Ajax. Sophocles. ed. Lewis Campbell. Oxford. 1879.
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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.) — 202-214 focus
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.
Αἴας First1KGreek (Sophocles. Sophoclis Fabulae. Pearson, Alfred Chilton, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1924.) — 201-213 focus
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
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
νὺξ ἥδε βάρος;
παῖ τοῦ Φρυγίου
σὺ Τελεύταντος,
210
λέγʼ, ἐπεί σε λέχος δουριάλωτον
στέρξας ἀνέχει θούριος Αἴας·
ὥστʼ οὐκ ἂν ἄϊδρις ὑπείποις.
Greek (F. Storr, 1912) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. Storr, 1912)) — 201-213 focus
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.
Translations (5)
English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 198 focus
TEU
May we not know the reasons of your will?
German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 201 focus
Ihr Führer von Ajas' Schiffe, gezeugt
Aus Erechtheus' Stamm, den die Erde gebar!
1
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.
English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 198 focus
Menelaus
'Twas the judges' fault, not mine.
English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 198 focus
Chorus
Afflictions great as these......
English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904)) — 201-210 focus
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
Commentary
Commentary (R. C. Jebb) (OCR draft) (Commentary (R. C. Jebb))
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.
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.
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...
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.