Sophocles Ajax 622

Richard Jebb (Translator)

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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.) — 634-680 focus
Αἴας First1KGreek (Sophocles. Sophoclis Fabulae. Pearson, Alfred Chilton, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1924.) — 646-692 focus
Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) — 622 focus
στρ.β΄. ἢ που παλαιᾷ μὲν ἔντροφος ἁμέρᾳ ἡμέραι ἁμέρα ἠγοῦν γηραιὰ,
λευκῷ λευκῶ λευκῷ δὲ γήρᾳ μάτηρ νιν ὅταν νοσοῦντα
Greek (F. Storr, 1912) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. Storr, 1912)) — 622 focus
Translations (4)
English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 646 focus
What change will never-terminable Time
645
Not heave to light, what hide not from the day?
645
What chance shall win men’s marvel? Mightiest oaths
German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 622 focus
Wohl hebt die Mutter, die alternder Tage Last,
595
Von Alter weiß, hinschleppt, wann sie vernahm die Botschaft
Von des Verirrten Wahnsinn,
Klagenden, klagenden
Wehruf nicht, wie der helljammernde Vogel,
Die Unselige, nein, weinen in wildem Schmerzlaut
600
Wird sie, wird mit den Händen
Sich zerschlagen die Brüste,
Daß es hallt, und das Silberhaar zerraufen.
Zweite Gegenstrophe.
English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 646 focus
Alas ! too late did Teucer send me here,
645
Or I am come too slowly.
English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 646 focus
Time in the length of its unbounded course
645
Draws things obscure to light, and sinks in shades
645
The most conspicuous: no event befals,
645
But what might be expected; solemn oaths
645
Yield to assaults, and the obdurate mind.
645
And I, who late like temper'd steel retain'd
645
My firmness, by this woman have been taught
645
A softer tone. I pity her sad state,
645
Left 'mongst her foes a widow, and my son
645
An orphan. To the margin of the sea
645
Hence then I go, and in the cleansing wave
645
Wash off these stains, if so I may appease
645
The anger of the goddess. Where I find:
645
A place unmark'd by human foot, this sword,
645
The most abhorr'd of weapons, in the ground
645
Deep-buried I will hide, where never eye...
645
Shall see it more; let night, and hell's dark king
645
Keep it; for from the hour when I received
645
From Hector's hostile hand this gift, from Greece
645
No grateful meed, no honour have I shared.
645
Well was it said, The gifts of hostile hands
645
Are ever hostile, and with mischiefs fraught.
645
Henceforth then to the gods we know to yield,
645
And learn the sons of Atreus to revere;
645
They are our Chiefs; behoves us to obey:
645
Why not? the harshest and the strongest things
645
Yield to their higher sovereigns: for this cause
The Winters stiff with all their snows give place
To summer glowing with its beauteous fruits;
And the dark circle of the Night retirés
That the fair Day may flame with orient light.
A soft gale breathes, and the tempestuous sea,
Groaning beneath impetuous winds, is calm.
E'en all-subduing Sleep unbinds his chain,
And sets his captives free. Why should not I
Know gentler thoughts? This wisdom I have learn'd,
That him, who is my foe, I so may hate
As one perchance to be my friend again;
And so far wish to aid my friend, as one
That may know change: for friendship is a port
In which our bark not always rides secure.
But these things shall be well. Within the tent
Retire, Tecmessa; with incessant vows
Implore the favouring gods that they would grant
My heart's warm wish. And you, my friends, with her
Thus honour me. To Teucer, when he comes
Give this my charge, that mine he make his care,
And be to you benevolent. I go
Where I must go: do you what I command.
Though wretched now, you soon perchance may know
That Ajax from his miseries is relieved.

Commentary

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

mvp-comment-371-1 σύντροφος 1 ἔντροφος 2

mvp-comment-371-2 παλαιᾷ … ἁμέρᾳ 3

mvp-comment-371-3 λευκῷ 4 λευκὰ 5 μὲν 6 δὲ 7

mvp-comment-372-1 νοσοῦντα φρενομόρως 8

mvp-comment-373-1 αἴλινον 9

mvp-comment-373-2 ἀηδοῦς 10

mvp-comment-374-1 ὀξυτόνους 11

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

620-621. mvp-comment-420-1 'Are fallen to the ground, coldly neglected by the cold, infatuate kings.' παρά is used as in παρὰ δικάσταις, etc.; L. and S. s. v. παρά, Β. ΙΙ. 3. For πίπτειν, “To come to nought,' cp. Hdt. 7. 18, οἷα ἄνθρωπος ἰδὼν ἤδη πολλά τε καὶ μεγάλα πεσόντα πρήγματα ὑπὸ ἡσσόνων.

621. mvp-comment-421-1 For the reproachful tone in μελέοις, cp. infr. 1156, ἄνολβον: Hdt. 7. 140, ὦ μέλεοι, τί καθῆσθε, κ.τ.λ.

622-623. mvp-comment-422-1 παλαιᾷ .. γήρᾳ] 'His mother sunk in years and overtaken by hoary eld.' The opposition with μέν and δέ is merely rhetorical. Not ἔντροφος, but some simpler word, such as οὖσα, is to be supplied with γήρᾳ, which is dative of circumstance. Essay on L. § 11. p. 18 c. λευκὰ δὲ γήρᾳ is a plausible but needless correction.

625-626. mvp-comment-423-1 νοσοῦντα | φρενομόρως] «Fatally afflicted in his mind.' Although the madness of Ajax is relieved, its ZZZZconsequences remain, and he is to be slain not by his madness, but for it.

625-626. mvp-comment-423-2 effects are permanent, and his despair is no less a mental affliction than his madness was.

626. mvp-comment-424-1 αἴλινον αἴλινον] This word is governed by a verb, for which ἥσει is substituted as the sentence proceeds.

627. mvp-comment-425-1 οὐδέ] 'But not.' The 'instant burst of clamour' Eriboea would make is contrasted with the sustained melodious wailing of the nightingale, to which such continuous mourning as that of Electra is fitly compared,-El. 107.

628. mvp-comment-426-1 ὄρνιθος ἀηδοῦς] Cp. Ant. 423, 4, πικρᾶς | ὄρνιθος ὀξὺν φθόγγον.