Sophocles Ajax 748

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)) — 748 focus
τοσοῦτον οἶδα καὶ παρὼν ἐτύγχανον.
ἐκ γὰρ συνέδρου καὶ τυραννικοῦ κύκλου
Κάλχας μεταστὰς οἷος ᾿Ατρειδῶν δίχα,
750
εἰς χεῖρα Τεύκρου δεξιὰν φιλοφρόνως
θεὶς εἶπε κἀπέσκηψε κάπεσκηψεν παντοίᾳ τέχνῃ
εἶρξαι κατ' ἦμαρ τοὐμφανὲς τὸ νῦν τόδε
Αἴανθ᾽ ὑπὸ σκηναῖσι μηδ᾽ ἀφέντ᾽ ἐᾶν,
εἰ ζῶντ᾽ ἐκεῖνον εἰσιδεῖν θέλοι ποτέ.
755
ἐλᾷ γὰρ αὐτὸν τῇδε θἠμέρᾳ τῆδέ θ᾽ ἡμέρᾳ μόνῃ
δίας᾿ Αθάνας μῆνις, ὡς ἔφη λέγων.
τὰ γὰρ περισσὰ κἀνόνητα σώματα
πίπτειν βαρείαις πρὸς θεῶν δυσπραξίαις
Greek (F. Storr, 1912) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. Storr, 1912)) — 748 focus
Translations (4)
English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 748 focus
I can tell only what I heard and saw.
Whilst all the chieftains and the Atridae twain
Were seated in a ring, Calchas alone
Rose up and left them, and in Teucer’s palm
Laid his right hand full friendly; then out-spake
With strict injunction by all means i’ the world
To keep beneath yon covert this one day
Your hero, and not suffer him to rove,
750
If he would see him any more alive.
750
For through this present light—and ne’er again—-
750
Holy Athena, so he said, will drive him
Before her anger. Such calamitous woe
Strikes down the unprofitable growth that mounts
Beyond his measure and provokes the sky.
‘Thus ever,’ said the prophet, ‘must he fall
Who in man’s mould hath thoughts beyond a man.
And Aias, ere he left his father’s door,
Made foolish answer to his prudent sire.
‘My son,’ said Telamon, ‘choose victory
Always, but victory with an aid from Heaven.’
How loftily, how madly, he replied!
‘Father, with heavenly help men nothing worth
May win success. But I am confident
Without the Gods to pluck this glory down.’
755
So huge the boast he vaunted! And again
755
When holy Pallas urged him with her voice
755
To hurl his deadly spear against the foe,
He turned on her with speech of awful sound:
‘Goddess, by other Greeks take thou thy stand;
Where I keep rank, the battle ne’er shall break.’
Such words of pride beyond the mortal scope
Have won him Pallas’ wrath, unlovely meed.
But yet, perchance, so be it he live to-day,
We, with Heaven’s succour, may restore his peace.’—
Thus far the prophet, when immediately
Teucer dispatched me, ere the assembly rose,
Bearing to thee this missive to be kept
With all thy care. But if my speed be lost,
And Calchas’ word have power, the man is dead.
German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 748 focus
So viel vernahm ich, und befand mich selber dort.
Vom Kreis der Fürsten, der vereint im Rathe saß,
Ging Kalchas seitwärts und von Atreus' Söhnen fern;
715
Er fügte freundlich seine Hand in Teukros' Hand,
Und mahnte dringend, daß er noch an diesem Tag,
Der heute leuchtet, im Gezelt mit aller List
Zurück den Ajas halte, daß er nicht heraus
Ihn lasse, woll' er fürder ihn noch lebend schaun.
720
Denn heut, an diesem Tage nur verfolgt den Mann
Der Zorn der hohen Pallas, wie der Seher spricht.
Denn ungeschlachte Leiber, übermüthige,
Stürzt eine Gottheit schwer hinab in Mißgeschick,
(So sprach der Weise,) wenn ein Mensch, in menschlicher
725
Natur erschaffen, höher als ein Mensch sich dünkt.
Doch er bewies sich aus der Heimat ziehend schon
Als unverständig bei des Vaters weisem Wort.
Denn dieser rief ihm warnend zu: Sohn, strebe mir
Im Kampfe Sieger, aber stets mit Gott, zu sein!
730
Und er versezte prahlerisch voll Unverstand:
Mit Göttern, Vater, mag sogar der Nichtige
Den Sieg erringen, aber ich vertraue fest:
Erstreiten werd' ich diesen Ruhm auch ohne sie.
So prahlt er übermüthig. Dann ein andermal,
735
Als ihn die hohe Pallas einst ermunterte,
Die blut'ge Hand zu wenden auf des Feindes Haupt,
Erwidert er das unerhörte kühne Wort:
Den Andern, Herrin, bleibe nah' in Argos' Heer;
Niemals, wo wir steh'n, bricht hindurch der Sturm der Schlacht.
740
Durch solche Reden weckt' er sich den schweren Zorn
Der Göttin, weil er Höh'res sann als Menschen ziemt.
Doch, bleibt er lebend diesen Tag, dann möchten wir
Vielleicht mit Götterhülfe noch ihm Netter sein.
So sprach der Seher, und sogleich vom Rath hinweg
745
Schickt Teukros mich mit dieser Weisung her zu dir,
Sein wohl zu wahren. Aber wenn der Mann entwich, 1
Dann ist's um ihn geschehen, spricht der Seher wahr.
English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 748 focus
Teucer hath forbade
His wandering thus alone.
And where is Teucer ?
English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 748 focus
Thus much I know; for I, as it befel,
Was present, From th' assembled kings apart,
Alone, and distant from th' imperial Chiefs,
Calchas retired, and with a friend's warm zeal
Grasping the hand of Teucer gave him charge
By all the arts could be devised this day,
That now shines o'er us, in his tent restrain'd
From pow'r of roving Ajax to secure,
750
If e'er he wish'd alive to see him more......
750
For through this day alone against him flames
750
The vengeance of Minerva: this the Seertet:
Pronounced, that useless and unwieldly strength,
Crush'd by th' offended gods, in ruin sinks,.....
When man of mortal birth with pride aspires
Beyond a mortal. From his house in arms
When marching, thus presumptuous he was found;
My son, his father well advised, in war
Be conquest thy high aim, but with the gods
Always to conquer: He with daring vaunt
Madly replied, The feeble, with the gods
His weakness aiding, conquest may obtain;
I, e'en without the gods, am confident
To snatch that glory. Such his haughty boast:
Nor once alone; but when Minerya's voice,
755
Incited him against the foes to turn
755
His slaughtering hand, with unbeseeming words
755
Fierce he replied, Thy favour, goddess, yield ...
To other Argives; through my post in arms
The war shall never break. With such proud speech
Himself beyond the state of mortal man
Exalting, he to ruthless anger roused
The martial queen. But through this present day
If the impending danger he escapedot noud I
Our care may soon avert his fate, the godom.
No more opposing. Thus the prophet spoke 3/
I And Teucer instant from th’ imperial tent
Sent me to thee, with this high mandate charged,
To guard him, If we fail, he is no more,IT
If Calchas in th' events of fate be skill'de

Commentary

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

mvp-comment-436-1 τοσοῦτον 1 οἶδα 2 παρὼν 3 καὶ παρὼν ἐτύγχανον 4

mvp-comment-437-1 συνέδρου καὶ τυρ. κύκλου 5

mvp-comment-437-2 750 Calchas is present at this council, as he is at that in the first book of the Iliad ( Il. 1. 69 ). He knew by inspiration that, if Ajax could be kept in his tent for that one day, all would be well. Leaving the circle of the chiefs, he went to Teucer, who was awaiting the result in the neighbourhood. They sat down apart ( cp. 780 ). The messenger was near them, and heard what Calchas said to Teucer.

mvp-comment-437-3 οἶος Ἀτρειδῶν δίχα 6

mvp-comment-438-1 φιλοφρόνως 7

mvp-comment-439-1 παντοίᾳ τέχνῃ 8

mvp-comment-440-1 εἶρξαι 9

mvp-comment-440-2 ἦμαρ τοὐμφανὲς τὸ νῦν τόδε 10

mvp-comment-441-1 ὑπὸ σκηναῖσι 11

mvp-comment-441-2 μηδ’ ἀφέντ’ ἐᾶν 12

mvp-comment-442-1 ἐκεῖνον 13 Αἴαντα 14

mvp-comment-442-2 ποτέ 15

mvp-comment-443-1 ἐλᾷ 16

mvp-comment-443-2 τῇδε θἡμέρᾳ 17

mvp-comment-444-1 ὡς ἔφη λέγων 18

mvp-comment-445-1 τὰ γὰρ περισσὰ 19 περισσὰ κανόνητα ς<*>ματα 20

mvp-comment-445-2 It is not without reason, then, that the reading κἀνόνητα 21 κἀνόητα 22 σώματα 23

mvp-comment-446-1 ὅστις 24

mvp-comment-446-2 φύσιν βλαστὼν 25

mvp-comment-446-3 φρονῇ 26

mvp-comment-447-1 κεῖνος δ’ 27

mvp-comment-447-2 καλῶς λέγοντος 28

mvp-comment-448-1 αὐτὸν ἐννέπει 29

mvp-comment-449-1 σὺν θεῷ 30

mvp-comment-450-1 ὁ μηδὲν ὢν 31

mvp-comment-451-1 καὶ δίχα κείνων 32

mvp-comment-452-1 ἐπισπάσειν κλέος 33

mvp-comment-453-1 δίας Ἀθάνας 34

mvp-comment-453-2 Other explanations are the following. (1) The poet meant to add something to the effect of

ἠτίμασε τὴν παραίνεσιν
, but changed the form of the sentence. (2)
Ἀθάνας, ἡνίκα..ηὐδᾶτο
stands for a gen. absol.,
Ἀθάνας αὐδωμένης
. (3) The gen. depends on
ἔπος
in 773, ‘a saying about her,’ like
μῦθος..φίλων
( Ant. 11 ).

mvp-comment-453-3 The most attractive remedy is Mehlhorn's, δίαν Ἀθάναν 35

mvp-comment-453-4 If, on the other hand, δίας Ἀθάνας 36 δεύτερον 37

mvp-comment-454-1 τοῖς ἄλλοισιν Ἀργείων 38 πέλας 39

mvp-comment-454-2 καθ’ ἡμᾶς 40

mvp-comment-454-3 οὔποτ’ ἐκρήξει μάχη 41

mvp-comment-455-1 τοιοῖσδέ τοι 42 τοῖς 43 τοι 44

mvp-comment-455-2 ἀστεργῆ 45

mvp-comment-455-3 ἐκτήσατ’ ὀργήν 46

mvp-comment-455-4 οὐ κατ’ ἄνθρωπον φρονῶν 47

mvp-comment-456-1 ἔστι 48 αὐτοῦ … σωτήριοι 49

mvp-comment-456-2 σὺν θεῷ 50

mvp-comment-457-1 ὁ δ’ … Τεῦκρος 51

mvp-comment-457-2 εὐθὺς ἐξ ἕδρας 52 εὐθὺς 53

mvp-comment-457-3 Teucer sends a messenger, instead of going himself, probably because he hopes that his mediation with the chiefs may do some good. What he dreads is simply that Ajax should leave the tent; and a message could prevent that. He has no cause to suspect that Ajax meditates suicide.

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

748. mvp-comment-500-1 καὶ παρὼν ἐτύγχανον] 'For I was there to hear and see.' An expansion of παρών, the coordinate for the participial construction. See Essay on L. § 36. p. 68; also § 32. p. 55.

749. mvp-comment-501-1 Calchas, who alone knows the future, is not carried away by the rage which possesses the host, but simply warns Teucer in a friendly tone that the wrath of the gods is against Ajax for this one day. This attitude of the prophet is emphasized by the pleonastic iteration, ἐκ. κύκλου μεταστὰς οἷος .. δίχα, and by the periphrasis in l. 753. συνέδρου . . κύκλου] 'The circle of the lords who sate in council,' with the ἀγορά of the Achaeans gathered round.

751-752. mvp-comment-502-1 Join δεξιὰν θείς.

752. mvp-comment-503-1 παντοίᾳ τέχνῃ] 'By all manner of means:' to be joined with εἶρξαι.

753. mvp-comment-504-1 κατ᾿ ἡμαρ.. τόδε] 'For the day whose light is with us now and here,' i. e. to-day.

754. mvp-comment-505-1 ἀφέντα agrees with Τεύκρον, the subject of ἐᾶν.

756. mvp-comment-506-1 τῇδε θήμέρᾳ is more probable, because simpler, than τῇδ' ἔθ᾽ ἡμέρᾳ.

757. mvp-comment-507-1 ὡς ἔφη λέγων] · As his words declared.' The messenger is careful to make it clear that the assertion is the prophet's, and not his own. Cp. Creon in Ο. Τ. 110, ἐν τῇδ᾽ ἔφασκε γῇ. For this periphrasis, cp. Hdt. 1. 118, τῷ τε γὰρ πεποιημένῳ, ἔφη λέγων, ἐς τὸν παῖδα τοῦτον ἔκαμνον μεγάλως, κ.τ.λ. Abicht observes that it is commonly used, as here, in passing to direct speech from indirect.

758. mvp-comment-508-1 τὰ.. περισσὰ κἀνόνητα σώματα] 'Men grown too great to be of profit.' Cp. Shakespeare, Julius Caesar, 1. 2. 149, 50, 'Upon what meat doth this our Caesar feed, | That he is grown so great?' Ib. I. 1. 77, 8, 'These growing feathers plucked from Caesar's wing, | Will make him fly an ordinary pitch.'

760. mvp-comment-509-1 ὅστις] · 'When any one.' Essay on L. § 22. p. 35, 2.

760-761. mvp-comment-510-1 ἀνθρώπου φύσιν | βλαστών] 'Being but of human mould.' An unusual cognate accusative, to be partly accounted for by the frequent use of φύσιν as an accusative of respect. See Essay on L. § 17. p. 25; and cp. especially Trach. 1062, γυνὴ δέ, θήλυς οὖσα κοὐκ ἀνδρὸς φύσιν.

762. mvp-comment-511-1 εὐθύς belongs in meaning to εὑρέθη in the following line.

763. mvp-comment-512-1 πατρός may be either (1) genitive of derivation, 'A foolish son of a wisely speaking father,' for which, cp. Ant. 38, ἐσθλῶν κακή: or (2) genitive absolute, 'Foolish, although his father advised him well.' The former (1) is nearer to the truth.

764. mvp-comment-513-1 αὐτὸν ἐννέπει] 'Charged him.' Cp. Ο. Τ. 350, ἐννέπω σέ, κ.τ.λ.

765. mvp-comment-514-1 μὲν .. δ΄] The 'paratactic' structure (Essay on L. § 36. p. 68) gives additional emphasis.

769. mvp-comment-515-1 ἐπισπάσειν] 'That I shall cull perforce,' as if plucking a branch from a tree. (Aesch. Pers. 475.) Cp. Shak. 1 Hen. IV. 1.3: 'Hot. By heaven, methinks it were an easy leap | To pluck bright honour from the pale-faced moon; | Or dive into the bottom of the deep, | Where fathom-line doth never touch the ground, | And pluck up drowned honour by the locks; | So he that doth redeem her thence might wear | Without corrival all her dignities.'

770. mvp-comment-516-1 τοσόνδ' .. μύθον] 'So high the vaunt he uttered.' Cp. supr. 386, μηδὲν μέγ' εἴπῃς: 422, 3, ἔπος | ἐξερέω μέγα.

771. mvp-comment-517-1 δίας ᾿Αθάνας] 'Regarding glorious Athena.' An extreme instance of the genitive of respect. Essay on L. § 9. p. 13, infr. 790, 792. The sentence is changed from δίας Αθάνας ότρυνούσης, or αὐδωμένης.

773. mvp-comment-518-1 ηὐδᾶτ'] For αὐδᾶν, ‘to command,' cp. O. C. 864, αὐδῶ σιωπᾶν, and for the middle v. (of unasked, spontaneous utterance), Phil. 130, οὗ δῆτα, τέκνον, ποικίλως αὐδωμένου. δεινὸν ἄρρητόν τ' ἔπος] ' A fearfully impious word.'

775. mvp-comment-519-1 καθ᾿ ἡμᾶς) 'In my part of the line; κατά, as in Hdt. 2. 121. § 4, ὡς δὲ κατὰ τοὺς φυλάσσοντας ἦν: Xen. Hell. 4. 2. 18, οἱ μὲν ᾿Αθηναῖοι κατὰ Λακεδαιμονίους ἐγένοντο. Hermann renders, 'Per me, quantum in me est,' which is rather = τὸ καθ' ἡμᾶς ( cp. Hdt. 7. 158). οὔποτ' ἐκρήξει] 'Shall never burst forth,' like a river breaking its banks. 'Postquam..duo acies manum aliquandiu conseruerunt, si alterutra subito in fugam se converterit, eleganter pugna ipsa, tanquam obicibus antea coërcita, in eam partem ἐκρήσσειν [ ἐκρῆξαι] dicatur.' Musgr. Cp. the Homeric πολέμοιο γέφυραι, in which the opposing armies are thought of as the sides of a torrent.

776. mvp-comment-520-1 The correction suggested by Hermann, τοι for τοῖς, although not quite necessary (for τοιοίσδε might = τοιοίσδε πεφυκόσιν), is extremely probable.

776-777. mvp-comment-521-1 ἀστεργῆ .. ὀργήν] • He hath won him the unenviable guerdon of the goddess' wrath.' ἀστεργῆ is more forcible when taken thus passively than if supposed to mean 'unloving,' which would add nothing to the notion of ὀργὴν. For ἐκτήσατο, of something bad, cp. especially Aesch. S. c. T. 1017 (of Polynices), ἄγος δὲ καὶ θανὼν κεκτήσεται.

779. mvp-comment-522-1 The genitive αὐτοῦ shows that σωτήριοι has nearly the force of a substantive.

780. mvp-comment-523-1 On this form of the senarius, generally marking some empressement, see above on l. 294. ἐξ ἔδρας] 'From where I sate,' viz. amongst the Achaeans who were looking on at the council.