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.) — 215-257 focus
ΤΕΚΜΗΣΣΑ
Πῶς δῆτα λέγω λόγον ἄῤῥητον;
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θανάτῳ γὰρ ἴσον πάθος ἐκπεύσει.
μανίᾳ γὰρ ἁλοὺς ἧμιν ὁ κλεινὸς
νύκτερος Αἴας ἀπελωβήθη.
τοιαῦτ’ ἂν ἴδοις σκηνῆς ἔνδον
χειροδάικτα σφάγι’ αίμοβαφῆ,
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κείνου χρηστήρια τἀνδρός.
ΧΟΡΟΣ
1
Οἵαν ἐδήλωσας ἀνδρὸς
αἴθοπος ἀγγελίαν,
ἄτλατον οὐδὲ φευκτὰν,
τῶν μεγάλων Δαναῶν ὕπο κλῃζομέναν,
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τὰν ὁ μέγας μῦθος ἀέξει.
Οἴ μοι, φοβοῦμαι τὸ προςἐρπον· περίφαντος ἀνὴρ
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θανεῖται, παραπλήκτῳ χερὶ συγκατακτὰς
κελαινοῖς ξίφεσιν βοτὰ καὶ
βοτῆρας ἱππονώμους.
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ΤΕΚΜΗΣΣΑ
ὦ μοι, κεῖθεν, κεῖθεν ἄρ’ ἡμῖν
δεσμῶτιν ἄγων ἤλυθε ποίμναν·
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ὧν τὴν μὲν ἔσω σφάζ’ ἐπὶ γαίας,
τὰ δέ πλευροκοπῶν διχ’ ἀνερρήγνυ.
δύο δ’ ἀργίποδας κριοὺς ἀνελὼν
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τοῦ μὲν κεφαλὴν καὶ γλῶσσαν ἄκραν
ῥιπτεῖ θερίσας, τὸν δ’ ὀρθὸν ἄνω
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κίονι δήσας
μέγαν ίπποδέτην ῥυτῆρα λαβὼν
παίει λιγυρᾷ μάστιγι διπλῆ,
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κακὰ δεννάζων ῥήμαθ’, ἃ δαίμων
κοὐδεὶς ἀνδρῶν ἐδίδαξεν.
ΧΟΡΟΣ
1
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Ὥρα τιν’ ἤδη κάρα κα-
λύμμασι κρυψάμενον
ποδοῖν κλοπὰν ἀρέσθαι,
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ἢ θοὸν εἰρεσίας ζυγὸν ἑζόμενον
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ποντοπόρῳ ναὶ μεθεῖναι.
τοίας ἐρέσσουσιν ἀπειλὰς δικρατεῖς Ἀτρεῖδαι
καθ’ ἡμῶν· πεφόβημαι λιθόλευστον Ἄρη
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ξυναλγεῖν μετά τοῦδε τυπεὶς,
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τὸν αἶσ’ ἄπλατος ἴσχει.
ΤΕΚΜΗΣΣΑ
Οὐκ ἔτι· λαμπρᾶς γὰρ ἄτερ στεροπᾶς
ᾄξας ὀξὺς νότος ὣς, λήγει.
καὶ νῦν φρόνιμος νέον ἄλγος ἔχει.
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τὸ γὰρ ὲςλεύσσειν οἰκεῖα πάθη,
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μηδενὸς ἄλλου παραπράξαντος
μεγάλας ὀδύνας ὑποτείνει.
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
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κελαινοῖς ξίφεσιν βοτὰ καὶ
βοτῆρας ἱππονώμας ποίμναν·
Τέκμησσα
ὤμοι· κεῖθεν κεῖθεν ἄρʼ ἡμῖν
δεσμῶτιν ἄγων ἤλυθε ποίμναν·
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3
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5
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ὧν τὰ μὲν εἴσω σφάζʼ ἐπὶ γαίας,
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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
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κρυψάμενον ποδοῖν κλοπὰν ἀρέσθαι,
ἢ θοὸν εἰρεσίας ζυγὸν ἑζόμενον
ποντοπόρῳ ναῒ μεθεῖναι.
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τοίας ἐρέσσουσιν ἀπει-
λὰς δικρατεῖς Ἀτρεῖδαι
καθʼ ἡμῶν· πεφόβημαι
λιθόλευστον Ἄρη
ξυναλγεῖν μετὰ τοῦδε τυπείς,
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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,
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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,
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τὰν ὁ μέγας μῦθος ἀέξει.
οἴμοι φοβοῦμαι τὸ προσέρπον· περίφαντος ἁνὴρ
θανεῖται, παραπλάκτῳ χερὶ συγκατακτὰς
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κελαινοῖς ξίφεσιν βοτὰ καὶ βοτῆρας ἱππονώμας.
Τέκμησσα
ὤμοι· κεῖθεν κεῖθεν ἄρʼ ἡμῖν
δεσμῶτιν ἄγων ἤλυθε ποίμνην·
ὧν τὴν μὲν ἔσω σφάζʼ ἐπὶ γαίας,
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τὰ δὲ πλευροκοπῶν δίχʼ ἀνερρήγνυ.
δύο δʼ ἀργίποδας κριοὺς ἀνελὼν
τοῦ μὲν κεφαλὴν καὶ γλῶσσαν ἄκραν
ῥιπτεῖ θερίσας, τὸν δʼ ὀρθὸν ἄνω
κίονι δήσας
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μέγαν ἱπποδέτην ῥυτῆρα λαβὼν
παίει λιγυρᾷ μάστιγι διπλῇ,
κακὰ δεννάζων ῥήμαθʼ, ἃ δαίμων
κοὐδεὶς ἀνδρῶν ἐδίδαξεν.
Χορός
ὥρα τινʼ ἤδη τοι κρᾶτα καλύμμασι
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κρυψάμενον ποδοῖν κλοπὰν ἀρέσθαι
ἢ θοὸν εἰρεσίας ζυγὸν ἑζόμενον
ποντοπόρῳ ναῒ μεθεῖναι.
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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,
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μηδενὸς ἄλλου παραπράξαντος,
μεγάλας ὀδύνας ὑποτείνει.
Translations (5)
English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 229 focus
TEU
Re-enter TECMESSA with EURYSAKES .
CHORUS.
Lo! where the hero’s housemate and his child,
Hitting the moment’s need, appear at hand,
To tend the burial of the ill fated dead.
Come, child, take thou thy station close beside:
Kneel and embrace the author of thy life,
In solemn suppliant fashion holding forth
This lock of thine own hair, and hers, and mine
With threefold consecration, that if one
Of the army force thee from thy father’s corse,
My curse may banish him from holy ground,
Far from his home, unburied, and cut off
From all his race, even as I cut this curl.
There, hold him, child, and guard him; let no hand
Stir thee, but lean to the calm breast and cling.
() And ye, be not like women in this scene,
Nor let your manhoods falter; stand true men
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To this defence, till I return prepared,
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Though all cry No, to give him burial.
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When shall the tale of wandering years be done?
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When shall arise our exile’s latest sun?
1180
Oh, where shall end the incessant woe
1180
Of troublous spear-encounter with the foe,
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Through this vast Trojan plain,
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Of Grecian arms the lamentable stain?
Would he had gone to inhabit the wide sky,
Or that dark home of death where millions lie,
Who taught our Grecian world the way
To use vile swords and knit the dense array!
His toil gave birth to toil
In endless line. He made mankind his spoil.
His tyrant will hath forced me to forgo
The garland, and the goblet’s bounteous flow:
Yea, and the flute’s dear noise,
And night’s more tranquil joys;
Ay me! nor only these,
The fruits of golden ease,
But Love, but Love—O crowning sorrow!—
Hath ceased for me. I may not borrow
Sweet thoughts from him to smooth my dreary bed,
Where dank night-dews fall ever on my head,
Lest once I might forget the sadness of the morrow.
Even here in Troy, Aias was erst my rock,
From darkling fears and ’mid the battle-shock
To screen me with huge might:
Now he is lost in night
And horror. Where again
Shall gladness heal my pain?
O were I where the waters hoary,
Round Sunium’s pine-clad promontory,
Plash underneath the flowery upland height.
Then holiest Athens soon would come in sight,
And to Athena’s self I might declare my story.
German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 233 focus
Weh! Dorther, dorther kam er zu uns,
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Und führte die Heerd' in gefesseltem Zug;
Und die einen erwürgt' er am Boden im Zelt,
Und die anderen hieb er mitten entzwei,
Griff zween weißfüßige Widder sodann,
Mäht' einem das Haupt und die Zunge herab,
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Und warf sie hinweg;
Und den anderen band er am Pfeiler empor,
Und faßte den Roßzaum doppelt und schwang
Und geißelte, daß hell schwirrte der Schlag,
Schmachworte zugleich ausschüttend, die nur
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Ein Gott, kein Mensch, ihm gelehrt hat.
Gegenstrophe.
Der Chor.
English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 229 focus
Ulysses
Shall I be free, and speak
The truth to thee, without reproach or blame ?
English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 229 focus
Teucer
'Gainst thee a foe
Did Ajax ever lead?
I hated him,
He hated me: thou know'st this.
In the votes
Thou wast found false and fraudulent.
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,
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sacrifices of no hand but his.
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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
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because the dark sword in his frenzied hand massacred the herds and the horse-guiding herdsmen.
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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;
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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.
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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,
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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,
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crushed at this man’s side, whom an untouchable fate holds in its grasp.
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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.
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Commentary
Commentary (R. C. Jebb) (OCR draft) (Commentary (R. C. Jebb))
Commentary (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) (Commentary (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) focus
221-232. mvp-comment-165-1 The metrical scheme (Logaoedic, with frequent syncope) is the following...