Sophocles, Ajax, Lewis Campbell (Translator), 163

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TEC

So lies our fortune. Well may’st thou complain.

Ajax. Sophocles. Lewis Campbell (Translator). London, New York and Toronto. 1906.

Current edition Experimental

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) (English) (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906))

Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.

Editions (4)

Αἴας μαστιγοφόρος First1KGreek (Sophocles. Sophoclis Aiax. Lobeck Christian, editor. Berlin: Weidmann, 1866.) — 172-201 focus

str. 1

ΧΟΡΟΣ

1

ᾖ ῥά σε Ταυροπόλα Διὸς Ἄρτεμις,

ὦ μεγάλα φάτις, ὦ

μᾶτερ αἰσχύνας ἐμᾶς,

ὥρμασε πανδάμους ἐπὶ βοῦς ἀγελαίας,
175

ἦ πού τινος νίκας ἀκάρπωτον χάριν,

ἤ ῥα κλυτῶν ἐνάρων

ψευσθεῖσ’, ἀδώροις εἴτ’ ὲλαφηβολἐαις.

ἢ χαλκοθώραξ ἥντιν’ Ἐννυάλιος

μομφὰν ἔχων
180

ξυνοῦ δορὸς, ἐννυχίοις μαχαναῖς

ἐτίσατο λώβαν.

ant. 1

ΧΟΡΟΣ

1

Οὐ, τοτε γὰρ φρενόθεν γ’ ἐπ’ ἀριστερὰ,

παῖ Τελαμῶνος, ἔβας

τόσσον ὲν ποίμναις πίτνων·
185

ἥκοι γὰρ ἂν θεία νόσος· ἀλλ’ ἀπερύκοι

καὶ Ζεὺς κακὰν καὶ Φοῖβος Ἀργείων φάτιν ·

εἰ δ’ ὑποβαλλόμενοι

κλέπτουσι μύθους οἱ μεγάλοι βασιλῆς

ἢ τᾶς ἀσώτου Σισυφιδᾶν γενεᾶς,
190

μὴ, μή μ’, ἄναξ,

ἔθ’ ὦδ’ ἐφάλοις κλισίαις ὄμμ’ ἔχων

κακὰν φάτιν ἄρῃ.

ep.

ΧΟΡΟΣ

1

Ἀλλ’ ἄνα ἐς ἐδράνων, ὅπου μακραίωνι

στηρίζει ποτὲ τᾷδ’ ἀγωνίῳ σχολᾷ
195

ἄταν οὐρανίαν φλέγων

ἐχθρῶν δ’ ὕβρις ὧδ’ ἀτάρβηθ’

ὁρμᾶται ὲν εὐανέμοις βάσσαις,

πάντων καγχαζόντων

γλώσσαις βαρυάλγητα·
200

200 ἐμοὶ δ’ ἄχος ἕστακεν.

Αἴας First1KGreek (Sophocles. Sophoclis Fabulae. Pearson, Alfred Chilton, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1924.) — 172-200 focus

str. 1

Χορός

1

ἦ ῥά σε Ταυροπόλα Διὸς Ἄρτεμις,

ὦ μεγάλα φάτις, ὦ

μᾶτερ αἰσχύνας ἐμᾶς, ὥρ-

μασε πανδάμους ἐπὶ βοῦς ἀγελαίας,
175

ἦ πού τινος νίκας ἀκάρπωτον χάριν,

ἤ ῥα κλυτῶν ἐνάρων

ψευσθεῖσʼ, ἀδώροις εἴτʼ ἐλαφαβολίαις;

ἢ χαλκοθώραξ εἴ τινʼ Ἐνυάλιος

μομφὰν ἔχων ξυνοῦ δορὸς ἐννυχίοις
180

μαχαναῖς ἐτείσατο λώβαν;

ant. 1

Χορός

1

οὔποτε γὰρ φρενόθεν γʼ ἐπʼ ἀριστερά,

παῖ Τελαμῶνος, ἔβας

¹²³⁴⁵⁶⁷⁸⁹¹⁰¹¹

τόσσον ἐν ποίμναις πίτνων· ἥ-

κοι γὰρ ἂν θεία νόσος· ἀλλʼ ἀπερύκοι
185

καὶ Ζεὺς κακὰν καὶ Φοῖβος Ἀργείων φάτιν.

εἰ δʼ ὑποβαλλόμενοι

κλέπτουσι μύθους οἱ μεγάλοι βασιλῆς,

ἢ τᾶς ἀσώτου Σισυφιδᾶν γενεᾶς,

μὴ μηκέτʼ, ὦναξ, ὧδʼ ἐφάλοις κλισίαις
190

ὄμμʼ ἔχων κακὰν φάτιν ἄρῃ.

ep.

Χορός

ἀλλʼ ἄνα ἐξ ἑδράνων

ὅπου μακραίωνι

στηρίζει ποτὲ τᾷδʼ ἀγωνίῳ σχολᾷ,

ἄταν οὐρανίαν φλέγων.
195

ἐχθρῶν δʼ ὕβρις ὧδʼ ἀτάρβητα

ὁρμᾶτʼ ἐν εὐανέμοις βάσσαις,

πάντων καχαζόντων

γλώσσαις βαρυάλγητα·

ἐμοὶ δʼ ἄχος ἕστακεν.
200

Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) — 163 focus

τούτων γνώμας προδιδάσκειν.

Greek (F. Storr, 1912) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. Storr, 1912)) — 172-200 focus

Χορός

ἦ ῥά σε Ταυροπόλα Διὸς Ἄρτεμις—

ὦ μεγάλα φάτις, ὦ

μᾶτερ αἰσχύνας ἐμᾶς—

ὥρμασε πανδάμους ἐπὶ βοῦς ἀγελαίας,
175

ἦ πού τινος νίκας ἀκάρπωτον χάριν,

ἤ ῥα κλυτῶν ἐνάρων

ψευσθεῖσʼ, ἀδώροις, εἴτʼ ἐλαφαβολίας;

ἢ χαλκοθώραξ μή τινʼ Ἐνυάλιος

μομφὰν ἔχων ξυνοῦ δορὸς ἐννυχίοις
180

μαχαναῖς ἐτίσατο λώβαν;

182

Χορός

οὔ ποτε γὰρ φρενόθεν γʼ ἐπʼ ἀριστερά,

παῖ Τελαμῶνος, ἔβας

τόσσον, ἐν ποίμναις πίτνων·
185

ἥκοι γὰρ ἂν θεία νόσος· ἀλλʼ ἀπερύκοι

καὶ Ζεὺς κακὰν καὶ Φοῖβος Ἀργείων φάτιν.

εἰ δʼ ὑποβαλλόμενοι

κλέπτουσι μύθους οἱ μεγάλοι βασιλῆς

ἢ τᾶς ἀσώτου Σισυφιδᾶν γενεᾶς,
190

μὴ μή, ἄναξ, ἔθʼ ὧδʼ ἐφάλοις κλισίαις

ὄμμʼ ἔχων κακὰν φάτιν ἄρῃ.

193

Χορός

ἀλλʼ ἄνα ἐξ ἑδράνων, ὅπου μακραίωνι

στηρίζει ποτὲ τᾷδʼ ἀγωνίῳ σχολᾷ

ἄταν οὐρανίαν φλέγων.
195

ἐχθρῶν δʼ ὕβρις ὧδʼ ἀτάρβητα

ὁρμᾶται ἐν εὐανέμοις βάσσαις,

πάντων καγχαζόντων

γλώσσαις βαρυάλγητα·

ἐμοὶ δʼ ἄχος ἕστακεν.
200

Translations (4)

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)) — 163 focus

Teucer

Unhappy fate I
980

Chor 'Tis so indeed.
980

English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 163 focus

Chorus
879

Nor to the east as I pursued my way

To me did any trace of him appear.

English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904)) — 172-200 focus

Chorus

Was it Artemis ruler of bulls, Zeus’s daughter, that drove you, O powerful Rumor, O mother of my shame,

drove you against the herds of all our people? Was she exacting retribution, perhaps, for a victory that had paid her no tribute, whether it was because she had been cheated of the glory of captured arms, or because a stag had been slain without gifts for recompense? Or can the bronze-cuirassed Lord of War
175

have had some cause for anger arising out of an alliance of spears, and taken vengeance for the outrage by contrivance shrouded in night?
180

182

Chorus

For never of your own heart alone, son of Telamon, would you have gone so far down the sinister path

as to fall upon the flocks. When the gods send madness, it cannot but reach its target, but may Zeus and Phoebus avert the evil rumor of the Greeks!
And if it is the great kings who slander you with their furtive stories,
185

or if it is he born of the abject line of Sisyphus, do not, my king, do not win me an evil name by keeping your face still hidden in the tent by the sea.
190

193

Chorus

Come now, up from your seat, wherever you are settled in this long-lived pause from battle

and are making the flame of disaster blaze up to the sky! The violent insolence of your enemies rushes fearlessly about in the breezy glens, while the tongues of all the army cackle out a load of grief.
195

For me, sorrow stands firmly planted.
200

Commentary

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

mvp-comment-534-1 ὅστις καὶ φίλος ¹

mvp-comment-535-1 φυσῶντ’ ἄνω πρὸς ῥῖνας ²

mvp-comment-535-2 μελανθὲν ³ οἰκείας σφαγῆς ⁴

mvp-comment-536-1 βαστάσει ⁵

mvp-comment-537-1 ἀκμαἶ ἂν … μόλοι ⁶ ἀκμαῖος … μόλοι ⁷

mvp-comment-537-2 ἀκμαῖος, εἰ βαίη, μόλοι ⁸

mvp-comment-538-1 συγκαθαρμόσαι ⁹

mvp-comment-539-1 οἵως ἔχεις ¹⁰

mvp-comment-540-1 ὡς … ἄξιος ¹¹ οἵως ἔχεις ¹²

mvp-comment-540-2 παρ’ ἐχθροῖς ¹³

mvp-comment-540-3 τυχεῖν ¹⁴

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

917. mvp-comment-594-1 οὐδεὶς . . ὅστις καὶ φίλος] 'No one who loved him.' καί marks the stress on φίλος. An enemy or indifferent person might bear to see him, but a friend could not. So Musgrave, 'Qui saltem amicus fuerit. Libentius quippe talia inimicus, quam amicus aspiceret.' Lobeck and the Scholiast give a different force to καί, as if it meant, 'not even a friend, far less a stranger.' But this is less in accordance with the use of καί in relative clauses. and also with the feeling of antiquity.

918-919. mvp-comment-595-1 ἔκ τε φοινίας πληγῆς] Sc. φυσῶντα, the breath being supposed to issue with the blood from the wound. Cp. infr. 1411, 2. μελανθὲν αἷμα] Cp. infr. 1412, 3, μέλαν | μένος.

919. mvp-comment-596-1 οἰκείας σφαγῆς] ‘His own self-inflicted death-wound. For this use of οἰκεῖος, cp. Εl. 215, οἰκείας εἰς ἄτας, supr. 260, οἰκεῖα πάθη.

920. mvp-comment-597-1 τίς σε βαστάσει φίλων] The huge form of Ajax lying disordered would need a powerful hand to straighten it. Even Teucer needs help, infr. ll. 1409-11. Tecmessa shrinks from asking the Chorus to perform this duty, which, however willing, they would do awkwardly; and for such sacred service a nearer and more equal friend is required.

921. mvp-comment-598-1 ὡς ἀκμαῖος, εἰ βαίη, μόλοι] 'How timely were his coming, if he came.' The optative without ἄν is doubted, but is less harsh coming immediately after another optative; and see Essay on L. § 36. p. 626 (1). Some have supposed a confusion of the expression of a wish with the potential optative. 'Might he but come! How timely!' But this is hardly in the Greek.

922. mvp-comment-599-1 συγκαθαρμόσαι] This compound occurs only here.

Sophocles Ajax 163

Lewis Campbell (Translator)

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

TEC

So lies our fortune. Well may’st thou complain.

Current edition Experimental

Teucer

Unhappy fate I
980

Chor 'Tis so indeed.
980

Chorus
879

Nor to the east as I pursued my way

To me did any trace of him appear.

Commentary

Stable identifiers

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

TEC So lies our fortune. Well may’st thou complain.

Current edition Experimental

Teucer Unhappy fate I 980 Chor 'Tis so indeed. 980

Chorus 879 Nor to the east as I pursued my way To me did any trace of him appear.

Commentary

Stable identifiers

TEC

So lies our fortune. Well may’st thou complain.

Teucer

Unhappy fate I
980

Chor 'Tis so indeed.
980

Chorus
879

Nor to the east as I pursued my way

To me did any trace of him appear.