεφαλὴν ἠδ᾽ εὐρέας ὤμους !

206. mvp-comment-154-1 θολερῷ.. χειμῶνι] 'Through a turbid storm.' The darkened mind of Ajax is compared either to the troubling of waters by a flood, or to atmospheric disturbance, as we speak of 'dirty weather.' Cp. Ant. 420, 1, ἐν δ᾽ ἐμεστώθη μέγας | αἰθήρ, μύσαντες δ᾽ εἴχομεν θείαν νόσον, and, for the metaphorical use of θολερός, Aesch. Prom. 885, 6, θολεροὶ δὲ λόγοι παίουσ' εἰκη | στυγνῆς πρὸς κύμασιν ἄτης.

207. mvp-comment-155-1 κεῖται] • Is overthrown.' Cp. Plat. Rep. 5. p. 451 Α, κείσομαι, περὶ ἃ ἥκιστα δεῖ σφάλλεσθαι. νοσήσας] ‘Having fallen into madness.' The aorist expresses the suddenness of the stroke.

208. mvp-comment-156-1 'What heavy change from the condition of the day hath last night experienced?' This is Triclinius' explanation of τῆς ἁμερίας, sc. καταστάσεως. As in the case of other feminine words used substantively, we need not be precise in supplying the ellipse. Lobeck prefers ὥρας. Ajax' condition on the previous day was lamentable enough: what new trouble has arisen during the night?

210. mvp-comment-157-1 Τελεύταντος] The first syllable is to be scanned as long : cp. Ἱππομέδων, Παρθένοπαῖος in Iambic verse. Others read Φρυγίοιο for Φρυγίου, which is questionable both as to the form of the genitive and the division of the line.

211. mvp-comment-158-1 λέχος δουριάλωτον] ' In a spear-won marriage.' λέχος cogn. acc.

212. mvp-comment-159-1 στέρξας ἀνέχει] 'Having fixed his affection on thee, remains constant to thee.' The mariners accept Tecmessa as their master's choice, although they could have wished a nobler bride for him. For ἀνέχει, see E. on L. § 52. p. 97, and cp. Eur. Hec. 123, Βάκχης ἀνέχων λέκτρ᾽ ᾿Αγαμέμνων: Alc. 304, τούτους ἀνάσχου δεσπότας ἐμῶν δόμων, where the middle voice has a similar force. For cognate uses of ἀνέχω, cp. Fr. 146, Pind. P. 2. 163.

213. mvp-comment-160-1 'So that you know, and can tell us what we want to know.' ὑπό in comp. seems here to have the force of 'supplying an answer, or supplying the word that is wanting.' Cp. ὑποκρίνομαι.

215. mvp-comment-161-1 πάθος, as the appropriate word, is preferable to βάρος, which may have slipped in in from supr. 209.

217. mvp-comment-162-1 νύκτερος] 'In the night.' Essay on L. § 23. p. 36.

218. mvp-comment-163-1 τοιαῦτ᾽ ἂν ἴδοις] For τοιοῦτος adducing proof, see Essay on L. § 22. p. 35 a.

220. mvp-comment-164-1 χρηστήρια] Either (1) simply 'victims,' or (2) with superstitious reference to the δαίμων of madness. 'Offerings demanded by his rage.'

221-232. mvp-comment-165-1 The metrical scheme (Logaoedic, with frequent syncope) is the following...

221. mvp-comment-166-1 ἀνδρὸς αἴθονος] ‘Concerning the fiery man.' Essay on L. § 9. p. 12, 2. If τοι is retained in infr. 245, we may read here οἵαν ἐδήλωσας *κατ᾿ ἀνδρὸς αἴθονος. The short syllable in αἴθονος is sufficiently supported by αΐθονα occurring in Hesychius in the right alphabetical order (immediately after αἶθον). Although αἴθοπος (see v. rr.) may be defended, on the ground that the second part of a compound has sometimes little significance (see esp. infr. 954, κελαινώπαν θυμών), yet αἴθων, which directly expresses character, is more appropriate here, and has the preponderance of MS. authority in its favour.

222. mvp-comment-167-1 ἄτλατον οὐδὲ φευκτάν] ‘That can neither be avoided nor endured.'

225. mvp-comment-168-1 μεγάλων] 'Terrible.' The mariners, in their feebleness ( supr. 165 foll.), are afraid of the opinion of the host. These words are added as a comment on οὐδὲ φευκτάν. The consequences of the fact cannot be eluded, since it is known to the host, and magnified by rumour.

226. mvp-comment-169-1 ὁ μέγας μῦθος] ‘The formidable power of rumour.' Supr. 172, ὦ μεγάλα φάτις. μῦθος is the rumour about this particular thing, with a suggestion of rumour in general. ἀέξει] Not 'exaggerates,' for the evil could not be exaggerated, but, 'which the mighty power of rumour spreads abroad.'

229. mvp-comment-170-1 περίφαντος.. θανεῖται] 'He will be discovered and will die.' περίφαντος is explained by the words that follow, παραπλήκτῳ χερί, κ.τ.λ. The nature of the crime defies concealment.

231. mvp-comment-171-1 κελαινοῖς ξίφεσιν] · With darkened brand.' The plural, as in Ant. 820, ξιφέων ἐπίχειρα, denotes the action of the sword rather than the sword itself. The epithet κελαινοῖς, as in Trach. 856, κελαινὰ λόγχα, suggests the colour of a sword or spear that has been much used in battle. βοτήρας] Supr. 27, αὐτοῖς ποιμνίων ἐπιστάταις. This fact is known to the mariners from the report of the army, not from Tecmessa. ἱππονώμας] Either (1) because captive horses, like those of Rhesus, were included in the spoil (this might add force to ἱππομανῆ, supr. 143), or rather (2) because the herdsmen were mounted, as might well happen where the herd was so extensive.

235. mvp-comment-172-1 ὧν τὴν μέν] Sc. ποίμναν. 'Whereof one part.' The plural ὧν is equivalent to a collective ἧς, referring to ποίμναν supr. The force of ἔσω ('in the tent') is continued to the subsequent clauses. For τὴν μέν followed by τὰ δέ, see Essay on L. § 20. p. 31.

236. mvp-comment-173-1 πλευροκοπών δίχ᾽ ἀνερρήγνυ] 'He smote beneath the ribs and ripped asunder.' The two white-footed rams are probably Agamemnon and Odysseus. Menelaus may have been imagined to be slain in combat, while the king of men was brought away in triumph to be the object of more condign vengeance. Ll. 105 foll. leave no room to doubt that the second ram is intended by Ajax for Odysseus.

237. mvp-comment-174-1 ἀνελών] · Having lifted,' i.e. by the forefeet.

238-239. mvp-comment-175-1 'He sheared off and threw away (first) the tongue-tip and (then) the head.' E. on L. § 41. p. 78 β, b. The tongue, which had pronounced the judgment, the head, which was the seat of sovereignty, are the first to suffer. For ῥιπτεῖ, cp. Hdt. 4. 61, ὁ θύσας, τῶν κρεῶν καὶ τῶν σπλάγχνων ἀπαρξάμενος, ῥίπτει ἐς τὸ ἔμπροσθεν.

240. mvp-comment-176-1 ‘Bound up to a pillar erect.' ἄνω marks that the bonds were fastened from above, so as almost to suspend the creature from the ground.

241. mvp-comment-177-1 'With a great harness-thong.' ῥυτήρ is (1) a trace, (2) a rein, (3) any strap used in harnessing.

242. mvp-comment-178-1 'He smites him with resounding double lash ;' i.e. He holds the thong by the middle, and plies it, thus doubled, with a whizzing noise.

243. mvp-comment-179-1 ἃ δαίμων, κ.τ.λ.] i.e. The words gave evidence of superhuman passion. Ср. О. Т. 1258, 9, δαιμόνων δείκνυσί τις, οὐδεὶς γὰρ ἀνδρῶν.

244. mvp-comment-180-1 'Reviling him with evil language.' Cp. Ant. 759, ἐπὶ ψόγοισι δεννάσεις ἐμέ.

245. mvp-comment-181-1 κάρα is the emendation of Triclinius for κρᾶτα, which is in most MSS., generally with τοι preceding: according to Hermann this was due to a mistaken metrical emendation. Reading κάρα and retaining τοι, we might read in supr. 221, οἴαν ἐδήλωσας *κατ᾿ ἀνδρὸς αἴθονος. τιν'] ἱ.ε. ἡμᾶς. Essay on L. § 22. p. 36. κάρα καλύμμασι κρυψάμενον] 'Veiling one's head,' either (1) in token of confusion and shame as well as sorrow. Cp. Od. 8.92; Plat. Phaedr. 243 В. Or (2) by way of disguise. ποδοῖν κλοπὰν ἀρέσθαι] i. e. φυγὴν ἀρέσθαι, 'to steal away on foot.' Cp. Eur. Or. 1499, ἐκκλέπτειν πόδα: Rhes. 54, αἴρεσθαι φυγήν.

247. mvp-comment-182-1 θοὸν εἰρεσίας ζυγὸν ἑζόμενον] 'Pressing the swift rowing-bench.' Cp. Aesch. Ag. 982, θάρσος . . ἵζει φρενὸς φίλον θρόνον. And for the hypallage ( =θοᾶς εἰρεσίας ζυγόν), see Essay on L. § 42. p. 80.

250. mvp-comment-183-1 ποντοπόρῳ ναὶ μεθεῖναι] 'Let the sea-faring ship go on her way.' No definite ellipse (as of πλοῦν or πείσματα) is to be supplied with μεθεῖναι.

250. mvp-comment-183-2 ματα) need be supposed. The verb 'to let go' is first used absolutely, and then again acquires a remote object, which is put in the dative. The ship is 'a thing of life.'

251. mvp-comment-184-1 ἐρέσσουσιν] 'Launch.' Ant. 158, μῆτιν ἐρέσσω. For the unconscious tautology, εἰρεσίας .. ἐρέσσουσιν, see Essay on L. § 44. pp. 83, 4. The mariners think of the Atreidae as chasing them astern. The words καθ' ἡμῶν mark that their lot is bound up with that of Ajax, a thought which is developed in the succeeding lines. The accusative Ἄρη is in two constructions, first after πεφόβημαι, and then with ξυναλγεῖν, which is added in epexegesis. For Apns of destructive violence, cp. esp. Aesch. Prom. 861, 2, θηλυκτόνῳ | Ἄρει δαμέντων.

255. mvp-comment-185-1 τὸν αἰσ᾿ ἄπλατος ίσχει] 'Possessed by an all-endangering doom.' The chorus long to stand by Ajax, but are deterred by his madness. Cp. Trach. 785, κοὐδεὶς ἐτόλμα τἀνδρὸς ἀντίον μολεῖν : ib. 797, ὦ παῖ, πρόσελθε, μὴ φύγῃς τοὐμὸν κακόν, | μηδ' εἴ σε χρὴ θανόντι συνθανεῖν ἐμοί: ib. 1030, ἀποτίβατος ἀγρία νόσος.

257. mvp-comment-186-1 οὐκέτι] Sc. ἴσχει νιν ἡ μανία. 'He may be approached with safety now.' λαμπρᾶς, κ.τ.λ.] 'For he, like a Southern storm, after a sharp outburst, ceases to rage, and the lightning plays no more.' ἄτερ, κ.τ.λ. is to be taken proleptically = ὥστε ἄτερ στεροπῆς εἶναι. E. on L. § 38. p. 70. Otherwise the words might mean, 'He desists without lightning:' i.e. his violence comes to an end without doing irreparable harm. Cp. Eur. Med. 93, 4, οὐδὲ παύσεται | χόλου, σάφ' οἶδα, πρὶν κατασκῆψαί τινα: Shak. King John, 4. 2, 'So foul a sky clears not without a storm.' But although Tecmessa is for the moment relieved, her apprehensions are not sufficiently calmed to make this natural.

259. mvp-comment-187-1 Φρόνιμος] Sc. ὤν. Essay on L. § 39. Ρ. 72. φρόνιμον (sc. ὄντα) is a v. r. or MS. conjecture.

260. mvp-comment-188-1 οἰκεῖα πάθη] Troubles all one's own.' i.e. both as home-felt and self-wrought. Cp. El. 215, οἰκείας εἰς ἄτας.

261. mvp-comment-189-1 παραπράξαντος] «Having assisted.' Cp. παραδράω ( οἷά τε τοῖς ἀγαθοῖσι παραδρώωσι χέρηες, Od. 15, 324).

262. mvp-comment-190-1 μεγάλας ὀδύνας ὑποτείνει] 'Causes intense grief within.' ὑποτείνει, 1.2. ὑπέχει ἐντεταμένως. Cp. Pind. O1. 2. 100, βαθεῖαν ὑπέχων μέριμναν ἀγροτέραν.

263. mvp-comment-191-1 'But if he hath ceased' (from his madness), 'he must be surely happy.' Others take εὐτυχεῖν impersonally, as in Oed. Tyr 88, πάντ᾽ ἂν εὐτυχεῖν, –‘All must be well.'

264. mvp-comment-192-1 'For trouble counts for less when it is gone.' The gen. is first absolute, and then in regimen with λόγος. Cp. infr. 1161, 2, κἀμοὶ γὰρ αἴσχιστον κλύειν | ἀνδρὸς ματαίου φλαῦρ᾽ ἔπη μυθουμένου.

265. mvp-comment-193-1 αἵρεσιν] Sc. τούτων, viz. ll. 266, 7, which πότερα anticipates.

266. mvp-comment-194-1 ἔχειν] Supr. 203.

267. mvp-comment-195-1 κοινὸς ἐν κοινοῖσι] Essay on L. § 44. p. 83. Or to be with others and mingle your sorrow with theirs.' ξυνών marks that while Ajax was delirious, he stood apart from the grief which others felt for him.

269. mvp-comment-196-1 'Our case, then, since the madness left us, is grown more desperate.' Tecmessa identifies her lot with that of Ajax. Compare infr. 791, μῶν ὀλώλαμεν; A few lines below (273-6) she speaks of herself in the plural as contrasted with him.

272. mvp-comment-197-1 οἶσιν. . κακοῖς] i. e. κακοῖς ἐν οἶσιν εἴχετο. Cp. infr. 1144, 5, ἡνίκ᾽ ἐν κακῷ | χειμῶνος εἴχετ'.

275. mvp-comment-198-1 πᾶς ἐλήλαται] 'Is vexed to the uttermost.' πᾶς is adverbial. See Essay on L. § 23. p. 38, and cp. infr. 519, ἐν σοὶ πᾶσ᾽ ἔγωγε σώζομαι. The perfect, as in πεφόβημαι, supr. 139, expresses a completed state.

277. mvp-comment-199-1 ἆρ'..;] Essay on L. § 29. p. 50. 'What is this but to have the sorrow doubled that before was single?' Cp. Constance in King John, 3. 4. 'I am not mad; - I would to heaven I were! For then 'tis like I should forget myself: O, if I could, what grief should I forget!'

278-279. mvp-comment-200-1 μὴ ἐκ θεοῦ | πληγή τις ἥκει] 'That a calamity is really come from Heaven.' The chorus before admitted as a possibility ( supr. 186, ἥκοι γὰρ ἂν θεία νόσος) what now appears to be too certain. Hence the indicative is more forcible here, although the subjunctive ( ἥκῃ) is more regular and may be the true reading.

282-283. mvp-comment-201-1 'In what wise lighted on you the commencement of the trouble? Tell us, who grieve with you at the misfortune, what it is.' τύχας, continuing the notion of κακοῦ, is governed either (1) both of δήλωσον and of ξυναλγοῦσιν, or (2) of ξυναλγοῦσιν only.

284. mvp-comment-202-1 ὡς κοινωνὸς ὤν] 'As you are no less interested.'

285. mvp-comment-203-1 ἄκρας νυκτός] 'At dead of night.' That this, and not 'on the verge of night,' is the meaning here, appears from the context. The flames lighted at evening were burnt out, so that all was dark. ἄκρᾳ σὺν ἑσπέρᾳ in Pind. Pyth. 11. 16, is explained by Dissen 'ad seram vesperam.'

286. mvp-comment-204-1 Cp. Od. 18. 307, αὐτίκα λαμπτῆρας τρεῖς ἵστασαν ἐν μεγάροισιν, | ὄφρα φαείνοιεν, περὶ δὲ ξύλα κάγκανα θῆκαν καὶ δᾷδας μετέμισγον: ib. 19. 64, φύως ἔμεν ἠδὲ θέρεσθαι.

287. mvp-comment-205-1 κενάς] «Objectless;' i.e. without apparent cause. Tecmessa knows little of what Ajax does abroad. But she knows that there is something strange in his going forth at night without a summons.

289. mvp-comment-206-1 ἄκλητος is expanded with οὔτε-οὔτε, 'neither-nor.'

291. mvp-comment-207-1 ἀλλά] i. e. 'Instead of there being an alarm of any kind.'

292. mvp-comment-208-1 βαί, ἀεὶ δ᾽ ὑμνούμενα] 'Few words, but to a well-known tune.' Eur. Phoen. 438, πάλαι μὲν οὖν ὑμνηθέν, ἀλλ᾽ ὅμως ἐρῶ: Plat. Rep. 8. 549 D, ὅσα φιλοῦσιν αἱ γυναῖκες περὶ τῶν τοιούτων ὑμνεῖν.

293. mvp-comment-209-1 Cp. Fr. 61, ἄλλως τε καὶ κόρῃ τε κἀργείᾳ γένος, | αἷς κόσμος ἡ σιγή τε καὶ τὰ παῦρ᾽ ἔπη.

294. mvp-comment-210-1 μαθοῦσ᾽] 'When I perceived,' viz. that he was not to be reasoned with. The unusual division of the line marks the reluctant desistence of Tecmessa. Cp. O. T. 1513, ib. 110, and notes.

295. mvp-comment-211-1 πάθας] 'Misfortunes.' The word is used with a vague sense of the horror of a scene, in which Ajax was no less unfortunate than his victims.

297. mvp-comment-212-1 εὔκερών τ᾿ ἄγραν] The horns of the sheep are the most conspicuous object as they are seen in front and from above. The objection 'that the bulls were also horned' is absurdly logical. There is no sufficient reason for preferring the conj. εὔερον. The word describes all the cattle, small and great, excepting the bulls, which have been mentioned separately.

298. mvp-comment-213-1 τοὺς μέν] The bulls.

299. mvp-comment-214-1 ἐρράχιζε] 'Clove in twain.'

299-300. mvp-comment-215-1 τοὺς δὲ δεσμίους | ᾐκίζεθ᾽] 'Others, as his prisoners, he tormented at his pleasure.' ὥστε φῶτας] 'As if human creatures.' ἐν ποίμναις πίτνων] 'Making onsets on the cattle.' Cp. supr. 185.

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ΧΟΡΟΣ Ἀλλ’ εἰ πέπαυται, κάρτ’ ἂν εὐτυχεῖν δοκῶ. φρούδου γὰρ ἤδη τοῦ κακοῦ μείων λόγος.

ΤΕΚΜΗΣΣΑ 265 Πότερα δ’ ἂν, εἰ νέμοι τις αἵρεσιν, λάβοις, 260 φίλους ἀνιῶν αὐτὸς ἡδονὰς ἔχειν, ἢ κοινὸς ὲν κοινοῖσι λυπεῖσθαι ξυνών;

ΧΟΡΟΣ Τό τοι διπλάζον, ὦ γύναι, μεῖζον κακόν.

ΤΕΚΜΗΣΣΑ Ἡμεῖς ἄρ’ οὐ νοσοῦντες ἀτώμεσθα νῦν.

ΧΟΡΟΣ Πῶς τοῦτ’ ἔλεξας; οὐ κάτοιδ’ ὅπως λέγεις. 270 265

ΧΟΡΟΣ Ξύμφημι δή σοι καὶ δέδοικα μὴ ’κ θεοῦ πληγή τις ἥκῃ· πῶς γὰρ, εἰ πεπαυμένος μηδέν τι μᾶλλον ἢ νοσῶν εὐφραίνεται; 280 275

ΤΕΚΜΗΣΣΑ Ὡς ὧδ’ ἐχόντων τῶνδ’ ἐπίστασθαί σε χρή,

ΧΟΡΟΣ Τις γάρ ποτ’ ἀρχὴ τοῦ κακοῦ προςέπτατο ; δήλωσον ἡμῖν, τοῖς ξυναλγοῦσιν τύχας.

ΧΟΡΟΣ Τέκμησσα, δεινὰ, παῖ Τελεύταντος, λέγεις ἡμῖν, τὸν ἄνδρα διαπεφοιβάσθαι κακοῖς.

ΑΙΑΣ Ἰώ μοί μοι.

ΤΕΚΜΗΣΣΑ Τάχ’, ὡς ἔοικε μᾶλλον. ἢ οὐκ ἠκούσατε Αἴαντος, οἵαν τήνδε θωύσσει βοήν; 335 330

ΑΙΑΣ Ἰώ μοί μοι.

ΧΟΡΟΣ ἀνὴρ ἔοικεν ἢ νοσεῖν ἢ τοῖς πάλαι νοσήμασι ξυνοῦσι λυπεῖσθαι παρών.

ΑΙΑΣ Ἰὼ παῖ, παῖ.

ΤΕΚΜΗΣΣΑ Ὤ μοι τάλαιν’, Εὐρύσακες, ἀμφὶ σοὶ βοᾷ. 340 335 τί ποτε μενοινᾷ; ποῦ ποτ’ εἶ; τάλαιν’ ἐγώ.

ΑΙΑΣ Τεῦκρον καλῶ, ποῦ Τεῦκρος; ἦ τὸν εἰςαεὶ λεηλατήσει χρόνον; ἐγὼ δ’ ἀπόλλυμαι.

ΧΟΡΟΣ ἀνὴρ φρονεῖν ἔοικεν· ἀλλ’ ἀνοίγετε. τάχ’ ἄν τιν’ αἰδῶ κἀπ’ ἐμοὶ βλέψας λάβοι. 345 340

ΤΕΚΜΗΣΣΑ Ἴδου, διοίγω· προςβλἐπειν δ’ ἔξεστί σοι τὰ τοῦδε πράγη, καὐτὸς ὡς ἔχων κυρεῖ. 1

Χορός ἀλλʼ εἰ πέπαυται, κάρτʼ ἂν εὐτυχεῖν δοκῶ· φρούδου γὰρ ἤδη τοῦ κακοῦ μείων λόγος. 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47

Τέκμησσα πότερα δʼ ἄν, εἰ νέμοι τις αἵρεσιν, λάβοις, 265 φίλους ἀνιῶν αὐτὸς ἡδονὰς ἔχειν, ἢ κοινὸς ἐν κοινοῖσι λυπεῖσθαι ξυνών;

Χορός τό τοι διπλάζον, ὦ γύναι, μεῖζον κακόν.

Τέκμησσα ἡμεῖς ἄρʼ οὐ νοσοῦντος ἀτώμεσθα νῦν.

Χορός πῶς τοῦτʼ ἔλεξας; οὐ κάτοιδʼ ὅπως λέγεις. 270

Χορός ξύμφημι δή σοι καὶ δέδοικα μὴ ʼκ θεοῦ πληγή τις ἥκει. πῶς γάρ, εἰ πεπαυμένος μηδέν τι μᾶλλον ἢ νοσῶν εὐφραίνεται; 280

Τέκμησσα ὡς ὧδʼ ἐχόντων τῶνδʼ ἐπίστασθαί σε χρή.

Χορός τίς γάρ ποτʼ ἀρχὴ τοῦ κακοῦ προσέπτατο; δήλωσον ἡμῖν τοῖς ξυναλγοῦσιν τύχας.

Χορός Τέκμησσα δεινὰ παῖ Τελεύταντος λέγεις ἡμῖν τὸν ἄνδρα διαπεφοιβάσθαι κακοῖς.

Αἴας ἰώ μοί μοι.

Τέκμησσα τάχʼ, ὡς ἔοικε, μᾶλλον· ἢ οὐκ ἠκούσατε Αἴαντος οἵαν τήνδε θωύσσει βοήν; 335

Αἴας ἰώ μοί μοι.

Χορός ἁνὴρ ἔοικεν ἢ νοσεῖν, ἢ τοῖς πάλαι νοσήμασι ξυνοῦσι λυπεῖσθαι παρών.

Αἴας ἰὼ παῖ παῖ.

Τέκμησσα ὤμοι τάλαινʼ· Εὐρύσακες, ἀμφὶ σοὶ βοᾷ. 340 τί ποτε μενοινᾷ; ποῦ ποτʼ εἶ; τάλαινʼ ἐγώ.

Αἴας Τεῦκρον καλῶ. ποῦ Τεῦκρος; ἢ τὸν εἰσαεὶ λεηλατήσει χρόνον, ἐγὼ δʼ ἀπόλλυμαι;

Χορός ἁνὴρ φρονεῖν ἔοικεν. ἀλλʼ ἀνοίγετε. τάχʼ ἄν τινʼ αἰδῶ κἀπʼ ἐμοὶ βλέψας λάβοι. 345

Τέκμησσα ἰδού, διοίγω· προσβλέπειν δʼ ἔξεστί σοι τὰ τοῦδε πράγη, καὐτὸς ὡς ἔχων κυρεῖ.

στρ. ἡ ῥά σε Ταυροπόλα Διὸς Ἄρτεμις, -

ὄμμ᾽ ἔχων κακὰν φάτιν ἄρῃ.

ΤΕΚΜΗΣΣΑ.

ΧΟΡΟΣ. τί δ᾽ ἐνήλλακται τῆς ἁμερίας

ΧΟΡΟΣ.

στρ. οἵαν ἐδήλωσας ἀνδρὸς αἴθονος αἴθο.νος αἴθο.νος αἴθο.πος αἴθοπος αἴθωνος

ΤΕΚΜΗΣΣΑ.

ΧΟΡΟΣ.

τοίας ἐρέσσουσιν ἀπειλὰς δικρατεῖς δυσκρατεις ᾿Ατρείδαι καθ᾽ ἡμῶν· πεφόβημαι λιθόλευστον Ἄρη ξυναλγεῖν μετὰ τοῦδε τυπείς, τὸν αἶσ᾿ ἄπλατος ἴσχει.

ΤΕΚΜΗΣΣΑ.

ΧΟΡΟΣ.

ἀλλ᾽ εἰ πέπαυται, κάρτ᾽ ἂν εὐτυχεῖν δοκῶ· 260 φρούδου γὰρ ἤδη τοῦ κακοῦ μείων λόγος.

ΤΕΚΜΗΣΣΑ. πότερα δ᾽ ἄν, εἰ νέμοι νεμοι νέμει νέμοι τις αἵρεσιν, λάβοις 265 φίλους ἀνιῶν αὐτὸς ἡδονὰς ἔχειν, ἢ κοινὸς ἐν κοινοῖσι λυπεῖσθαι ξυνών;

ΧΟΡΟΣ. τό τοι διπλάζον, ὦ γύναι, μεῖζον κακόν.

ΤΕΚΜΗΣΣΑ. ἡμεῖς ἄρ᾽ οὐ νοσοῦντες ἀτώμεσθα νῦν.

ΧΟΡΟΣ. πῶς τοῦτ᾽ ἔλεξας; οὐ κάτοιδ᾽ ὅπως λέγεις. 270

ΧΟΡΟΣ. ξύμφημι δή σοι καὶ δέδοικα μὴ ἐκ θεοῦ πληγή τις ἥκει ἥκοι ἥκοι ἥκει. πῶς γάρ, εἰ πεπαυμένος μηδέν τι μᾶλλον ἢ νοσῶν εὐφραίνεται ; 280

ΤΕΚΜΗΣΣΑ. ὡς ὧδ᾽ ἐχόντων τῶνδ᾽ ἐπίστασθαί σε χρή.

ΧΟΡΟΣ. τίς γάρ ποτ᾿ ἀρχὴ τοῦ κακοῦ προσέπτατο ; δήλωσον ἡμῖν τοῖς ξυναλγοῦσιν ξυναλγοῦσι ξυναλγοῦσιν τύχας.

ΤΕΚΜΗΣΣΑ.

ΧΟΡΟΣ.

Χορός ἀλλʼ εἰ πέπαυται, κάρτʼ ἂν εὐτυχεῖν δοκῶ· φρούδου γὰρ ἤδη τοῦ κακοῦ μείων λόγος.

Τέκμησσα πότερα δʼ ἄν, εἰ νέμοι τις αἵρεσιν, λάβοις, 265 φίλους ἀνιῶν αὐτὸς ἡδονὰς ἔχειν, ἢ κοινὸς ἐν κοινοῖσι λυπεῖσθαι ξυνών;

Χορός τό τοι διπλάζον, ὦ γύναι, μεῖζον κακόν.

Τέκμησσα ἡμεῖς ἄρʼ οὐ νοσοῦντες ἀτώμεσθα νῦν.

Χορός πῶς τοῦτʼ ἔλεξας; οὐ κάτοιδʼ ὅπως λέγεις. 270

Χορός ξύμφημι δή σοι καὶ δέδοικα μὴ ʼκ θεοῦ πληγή τις ἥκῃ. πῶς γάρ, εἰ πεπαυμένος μηδέν τι μᾶλλον ἢ νοσῶν εὐφραίνεται; 280

Τέκμησσα ὡς ὧδʼ ἐχόντων τῶνδʼ ἐπίστασθαί σε χρή.

Χορός τίς γάρ ποτʼ ἀρχὴ τοῦ κακοῦ προσέπτατο; δήλωσον ἡμῖν τοῖς ξυναλγοῦσιν τύχας.

Χορός Τέκμησσα, δεινά, παῖ Τελεύταντος, λέγεις ἡμῖν, τὸν ἄνδρα διαπεφοιβάσθαι κακοῖς.

Αἴας ἰώ μοί μοι.

Τέκμησσα τάχʼ, ὡς ἔοικε, μᾶλλον· ἢ οὐκ ἠκούσατε Αἴαντος οἵαν τήνδε θωΰσσει βοήν; 335

Αἴας ἰώ μοί μοι.

Χορός ἁνὴρ ἔοικεν ἢ νοσεῖν ἢ τοῖς πάλαι νοσήμασιν ξυνοῦσι λυπεῖσθαι παρών.

Αἴας ἰὼ παῖ παῖ.

Τέκμησσα ὤμοι τάλαινʼ· Εὐρύσακες, ἀμφὶ σοὶ βοᾷ. 340 τί ποτε μενοινᾷ; ποῦ ποτʼ εἶ; τάλαινʼ ἐγώ.

Αἴας Τεῦκρον καλῶ. ποῦ Τεῦκρος; ἢ τὸν εἰσαεὶ λεηλατήσει χρόνον, ἐγὼ δʼ ἀπόλλυμαι;

Χορός ἁνὴρ φρονεῖν ἔοικεν. ἀλλʼ ἀνοίγετε. τάχʼ ἄν τινʼ αἰδῶ κἀπʼ ἐμοὶ βλέψας λάβοι. 345

Τέκμησσα ἰδού, διοίγω· προσβλέπειν δʼ ἔξεστί σοι τὰ τοῦδε πράγη, καὐτὸς ὡς ἔχων κυρεῖ.

Helpers of Aias’ vessel’s speed, Erechtheus’ earth-derivèd seed, Sorrows are ours who truly care For the house of Telamon afar. The dread, the grand, the rugged form Of him we know, 205 Is stricken with a troublous storm; Our Aias’ glory droopeth low.

ΧΟΡΟΣ

Ἀλλ’ εἰ πέπαυται, κάρτ’ ἂν εὐτυχεῖν

δοκῶ. φρούδου γὰρ ἤδη τοῦ κακοῦ μείων λόγος.

ΤΕΚΜΗΣΣΑ

265 Πότερα δ’ ἂν, εἰ νέμοι τις αἵρεσιν, λάβοις,
260

φίλους ἀνιῶν αὐτὸς ἡδονὰς ἔχειν,

ἢ κοινὸς ὲν κοινοῖσι λυπεῖσθαι ξυνών;

ΧΟΡΟΣ

Τό τοι διπλάζον, ὦ γύναι, μεῖζον κακόν.

ΤΕΚΜΗΣΣΑ

Ἡμεῖς ἄρ’ οὐ νοσοῦντες ἀτώμεσθα νῦν.

ΧΟΡΟΣ

Πῶς τοῦτ’ ἔλεξας; οὐ κάτοιδ’ ὅπως λέγεις. 270
265

ΧΟΡΟΣ

Ξύμφημι δή σοι καὶ δέδοικα μὴ ’κ θεοῦ

πληγή τις ἥκῃ· πῶς γὰρ, εἰ πεπαυμένος

μηδέν τι μᾶλλον ἢ νοσῶν εὐφραίνεται; 280
275

ΤΕΚΜΗΣΣΑ

Ὡς ὧδ’ ἐχόντων τῶνδ’ ἐπίστασθαί σε χρή,

ΧΟΡΟΣ

Τις γάρ ποτ’ ἀρχὴ τοῦ κακοῦ προςέπτατο ;

δήλωσον ἡμῖν, τοῖς ξυναλγοῦσιν τύχας.

ΧΟΡΟΣ

Τέκμησσα, δεινὰ, παῖ Τελεύταντος, λέγεις

ἡμῖν, τὸν ἄνδρα διαπεφοιβάσθαι κακοῖς.

ΑΙΑΣ

Ἰώ μοί μοι.

ΤΕΚΜΗΣΣΑ

Τάχ’, ὡς ἔοικε μᾶλλον. ἢ οὐκ ἠκούσατε

Αἴαντος, οἵαν τήνδε θωύσσει βοήν; 335
330

ΑΙΑΣ

Ἰώ μοί μοι.

ΧΟΡΟΣ

ἀνὴρ ἔοικεν ἢ νοσεῖν ἢ τοῖς πάλαι

νοσήμασι ξυνοῦσι λυπεῖσθαι παρών.

ΑΙΑΣ

Ἰὼ παῖ, παῖ.

ΤΕΚΜΗΣΣΑ

Ὤ μοι τάλαιν’, Εὐρύσακες, ἀμφὶ σοὶ βοᾷ. 340
335

τί ποτε μενοινᾷ; ποῦ ποτ’ εἶ; τάλαιν’ ἐγώ.

ΑΙΑΣ

Τεῦκρον καλῶ, ποῦ Τεῦκρος; ἦ τὸν εἰςαεὶ

λεηλατήσει χρόνον; ἐγὼ δ’ ἀπόλλυμαι.

ΧΟΡΟΣ

ἀνὴρ φρονεῖν ἔοικεν· ἀλλ’ ἀνοίγετε.

τάχ’ ἄν τιν’ αἰδῶ κἀπ’ ἐμοὶ βλέψας λάβοι. 345
340

ΤΕΚΜΗΣΣΑ

Ἴδου, διοίγω· προςβλἐπειν δ’ ἔξεστί σοι

τὰ τοῦδε πράγη, καὐτὸς ὡς ἔχων κυρεῖ.

¹

Χορός

ἀλλʼ εἰ πέπαυται, κάρτʼ ἂν εὐτυχεῖν δοκῶ·

φρούδου γὰρ ἤδη τοῦ κακοῦ μείων λόγος.

⁴⁰⁴¹⁴²⁴³⁴⁴⁴⁵⁴⁶⁴⁷

Τέκμησσα

πότερα δʼ ἄν, εἰ νέμοι τις αἵρεσιν, λάβοις,
265

φίλους ἀνιῶν αὐτὸς ἡδονὰς ἔχειν,

ἢ κοινὸς ἐν κοινοῖσι λυπεῖσθαι ξυνών;

Χορός

τό τοι διπλάζον, ὦ γύναι, μεῖζον κακόν.

Τέκμησσα

ἡμεῖς ἄρʼ οὐ νοσοῦντος ἀτώμεσθα νῦν.

Χορός

πῶς τοῦτʼ ἔλεξας; οὐ κάτοιδʼ ὅπως λέγεις.
270

Χορός

ξύμφημι δή σοι καὶ δέδοικα μὴ ʼκ θεοῦ

πληγή τις ἥκει. πῶς γάρ, εἰ πεπαυμένος

μηδέν τι μᾶλλον ἢ νοσῶν εὐφραίνεται;
280

Τέκμησσα

ὡς ὧδʼ ἐχόντων τῶνδʼ ἐπίστασθαί σε χρή.

Χορός

τίς γάρ ποτʼ ἀρχὴ τοῦ κακοῦ προσέπτατο;

δήλωσον ἡμῖν τοῖς ξυναλγοῦσιν τύχας.

Χορός

Τέκμησσα δεινὰ παῖ Τελεύταντος λέγεις

ἡμῖν τὸν ἄνδρα διαπεφοιβάσθαι κακοῖς.

Αἴας

ἰώ μοί μοι.

Τέκμησσα

τάχʼ, ὡς ἔοικε, μᾶλλον· ἢ οὐκ ἠκούσατε

Αἴαντος οἵαν τήνδε θωύσσει βοήν;
335

Αἴας

ἰώ μοί μοι.

Χορός

ἁνὴρ ἔοικεν ἢ νοσεῖν, ἢ τοῖς πάλαι

νοσήμασι ξυνοῦσι λυπεῖσθαι παρών.

Αἴας

ἰὼ παῖ παῖ.

Τέκμησσα

ὤμοι τάλαινʼ· Εὐρύσακες, ἀμφὶ σοὶ βοᾷ.
340

τί ποτε μενοινᾷ; ποῦ ποτʼ εἶ; τάλαινʼ ἐγώ.

Αἴας

Τεῦκρον καλῶ. ποῦ Τεῦκρος; ἢ τὸν εἰσαεὶ

λεηλατήσει χρόνον, ἐγὼ δʼ ἀπόλλυμαι;

Χορός

ἁνὴρ φρονεῖν ἔοικεν. ἀλλʼ ἀνοίγετε.

τάχʼ ἄν τινʼ αἰδῶ κἀπʼ ἐμοὶ βλέψας λάβοι.
345

Τέκμησσα

ἰδού, διοίγω· προσβλέπειν δʼ ἔξεστί σοι

τὰ τοῦδε πράγη, καὐτὸς ὡς ἔχων κυρεῖ.

ΧΟΡΟΣ.

τί δ᾽ ἐνήλλακται τῆς ἁμερίας

τοίας ἐρέσσουσιν ἀπειλὰς δικρατεῖς δυσκρατεις ᾿Ατρείδαι

καθ᾽ ἡμῶν· πεφόβημαι λιθόλευστον Ἄρη

ξυναλγεῖν μετὰ τοῦδε τυπείς, τὸν αἶσ᾿ ἄπλατος ἴσχει.

ἀλλ᾽ εἰ πέπαυται, κάρτ᾽ ἂν εὐτυχεῖν δοκῶ·
260

φρούδου γὰρ ἤδη τοῦ κακοῦ μείων λόγος.

ΤΕΚΜΗΣΣΑ.

πότερα δ᾽ ἄν, εἰ νέμοι νεμοι νέμει νέμοι τις αἵρεσιν, λάβοις
265

φίλους ἀνιῶν αὐτὸς ἡδονὰς ἔχειν,

ἢ κοινὸς ἐν κοινοῖσι λυπεῖσθαι ξυνών;

ΧΟΡΟΣ.

τό τοι διπλάζον, ὦ γύναι, μεῖζον κακόν.

ΤΕΚΜΗΣΣΑ.

ἡμεῖς ἄρ᾽ οὐ νοσοῦντες ἀτώμεσθα νῦν.

ΧΟΡΟΣ.

πῶς τοῦτ᾽ ἔλεξας; οὐ κάτοιδ᾽ ὅπως λέγεις.
270

ΧΟΡΟΣ.

ξύμφημι δή σοι καὶ δέδοικα μὴ ἐκ θεοῦ

πληγή τις ἥκει ἥκοι ἥκοι ἥκει. πῶς γάρ, εἰ πεπαυμένος

μηδέν τι μᾶλλον ἢ νοσῶν εὐφραίνεται ;
280

ΤΕΚΜΗΣΣΑ.

ὡς ὧδ᾽ ἐχόντων τῶνδ᾽ ἐπίστασθαί σε χρή.

ΧΟΡΟΣ.

τίς γάρ ποτ᾿ ἀρχὴ τοῦ κακοῦ προσέπτατο ;

δήλωσον ἡμῖν τοῖς ξυναλγοῦσιν ξυναλγοῦσι ξυναλγοῦσιν τύχας.

Χορός

ἀλλʼ εἰ πέπαυται, κάρτʼ ἂν εὐτυχεῖν δοκῶ·

φρούδου γὰρ ἤδη τοῦ κακοῦ μείων λόγος.

Τέκμησσα

πότερα δʼ ἄν, εἰ νέμοι τις αἵρεσιν, λάβοις,
265

φίλους ἀνιῶν αὐτὸς ἡδονὰς ἔχειν,

ἢ κοινὸς ἐν κοινοῖσι λυπεῖσθαι ξυνών;

Χορός

τό τοι διπλάζον, ὦ γύναι, μεῖζον κακόν.

Τέκμησσα

ἡμεῖς ἄρʼ οὐ νοσοῦντες ἀτώμεσθα νῦν.

Χορός

πῶς τοῦτʼ ἔλεξας; οὐ κάτοιδʼ ὅπως λέγεις.
270

Χορός

ξύμφημι δή σοι καὶ δέδοικα μὴ ʼκ θεοῦ

πληγή τις ἥκῃ. πῶς γάρ, εἰ πεπαυμένος

μηδέν τι μᾶλλον ἢ νοσῶν εὐφραίνεται;
280

Τέκμησσα

ὡς ὧδʼ ἐχόντων τῶνδʼ ἐπίστασθαί σε χρή.

Χορός

τίς γάρ ποτʼ ἀρχὴ τοῦ κακοῦ προσέπτατο;

δήλωσον ἡμῖν τοῖς ξυναλγοῦσιν τύχας.

Χορός

Τέκμησσα, δεινά, παῖ Τελεύταντος, λέγεις

ἡμῖν, τὸν ἄνδρα διαπεφοιβάσθαι κακοῖς.

Αἴας

ἰώ μοί μοι.

Τέκμησσα

τάχʼ, ὡς ἔοικε, μᾶλλον· ἢ οὐκ ἠκούσατε

Αἴαντος οἵαν τήνδε θωΰσσει βοήν;
335

Αἴας

ἰώ μοί μοι.

Χορός

ἁνὴρ ἔοικεν ἢ νοσεῖν ἢ τοῖς πάλαι

νοσήμασιν ξυνοῦσι λυπεῖσθαι παρών.

Αἴας

ἰὼ παῖ παῖ.

Τέκμησσα

ὤμοι τάλαινʼ· Εὐρύσακες, ἀμφὶ σοὶ βοᾷ.
340

τί ποτε μενοινᾷ; ποῦ ποτʼ εἶ; τάλαινʼ ἐγώ.

Αἴας

Τεῦκρον καλῶ. ποῦ Τεῦκρος; ἢ τὸν εἰσαεὶ

λεηλατήσει χρόνον, ἐγὼ δʼ ἀπόλλυμαι;

Χορός

ἁνὴρ φρονεῖν ἔοικεν. ἀλλʼ ἀνοίγετε.

τάχʼ ἄν τινʼ αἰδῶ κἀπʼ ἐμοὶ βλέψας λάβοι.
345

Τέκμησσα

ἰδού, διοίγω· προσβλέπειν δʼ ἔξεστί σοι

τὰ τοῦδε πράγη, καὐτὸς ὡς ἔχων κυρεῖ.

Helpers of Aias’ vessel’s speed,

Erechtheus’ earth-derivèd seed,

Sorrows are ours who truly care

For the house of Telamon afar.

The dread, the grand, the rugged form

Of him we know,
205

Is stricken with a troublous storm;

Our Aias’ glory droopeth low.

CHORUS

What burden through the darkness fell

Where still at eventide ’twas well?

Phrygian Teleutas’ daughter, say;

Since Aias, foremost in the fray,

Disdaining not the spear-won bride,

Still holds thee nearest at his side,

And thou may’st solve our doubts aright.

TEC

How shall I speak the dreadful word?

How shall ye live when ye have heard?

Madness hath seized our lord by night

And blasted him with hopeless blight.

Such horrid victims mightst thou see

Huddled beneath yon canopy,

Torn by red hands and dyed in blood,

Dread offerings to his direful mood.

If he hath ceased to rave, he should do well
260

The account of evil lessens when ’tis past.

TEC

If choice were given you, would you rather choose
265

Hurting your friends, yourself to feel delight,

Or share with them in one commingled pain?

CH

The two fold trouble is more terrible.

TEC

Then comes our torment now the fit is o’er.

CH

How mean’st thou by that word? I fail to see.
270