Ajax. Sophocles. ed. Lewis Campbell. Oxford. 1879.
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Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) (Greek) (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879))
Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.
Editions (3)
Αἴας μαστιγοφόρος First1KGreek (Sophocles. Sophoclis Aiax. Lobeck Christian, editor. Berlin: Weidmann, 1866.) — 172-201 focus
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.
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.
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.
Αἴας First1KGreek (Sophocles. Sophoclis Fabulae. Pearson, Alfred Chilton, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1924.) — 172-200 focus
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;
Χορός
1
οὔποτε γὰρ φρενόθεν γʼ ἐπʼ ἀριστερά,
παῖ Τελαμῶνος, ἔβας
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
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.
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
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;
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.
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
Translations (5)
English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 101 focus
AI
Bring me my boy, that I may see his face.
530
German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 101 focus
Gut; welches Schicksal aber traf Laertes' Sohn?
Was thatst du diesem? Oder ist er dir entfloh'n?
Ajas.
Nach jenem schlau durchtriebnen Fuchse fragst du mich?
Athene.
Ja wohl; Odysseus mein' ich, der dein Gegner iſt.
Ajas.
Der sizt, o Herrin, drinnen, gar ein süßer Fang,
105
Gebunden: sterben soll er mir noch nicht so schnell.
Athene.
Was willst du schaffen, was gewinnen noch zuvor?
Ajas.
Ich will ihn fesseln an die Säul' in meinem Zelt -
Athene.
Und welches Uebel willst du da dem Armen thun?
Ajas.
Vom Geißeln roth den Rücken, soll er sterben dort!
110
Athene.
nicht so grausam schalte mit dem armen Mann!
Ajas.
Gern' stell' ich alles Andre dir, o Pallas, heim;
Doch also büßt der seine Schuld, und anders nicht!
Athene.
Nun, wenn du Wohlgefallen hast an solchem Thun,
Brauch deinen Arm, thu' Alles, wie du's ausgedacht!
115
Ajas.
Ich geh' an's Werk, doch Eines bitt' ich noch von dir:
Wie heute, sei mir allezeit hülfreich gesellt!
Athene. Odysseus.
(ab in das Zelt.)
Athene.
Du siehst, Odysseus, wie der Götter Macht so groß:
Wer ward erfunden weiser einst, als dieser Mann,
Volführte besser, was der Augenblick gebot?
120
Odysseus.
Ich wüßte keinen Andern, und mich jammert sein,
Des Armen, ob mich feindlich auch sein Haß verfolgt,
Daß ihn die grausam herbe Noth gebunden hält.
Denn mehr auf ihn nicht schau' ich, als auf mein Geschick.
Wir alle, die wir leben, sind nichts Anderes,
125
Als Scheingestalten, als ein flüchtig Schattenbild.
Athene.
Auf solches achtend, rede denn niemals ein Wort
Des Uebermuthes wider uns Unsterbliche,
Noch blähe dich voll Dünkel, wenn du mehr an Kraft,
An goldnen Schäzen mehr gewannst als Andere.
130
Ein kurzer Tag senkt nieder alles Menschenwerk,
Und hebt es wieder; aber nur dem frommen Mann
Sind hold die Götter, und den Bösen hassen sie.
(Athene verschwindet; Odysseus geht ab; der Chor tritt auf.)
Der Chor.
English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 101 focus
Ajax
Thou dost perplex nie ; why revere the gods ?
I am not bound to 't, for I owe them nothing.
English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 101 focus
Tecmessa
My lord, loved Ajax, no severer ill,
485
Than the necessity of fate, can fall
485
On man's unhappy race. I was born free;
485
My father 'mongst the Phrygians of high pow'r,
485
And ample wealth; but now I am a slave;
485
Such was the pleasure of the gods, and such
485
Thy puissant hand. Led from that hour to share
Thy bed, to thee benevolent I deem
Thy welfare mine; and by Ephestian Jove, i
By the dear tie that binds my fate to thine,
I now implore thee, leave me not exposed
To the offensive insults of thy foes,
Ah, leave me not to other lords a slave!
For, shou'dst thou die, abandon'd and bereaved
Of thee that very day, be thou assured,
I, with thy son, by some proud Argive seized
By force abhorr'd, shall eat the wretched food
Of slavery; and some lord with bitter taunt
Shall cut me to the soul, and say, Behold
The wife of Ajax, of the Grecian host
Once the most potent, from that envied height
Sunk to this abject state of servitude :
Thus shall he taunt me, by ill fate depress'd,
With words to thee disgraceful, and thy race.
But, ah! respect thy father, left to waste
In grief the cheerless hours of age; respect
Thy mother, to the weight of many years
Consign'd; with pray'rs she oft invokes the gods
To see thee in her house with life return'd..
Pity thy son, O king; of thee bereaved,
490
Who shall instruct and form his infant mind,
490
Left to unfriendly guardians? Shou'dst thou die,
490
What ill to him and me dost thou bequeath?
490
Nothing remains for me, to which mine eye
490
Looks up, save thee. Beneath thy conquering spear
490
My ruin'd country, and my mother sunk;
Fate snatch'd my father to the realms below,
And both my parents have their mansion there.
What country will console me for thy loss,
What wealth? On thee my all of safety rests,
Then hold me in thy memory: it becomes
A man, if aught delightful to his soul
He hath received, to bear a grateful mind: A
Kindness gives birth to kindness; in the heart
When grateful memory holds its seat no more,
The man to every generous sense is lost,
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
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
And if it is the great kings who slander you with their furtive stories,
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
Commentary
Commentary (R. C. Jebb) (OCR draft) (Commentary (R. C. Jebb))
Commentary (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) (Commentary (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) focus
101. mvp-comment-76-1 εἰεν, τί γὰρ δή] «Enough. For I would know.' She professes to turn her thoughts from the Atreidae to Odysseus, who is more interesting as the especial enemy of Ajax.