Sophocles Ajax 1359

ed. Lewis Campbell

ἢ κάρτα πολλοὶ νῦν φίλοι καὖθις πικροί.

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

Current edition Experimental

Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) (Greek) (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879))

Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.

Translations (1)
German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 1346 focus
Und du, Odysseus, streitest so für den mit mir?

Commentary

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

mvp-comment-808-1 καὖθις 1

mvp-comment-808-2 πικροί 2

mvp-comment-808-3 Odysseus is here replying to the taunt that he is

ἔμπληκτος
, inconstant. ‘It is common enough for friendship to turn into bitterness. When, therefore, I forget the later enmity of Ajax, and remember only his good service, I am merely condoning a very ordinary change.’ There is also a gentle hint that Agamemnon, who had professed so much
φιλία
(1331), is becoming a little
πικρός
.

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

1359. mvp-comment-872-1 'Surely it is no new thing for those now friendly to be hereafter hostile.' Odysseus hints at the truth which Ajax professed to have learned, supr. 678-683. Ajax' love and service to the Argives has turned to bitterness. So has that of many before him; and so will that of many after him. Therefore revenge against him should have an end.