Sophocles Ajax 966

ed. Lewis Campbell

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ἐμοὶ .˙. ἐμοὶ πικρὸς τέθνηκεν ἢ κείνοις γλυκύς,

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.) — 937-1160 focus
Αἴας First1KGreek (Sophocles. Sophoclis Fabulae. Pearson, Alfred Chilton, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1924.) — 961-1184 focus
Greek (F. Storr, 1912) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. Storr, 1912)) — 961-1184 focus
Translations (2)
German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 961 focus
Sie mögen lachen, mögen sich an seinem Leid
Erfreuen! Weckt' er lebend auch ihr Sehnen nicht,
Den Todten ruft wohl ihre Klag' in Kampfesnoth.
Nie mag ein Gut ja, welches er in Händen hält,
Der Thor erkennen, bis es ihm entwunden ist.
920
Mir ist sein Scheiden bitter, ihnen süße Lust,
Ihm selbst erfreulich; denn wonach er sich gesehnt,
Er hat's errungen, seiner Wünsche Ziel, den Tod.
Was also mag sich über ihn ihr Spott ergeh'n?
Den Göttern starb er, ihnen nimmer, nimmermehr! 1
925
Drum höhn' Odysseus immerhin mit eitlem Hohn!
Denn keinen Ajas gibt es mehr für sie; doch mir,
Mir ließ er scheidend Jammer nur und Gram zurück.
(hinter der Scene)
English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904)) — 961-1180 focus

Commentary

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

mvp-comment-562-1 Various theories of interpolation have been held with regard to this passage: see Appendix. Most of them are founded on the assumption that Tecmessa's former speech of ten lines (915—924) must be balanced by a speech of the same length here, and that therefore three of the thirteen verses (961— 973) must be struck out. (Nauck, who rejects 918 f., strikes out five verses here, 966—970.)

mvp-comment-562-2 As several objections arise from the alleged incoherence of the speech, it is well to observe the train of thought in 961—973.

mvp-comment-562-3 ‘Let them mock, if they will, at the fate of Ajax; they will perhaps find out, in time of need, what they have lost; foolish men never know their own good fortune till they have thrown it away (961—965). No, his death is no gain for them—though it is anguish for me: for him, it is the release which he desired (966—968). Why should they mock at him, then? They cannot even claim that his death was their work; it is the affair of the gods (969 f.). So Odysseus may exult, if he pleases, but it is an empty triumph. He and his friends have merely suffered a loss; Ajax is gone, —and has left nothing behind him but the sorrow which is mine’ (971—973).

mvp-comment-562-4 ἐμοὶ πικρὸς 1 ἢ 2 ᾗ, εἰ, ὡς, καὶ 3 γλυκύς 4

mvp-comment-562-5 θάνατον 5 ὧν 6

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

966-967. mvp-comment-624-1 Either (1) supposing an implied comparative, 'My sorrow in his death is greater than their joy: howbeit, he has pleased himself;' or (2) supposing δέ to be in apodosi, and τέθνηκεν to be virtually hypothetical, 'Be his death joy to them or grief to me, to him it brings content.' For (1), see Essay on L. § 39. p. 73 b; and for (2), cp. Ant. 1168, where see note. As there is nothing but the emphasis to suggest comparison, (2) is preferable.