Sophocles Ajax 167

ed. Lewis Campbell

ἀλλ᾽ ὅτε γὰρ δὴ τὸ σὸν ὄμμ᾽ ἀπέδραν,

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.

Editions (3)
Αἴας μαστιγοφόρος First1KGreek (Sophocles. Sophoclis Aiax. Lobeck Christian, editor. Berlin: Weidmann, 1866.) — 172-201 focus
Αἴας First1KGreek (Sophocles. Sophoclis Fabulae. Pearson, Alfred Chilton, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1924.) — 172-200 focus
Greek (F. Storr, 1912) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. Storr, 1912)) — 172-200 focus
Translations (5)
English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 167 focus
TEC
Woe, woe is me!
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.
English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 167 focus
Teucer
O wretched, wretched Teucer !
Where is the child 1 Is he at Troy ]
English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 167 focus
Tecmessa
O thou unhappy!
English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904)) — 172-200 focus

Commentary

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

mvp-comment-120-1 ἀλλ’ ὅτε γὰρ δὴ … πτήξειαν ἄφωνοι 1 δ’ 2

mvp-comment-120-2 (1) ἀλλὰ 3

mvp-comment-120-3 (2) ἀλλὰ … γὰρ 4

mvp-comment-120-4 (3) The reading μέγαν αἰγυπιὸν δ’ ὑποδείσαντες 5 ἀπέδραν 6

mvp-comment-120-5 (4) This reading is confirmed by the fact that since ὑποδείσαντες 7

mvp-comment-120-6 ὅτε … δὴ 8

mvp-comment-120-7 ἀπέδραν 9

mvp-comment-120-8 αἰγυπιὸν 10

mvp-comment-120-9 τάχ’ ἂν 11 ἐξαίφνης 12 πτήξειαν 13

mvp-comment-120-10 σιγῇ πτήξειαν ἄφωνοι 14

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.

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.'