Sophocles Ajax 707

Richard Jebb (Translator)

Table of Contents

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

View: By Scene
← Previous Next →

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.) — 705-864 focus
Αἴας First1KGreek (Sophocles. Sophoclis Fabulae. Pearson, Alfred Chilton, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1924.) — 719-878 focus
Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) — 707 focus
ἀντ. ἔλυσεν ἔλυσε γὰρ ἔλυσεν αἰνὸν ἄχος ἀπ᾿ ὀμμάτων ῎Αρης.
ἰὼ ἰώ. νῦν αὐ,
705
νῦν, ὦ Ζεῦ, πάρα λευκὸν εὐάμερον πελάσαι πελᾶσαν πελάσαι φάος
θοᾶν ὠκυάλων νεῶν, ὅτ᾽ Αἴας
λαθίπονος πάλιν, θεῶν δ᾽ αὖ
πάνθυτα θέσμι᾽ ἐξήνυσ᾽ ἐξήνυσεν εὐνομίᾳ
σέβων μεγίστᾳ.
710
Greek (F. Storr, 1912) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. Storr, 1912)) — 707 focus
Translations (4)
English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 719 focus
Friends, my first news is Teucer’s presence here,
Fresh from the Mysian heights; who, as he came
Right toward the generals’ quarter, was assailed
With outcry from the Argives in a throng:
For when they knew his motion from afar
720
They swarmed around him, and with shouts of blame
720
From each side one and all assaulted him
As brother to the man who had gone mad
And plotted ’gainst the host,—threatening aloud,
Spite of his strength, he should be stoned, and die.
—So far strife ran, that swords unscabbarded
Crossed blades, till as it mounted to the height
Age interposed with counsel, and it fell.
But where is Aias to receive my word?
Tidings are best told to the rightful ear.
725
German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 707 focus
Denn Ares nahm vom Auge mir den finstern Gram. 1
Lust, o Lust! Nun darf,
Nun darf wieder, o Zeus, das Licht
Glanzvoll strahlender Tage den
675
Meerdurcheilenden Schiffen nahen,
Weil, der Qualen vergessend, Ajas
Wieder würdige Opfer bringt,
Nach altheiligem Brauch die Götter ehrend.
Alles verzehrt die Macht der Zeiten;
680
Und Nichts nenn' ich hinfort unerhört, da wider Hoffen Ajas
Sich wandte vom Groll, vom Streit,
Der ihn entflammt wider den Stamm des Atreus.
Ein Bote. Der Chor.
English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 719 focus
'Twas Teucer's strict command
He should be kept within the tent, nor stir
Till he arrived.
English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 719 focus
My friends and fellow soldiers, what hath pass'd
I wish to tell you. From the Mysian heights
Teucer is now arrived: soon as the camp
He enter'd, all the Argive troops at once
Reviled him; while yet distant they perceived
720
His steps advancing, the tumultuous croud
720
Gathers arround him, and from every side
Insults him with reproaches; not a man
Check'd his rude tongue; the brother this, they cry,
Of him, whose frentic treachery to the host
Hath done foul wrong; yet shall not all thy pow'r
Protect him from our vengeance. To such height
The tumult rose, that they unsheath'd and shook
Their threatening swords; till some age-honour'd Chiefs
The swelling rage with soothing words appeased.
725
For all things to our lords we ought to show.
725

Commentary

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

mvp-comment-412-1 πάρα 1

mvp-comment-412-2 λευκὸν … φάος 2 εὐάμερον φάος 3

mvp-comment-412-3 πελάσαι 4

mvp-comment-412-4 θοᾶν 5

mvp-comment-413-1 λαθίπονος 6

mvp-comment-414-1 πάνθυτα θέσμἰ ἐξήνυς’ 7 πάνθυτα 8

mvp-comment-414-2 εὐνομίᾳ 9

mvp-comment-415-1 μαραίνει 10

mvp-comment-416-1 ἀναύδατον 11

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

693-718. mvp-comment-468-1 The following ode is the clearest instance in Sophocles of the hyporchema, or song accompanied with dancing. In substance it may be compared with Trach. 205-224, Ο. Τ. 1086-1109, Ant. 1115-1154. The metrical scheme of στρ. and ἀντ. is as follows:...

704. mvp-comment-475-1 εὔγνωστος] 'Easy to be known;' i. e. ἐναργής, in his proper, unmistakable form: 'Nunquam humeris positurus arcum, | Qui rore puro Castaliae lavit | Crines solutos, qui Lyciae tenet | Dumeta natalemque silvam, | Delius et Patareus Apollo' (Hor. Carm. 3. 4. 60). Cp. Trach. 207, τὸν εὐφαρέτραν.

706. mvp-comment-476-1 (1) The dangerous condition of Ajax was like a dark veil upon the eyes of the Salaminians, saddening for them even the light of day. ('A web is woven across the sky,' Tennyson, In Memoriam.) Cp. especially supr. 139, 140, 200. 'Now the cruel power has withdrawn the dreadful sorrow that oppressed our eyes.' Ares, as in O. T. 189, is the god of destruction, with an association from the violent rage in which Ajax' troubles began. Or (2) the Salaminians, like Tecmessa, supr. 269, identify themselves with Ajax, from whose eyes ( supr. 51, 447) the distraction caused by his vehement rage is now removed. For the expression in either case, cp. supr. 674 and note: Il. 13. 444, ἔνθα δ᾽ ἔπειτ᾿ ἀφίει μένος όβριμος Άρης.

708. mvp-comment-477-1 (1) 'Now, Zeus, thou shalt bring near bright genial day to our swift sea-going ships.' The meaning is half figurative, half literal. It is still morning ( καὶ ἀέξεται ἱερὸν ἦμαρ), and the Salaminians feel that the return of day-light is in keeping with the return of cheerfulness within them. For the figurative meaning, cp. especially Aesch. Cho. 961, 972, πάρα τὸ φῶς ἰδεῖν: Pers. 301. Otherwise, (2) πελάσαι may be intransitive, 'Light shall come near the ships,' in which case ὦ Zeῦ is an ejaculation. For this, cp. Phil. 400, ἰὼ μάκαιρα, κ.τ.λ.

711-712. mvp-comment-478-1 The Chorus in their delight at the pious intentions expressed by Ajax, supr. 655, 6, 666, 7, describe them in exaggerated language, and speak of them as already performed.

714. mvp-comment-479-1 These words are an echo of Ajax' reflection, supr. ll. 646, 7. The words τε καὶ φλέγει, which are added in the MSS., are not improbable in themselves. Cp. supr. 476 and note. But there is nothing to correspond to them in the strophe, and the metre as it stands in the text is more probable than it would be with the addition of 10-2. The interpolation may be accounted for by supposing a marginal quotation, as in 554 supr.

715. mvp-comment-480-1 ἐξ ἀέλπτων] 'When we had despaired.' Cp. supr. 648.