Sophocles Ajax 144

Robert Potter (Translator)

Table of Contents

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

View: By Card
← Previous Next →
Messenger
748
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

Ajax. Sophocles. Robert Potter (Translator). London. 1820.

Current edition Experimental

English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) (English) (English (Robert Potter, 1788))

Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.

Editions (4)
Αἴας μαστιγοφόρος First1KGreek (Sophocles. Sophoclis Aiax. Lobeck Christian, editor. Berlin: Weidmann, 1866.) — 172-201 focus
Αἴας First1KGreek (Sophocles. Sophoclis Fabulae. Pearson, Alfred Chilton, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1924.) — 172-200 focus
Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) — 144 focus
λειμῶν᾽ ἐπιβάντ᾽ ὀλέσαι Δαναῶν
Greek (F. Storr, 1912) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. Storr, 1912)) — 172-200 focus
Translations (4)
English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 144 focus
TEC
Oh me! what is it, man? Am I undone?
German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 134 focus
Telamonischer Sohn, der Salamis' Höh'n 1
Am ringsumwogten Gestade beherrscht,
135
Ich freue mich, lächelt das Glück dir.
Doch wann Zeus' Groll und ein zorniges Wort
Aus Danaermunde dich feindlich betraf,
Da faßt mich die Angst, ich erbebe vor Furcht,
Wie das Auge des flatternden Täubchens. 2
140
So hat von der jüngst entschwundenen Nacht
Uns mächtiger Schreck und Entsezen erfüllt
Bei dem schmähenden Ruf, du hab'st in der Au,
In der Rosse Gefild' einstürmend, dem Heer
Das erbeutete Vieh,
145
Das übrig allein von dem Raube noch war,
Mit flammendem Eisen gemordet.
Solch höhnende Reden ersinnt uns keck,
Und zischelt Odysseus Allen in's Ohr,
Und sie glauben ihm leicht; denn er meldet von dir,
150
Was gerne man glaubt, und wer es vernimmt,
Der freut sich noch mehr, denn der es erzählt,
Treibt Spott mit deiner Bedrängniß.
Denn send' auf mächtige Geister den Pfeil,
Nie fehlst du das Ziel; wer aber von uns
155
Solch Arges erzählt, dem glauben sie nicht.
Stets kriecht ja der Neid an die Großen heran.
Und dennoch sind, von den Großen getrennt,
Die Geringen der Burg ein betrüglicher Schuz;
Mit dem Großen ja hebt der Geringe sich leicht,
160
Und der Große, gestüzt von dem Kleinen, empor.
Doch ist es unmöglich, der Thoren Geschlecht
Von diesem Gesez zu belehren.
Solch alberner Männer Geschrei stürmt, Herr,
Auf dich, und uns ward nimmer die Kraft,
165
Dawider zu steh'n, so gesondert von dir.
Denn, flohen sie dir aus den Blicken hinweg,
Dann tosen sie laut, wie Vögel im Schwarm;
Doch bebten sie scheu vor dem mächtigen Aar,
Und verkröchen, sobald du plözlich erschienst,
170
Sich alsbald schweigend und lautlos.
Strophe.
English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 144 focus
Chorus
What hand performed the horrid deed ?
English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904)) — 172-200 focus

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

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.'