Sophocles, Ajax, Richard Jebb (Translator), 1163

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Chorus

A trial of this great discord will soon come about. But you, Teucer, with all the speed you can muster,

be quick to seek a hollow grave for Ajax, where he shall establish his dank tomb, a constant memorial for mortals.
1165

Enter Tecmessa and Eurysaces.

Teucer

And now just in time his son and his wife approach

to arrange the burial of the pitiable corpse. Come here, nephew. Take your place near him, and grasp in supplication your father, your begetter. Kneel and pray for help, with locks of hair in your hand from me, her, and thirdly you;
1170

they are the suppliant’s only resource. But if any soldier from the army should tear you by violence from this body, then for his wickedness may he be wickedly cast out of his country and get no burial, but be severed at the root with all his race, just as I shear this lock.
1175

Take it, Nephew, and keep it safe. Let no one move you, but kneel there and cling to the dead.
And you there, do not stand idly by like women, not men. Help defend us until I return, when I have seen to a grave for him, though all the world forbids it.
1180
Exit Teucer.

Ajax. Sophocles. Richard Jebb (Translator). Cambridge. 1893.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by The Annenberg CPB/Project.

Current edition Experimental

Ajax (English) (Sophocles the plays and fragments, Part 7: The Ajax. Jebb, Richard Claverhouse, Sir, translator. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1891. (Modernized by Perseus.))

Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.

Editions (4)

Αἴας μαστιγοφόρος First1KGreek (Sophocles. Sophoclis Aiax. Lobeck Christian, editor. Berlin: Weidmann, 1866.) — 1161-1196 focus

str. 1

ΧΟΡΟΣ

1185 Τις ἄρα νέατος; ἐς πότε λήξει

πολυπλάγκτων ἐτέων ἀριθμὸς,

τὰν ἄπαυστον αἰὲν ἐμοὶ

δορυσσόντων μόχθων

ἄταν ἐπάγων
1165

1190 ἀνὰ τὰν εὐρώδη Τροίαν.

δύστανον ὄνειδος

ant. 1

ὄφελε πρότερον αἰθέρα δῦναι

μέγαν ἢ τὸν πολύκοινον Ἅιδαν

κεῖνος ἀνὴρ, ὃς στυγερῶν

1170

1195 ἔδειξ’ ὅπλων Ἕλλα-

σιν κοινὸν Ἄρη.

ὦ πόνοι πρόγονοι πόνων.

κεῖνος γὰρ ἔπερσεν ἀνθρώπους.

str. 2

ΧΟΡΟΣ

2

ἐκεῖνος οὐ στεφάνων,
1175

1200 οὔτε βαθειᾶν κυλίκων

νεῖμεν ἐμοὶ τέρψιν ὁμιλεῖν,

οὔτε γλυκὺν αὐλῶν ὄτοβον,

δύςμορος, οὔτ’ ἐννυχίαν

τέρψιν ἰαύειν· ἐρώτων δ’
1180

1205 ἐρώτων ἀπέπαυσεν, ὤ μοι!

κεῖμαι δ’ ἀμέριμνος οὕτως,

ἀεὶ πυκιναῖς δρόσοις

τεγγόμενος κόμας,

λυγρᾶς μνήματα Τροίας. 1210
1185

ant. 2

ΧΟΡΟΣ

2

Καὶ πρὶν μὲν ἐννυχίου

δείματος ἦν μοι προβολὰ

καὶ βελέων θούριος Αἴας·

νῦν δ’ οὗτος ἀνεῖται στυγερῷ

δαίμονι· τίς μοι, τίς ἔτ’ οὖν 1215
1190

τέρψις ὲπέσται,- γενοίμαν,

ἵν’ ὑλᾶεν ἔπεστι πόντου

πρόβλημ’ ἁλίκλυστον, ἄκραν

1220 ὑπὸ πλάκα Σουνίου,

τὰς ἱερὰς ὅπως
1195

προςείποιμ’ ἂν Ἀθανᾶς.

Αἴας First1KGreek (Sophocles. Sophoclis Fabulae. Pearson, Alfred Chilton, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1924.) — 1185-1222 focus

str. 1

Χορός

τίς ἄρα νέατος ἐς πότε λή-
1185

ξει πολυπλάγκτων ἐτέων ἀριθμός,

τὰν ἄπαυστον αἰὲν ἐμοὶ δορυσσοή-

των μόχθων ἄταν ἐπάγων

τάνδʼ ἀνʼ εὐρυεδῆ Τροίαν,
1190

δύστανον ὄνειδος Ἑλλάνων;

ὄφελε πρότερον αἰθέρα δῦ-

¹²³⁴⁵⁶⁷⁸

ant. 1

Χορός

ναι μέγαν ἢ τὸν πολύκοινον Ἅιδαν

κεῖνος ἁνήρ, ὃς στυγερῶν ἔδειξεν ὅ-
1195

πλων Ἕλλασιν κοινὸν Ἄρη.

ὦ πόνοι πρόγονοι πόνων.

κεῖνος γὰρ ἔπερσεν ἀνθρώπους.

ἐκεῖνος οὔτε στεφάνων

οὔτε βαθειᾶν κυλίκων
1200

str. 2

Χορός

2

νεῖμεν ἐμοὶ τέρψιν ὁμιλεῖν,

οὔτε γλυκὺν αὐλῶν ὄτοβον

δύσμορος οὔτʼ ἐννυχίαν

τέρψιν ἰαύειν·

ἐρώτων δʼ
1205

ἐρώτων ἀπέπαυσεν, ὤ-

⁹¹⁰¹¹¹²¹³¹⁴¹⁵

μοι. κεῖμαι δʼ ἀμέριμνος οὕ-

τως, ἀεὶ πυκιναῖς δρόσοις

τεγγόμενος κόμας, λυγρᾶς

μνήματα Τροίας.
1210

ant. 2

Χορός

καὶ πρὶν μὲν αἰὲν νυχίου

δείματος ἦν μοι προβολὰ

καὶ βελέων θούριος Αἴας·

νῦν δʼ οὗτος ἀνεῖται στυγερῷ

δαίμονι. τίς μοι, τίς ἔτʼ οὖν
1215

τέρψις ἐπέσται;

γενοίμαν

ἴνʼ ὑλᾶεν ἔπεστι πόν-

του πρόβλημʼ ἁλίκλυστον, ἄ-

κραν ὑπὸ πλάκα Σουνίου,
1220

τὰς ἱερὰς ὅπως προσεί-

ποιμεν Ἀθάνας.

Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) — 1163 focus

ἔσται μεγάλης ἔριδός τις ἀγών.

ἀλλ' ὡς δύνασαι, Τεῦκρε, ταχύνας

ΧΟΡΟΣ.

σπεῦσον κοίλην κοίλην (κοίλην) κάπετόν τιν᾿ ἰδεῖν
1165

τῷδ᾽, ἔνθα βροτοῖς τὸν ἀείμνηστον

τάφον εὐρώεντα εὑρώεντα καθέξει.

ΤΕΥΚΡΟΣ.

Greek (F. Storr, 1912) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. Storr, 1912)) — 1163 focus

Χορός

ἔσται μεγάλης ἔριδός τις ἀγών.

ἀλλʼ ὡς δύνασαι, Τεῦκρε, ταχύνας

σπεῦσον κοίλην κάπετόν τινʼ ἰδεῖν
1165

τῷδʼ, ἔνθα βροτοῖς τὸν ἀείμνηστον

τάφον εὐρώεντα καθέξει.

Translations (4)

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 1163 focus

Would ye might both have sense to curb your ire!

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 1163 focus

Von gewaltiger Zwietracht hebt sich ein Streit.

Auf, spute dich, Teukros, wie du vermagst,

Ein hohles Gewölb' ihm zu rüsten, worin
1120

Als ewiges Mal zum Gedächtniß der Welt

Das geräumige Grab ihn umschließe.

Tekmessa mit Eurysakes. Die Vorigen.

Teukros.

English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 1163 focus

The contest will grow warm. O Teucer ! haste,

English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 1163 focus

To outrage soon will this contention rise.

But haste thee, Teucer, with the utmost speed

Mark some fit place, within whose hallow'd mould
1165

Thou may'st inter him, and a dreary tomb,

A monument to future ages, raise.

Teucer

Commentary

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

mvp-comment-684-1 κάπετον ¹

mvp-comment-684-2 ἰδεῖν ²

mvp-comment-685-1 βροτοῖς τὸν ἀείμνηστον ³

mvp-comment-685-2 εὐρώεντα ⁴

mvp-comment-685-3 The legendary tomb of Ajax was shown on the coast of the Troad near Cape Rhoeteum; Strabo 13. p. 595

τῷ *(ποιτείῳ συνεχὴς ᾐὼν ἁλιτενής, ἐφ’ ᾗ μνῆμα καὶ ἱερὸν Αἴαντος καὶ ἀνδριάς

. Alexander the Great, on landing in the Troad, offered

ἐναγίσματα

at the tomb of Ajax as well as at that of Achilles ( Diod. 17. 17 ). There were legends of gigantic bones having been found in the tomb ( Paus. 1. 35. 5 ).

mvp-comment-686-1 καὶ μὴν ⁵

mvp-comment-686-2 ἐς αὐτὸν καιρὸν ⁶ πλησίον ⁷

mvp-comment-686-3 Tecmessa had left the scene after v. 989, in order to bring the child Eurysaces from the tent, where he had been left when she set forth in search of Ajax (810). The part of Tecmessa is now taken by a mute person, as the deuteragonist has presently to resume the part of Odysseus (1318).

mvp-comment-686-4 τάφον περιστελοῦντε ⁸ περιστελοῦντι ⁹

mvp-comment-687-1 ἱκέτης ¹⁰

mvp-comment-687-2 While the child knelt as a suppliant by the body, with his hand upon it, the corpse could not be forcibly removed without offence to Zeus

Ἱκέσιος

. Teucer is about to go and seek a place for the grave (1184), and he desires to secure that the body shall not be disturbed during his absence.

mvp-comment-687-3 ὅς σ’ ἐγείνατο ¹¹

mvp-comment-688-1 θάκει δὲ προστρόπαιος ¹²

mvp-comment-688-2 κόμας ¹³

mvp-comment-688-3 τρίτου ¹⁴

mvp-comment-689-1 ἱκτήριον θησαυρόν ¹⁵

mvp-comment-690-1 κακὸς κακῶς ¹⁶

mvp-comment-690-2 ἄθαπτος ἐκπέσοι χθονός ¹⁷

mvp-comment-690-3 ἐκπέσοι ¹⁸

mvp-comment-691-1 γένους ἅπαντος ¹⁹

mvp-comment-691-2 ῥίζαν ἐξημημένος ²⁰

mvp-comment-692-1 αὔτως ²¹

mvp-comment-692-2 ὅπωσπερ τόνδ’ ἐγὼ τέμνω πλόκον ²²

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

1163-1165. mvp-comment-745-1 The anapaests accompany the exit of Menelaus. The Chorus express their apprehension of what may follow this, viz. the coming of Agamemnon, who, both from his character and position, is more formidable. ἔριδος .. ἀγών] So in Trach. 20, ἀγῶνα μάχης.

1165. mvp-comment-746-1 κοίλην κάπετον] This phrase, belonging to the Epic commonplace, is repeated infr. 1403. τινά, i. e. πού, 'somewhere.' For this adverbial use of the indefinite pronoun, see Essay on L. § 22. p. 36, 4. ἰδεῖν] · 'To look out,' 'provide.' For this use of ὁρᾶν, cp. Od. 8. 443, αὐτὸς νῦν ἴδε πῶμα: Theocr. 15. 2, ὅρη δίφρον, Εὐνόα, αὐτῷ: Phil. 843, τάδε μὲν θεὸς ὄψεται. So, also in Elizabethan English, 'to look' sometimes means 'to look for,' e.g. Shakespeare, Merry Wives of Windsor, 4. 2, 79, 'Mistress Page and I will look some linen for your head.'

1166. mvp-comment-747-1 βροτοῖς] 'In the eyes of men.' A dative of remote reference in loose construction with the words which follow, and also to be resumed with ἀείμνηστον. See Essay on L. § 13. p. 19. and cp. especially El. 1066, ὦ χθονία βροτοῖσι φάμα. For the position of the article, cp. Trach. 872, Ἡρακλεῖ τὸ πόμπιμον. τὸν ἀείμνηστον] 'Of unfading renown.' The expression (with the article) is proleptic, and reminds the spectator that the fame of Ajax is eternal.

1167. mvp-comment-748-1 εὐρώεντα] 'Mouldering,' or 'darksome,' an epithet recalling the natural horror of the grave. Whether to Sophocles, as to Oppian and Nonnus afterwards, the word conveyed the association of 'roomy,' 'wide-vaulted,' may be left an open question. See L. and S. s. ν. εὐρώεις.

1170. mvp-comment-749-1 περιστελοῦντε] Το 'care for.' The verb is used much as in Ant. 903, δέμας περιστέλλουσα.

1172. mvp-comment-750-1 The child clinging to his dead father would be as inviolable as a suppliant clinging to an altar. Cp. Aesch. Cho. 106, αἰδουμένη σοι βωμὸν ὡς τύμβον πατρός: ib. 336, 7, τάφος δ᾽ ἱκέτας δέδεκται | φυγάδας θ' ὁμοίως.

1173. mvp-comment-751-1 προστρόπαιος is a more solemn and formal word than ἱκέτης. The formality of the supplication would be marked by the locks of hair cut off in token of mourning for the dead, which Eurysaces is to hold in his hand.

1174. mvp-comment-752-1 Cp. El. 448-50, σὺ δὲ | τεμοῦσα κρατὸς βοστρύχων ἄκρας φόβας | κἀμοῦ ταλαίνης, κ.τ.λ. For τρίτου, cp. O. C. 8, and note.

1175. mvp-comment-753-1 ἱκτήριον θησαυρόν] ‘A suppliant store,' i. e. a sacred deposit having virtue for the purpose of supplication. στρατοῦ] Here and supr. 1044 the rest of the army seems to be opposed to the men of Salamis.

1177. mvp-comment-754-1 κακὸς κακῶς] The tautology belongs to the formal solemnity of the oath. Cp. O. T. 219, 20, and note.

1178. mvp-comment-755-1 γένους . . ἐξημημένος] 'Having cut off from him all issue.' Here, and in Ant. 600, ῥίζα seems to mean the germ of a branch rather than the root of a tree. Teucer's prayer is that his enemy may die childless, and that his body may lie unburied, as it were banished from the 'lap of earth.' Cp. Isaiah 14. 19, 'But thou art cast out of thy grave as an abominable branch: as a carcase trodden under foot.' Or it may also mean 'denied burial in his own land.'

1180. mvp-comment-756-1 αὐτόν] Sc. τὸν νέκρον.

Sophocles Ajax 1163

Richard Jebb (Translator)

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Chorus

A trial of this great discord will soon come about. But you, Teucer, with all the speed you can muster,

be quick to seek a hollow grave for Ajax, where he shall establish his dank tomb, a constant memorial for mortals.
1165

Current edition Experimental

ἔσται μεγάλης ἔριδός τις ἀγών.

ἀλλ' ὡς δύνασαι, Τεῦκρε, ταχύνας

ΧΟΡΟΣ.

σπεῦσον κοίλην κοίλην (κοίλην) κάπετόν τιν᾿ ἰδεῖν
1165

τῷδ᾽, ἔνθα βροτοῖς τὸν ἀείμνηστον

τάφον εὐρώεντα εὑρώεντα καθέξει.

ΤΕΥΚΡΟΣ.

Would ye might both have sense to curb your ire!

Von gewaltiger Zwietracht hebt sich ein Streit.

Auf, spute dich, Teukros, wie du vermagst,

Ein hohles Gewölb' ihm zu rüsten, worin
1120

Als ewiges Mal zum Gedächtniß der Welt

Das geräumige Grab ihn umschließe.

Tekmessa mit Eurysakes. Die Vorigen.

Teukros.

The contest will grow warm. O Teucer ! haste,

To outrage soon will this contention rise.

But haste thee, Teucer, with the utmost speed

Mark some fit place, within whose hallow'd mould
1165

Thou may'st inter him, and a dreary tomb,

A monument to future ages, raise.

Teucer

Commentary

Stable identifiers

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Chorus A trial of this great discord will soon come about. But you, Teucer, with all the speed you can muster, be quick to seek a hollow grave for Ajax, where he shall establish his dank tomb, a constant memorial for mortals. 1165

Current edition Experimental

ἔσται μεγάλης ἔριδός τις ἀγών. ἀλλ' ὡς δύνασαι, Τεῦκρε, ταχύνας

ΧΟΡΟΣ. σπεῦσον κοίλην κοίλην (κοίλην) κάπετόν τιν᾿ ἰδεῖν 1165 τῷδ᾽, ἔνθα βροτοῖς τὸν ἀείμνηστον τάφον εὐρώεντα εὑρώεντα καθέξει.

ΤΕΥΚΡΟΣ.

Would ye might both have sense to curb your ire!

Von gewaltiger Zwietracht hebt sich ein Streit. Auf, spute dich, Teukros, wie du vermagst, Ein hohles Gewölb' ihm zu rüsten, worin 1120 Als ewiges Mal zum Gedächtniß der Welt Das geräumige Grab ihn umschließe. Tekmessa mit Eurysakes. Die Vorigen.

Teukros.

The contest will grow warm. O Teucer ! haste,

To outrage soon will this contention rise. But haste thee, Teucer, with the utmost speed Mark some fit place, within whose hallow'd mould 1165 Thou may'st inter him, and a dreary tomb, A monument to future ages, raise.

Teucer

Commentary

Stable identifiers

Chorus

A trial of this great discord will soon come about. But you, Teucer, with all the speed you can muster,

be quick to seek a hollow grave for Ajax, where he shall establish his dank tomb, a constant memorial for mortals.
1165

ἔσται μεγάλης ἔριδός τις ἀγών.

ἀλλ' ὡς δύνασαι, Τεῦκρε, ταχύνας

ΧΟΡΟΣ.

σπεῦσον κοίλην κοίλην (κοίλην) κάπετόν τιν᾿ ἰδεῖν
1165

τῷδ᾽, ἔνθα βροτοῖς τὸν ἀείμνηστον

τάφον εὐρώεντα εὑρώεντα καθέξει.

Von gewaltiger Zwietracht hebt sich ein Streit.

Auf, spute dich, Teukros, wie du vermagst,

Ein hohles Gewölb' ihm zu rüsten, worin
1120

Als ewiges Mal zum Gedächtniß der Welt

Das geräumige Grab ihn umschließe.

Tekmessa mit Eurysakes. Die Vorigen.

To outrage soon will this contention rise.

But haste thee, Teucer, with the utmost speed

Mark some fit place, within whose hallow'd mould
1165

Thou may'st inter him, and a dreary tomb,

A monument to future ages, raise.