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Ajax
[Exfijf.nt.
Strophe.
A^itistroplie.
Stro2?he 2.
Antistrophe 2.
ACT III.
Scene I.
Still are the secret things of man revealed.
And what is known again in darkness hid
By endless and immeasurable time ;
And nothing is there but in length of days
May come to pass ; e'en sacred oaths are broken,
And the fixed mind, perverse and obstinate.
Subdued by time : I, who like hardened steel
Wjis late inflexible, am softened now
To pity and remorse by this dear woman ;
I cannot bear to leave her here a widow
Amidst her foes, or to forsake my child,
A helpless orphan. No ; I will retire
Along the shore, and seek the running stream,
Avert the wimth of angry heaven, and wash
My crimes away : there haply shall I find
Some unfrequented spot where I may hide
This fatal weapon, this destructive sword :
Oh ! I will bury it deep in earth, that none
May see it more, but night and Erebus
Preserve it still from ev'ry mortal eye.
E'er since that hapless day, when from the hand
Of Hector 1 received this dreadful boon.
Nought have I had from Greece but pain and woe
True is the adage, " From the hands of foes
Gifts are not gifts, but injurres most fatal."
Hereafter will I yield me to the Gods
And the Atridiu ; since they are my masters,
'Tis meet that 1 obey them : all that's strong
And mighty must submit to poweis superior :
Doth not the snowy winter to the bloom
Of fruitful summer yield ? and night obscure,
When by white steeds Aurora drawn lights up
The rising day, submissively retire ?
The roaring sea, long vexed by angry winds,
Is lulled by milder zephyrs to repose,
And oft the fetters of all-conq'ring sleep
Are kindly loosed to free the captive mind.
From Nature then, who thus instructs mankind.
Long since I knew to treat my foe like one
Whom I hereafter as a friend might love
If he deserved it, and to love my friend
As if he still might one day be my foe :
For little is the trust we can repose
In human friendships. But to my intent :
Go thou, Tecmessa, and beseech the gods
To grant what I request : do you perform
595
The same kind ofiice ; and when Teucer comes,
595
Tell him, the care of me and all my friends
595
I leave to him : whither I must, I must.
595
Obey my orders : wretched as I am
595
Soon shall ye see me freed from all my woes. [£J'xei'ML
595
Now let sounds of mirth and joy
595
Every blissful hour employ :
595
Borne on pleasure's airy wing,
595
lo Pan ! to thee we sing :
595
Thee, whom on the rocky shore
595
Wreck- 'scaped mariners adore,
595
Skilled the mazy dance to lead.
595
Teach, oh teach, our feet to tread
595
The round which Cretan Cnossus knows,
595
At Nyssa which spontaneous rose ;
595
Pan, oh ! guide this tuneful throng,
595
Whjle to thee we raise the song,
595
From Cyllene's snowy brow ;
595
King of pleasures, hear us now !
595
"From thy mountains, oh, appear !
595
Joy and happiness are here :
595
And do thou, O Delian king !
595
Now thy aid propitious bring !
595
Oh ! from the Icarian sea
595
Come, Apollo, smile on me.
595
All our sorrows now are o'er.
595
Grief and madness are no more :
595
See, the happy day appears,
595
Mighty Jove ! that ends our fears ;
595
Let us, free from every care,
595
Gladly to our ships repair :
595
Sinks, forgetful of his woes ;
595
Humbly to the gods resigned,
595
He devotes his better mind :
595
Time that witliers can restore
595
Human plejisures. Now no more
595
Must we say our vows are vain ;
595
Nought unlioped for should remain,
595
Since, beyond our wishes, see
595
'Gainst th' Atridae all his rage
595
See how milder thoughts assuage.
595
Bitter strife and quarrels cease ;
595
All is harmony and peace.
595
Still are the secret things of man revealed.
And what is known again in darkness hid
By endless and immeasurable time ;
And nothing is there but in length of days
May come to pass ; e'en sacred oaths are broken,
And the fixed mind, perverse and obstinate.
Subdued by time : I, who like hardened steel
Wjis late inflexible, am softened now
To pity and remorse by this dear woman ;
I cannot bear to leave her here a widow
Amidst her foes, or to forsake my child,
A helpless orphan. No ; I will retire
Along the shore, and seek the running stream,
Avert the wimth of angry heaven, and wash
My crimes away : there haply shall I find
Some unfrequented spot where I may hide
This fatal weapon, this destructive sword :
Oh ! I will bury it deep in earth, that none
May see it more, but night and Erebus
Preserve it still from ev'ry mortal eye.
E'er since that hapless day, when from the hand
Of Hector 1 received this dreadful boon.
Nought have I had from Greece but pain and woe
True is the adage, " From the hands of foes
Gifts are not gifts, but injurres most fatal."
Hereafter will I yield me to the Gods
And the Atridiu ; since they are my masters,
'Tis meet that 1 obey them : all that's strong
And mighty must submit to poweis superior :
Doth not the snowy winter to the bloom
Of fruitful summer yield ? and night obscure,
When by white steeds Aurora drawn lights up
The rising day, submissively retire ?
The roaring sea, long vexed by angry winds,
Is lulled by milder zephyrs to repose,
And oft the fetters of all-conq'ring sleep
Are kindly loosed to free the captive mind.
From Nature then, who thus instructs mankind.
Long since I knew to treat my foe like one
Whom I hereafter as a friend might love
If he deserved it, and to love my friend
As if he still might one day be my foe :
For little is the trust we can repose
In human friendships. But to my intent :
Go thou, Tecmessa, and beseech the gods
To grant what I request : do you perform
595
The same kind ofiice ; and when Teucer comes,
595
Tell him, the care of me and all my friends
595
I leave to him : whither I must, I must.
595
Obey my orders : wretched as I am
595
Soon shall ye see me freed from all my woes. [£J'xei'ML
595
Now let sounds of mirth and joy
595
Every blissful hour employ :
595
Borne on pleasure's airy wing,
595
lo Pan ! to thee we sing :
595
Thee, whom on the rocky shore
595
Wreck- 'scaped mariners adore,
595
Skilled the mazy dance to lead.
595
Teach, oh teach, our feet to tread
595
The round which Cretan Cnossus knows,
595
At Nyssa which spontaneous rose ;
595
Pan, oh ! guide this tuneful throng,
595
Whjle to thee we raise the song,
595
From Cyllene's snowy brow ;
595
King of pleasures, hear us now !
595
"From thy mountains, oh, appear !
595
Joy and happiness are here :
595
And do thou, O Delian king !
595
Now thy aid propitious bring !
595
Oh ! from the Icarian sea
595
Come, Apollo, smile on me.
595
All our sorrows now are o'er.
595
Grief and madness are no more :
595
See, the happy day appears,
595
Mighty Jove ! that ends our fears ;
595
Let us, free from every care,
595
Gladly to our ships repair :
595
Sinks, forgetful of his woes ;
595
Humbly to the gods resigned,
595
He devotes his better mind :
595
Time that witliers can restore
595
Human plejisures. Now no more
595
Must we say our vows are vain ;
595
Nought unlioped for should remain,
595
Since, beyond our wishes, see
595
'Gainst th' Atridae all his rage
595
See how milder thoughts assuage.
595
Bitter strife and quarrels cease ;
595
All is harmony and peace.
595
Ajax. Sophocles. Thomas Francklin (Translator). London. 1758–1759.