Sophocles Ajax 719

ed. Francis Storr

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Ajax. Sophocles. ed. Francis Storr. London. 1913.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by The Annenberg CPB/Project.

Current edition Experimental

Αἴας (Greek) (Sophocles, Volume 2. Storr, Francis, editor. London; New York: William Heinemann Ltd.; The Macmillan Company, 1913.)

Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.

Editions (3)
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)) — 719 focus
ἄνδρες φίλοι, τὸ πρῶτον τοπρῶτον ἀγγεῖλαι θέλω,
Τεύκρος πάρεστιν ἄρτι Μυσίων ἀπὸ
κρημνῶν· μέσον δὲ προσμολὼν προσμολῶν προσμολὼν στρατήγιον
720
κυδάζεται τοῖς πᾶσιν ᾿Αργείοις ὁμοῦ.
στείχοντα γὰρ πρόσωθεν αὐτὸν ἐν κύκλῳ
μαθόντες ἀμφέστησαν, εἶτ᾿ ὀνείδεσιν
ἤρασσον ἔνθεν κἄνθεν οὔτις ἔσθ᾽ ὃς οὔ,
τὸν om. add. τοῦ μανέντος κἀπιβουλευτοῦ στρατοῦ
725
Translations (5)
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)) — 719 focus
Ihr Männer, erst die frohe Kunde meld' ich euch:
So eben langte Teukros an von Mysia's
685
Felshöhen. Als er mitten hin zum Lager kam,
Verhöhnten alle Krieger ihn aus Einem Mund.
Denn als sie fern ihn kommen sah'n, umstanden ihn
Die Kecken rings in Kreisen, überhäuften ihn
Von allen Seiten allzumal mit Schmähungen,
690
Den Bruder ihn des Tollen, der dem Freundesheer
Nachstelle, scheltend; Nichts verhind're, riefen sie,
Daß er zerschellt von Steinen sterb' in grausem Tod,
So kam es dahin endlich, daß in ihrer Hand
Die nackten Schwerter blizend aus der Scheide floh'n.
695
Doch ward der Hader, angelangt am Aeußersten,
Besänftigt durch der Greise mild versöhnend Wort.
Wo treff' ich Ajas aber, ihm das kundzuthun?
Denn Alles muß den Herren doch gemeldet sein.
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
English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904)) — 719 focus

Commentary

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

mvp-comment-420-1 τὸ πρῶτον 1 τὸ πρῶτον 2

mvp-comment-421-1 Μυσίων … κρημνῶν 3

mvp-comment-421-2 στρατήγιον 4 μέσον 5

mvp-comment-422-1 κυδάζεται 6 Ἀργείοις 7

mvp-comment-423-1 στείχοντα 8 ἐν κύκλῳ 9 πρόσωθεν 10 μαθόντες 11

mvp-comment-424-1 ἤρασσον 12

mvp-comment-424-2 ἔνθεν κἄνθεν 13

mvp-comment-424-3 οὔτις ἔσθ’ ὃς οὔ 14

mvp-comment-425-1 τὸν τοῦ μανέντος 15

mvp-comment-425-2 κἀπιβουλευτοῦ στρατοῦ 16 στρατοῦ 17 στρατῷ 18

mvp-comment-425-3 ἀποκαλοῦντες 19

mvp-comment-425-4 ὡς οὐκ ἀρκέσοι τὸ μὴ οὐ … θανεῖν 20

mvp-comment-425-5 καταξανθεὶς 21

mvp-comment-426-1 ὥστ’ 22 ὥστε 23 τοσοῦτον 24

mvp-comment-426-2 κολεῶν … ξίφη 25 ἐρυστά 26 κουλεῶν 27

mvp-comment-427-1 δραμοῦσα τοῦ προσωτάτω 28

mvp-comment-427-2 ἐν ξυναλλαγῇ λόγου … γερόντων 29 ἐν 30

mvp-comment-428-1 ἡμὶν 31

mvp-comment-428-2 τοῖς κυρίοις 32

mvp-comment-429-1 νέας βουλὰς 33 νέοισιν … τρόποις 34 ἐγκαταζεύξας 35

mvp-comment-430-1 ἰοὺ ἰού 36

mvp-comment-430-2 βραδεῖαν 37 ἡμᾶς … πέμπων ὁδόν 38 )φάνην 39

mvp-comment-431-1 χρείας τῆσδ’ 40

mvp-comment-431-2 ὑπεσπανισμένον 41

mvp-comment-432-1 ἀπηύδα 42

mvp-comment-432-2 τύχῃ 43 τύχοι 44

mvp-comment-433-1 οἴχεται 45

mvp-comment-433-2 τὸ κέρδιστον 46 τὸ κέρδιον 47

mvp-comment-433-3 θεοῖσιν … χόλου 48

mvp-comment-434-1 εὖ φρονῶν 49

mvp-comment-435-1 πάρει 50 πέρι 51

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:...

719. mvp-comment-483-1 The proscenium has been vacant during the preceding ode. A single figure is now seen approaching from the opposite direction to that in which Ajax went forth. The man proves to be Teucer's forerunner. The effect of the following scene is twofold. On the one hand, the Chorus and Tecmessa are roused from their security, and go anxiously in search of Ajax. We are thus made aware that the crisis of the drama is approaching. But, on the other hand, the bearing of the prophet to Teucer, as reported by the messenger, and the tenor of his prophecy, assure the spectator that the anger of Athena against Ajax is not lasting, and hold forth a vague promise of final peace. ἄνδρες φίλοι] The messenger, who is one of Teucer's men, thus assures the mariners of his continued friendship in their master's hour of need. τὸ πρῶτον stands in apposition with the sentence, Τεύκρος παρέστι, which, as Hermann says, must be held as equivalent to Teῦκρον παρεῖναι. Ср. О. Т. 1234, 5, ὁ μὲν τάχιστος τῶν λόγων εἰπεῖν τε καὶ | μαθεῖν, τέθνηκε θεῖον Ἰοκάστης κάρα. The abruptness of this gives some colour to Musgrave's conjecture, ἄνδρες, φίλον τὸ πρῶτον ἀγγεῖλαι θέλω.

724-725. mvp-comment-484-1 'For when they knew him from afar off as he approached, they surrounded him.' Cp. infr. 1046, μαθεῖν γὰρ ἐγγὺς ὧν οὐ δυσπετής.

726. mvp-comment-485-1 κἀπιβουλευτοῦ στρατοῦ] 'And who was guilty of plotting against the army.' στρατοῦ is genitive of the object.

727. mvp-comment-486-1 ὡς connects οὐκ ἀρκέσοι, κ.τ.λ. with ἤρασσον, the clause τὸν .. ἀποκαλοῦντες being parenthetical. They said, ὦ τοῦ μανέντος .. ξύναιμε, οὐκ ἀρκέσεις, κ.τ.λ. The verb ἀρκεῖν is used absolutely in the original sense of 'to ward off danger,' and this uncommon use is supplemented by the epexegetic clause.

730. mvp-comment-487-1 διεπεραιώθη] Lit. 'were passed from either side,' ie. 'crossed blades.' Not merely 'were unsheathed.'

731. mvp-comment-488-1 δραμοῦσα τοῦ προσωτάτω] 'When it had run to an extreme.' The partitive genitive is merely idiomatic, and does not limit the force of the expression. Essay on L. § 10. p. 16 (bis).

732. mvp-comment-489-1 'Through elders interposing with their words.' For ev instrumental, see Essay on L. § 19. p. 28, and cp. Trach. 887, στονόεντος ἐν τομᾷ σιδάρου.

733. mvp-comment-490-1 'Where is our Ajax?' ἡμίν is dative of the person interested. Ср. supr. 332, ἡμῖν τὸν ἄνδρα διαπεφοιβάσθαι κακοίς.

734. mvp-comment-491-1 τοῖς κυρίοις] 'Το those principally concerned.' Cp. Aesch. Cho. 688, 9, εἰ δὲ τυγχάνω | τοῖς κυρίοισι καὶ προσήκουσιν λέγων, | οὐκ οἶδα.

735-736. mvp-comment-492-1 νέας .. τρόποις] 'Having changed his purpose in unison with his change of mood.' The Chorus believe that Ajax, having learnt submission, is gone forth to purify himself in the fresh water at the corner of the bay. Supr. 654 foll.

737. mvp-comment-493-1 ἰοὺ ἰού] The messenger perceives that the fate of Ajax is sealed, and raises the same cry of horror that Oedipus utters (O. T. 1182) when he discovers the truth.

738. mvp-comment-494-1 βραδείαν is predicative and adverbial,= 'too late.' Cp. the use of πικρός, e.g. infr. 1239.

740. mvp-comment-495-1 'And what is there lacking to the fulfilment of the present need?' χρείας τῆσδ', 'the need implied in Teucer's sending you, τήνδε τὴν ὁδόν, supr. 738.

743. mvp-comment-496-1 τοι] 'We can tell you.' τοι here expresses the consciousness of contributing pertinent information.

743-744. mvp-comment-497-1 πρὸς τὸ κέρδιστον.. γνώμης] 'His thoughts having taken the happiest turn.' For the genitive, cp. Trach. 705, ποῖ γνώμης πέσω; Ant. 42, ποῦ γνώμης ποτ' εἶ;

744. mvp-comment-498-1 χόλου] 'In respect of' (lit. 'from') 'their wrath.'

746. mvp-comment-499-1 The name of Calchas, and the thought of his foreknowledge, strike the hearers with an expectant awe.