Ajax. Sophocles. ed. Lewis Campbell. Oxford. 1879.
Search the Perseus Catalog for:
Search the Perseus Catalog for:
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.) — 214-262 focus
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
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·
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
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.
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.
Greek (F. Storr, 1912) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. Storr, 1912)) — 214-262 focus
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
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.
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.
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
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.
Translations (5)
English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 208 focus
TEU
Whose cause is just hath licence to be proud.
1125
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)) — 208 focus
Teucer
1223
Away ! This babbler is not to be borne.
English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 208 focus
Chorus
1040
Of this no more; but be thy thoughts employ'd
1040
How to entomb this corse, and what reply
Thou soon wilt make: I see a foe, who comes
With rancorous malice to insult thy grief.
English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904)) — 214-260 focus
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
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
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
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
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
Commentary
Commentary (R. C. Jebb) (OCR draft) (Commentary (R. C. Jebb))
mvp-comment-142-1 τί δὲ βάρος ἐνήλλακται νὺξ ἥδε τῆς ἡμερίας 1 ἐνήλλακται 2
mvp-comment-142-2 No tolerable emendation has been made. ἠρεμίας 3 εὐμαρίας 4 ἀμμορίας 5 νὺξ ἥδε 6
mvp-comment-142-3
The schol. in L has:
Commentary (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) (Commentary (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) focus
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?