Search the Perseus Catalog for:

← Previous Next →

134-200

Parodos, in two main parts, viz., (1) 134—171, the anapaestic marching-song, or parodos proper, sung by the Chorus as they enter; (2) 172— 200, the lyric ode, sung after they have taken up their position in the orchestra.

This is the form of Parodos used by Aeschylus in the Persae, the Supplices, and the Agamemnon. Nearest to this early and simple form is that in which lyric strophes are intermingled with anapaestic systems. A parodos of the latter type is found in the Prometheus Vinctus, the Antigone, and the Philoctetes.

The anapaestic march consists here of 38 verses; in the Aeschylean Supplices, of 40. It is much longer in the Persae (64 vv.), and in the Agamemnon (63).

The Chorus of fifteen Salaminian sailors enter the orchestra from the spectator's right (as they come from their quarters in the Greek camp). They march in three files (

στοῖχοι

) of five men each. At the close of the anapaests (v. 171), they form themselves in three ranks (

ζυγά

) of five each, facing the proscenium.

It can scarcely be doubted that the anapaests were chanted by the whole Chorus, and not by the coryphaeus alone (see MA. üller, Gr. Bühnenalterthümer, p. 217, n. 2).

Τελαμώνιε παῖ : Il. 13. 67

Τελαμώνιον υἱόν

. The followers of Ajax call upon him to come forth from his tent, —where, for some days previously, he had remained in sullen seclusion (194 f.), —and to refute this dire rumour of his onslaught on the cattle. Surely it is a malignant slander. Or is it possible that some angry deity has driven him to such a deed? Assuredly it is abhorrent from his own nature.

Σαλαμῖνος (defining gen.).. βάθρον , the pedestal, or firm seat, consisting of Salamis. The island itself is the

βάθρον

: this is clear from 859 f.

ὦ γῆς ἱρὸν οἰκείας πέδον | Σαλαμῖνος, ὦ πατρῷον ἑστίας βάθρον

. Just so in Ph. 1000 ,

ἕως ἂν ᾖ μοι γῆς τόδ’ αἰπεινὸν βάθρον

, ‘while I have this craggy Lemnos beneath my feet.’

τῆς ἀμφιρύτου Σαλαμῖνος … ἀγχιάλου : for the place of the second epithet, see n. on O. T. 1199

τὰν γαμψώνυχα παρθένον | χρησμῳδόν

. While τῆς ἀμφιρύτου would suggest to an Athenian the narrow strait, so familiar to his sight, which divides Salamis from the Attic mainland, the second epithet, ἀγχιάλου , would, as it were, turn his eyes seaward, inviting him to look forth from the shore of Salamis itself towards the Saronic Gulf. Each adjective lends a touch to the picture. This is thoroughly Greek. See, for instance, I. A. 164

ἔμολον ἀμφὶ παρακτίαν ψάμαθον Αὐλίδος ἐναλίας

, the sandy sea-shore of Aulis by the waves: Helen. 400

ἐπ’ οἶδμα πόντιον γλαυκῆς ἁλός

,—where the blue expanse, the surge, and the depths beneath it (

πόντιον

) are all suggested.

ἀγχίαλος

was properly said of a place on the sea-coast ( Il. 2. 640

Χαλκίδα τ’ ἀγχίαλον

). In Aesch. Pers. 888 it is a mere general epithet for islands (Lemnos, Icaros, etc.). Here, in the Athenian poet's mind, it has its proper sense, for he is thinking of Salamis as a fringe of the Attic coast; and it is again the Athenian's point of view which interprets the true relation of

ἀγχιάλου

ἀμφιρύτου

ἔχων : cp. Pind. N. 4. 48

Αἴας Σαλαμῖν’ ἔχει πατρῴαν

σὲ μὲν εὖ πράσσοντ’ ἐπιχαίρω : for the acc., expressing the object of joy, cp. Ph. 1314

ἥσθην πατέρα τὸν ἀμὸν εὐλογοῦντά σε

: Eur. Hipp. 1339

τοὺς γὰρ εὐσεβεῖς θεοὶ | θνῄσκοντας οὐ χαίρουσι

: Rhes. 390

χαίρω δέ σ’ εὐτυχοῦντα

πληγὴ Διὸς ( cp. 279 ), suggested by his long inaction (194 f.). Cp. Il. 12. 37

Διὸς μάστιγι δαμέντες.

ζαμενὴς , ‘vehement’; a word not found in Il.or Od., but which occurs in Hom. hymn. Merc. (307), and is frequent with Pindar; thus fr. 231

τόλμα..ζαμενής.

λόγος … κακόθρους , like Tr. 791

δυσπάρευνον λέκτρον

, O. T. 518

βίου..τοῦ μακραίωνος

: cp. 709 .

ἐπιβῇ with acc. is rare; but cp. O. T. 1299

τίς ς’, ὦ τλῆμον

, |

προσέβη μανία

; Eur. Andr. 491

ἔτι σε, πότνια

, |

μετατροπὰ τῶνδ’ ἔπεισιν ἔργων

πεφόβημαι , a form found in Il. 10. 510 (

πεφοβημένος

), and often in Attic prose; it is emphatic (=‘thoroughly scared’).

πτηνῆς here suggests timorous flight; cp. Il. 5. 778

τρήρωσι πελειάσιν ἴθμαθ’ ὁμοῖαι.

ὄμμα πελείας , since fear or anguish is seen in the eye; cp. Tr. 527

ἀμφινείκητον ὄμμα νύμφας

(n.). O. C. 729

ὁρῶ τιν’ ὑμᾶς ὀμμάτων εἰληφότας | φόβον νεωρῆ

τῆς νῦν φθιμένης νυκτὸς , thus placed at the beginning of the sentence, indicates the time to which the whole following statement refers. As the rumours began only at daylight, the reference is, in strictness, to the moment denoted by

ἐπιβάντ’ — ὀλέσαι.

ἐπὶ δυσκλείᾳ , for, tending to, our disgrace; cp. Her. 1. 68

ἐπὶ κακῷ

, Her. 4. 164

ἐπὶ διαφθορῇ

τὸν ἱππομανῆ λειμῶν’ , the plain ‘wild with horses,’ i.e., on which great numbers of horses (out at pasture) disport themselves. In Il. 20. 221 Erichthonius, son of Dardanus, is described as keeping great droves of horses on the moist meadow-lands near the lower spurs of Ida:

τοῦ τρισχίλιαι ἵπποι ἕλος κάτα βουκολέοντο

. Sophocles used the word

καρπομανής

(fr. 591), doubtless in a sense parallel with that of

ὑλομανής

, i.e. ‘abounding in fruit’: and the sense which he attached to

λειμὼν ἱππομανής

was probably

λειμὼν ὃς μαίνεται ἵπποις

rather than

ἐν ᾧ ἵπποι μαίνονται

. But the idea of wild abundance would naturally, in this case, be blended with that of the horses frisking or galloping in freedom on the plain. Hence the difference made by the verbal analysis which we prefer is not one which much affects the picture. —See Appendix.

βοτὰ καὶ λείαν : a hendiadys, =

βοτὰ δορίληπτα

: cp. El. 36

ἀσπίδων τε καὶ στρατοῦ

στρατοῦ ὡπλισμένου

): Eur. Bacch. 919

Θήβας καὶ πόλισμ’ ἑπτάστομον

. We might, indeed, understand

βοτὰ

of the sheep, and

λείαν

of the oxen ( cp. 53 n.): but that seems less fitting here. λοιπὴ =

ἄδαστος

. .

αἴθωνι σιδήρῳ , the Homeric phrase ( Il. 4. 485 , Il. 7. 473 , Il. 20. 372 ). This epithet, ‘flashing,’ is given also to other objects of bright metal, as a

λέβης

or a

τρίπους

( Il. 9. 123 , Il. 24. 233 ).

ψιθύρους : Pind. P. 2. 75

οἷα ψιθύρων παλάμαις

(the arts of slanderers)

ἕπετ’ αἰεὶ βροτῶν

. ( Ep. Rom. i. 30

ψιθυριστάς, καταλάλους

πᾶσιν Ὀδυσσείς . L has

πάντων ὀδυσσεύς

, and it is possible that (as Nauck thinks) the poet wrote

πάντων Ὀδυσεύς

. (Euripides has that Homeric form in anapaests, Hec. 143

ἥξει δ’ Ὀδυσεὺς ὅσον οὐκ ἤδη

.) But it seems improbable, seeing that the short form occurs nowhere else in Sophocles, though he uses the name some twenty-five times. On the other hand, a transcriber might easily have written the gen.

πάντων

after

ὦτα

, by mistake for the less usual dative.

εὔπειστα has the best authority here, but is otherwise known only from Aristotle. In Eth. N. 7. 10 (p. 1151 b 10)

εὔπειστος, ὅταν τύχῃ, ἔσται ὁ ἐγκρατής

, it means, ‘easy to persuade,’ as opp. to

δύσπειστος

. But in another place (

αριστ. περὶ ἀτόμων γραμμῶν

, p. 969 b 22), the words

εὔπειστον ὅτι ἀνάγκη κ.τ.λ.

mean, ‘it is easy to show,’ etc. As we can say,

πείθω τινά τι

, it is natural that

εὔπειστος

should be capable of both senses. Here εὔπειστα will be, ‘things of which it is easy to persuade the hearer.’ It has more point than εὔπιστα , since it implies the skill of the calumniator. Cp. fr. 786

ταχεῖα πειθὼ τῶν κακῶν ὁδοιπορεῖ

τοῦ λέξαντος , not, of course, Odysseus, but simply the man from whom

ὁ κλύων

heard the story. The slander

mobilitate viget, viresque acquirit eundo

( Aen. 4. 175) . As it spreads and gains in strength, the spiteful joy of each new hearer is greater than that of his informant.

ἄχεσιν καθυβρίζων : for the dat., cp. Her. 1. 212

τριτημορίδι τοῦ στρατοῦ κατυβρίσας

: Paus. 4. 27. 3

καθυβρίσαντες τῶν Διοσκούρων τῇ θυσίᾳ

. Similarly Her. 3. 37

τῷ ἀγάλματι κατεγέλασε

τῶν … μεγάλων ψυχῶν , those

διοτρεφεῖς βασιλεῖς

like Ajax, who, in the true Homeric spirit, are conceived as

μεγάθυμοι, μεγαλόψυχοι

above common men.

ἱεὶς with gen., like other verbs of ‘aiming at’: Ant. 1034

τοξεύετ’ ἀνδρὸς τοῦδε

: Eur. Cycl. 51

ῥίψω πέτρον σου.

ἁμάρτοις (cr. n.), the original reading in L, seems better, as being simpler and clearer, than ἁμάρτοι , though

τις

could, of course, be easily supplied from the next clause.

κατὰ δ’ ἄν τις ἐμοῦ : for the separation of

κατὰ

from its case, cp. 969 .

τὸν ἔχονθ’ , the rich or great: Suppl. 240

οἱ δ’ οὐκ ἔχοντες καὶ σπανίζοντες βίου

.. |

ἐς τοὺς ἔχοντας κέντρ’ ἀφιᾶσιν κακά

. So Alc. 57 , etc.

ὁ φθόνος . Cp. Pind. N. 8. 22 (of

φθόνος

)

ἅπτεται δ’ ἐσλῶν ἀεί, χειρόνεσσι δ’ οὐκ ἐρίζει

. Trag.incert. frag. 547. 12 (ed. Nauck)

πρὸς γὰρ τὸ

λαμπρὸν ὁ φθόνος βιάζεται

(

λιάζεται

Wecklein).

πύργου ῥῦμα , protection, garrison, for the city walls: O. T. 56

ὡς οὐδέν ἐστιν οὔτε πύργος οὔτεναῦς | ἔρημος ἀνδρῶν μὴ ξυνοικούντων ἔσω

. For

ῥύεσθαι

, ‘to defend,’ said with ref. to a town, cp. Il. 6. 403

ἐρύετο Ἴλιον Ἕκτωρ

: O. T. 72

τήνδε ῥυσαίμην πόλιν

.—Not, ‘tower of defence.’

μετὰ expresses alliance, and ὑπό , service; but there is no stress on the difference of relationships.

ὀρθοῖθ’ , have a fair course, be prosperous: cp. Ant. 675

τῶν δ’ ὀρθουμένων | σῴζει τὰ πολλὰ σώμαθ’ ἡ πειθαρχία

(n.).—Some suppose an allusion to building. The small stones, filling the interstices, keep the large stones in their places: Legg. p. 902 E

οὐδὲ γὰρ ἄνευ σμικρῶν τοὺς μεγάλους φασὶν οἱ λιθολόγοι λίθους εὖ κεῖσθαι

. ‘Great without small Make a bad wall,’ Donaldson, New Crat. § 455. The simple words do not warrant this fancy.

τούτων γνώμας , maxims, precepts, concerning these things. προδιδάσκειν properly implies gradual teaching ( Plat. Gorg.p. 489 D,

πραότερόν με προδίδασκε

), and is fitting here because the truths are elementary.

τοιούτων , ‘so foolish,’ referring to

τοὺς ἀνοήτους

: cp. 218 , 251, 562, 929.

ἀπαλέξασθαι : this form is quoted by Hesychius from the poet's lost Hipponoos ( Soph. fr. 282). In Soph. O. T. 171

ἀλέξεται

is a fut.: which, like this aor., seems to come from a stem

ἀλεκ

rather than from

ἀλεξ

(whence the pres.

ἀλέξω

): see n. there.

167-171

ἀλλ’ ὅτε γὰρ δὴ … πτήξειαν ἄφωνοι . The most probable account of this passage is that δ’ should be inserted after

αἰγυπιὸν

in 169 (cr. n.). ‘We can do nothing without thee;— no (we are helpless), for, when they have escaped thine eye, they chatter like flocking birds; but (

δέ

) terrified by the mighty vulture, perchance they will suddenly cower,’ etc. Note these points:—

(1) ἀλλὰ prefaces a confirmation of the statement just made in a negative form (165

οὐδὲν σθένομεν

): cp. El. 307

ἐν οὖν τοιούτοις οὔτε σωφρονεῖν, φίλαι

, |

οὔτ’ εὐσεβεῖν πάρεστιν, ἀλλ’ ἔν τοι κακοῖς | πολλή )στ’ ἀνάγκη κἀπιτηδεύειν κακά

(2) ἀλλὰ … γὰρ is elliptical; ‘No (we can do nothing), for’ etc.: cp. El. 223

ἀλλ’ ἐν γὰρ δεινοῖς οὐ σχήσω κ.τ.λ.

, ‘but (ye speak in vain), for’ etc.: Ant. 155

ἀλλ’ ὅδε γὰρ δὴ

.. |

χωρεῖ

, ‘but (let us cease), for’ etc.

(3) The reading μέγαν αἰγυπιὸν δ’ ὑποδείσαντες , which allows the words

μέγαν αἰγυπιὸν

to begin the clause describing the sudden discomfiture of the foes, gives those words a signal force and spirit. They become much tamer, if, deleting

ὑποδείσαντες

and the stop after

ἀγέλαι

, we place a comma after

αἰγυπιόν

, and govern it by

ἀποδρᾶσαι

supplied from ἀπέδραν .

(4) This reading is confirmed by the fact that since ὑποδείσαντες refers to the foes of Ajax (and not, as the schol. took it, to the birds), there is a change from simile to metaphor: the ‘vulture’ is Ajax. This is quite in the manner of Sophoclean imagery: cp. n. on Ant. 117 ff.— For other views, see Appendix.

ὅτε … δὴ , epic, ‘when now,’ ‘when at length,’ Od. 2. 314

νῦν δ’ ὅτε δὴ μέγας εἰμί.

ἀπέδραν , for

ἀπέδρασαν

( Thuc. 1. 128 ), like the poetical

ἔβαν, ἔσταν, ἔτλαν

, etc.

αἰγυπιὸν , an Homeric image: Od. 22. 302

οἱ δ’, ὥς τ’ αἰγυπιοὶ γαμψώνυχες ἀγκυλοχεῖλαι | ἐξ ὀρέων ἐλθόντες ἐπ’ ὀρνίθεσσι θόρωσι.

τάχ’ ἂν can mean only ‘perchance’: we cannot take

τάχα

separately, as=‘swiftly’; ἐξαίφνης should be taken with πτήξειαν , notwithstanding Alcaeus fr. 27, which the poet clearly had in mind,

ἔπταζον ὥστ’ ὄρνιθες ὦκυν | αἴετον ἐξαπίνας φάνεντα.

σιγῇ πτήξειαν ἄφωνοι :

σιγῇ

implies motionless awe; cp. Pind. P. 4. 57

ἔπταξαν δ’ ἀκίνητοι σιωπᾷ

. Cp. too the Homeric

ἀκὴν ἐγένοντο σιωπῇ

172-200

The Chorus being now drawn up in the orchestra (134 n.), the lyric part of the Parodos begins. Strophe 172—182=antistr. 183—193: epode 194 —200. For metres, see Metrical Analysis.

ἦ ῥά σε ..; The Homeric

ἦ ῥα

is sometimes interrogative ( Il. 7. 446 ), but occurs also where there is no question (12. 164

ἦ ῥά νυ

ἦ ῥα

is interrogative in Pind. P. 9. 40 , Pind. I. 7. 3 : but not in Pind. P. 11. 38. This ἦ is not the contracted form of the disjunctive ἠέ ( Il. 6. 378 f.

ἠέ ...ἦ

), which was not used in direct question.

The sailors ask whether Artemis or Ares can have driven Ajax to such a deed. In connection with their chief, the deities of hunting and war naturally occur to them. They do not think of Athena.

Ταυροπόλα =

Ταυροπόλος

: for the form, cp. Pind. O. 3. 26

Λατοῦς ἱπποσόα θυγάτηρ

: Eur. Ion 1478

Γοργοφόνα

. There were two cults of Artemis, originally quite distinct. (1) The

Ταυροπόλος

was a goddess who rules over bulls,—one of the numerous attributes of Artemis in her relation to wild animals: cp.

αἰπόλος, ἱπποπόλος, οἰοπόλος

. A Macedonian silver coin (from Amphipolis) shows her riding on a prancing bull, and carrying a torch in either hand. On another coin she appears (with the inscr.

ΤΑΥΡΟΠΟΛΟΣ

) carrying two torches, and with the horns of a bull growing out of her shoulders: these horns were meant to suggest the crescent moon. The cult of the Tauropolos was purely Greek, and had nothing fierce or cruel about it. (2) The cult of Artemis

Ταυρική

(or

Ταυρώ

) had orgiastic elements; it was of Asiatic origin, and belonged to a primitive stage of natureworship. The ritual was a bloody one, and in early times involved human sacrifice. This was the Artemis whose cult was said to have been brought to Brauron in Attica, from the Tauric Chersonese, by Iphigeneia and Orestes.

It is possible that Sophocles here was thinking only of the

Ταυροπόλος

proper, and names her simply because bulls had been among the victims of Ajax. On the other hand, the savage nature of the bloody onslaught might suggest that she was associated in his thought with the

Ταυρική

. Such an association occurs as early as I. T. 1457 where the Brauronian Artemis (

ἐπώνυμον γῆς Ταυρικῆς

, 1454) is called

Ταυροπόλος

. The dithyrambic poet Timotheus of Miletus ( c. 400 B.C.) addressed the Ephesian Artemis as

μαινάδα, θυιάδα, φοιβάδα, λυσσάδα

(Bergk fr. 1). See Appendix.

Διὸς , (daughter) of Zeus: cp. 1302

Λαομέδοντος

. But the art. (

ἡ

) is prefixed to

Διὸς

in 401, 450.

μεγάλα refers primarily to the strength and loudness of the popular rumour (198 f.); but also suggests dread or horror, as when impious words are called

μεγάλοι λόγοι

( Ant. 1350 ). Cp. 226

ὁ μέγας μῦθος.

μᾶτερ αἰσχύνας ἐμᾶς : as

πειθαρχία

τῆς εὐπραξίας μήτηρ

( Aesch. Theb. 224 ), etc. The boldness is somewhat like that of Soph. O. T. 157 ,

ὦ χρυσέας τέκνον Ἐλπίδος, ἄμβροτε Φάμα

πανδάμους … βοῦς , because they were still common property,

λεία ἄδαστος

: .

ἦ που , ‘I ween’: a phrase frequent in this play; cp. 382 , 622, 850, 1008: Tr. 846.

νίκας τινὸς ἀκάρπωτον χάριν , on account of some victory (given by her to Ajax) which brought her no

καρπός

, no reward; ἤ ῥα … ψευσθεῖσα ἐνάρων , either, it may be, because she was disappointed of spoils; εἴτ’ ἀδώροις ἐλαφαβολίαις , or by reason of deer-slaying after which he made no

δῶρα

to her. The general cause, denoted by

νίκας.. χάριν

, is divided into two special cases; (1) a victory in war; (2) a victory in hunting. [This is simpler than to suppose that

νίκας..χάριν

refers to the withholding of a public offering,—which Ajax ought to have made on behalf of those who fought under his command; and that

ἐνάρων

refers to a private vow, which he had made on his own account. On this view, three different causes would be indicated; and

ἦ που

in 176 would be disjunctive,—‘ either, I ween,’—as it is in Od. 13. 234. ]

νίκας ἀκάρπωτον χάριν =

νίκας..ἀκαρπώτου χάριν

( Ant. 793 f.

νεῖκος ἀνδρῶν ξύναιμον

): cp. I. T. 566

κακῆς γυναικὸς χάριν ἄχαριν ἀπώλετο

. Legg. p. 853 D

ὧν δὴ χάριν οὐκ ἐπίχαριν λέγοιμ ἂν..νόμον

. (Others take

χάριν

as acc. of respect with

ψευσθεῖσα

: ‘disappointed as to the tribute,’ etc.)

ἤ ῥα : the disjunctive

ἢ

(or

ἦ

ἠέ

) is rarely thus followed by

ῥα

. ( Cp. 172 n.) For ἢ … εἴτε , cp. Eur. Alc. 114

ἢ Λυκίας | εἴτ’ ἐπὶ τὰς ἀνύδρους | Ἀμμωνίδας ἕδρας.

κλυτῶν : cp. the Homeric

κλυτὰ τεύχεα.

ψευσθεῖσα with gen.: cp. 1382 : Tr. 712

εἴ τι μὴ ψευσθήσομαι | γνώμης

ἀδώροις … ἐλαφαβολίαις : for the causal dat., cp. Tr. 1127

τοῖς γε πρόσθεν ἡμαρτημένοις

(n.). Those who retain the MS. reading δώροις understand: ‘deceived either by gifts of spoils (promised, but not given), or in regard to slaying of deer.’ (Nauck, reading the genitive

ἐλαφαβολίας

, take

δώροις

with that also.) But this is awkward. And, in support of ἀδώροις , it should be noted that Sophocles elsewhere also has co-ordinated a causal dat. with a partic. (or adj.) of causal force, like

ψευσθεῖσα

here. See Tr. 239

ΔΗ. εὐκταῖα φαίνων, ἢ )πὸ μαντείας τινός; ΛΙ. εὐχαῖς

(‘for a vow’). O. C. 333

ΟΙ. πότερα πόθοισι; ΙΣ. καὶ λόγων γ’ αὐτάγγελος

ἐλαφαβολίαις : Artemis the huntress (

Ἀγροτέρα

) was especially

Ἐλαφηβόλος

: see on O. C. 1092 f., and cp. Tr. 213

Ἄρτεμιν Ὀρτυγίαν ἐλαφαβόλον

The causes here conjectured for her wrath remind us of her anger with Oeneus, who had failed to render firstfruits at harvest-tide ( Il. 9. 534

χωσαμένη, ὅ οἱ οὔ τι θαλύσια γουνῷ ἀλωῆς | Οἰνεὺς ῥέξ’

). Cp. Eur. Hipp. 147 where the Chorus suggest that the Cretan Dictynna may be wroth with Phaedra, as

ἀνίερος ἀθύτων πελάνων

(for having failed to make holy offerings of honey-cakes).

ἢ ..* μὴ ..; The reading of the MSS.,

ἢ χαλκοθώραξ ἤ τιν’ Ἐνυάλιος

, was explained by supposing that

χαλκοθώραξ

meant Ares, as distinguished from Enyalios (so the schol. here). How the second ἤ should be corrected, is uncertain. (1) In favour of μή , it may be noted that the interrogative

μή

is often followed, as here, by

τις

, and that its tone of tentative suggestion is just in place. Cp. Od. 9. 405 f.

ἦ μή τίς σεο μῆλα βροτῶν ἀέκοντος ἐλαύνει; ἦ μή τίς σ’ αὐτὸν κτείνει δόλῳ ἠὲ βίηφι;

O. C. 1502

μή τις Διὸς κεραυνός, ἤ τις ὀμβρία | χάλαζ’ ἐπιρράξασα;

(2) Another possibility is δή , as=‘then’ (to make a last guess). (3) σοί would be fitting, indeed, but would require us to suppose that the second

ἤ

in the MSS. is an inadvertent repetition of the first, not a corruption of some word like itself. (4) εἴ has also been suggested. But the implied construction,

μομφὰν ἔχων, εἴ τιν’

(

εἶχεν

), would be too harsh. (5) ἦ is condemned by the fact that with Sophocles this interrogative

ἦ

regularly stands first in its clause; only a vocative sometimes precedes it: see on Ant. 1281.

Ἐνυάλιος is in the Iliad either the War-god (2. 651), seemingly identical with Ares, or an epithet of Ares (17. 211

Ἄρης | δεινὸς ἐνυάλιος

). Like

Ἐνυώ

, the word is of uncertain (possibly Thracian) origin. The mention of this deity has a two-fold fitness here; (1) on account of the reference in 178 to Artemis Agrotera; for, acc. to Pollux 8. 91, the Athenian Polemarch made annual offerings

Ἀρτέμιδἰ Αγροτέρᾳ καὶ τῷ Ἐνυαλίῳ

: (2) because in the island-home of Ajax there was a

ἱερόν

of Enyalios, founded by Solon to commemorate the victory by which Athens wrested Salamis from the Megarians ( Plut. Sol. 9 ). Further, Enyalios is here supposed to have helped Ajax; whereas Ares usually favoured the Trojans (cp. Il. 20. 38 ). As to the Attic relationship between the two deities, see Appendix.

μομφὰν ἔχων =

μεμφόμενος

: Eur. Or. 1069

ἓν μὲν πρῶτά σοι μομφὴν ἔχω

: so Aesch. P. V. 445

μέμψιν οὔτιν’ ἀνθρώποις ἔχων.

ξυνοῦ δορὸς , causal gen.: cp. 41 n., and Il. 1. 93

οὔτ’ ἄρ’ ὅ γ’ εὐχωλῆς ἐπιμέμφεται οὔθ’ ἑκατόμβης.

ξυνοῦ here=‘making common cause with him,’ ‘allied’; cp. Eur. Tro. 58

πρὸς σὴν ἀφῖγμαι δύναμιν, ὡς κοινὴν λάβω

. (The word may have been suggested by Il. 18. 309

ξυνὸς Ἐνυάλιος

, though there the sense is, ‘The war-god is impartial.’)

ἐννυχίοις μαχαναῖς , by devices against Ajax in the night,— i.e., by impelling him to the nocturnal onslaught.—This seems to be the only instance in Tragedy (except Aesch. Theb. 132

μαχανᾷ

) where the Doric form of a word from the st.

μηχαν

has good support from our MSS. But this fact does not warrant G. Wolff's view that the form in

was alone used by the tragic dramatists.

ἐτείσατο , not

ἐτίσατο

, was the Attic spelling in the poet's age: see Meisterhans, Gramm. Att. Inschr., § 43.

φρενόθεν γ’ , by the prompting of thine own mind,—if it had not been deranged by some god. Schol.

οἴκοθεν

(=in virtue of thine own qualities),

ἀπὸ οἰκείας γνώσεως

. The emphasis given by γε shows that this is the meaning.—Not

ἐπ’ ἀριστερὰ φρενόθεν

(as=

φρενῶν

), ‘to the leftward of thy mind’: nor, ‘went from good sense (=

ἀπὸ φρενῶν

) into folly.’

ἐπ’ ἀριστερὰ … ἔβας , deviating from the right course: Aesch. P. V. 883

ἔξω δὲ δρόμου φέρομαι λύσσης | πνεύματι μάργῳ

. Theognetus (a poet of the New Comedy),

Φάσμα

fr. 1. 7

ἐπαρίστερ’ ἔμαθες, ὦ πονηρέ, γράμματα

( i.e., ‘to your misfortune’). Schneid. cp. Ennius Annales 208

Quo vobis mentes, rectae quae stare solebant | Antehac, dementes sese flexere viai?

τόσσον : the only example, except Aesch. Ag. 140 , of this form in Tragedy.

πίτνων , instead of

ὥστε πίτνειν

: cp. Ant. 752

ἦ κἀπαπειλῶν ὧδ’ ἐπεξέρχει θρασύς;

(‘doth thy boldness run to open threats?’)

ἥκοι γὰρ ἂν , ‘will’ (or ‘must’) ‘come’: cp. 88

μένοιμ’ ἄν

. The γὰρ here refers to a thought implied in the last sentence:—‘You would never have done this thing of your own nature; (and if you have done it in madness, that proves nothing against your nature,) for heavensent madness cannot be helped; only, may the gods avert the evil rumour!’— i.e., ‘may it prove to be false.’

From verse 172 down to this point, the Chorus have been asking whether the rumour can be true. Now they pass to the alternative:—‘But if it is untrue, then up and refute it.’

Ζεὺς … Φοῖβος . Both gods are averters of evil,

ἀλεξίκακοι, ἀποτρόπαιοι

. But Zeus is invoked with especial fitness as being the source of mysterious voices and rumours ( Il. 8. 250

ἔνθα πανομφαίῳ Ζηνὶ ῥέζεσκον Ἀχαιοί

ὑποβαλλόμενοι . The midd.

ὑποβάλλεσθαι

(

παισίον

) was said of a woman who ‘secretly put to her breast’ the child of another, and passed it off as her own: Thesm. 564

τῆς δούλης τεκούσης ἄρρεν, εἶτα σαυτῇ | τοῦθ’ ὑπεβάλου, τὸ σὸν δὲ θυγάτριον παρῆκας αὐτῇ

. Cp. below, 481. Hence the metaphor here,—‘falsely suggesting’ stories, laying to thy charge things which thou hast not done.

κλέπτουσι μύθους , tell crafty tales: cp. 1137 : Ph. 57

τόδ’ οὐχὶ κλεπτέον

, ‘this must not be represented falsely’: El. 37

κλέψαι..σφαγάς

, i.e. to effect by stealth. Also ib. 56

λόγῳ κλέπτοντες

. The participle ὑποβαλλόμενοι closely coheres with κλέπτουσι , and μύθους depends on both.

οἱ μεγάλοι βασιλῆς , the Atreidae. For the nom. in

‐ῆς

, cp. El. 690

βραβῆς

(n.).

ἢ τᾶς

κ.τ.λ.

: supply

βασιλῆς

(or

‐εὺς

) from the last clause.

ἀσώτου , profligate, worthless.

Σισυφιδᾶν . Anticleia, the mother of Odysseus, was said to have been with child by Sisyphus when she married Laertes: hence Ph. 417

οὑμπολητὸς Σισύφου Λαερτίῳ

, the son of Sisyphus, bought (with

ἕδνα

) by Laertes: see n. there, and on Ph. 625.

μή, μή μ’, ἄναξ . If μ’ be sound, it can be only the acc.: an elision of

μοι

is impossible (see O. C. 1436 , n. in Appendix). And

με

could be explained only as depending on the phrase κακὰν φάτιν ἄρῃ , as meaning, ‘win an evil repute, to my injury’ (

μή με διαβάλῃς, αὐτὸς διαβαλλόμενος

): cp. El. 123 ff.

τάκεις..οἰμωγὰν ..Ἀγαμέμνονα

. But this is certainly forced; and, though the Chorus afterwards speak of themselves as involved in their chief's peril (252 ff.), that thought is less fitting here.

The simplest remedy is that which is proposed by Prof. v. Wilamowitz-Möllendorff (cr. n.), who, referring to the hiatus after

ἄνα

in 193, would here omit μ’ . The syllables

μή, μή μ’

answer metrically to

μομφὰν

in 180, and we should thus have to suppose that μή, μή, ἄναξ represents --u-. Such an hiatus seems a very doubtful one for tragic lyrics: otherwise the suggestion would be welcome, as

μή, μή

is supported by O. C. 210

μή, μή μ’ ἀνέρῃ

. Morstadt's remedy, μὴ μηκέτ’, ὦναξ , (instead of

μή, μή μ’, ἄναξ, ἔθ’

,) has found much favour, and is satisfactory in itself; but it does not account for the origin of the vulgate.

κλισίαις ὄμμ’ ἔχων . The sense required is, ‘keeping thy face hidden in the tent’: so that

κλισίαις

is a locative dat. The adv. ὧδ’ helps to suggest the idea of ‘hidden.’ The objections to the version, ‘keeping thine eyes fixed on the tents,’ are, (1) that

ἔχων

could not well stand for

ἐπέχων

, and (2) that the seclusion of Ajax within his tent is not then expressed.— ἄρῃ with α (=

λώβαν

in 181), from

ἠράμην

: cp. 129 , and see Appendix on 75.

ἄνα , the prep., with anastrophe, as=

ἀνάστηθι

: the hiatus as in Il. 9. 247

ἀλλ’ ἄνα, εἰ μέμονάς γε.

ὅπου … ποτέ , ‘wheresoever,’ i.e. in whatever spot within the dwelling. The change of ποτὲ to ποτὶ (on which see Tr. 1214 n.) introduces a strange phrase,

στηρίζει πρὸς σχολῇ

. The simple dat. (of circumstance) is clearly right.

ἀγωνίῳ σχολᾷ seems to mean, ‘battlepause,’ i.e., rest from battle. Other explanations are: (1)

σχολή

which causes an

ἀγών

( discrimen); because, while Ajax rests, his foes are perilously active. Now, if the Chorus assumed that Ajax, while absent from battle, had been employed in other effort, then, indeed, they might call his rest

ἀγώνιος σχολή

, ‘a strenuous rest,’ like otium negotiosum. But it seems impossible that

ἀγώνιος σχολή

should mean merely, his ‘perilous’ or ‘critical’ rest,—made so by the acts of others.

ἄταν οὐρανίαν φλέγων , ‘kindling a flame of ruin high as heaven,’ Whitelaw. Cp. Suppl. 808

ἴϋζε δ’ ὀμφὰν οὐρανίαν

οὐρανομήκη

: and see n. on Ant. 418. This is more forcible here than, ‘inflaming the heaven-sent plague’ (=

θείαν

: cp. 186 ).

ἀτάρβητα , neut. pl. as adverb. I keep this, the reading of the MSS., as Wecklein and Bellermann do. Dindorf strikes out ὧδ’ (unwarrantably), and writes ἀτάρβητος . In an epode, the strophic test is absent, and the logaoedic metre admits of Dindorf's reading. There is, however, a point in favour of ἀτάρβητα which deserves to be noted; viz., that the adverbial neut. pl., though it has no special relation to verbs of motion, is, in fact, very often joined with such verbs; and that the phrase ἀτάρβητα ὁρμᾶται is therefore thoroughly consonant with poetical usage. See ( e.g. ) O. T. 883

ὑπέροπτα πορεύεται

: O. C. 1695

οὔτοι κατάμεμπτ’ ἔβητον

: Il. 17. 75

ἀκίχητα διώκων | ἵππους

: Pind. O. 7. 45

βαίνει..ἀτέκμαρτα

: Soph. Ph. 1740

ἀπαρθένευτ’ ἀλωμένα

: Eur. Bacch. 435

οὐδ’ ἄκρανθ’ ὡρμήσαμεν

. For the hiatus at the end of the verse, cp. 425

χθονὸς μολόντ’ ἀπὸ | Ἑλλανίδος

εὐανέμοις , with α^ (not α— , as if Doric for

εὐηνέμοις

): so probably in fr. 342

εὐανέμου λίμνας

. Cp. Od. 19. 432

πτύχας ἠνεμοέσσας.

βάσσαις : O. C. 673

χλωραῖς ὑπὸ βάσσαις

(n.): Il. 21. 449

Ἴδης ἐν κνημοῖσι πολυπτύχου ὑληέσσης

καγχαζόντων . Dindorf writes καχαζόντων , on the ground that the form

καγχάζω

was not Attic. (His further change of

πάντων

into

ἁπάντων

is merely for the sake of equalising this v. with 197 f.) The main facts are these. 1. Aristophanes uses

καχάζων

once ( Eccl. 849 ), and also the noun

καχασμῶν

( Nub. 1073). 2. It is true that

καγχάζω

cannot be proved by metre from any verse earlier than that of Babrius (100. 8

καγχάσας

), and Paulus Silentiarius (6th cent.) in Anth. Pal. 6. 74. 3 (

καγχάζουσα

). 3. On the other hand the MSS. have

ἀνεκάγχασε

in Plat. Rep. 337 A , and

ἀνακαγχάσας

in Euthyd. 300 D ; forms, be it noted, which carry their own commendation, since, in the compound with

ἀνά

, the nasal (

before

) makes pronunciation easier. 4. Lastly, there is the analogy of the Homeric

καγχαλάω

. Surely, then, there is no reason to doubt that Sophocles could have used

καγχάζω

if he found it metrically convenient.

βαρυάλγητα . I follow the MSS. in leaving the hiatus ( cp. 196 ), which here has the special justification of a pause, making it needless to write

βαρυαλγήτως

with Dindorf. That the scholiast in L, like the MSS., had the neut. pl., appears from his paraphrase,

βαρέα καὶ ἀλγεινά

. Some editors prefer to write βαρυάλγητ’ , which is also metrically possible. The sense is, ‘ fraught with heavy pain’ to us; the

ἄλγος

is not the bitter indignation felt by the Greeks. The word occurs only here: and

βαρυαλγής

is post-classical.

ἕστακεν , ‘stands fixed’: cp. 1084 .

Commentary on Sophocles: Ajax. Sir Richard C. Jebb. Cambridge. 1907.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by National Endowment for the Humanities.

Current edition Experimental

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

Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.

Editions (4)

Αἴας μαστιγοφόρος First1KGreek (Sophocles. Sophoclis Aiax. Lobeck Christian, editor. Berlin: Weidmann, 1866.) — 1-171 focus

ΑΘΗΝΑ

Ἀεὶ μὲν, ὦ παῖ Λαρτίου, δἐδορκά σε
1

πεῖράν τιν’ ἐχθρῶν ἁρπάσαι θηρώμενον.

καὶ νῦν ἐπὶ σκηναῖς σε ναυτικαῖς ὁρῶ

Αἴαντος, ἔνθα τάξιν ἐσχάτην ἔχει,

πάλαι κυνηγετοῦντα καὶ μετρούμενον
5

ἴχνη τὰ κείνου νεοχάραχθ’, ὅπως ἴδῃς

εἴτ’ ἔνδον, εἴτ’ οὐκ ἔνδον· εὑ δέ σ’ ἐκφέρει

κυνὸς Λακαίνης ὥς τις εὔρινος βάσις.

ἔνδον γὰρ ἁνὴρ ἄρτι τυγχάνει κάρα

στάζων ἱδρῶτι καὶ χέρας ζιφοκτόνους,
10

καί σ’ οὐδὲν εἴσω τἧςδε παπταίνειν πύλης

ἔτ’ ἔργον ἐστὶν, ἐννέπειν δ’ ὅτου χάριν

σπουδὴν ἔθου τήνδ’, ὡς παρ’ εἰδυίας μάθης.

ΟΔΥΣΣΕΥΣ

ὦ φθέγμ’ Ἀθανᾶς, φιλτάτης ἐμοὶ θεῶν,

ὡς εὔμαθές σου, κἂν ἄποπτος ᾖς, ὅμως
15

φώνημ’ ἀκούω καὶ ξυναρπάζω φρενὶ,

χαλκοστόμου κώδωνος ὡς Τυρσηνικῆς.

καὶ νῦν ἐπέγνως εὖ μ’ ἐπ’ ἀνδρὶ δυςμενῖ

βάσιν κυκλοῦντ’, Αἴαντι τῷ σακεσφόρῳ.

κεῖνον γὰρ, οὐδἐν’ ἄλλον, ἰχνεύω πάλαι.
20

νυκτὸς γὰρ ἡμᾶς τἧςδε πρᾶγος ἄσκοπον

ἔχει περάνας, εἴπερ εἴργασται τάδε.

ἴσμεν γὰρ οὐδὲν τρανὲς ἀλλ’ ἀλώμεθα.

κἀγὼ ’θελοντὴς τῷδ’ ὑπεζύγην πόνῳ.

ἐφθαρμένας γὰρ ἀρτίως εὑρίσκομεν
25

λείας ἁπάσας καὶ κατηναρισμένας·

ἐκ χειρὸς, αὐτοῖς ποιμνίων ἐπιστάταις.

τήνδ’ οὖν ἐκείνῳ πᾶς τις αἰτίαν νέuει.

καὶ μοί τις ὀπτὴρ αὐτὸν εὶςιδὼν μόνον

πηδῶντα πεδία σὺν νεορράντῳ ξίφει,
30

φράζει τε κἀδήλωσεν· εὐθέως δ’ ἐγὼ

κατ’ ἴχνος ᾄσσω· καὶ τὰ μὲν σημαίνομαι,

τὰ ὸ’ ἐκπέπληγμαι, κοὐκ ἔχω μαθεῖν ὅτου·

καιρὸν δ’ ἐφήκεις· πάντα γὰρ, τά τ’ οὖν πάρος,

τά τ’ εὶσἐπειτα, σῇ κυβερνῶμαι χερί.
35

ΑΘΗΝΑ

ἐγνων, Ὀδυσσεῦ, καὶ πάλαι φύλαξ ἔβην

τῇ σῇ πρόθυμος εἰς ὁδὸν κυνηγίᾳ.

ΟΔΥΣΣΕΥΣ

ἦ καὶ, φίλη δέσποινα, πρὸς καιρὸν πονῶ;

ΑΘΗΝΑ

Ὡς ἔστιν ἀνδρὸς τοῦδε τἄργα ταῦτά σοι.

ΟΔΥΣΣΕΥΣ

Καὶ πρὸς τί δυςλόγιστον ὧδ’ ᾖξεν χέρα;
40

ΑΘΗΝΑ

Χόλῳ βαρυνθεὶς τῶν Ἀχιλλείων ὅπλων.

ΟΔΥΣΣΕΥΣ

Τί δῆτα ποίμναις τήνδ’ ἐπεμπίπτει βάσιν;

ΑΘΗΝΑ

Δοκῶν ὲν ὑμῖν χεῖρα χραίνεσθαι φόνῳ.

ΟΔΥΣΣΕΥΣ

ἦ καὶ τὸ βούλευμ’ ὡς ἐπ’ Ἀργείοις τόδ’ ἦν;

ΑΘΗΝΑ

Κὰν ὲξἐπραξεν, εἰ κατημέλησ’ ἐγώ.
45

ΟΔΥΣΣΕΥΣ

Ποίαισι τόλμαις ταῖςδε καὶ φρενῶν θράσει;

ΑΘΗΝΑ

Νύκτωρ ὲφ’ ὑμάς δόλιος ὁρμᾶται μόνος.

ΟΔΥΣΣΕΥΣ

Ἡ καὶ παρέστη κἀπὶ τἐρμ’ ἀφίκετο;

ΑΘΗΝΑ

Καὶ δὴ ’πὶ δισσαῖς ἦν στρατηγίσιν πύλαις.

ΟΔΥΣΣΕΥΣ

Καὶ πῶς ἐπέσχε χεῖρα μαιμῶσαν φόνου;
50

ΑΘΗΝΑ

Ἐγώ σφ’ ἀπείργω δυςφόρους ἐπ’ ὄμμασι

γνώμας βαλοῦσα τῆς ἀνηκέστου χαράς,

καὶ πρός τε ποίμνας ὲκτρέπω σύμμικτά τε

λείας, ἄδαστα βουκόλων φρουρήματα·

ἔνθ’ εkπεσὼν ἔκειρε πολύκερων φόνον,
55

κύκλῳ ῥαχίζων· κἀδόκει μὲν ἔσθ’ ὅτε

δισσοὺς Ἀτρείδας αὐτόχειρ κτείνειν ἔχων,

ὅτ’ ἄλλοτ’ ἄλλον, ἐμπίτνων, στρατηλατῶν.

ἐγὼ δὲ φοιτῶντ’ ἄνδρα μανιάσιν νόσοις

ὤτρυνον, εἰςέβαλλον εἰς ἕρκη κακά.
60

κἀπειτ , ἐπειδὴ τοῦδ’ ἐλώφησεν πόνου,

τοὺς ζῶντας αὖ δεσμοῖσι συνδήσας βοῶν

ποίμνας τε πάσας εἰς δόμους κομίζεται,

ὡς ἄνδρας, οὐχ ὡς εὔκερων ἄγραν ἔχων.

καὶ νῦν κατ’ οἴκους ζυνδέτους αἰκίζεται.
65

δείξω δὲ καὶ σοὶ τήνδε περιφανῆ νόσον,

ὡς πᾶσιν Ἀργείοισιν εἰσιδὼν θροῇς.

θαρσῶν δὲ μίμνε μηδὲ συμφορὰν δέχου

τὸν ἄνδρ’· ἐγὼ γὰρ ὀμμάτων ἀποστρόφους

αὐγὰς ἀπείρξω, σὴν πρόςοψιν εἰςιδεῖν.
70

οὗτος, σὲ, τὸν τὰς αἰχμαλωτίδας χέρας

δεσμοῖς ἀπευθύνοντα, προςμολεἷν καλῶ.

Αἴαντα φωνῶ· στεῖχε δωμάτων πάρος,

ΟΔΥΣΣΕΥΣ

Τί δρᾷς, Ἀθάνα; μηδαμῶς σφ’ ἔξω κάλει.

ΑΘΗΝΑ

Οὐ σῖγ’ ἀνέξει, μηδὲ δειλίαν ἀρεῖς;
75

ΟΔΥΣΣΕΥΣ

μὴ πρὸς θεῶν· ἀλλ’ ἔνδον ἀρκείτω μένων.

ΑΘΗΝΑ

Τί μὴ γένηται; πρόςθεν οὐκ ἀνὴρ ὅδ’ ἦν;

ΟΔΥΣΣΕΥΣ

ἐχθρός γε τῷδε τἀνδρὶ καὶ τανῦν ἔτι.

ΑΘΗΝΑ

Οὔκουν γέλως ἥδιστος εἰς ἐχθροὺς γελᾷν;

ΟΔΥΣΣΕΥΣ

ἐμοὶ μὲν ἀρκεῖ τοῦτον ὲν δόμοις μένειν.
80

ΑΘΗΝΑ

Μεμῃνότ’ ἄνδρα περιφανῶς ὀκνεῖς ἰδεῖν;

ΟΔΥΣΣΕΥΣ

Φρονοῦντα γάρ νιν οὐκ ἂν ἐξέστην ὄκνῳ.

ΑΘΗΝΑ

Ἀλλ’ οὐδὲ νῦν σε μὴ παρόντ’ ἴδῃ πέλας.

ΟΔΥΣΣΕΥΣ

Πῶς, εἴπερ ὀφθαλμοῖς γε τοῖς αὐτοῖς ὁρᾷ;

ΑΘΗΝΑ

ἐγὼ σκοτώσω βλέφαρα καὶ δεδορκότα.
85

ΟΔΥΣΣΕΥΣ

Γένοιτο μέντ’ ἂν πᾶν, θεοῦ τεχνωμένου.

ΑΘΗΝΑ

Σίγα νυν ἑστὼς καὶ μέν’ ὡς κυρεῖς ἔχων.

ΟΔΥΣΣΕΥΣ

Μένοιμ’ ἄν· ἤθελον δ’ ἂν ἐκτὸς ὢν τυχεῖν.

ΑΘΗΝΑ

ὦ οὗτος, Αἴας, δεύτερόν σε προςκαλῶ.

τί βαιὸν οὕτως ἐντρέπει τῆς ξυμμάχου;
90

ΑΙΑΣ

ὦ χαῖρ’, Ἀθάνα, χαῖρε Διογενὲς τέκνον,

ὡς εὖ παρέστης· καί σε παγχρύσοις ἐγὼ

στέψω λαφύροις τἡςδε τῆς ἄγρας χάριν.

ΑΗΝΛ. Καλῶς ἔλεξας· ἀλλ’ ἐκεῖνό μοι φράσον,

ἔβαψας ἔγχος εὖ πρὸς Ἀργείων στρατῷ;
95

ΑΙΑΣ

Κόμπος πάρεστι κοὐκ ἀπαρνοῦμαι τὸ μή.

ΑΘΗΝΑ

ἦ καὶ πρὸς Ἀτρείδαισιν ᾔχμασας χέρα;

ΑΙΑΣ

ὥστ’ οὔποτ’ Αἴαντ’ οἵδ’ ἀτιμάσουσ’ ἔτι.

ΑΘΗΝΑ

τεθνᾶσιν ἅνδρες, ὡς τὸ σὸν ζυνὴκ’ ἐγώ;

ΑΙΑΣ

Θανόντες ἤδη τἄμ’ ἀφαιρείσθων ὅπλα.
100

ΑΘΗΝΑ

εἶεν· τί γὰρ δὴ παῖς ὁ τοῦ Λαερτίου;

ποῦ σοι τύχης ἕστηκεν; ἢ πέφευγέ σε;

ΑΙΑΣ

ἦ τοὐπίτριπτον κίναδος ἐξήρου μ’, ὅπου;

ΑΘΗΝΑ

Ἔγωγ’· Ὀδυσσέα, τὸν σὸν ἐνστάτην, λέγω.

ΑΙΑΣ

ἥδιστος, ὦ δέσποινα, δεσμώτης ἔσω
105

θακεῖ· θανεῖν γὰρ αὐτὸν οὔ τί πω θέλω.

ΑΘΗΝΑ

Πρὶν ἂν τί δρόσης ἢ τί κερδάνῃς πλέον;

ΑΙΑΣ

Πρὶν ἂν δεθεὶς πρὸς κίον’ ἑρκείου στέγης —

ΑΘΗΝΑ

Τί δῆτα τὸν δύστηνον ἐργάσει κακόν;

ΑΙΑΣ

Μάστιγι πρῶτον νῶτα φοινιχθεὶς θάνῃ.
110

ΑΘΗΝΑ

Mὴ δῆτα τὸν δύστηνον ὧδέ γ’ αἰκίσῃ.

ΑΙΑΣ

Χαίρειν, Ἀθάνα, τἄλλ’ ἐγώ σ’ ἐφίεμαι,

κεῖνος δὲ τίσει τήνδε κοὐκ ἄλλην δίκην.

ΑΘΗΝΑ

Σὺ δ’ οὖν, ἐπειδὴ τέρψις ἥδε σοι τὸ δρᾷν,

χρῶ χειρί· φείδου μηδὲν ὧνπερ ὲννοεῖς.
115

ΑΙΑΣ

Χωρῶ πρὸς ἔργον· τοῦτό σοι δ’ ἐφίεμαι,

τοιάνδ’ ἀεί μοι ξύμμαχον παρεστάναι.

ΑΘΗΝΑ

Ὁρᾷς, Ὀδυσσεῦ, τὴν θεῶν ἰσχὺν, ὅση;

τούτου τις ἄν σοι τἀνδρὸς ἢ προνούστερος,

ἢ δρᾷν ἀμείνων εὑρέθη τὰ καίρια;
120

ΟΔΥΣΣΕΥΣ

ἐγὼ μὲν οὐδέν’ οἶδ’· ἐποικτείρω δέ νιν

δύστηνον ἔμπας, καίπερ ὄντα δυςμενὴ,

ὁθούνεκ’ ἄτῃ ξυγκατέζευκται κακῇ,

οὐδὲν τὸ τούτου μᾶλλον ἢ τοὐμὸν σκοπῶν.

ὁρῶ γὰρ ἡμάς οὐδὲν ὄντας ἄλλο πλὴν
125

εἴδωλ’, ὅσοιπερ ζῶμεν, ἢ κούφην σκιάν.

ΑΘΗΝΑ

Τοιαῦτα τοίνυν εἰσορῶν, ὑπέρκοπον

μηδέν ποτ’ εἴπῃς αὐτὸς εἰς θεοὺς ἔπος,

μηδ’ ὄγκον ἄρῃς μηδέν’, εἴ τινος πλέον

ἢ χειρὶ βρίθεις ἢ μακροῦ πλούτου βάθει.
130

ὡς ἡμέρα κλίνει τε κἀνάγει πάλιν

ἅπαντα τἀνθρώπεια· τοὺς δὲ σώφρονας

θεοὶ φιλοῦσι καὶ στυγοῦσι τοὺς κακούς.

ΠΑΡΟΛΟΣ ΧΟΡΟΥ

Τελαμώνιε πaῖ, τῆς ἀμφιρύτου

Σαλαμῖνος ἔχων βάθρον ἀγχιάλου,
135

σὲ μὲν εὖ πράσσοντ’ ἐπιχαίρω·

σὲ δ’ ὅταν πληγὴ Δῖός ἢ ζαμενὴς

λόγος ἐκ Δαναῶν κακόθρους ἐπιβῇ,

μέγαν ὄκνον ἔχω καὶ πεφόβημαι

πτηνῆς ὡς ὄμμα πελείας.
140

Ὡς καὶ τῆς νῦν φθιμένης νυκτὸς

ιιεγάλοι θόρυβοι κατέχουσ’ ἡμᾶς

ἔπι δυςκλείᾳ, σὲ τὸν ἱππομανῆ

λειμῶν’ ὲπιβάντ’ ὀλέσαι Δαναῶν

βοτὰ καὶ λείαν,
145

ἥπερ δορίληπτος ἔτ’ ἦν λοιπὴ,

κτείνοντ’ αἴθωνι σιδήρῳ.

Τοιούςδε λόγους ψιθύρους πράσσων

εἰς ὦτα φέρει πᾶσιν Ὀδυσσεὺς,

καὶ σφόδρα πείθει· περὶ γὰρ σοῦ νῦν
150

εὔπειστα λέγει· καὶ πᾶς ὁ κλύων

τοῦ λἐξαντος χαίρει μᾶλλον,

τοῖς σοῖς ἄχεσιν καθυβρίζων.

Τῶν γὰρ μεγάλων ψυχῶν ἱεὶς

οὐκ ἂν ἁμάρτοι· κατὰ δ’ ἄν τις ἐμοῦ
155

τοιαῦτα λέγων οὐκ ἂν πείθοι·

πρὸς γὰρ τὸν ἔχονθ’ ὁ φθόνος ἕρπει.

καίτοι σμικροὶ μεγάλων χωρὶς

σφαλερὸν πύργου ῥῦμα πέλονται·

μετὰ γὰρ μεγάλων βαιὸς ἄριστ’ ἂν,
160

καὶ μέγας ὀρθοῖθ’ ὑπὸ μικροτέρων.

ἀλλ’ οὐ δυνατὸν τοὺς ἀνοήτους

τούτων γνώμας προδιδάσκειν.

ὑπὸ τοιούτων ἀνδρῶν θορυβεῖ,

χἠμεῖς οὐδὲν σθένομεν πρὸς ταῦτ’
165

ἀπαλέξασθαι σοῦ χωρὶς, ἄναξ.

ἀλλ’, ὅτε γὰρ δὴ τὸ σὸν ὄμμ’ ἀπέδρav,

παταγοῦσιν ἅτε πτηνῶν ἀγέλαι,

μέγαν αἰγυπιὸν δ’ ὑποδείσαντες

τάχ’ ἂν, ἐξαίφνης εἰ σὺ φανείης,
170

σιγῇ πτήξειαν ἄφωνοι.

Αἴας First1KGreek (Sophocles. Sophoclis Fabulae. Pearson, Alfred Chilton, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1924.) — 1-171 focus

Ἀθήνα

Ἀεὶ μέν, ὦ παῖ Λαρτίου, δέδορκά σε
1

πεῖράν τινʼ ἐχθρῶν ἁρπάσαι θηρώμενον·

καὶ νῦν ἐπὶ σκηναῖς σε ναυτικαῖς ὁρῶ

Αἴαντος, ἔνθα τάξιν ἐσχάτην ἔχει,

πάλαι κυνηγετοῦντα καὶ μετρούμενον
5

ἴχνη τὰ κείνου νεοχάραχθʼ, ὅπως ἴδῃς

εἴτʼ ἔνδον εἴτʼ οὐκ ἔνδον. εὖ δέ σʼ ἐκφέρει

κυνὸς Λακαίνης ὥς τις εὔρινος βάσις.

ἔνδον γὰρ ἁνὴρ ἄρτι τυγχάνει, κάρα

στάζων ἱδρῶτι καὶ χέρας ξιφοκτόνους.
10

καί σʼ οὐδὲν εἴσω τῆσδε παπταίνειν πύλης

ἔτʼ ἔργον ἐστίν, ἐννέπειν δʼ ὅτου χάριν

σπουδὴν ἔθου τήνδʼ, ὡς παρʼ εἰδυίας μάθῃς.

Ὀδυσσεύς

ὦ φθέγμʼ Ἀθάνας, φιλτάτης ἐμοὶ θεῶν,

ὡς εὐμαθές σου, κἂν ἄποπτος ᾖς ὅμως,
15

φώνημʼ ἀκούω καὶ ξυναρπάζω φρενὶ

χαλκοστόμου κώδωνος ὡς Τυρσηνικῆς.

καὶ νῦν ἐπέγνως εὖ μʼ ἐπʼ ἀνδρὶ δυσμενεῖ

βάσιν κυκλοῦντʼ, Αἴαντι τῷ σακεσφόρῳ.

κεῖνον γάρ, οὐδένʼ ἄλλον, ἰχνεύω πάλαι.
20

νυκτὸς γὰρ ἡμᾶς τῆσδε πρᾶγος ἄσκοπον

ἔχει περάνας, εἴπερ εἴργασται τάδε·

¹²

ἴσμεν γὰρ οὐδὲν τρανές, ἀλλʼ ἀλώμεθα·

κἀγὼ ʼθελοντὴς τῷδʼ ὑπεζύγην πόνῳ.

ἐφθαρμένας γὰρ ἀρτίως εὑρίσκομεν
25

λείας ἁπάσας καὶ κατηναρισμένας

ἐκ χειρὸς αὐτοῖς ποιμνίων ἐπιστάταις.

τήνδʼ οὖν ἐκείνῳ πᾶς τις αἰτίαν νέμει.

καί μοί τις ὀπτὴρ αὐτὸν εἰσιδὼν μόνον

πηδῶντα πεδία σὺν νεορράντῳ ξίφει
30

φράζει τε κἀδήλωσεν· εὐθέως δʼ ἐγὼ

κατʼ ἴχνος ᾄσσω, καὶ τὰ μὲν σημαίνομαι,

τὰ δʼ ἐκπέπληγμαι, κοὐκ ἔχω μαθεῖν ὅτου.

καιρὸν δʼ ἐφήκεις· πάντα γὰρ τά τʼ οὖν πάρος

τά τʼ εἰσέπειτα σῇ κυβερνῶμαι χερί.
35

Ἀθήνα

ἔγνων, Ὀδυσσεῦ, καὶ πάλαι φύλαξ ἔβην

τῇ σῇ πρόθυμος εἰς ὁδὸν κυναγίᾳ.

Ὀδυσσεύς

ἦ καί, φίλη δέσποινα, πρὸς καιρὸν πονῶ;

Ἀθήνα

ὡς ἔστιν ἀνδρὸς τοῦδε τἄργα ταῦτά σοι.

Ὀδυσσεύς

καὶ πρὸς τί δυσλόγιστον ὧδʼ ᾖξεν χέρα;
40

Ἀθήνα

χόλῳ βαρυνθεὶς τῶν Ἀχιλλείων ὅπλων.

Ὀδυσσεύς

τί δῆτα ποίμναις τήνδʼ ἐπεμπίπτει βάσιν;

Ἀθήνα

δοκῶν ἐν ὑμῖν χεῖρα χραίνεσθαι φόνῳ.

Ὀδυσσεύς

ἦ καὶ τὸ βούλευμʼ ὡς ἐπʼ Ἀργείοις τόδʼ ἦν;

Ἀθήνα

κἂν ἐξέπραξεν, εἰ κατημέλησʼ ἐγώ.
45

Ὀδυσσεύς

ποίαισι τόλμαις ταῖσδε καὶ φρενῶν θράσει;

Ἀθήνα

νύκτωρ ἐφʼ ὑμᾶς δόλιος ὁρμᾶται μόνος.

Ὀδυσσεύς

ἦ καὶ παρέστη κἀπὶ τέρμʼ ἀφίκετο;

³⁴⁵⁶⁷⁸⁹¹⁰¹¹¹²¹³¹⁴

Ἀθήνα

καὶ δὴ ʼπὶ δισσαῖς ἦν στρατηγίσιν πύλαις.

Ὀδυσσεύς

καὶ πῶς ἐπέσχε χεῖρα μαιμῶσαν φόνου;
50

Ἀθήνα

ἐγώ σφʼ ἀπείργω, δυσφόρους ἐπʼ ὄμμασι

γνώμας βαλοῦσα, τῆς ἀνηκέστου χαρᾶς,

καὶ πρός τε ποίμνας ἐκτρέπω σύμμεικτά τε

λείας ἄδαστα βουκόλων φρουρήματα·

ἔνθʼ εἰσπεσὼν ἔκειρε πολύκερων φόνον
55

κύκλῳ ῥαχίζων, κἀδόκει μὲν ἔσθʼ ὅτε

δισσοὺς Ἀτρείδας αὐτόχειρ κτείνειν ἔχων,

ὅτʼ ἄλλοτʼ ἄλλον ἐμπίτνων στρατηλατῶν.

ἐγὼ δὲ φοιτῶντʼ ἄνδρα μανιάσιν νόσοις

ὤτρυνον, εἰσέβαλλον εἰς ἕρκη κακά.
60

κἄπειτʼ ἐπειδὴ τοῦδʼ ἐλώφησεν πόνου,

τοὺς ζῶντας αὖ δεσμοῖσι συνδήσας βοῶν

ποίμνας τε πάσας εἰς δόμους κομίζεται,

ὡς ἄνδρας, οὐχ ὡς εὔκερων ἄγραν ἔχων.

καὶ νῦν κατʼ οἴκους συνδέτους αἰκίζεται.
65

δείξω δὲ καὶ σοὶ τήνδε περιφανῆ νόσον,

ὡς πᾶσιν Ἀργείοισιν εἰσιδὼν θροῇς.

θαρσῶν δὲ μίμνε μηδὲ συμφορὰν δέχου

τὸν ἄνδρʼ· ἐγὼ γὰρ ὀμμάτων ἀποστρόφους

αὐγὰς ἀπείρξω σὴν πρόσοψιν εἰσιδεῖν.
70

οὗτος, σὲ τὸν τὰς αἰχμαλωτίδας χέρας

δεσμοῖς ἀπευθύνοντα προσμολεῖν καλῶ·

Αἴαντα φωνῶ· στεῖχε δωμάτων πάρος.

Ὀδυσσεύς

τί δρᾷς, Ἀθάνα; μηδαμῶς σφʼ ἔξω κάλει.

Ἀθήνα

οὐ σῖγʼ ἀνέξῃ μηδὲ δειλίαν ἀρῇ
75
¹⁵¹⁶¹⁷¹⁸¹⁹²⁰²¹²²²³²⁴²⁵

Ὀδυσσεύς

μὴ πρὸς θεῶν· ἀλλʼ ἔνδον ἀρκείτω μένων.

Ἀθήνα

τί μὴ γένηται; πρόσθεν οὐκ ἀνὴρ ὅδʼ ἦν;

Ὀδυσσεύς

ἐχθρός γε τῷδε τἀνδρὶ καὶ τανῦν ἔτι.

Ἀθήνα

οὔκουν γέλως ἥδιστος εἰς ἐχθροὺς γελᾶν;

Ὀδυσσεύς

ἐμοὶ μὲν ἀρκεῖ τοῦτον ἐν δόμοις μένειν.
80

Ἀθήνα

μεμηνότʼ ἄνδρα περιφανῶς ὀκνεῖς ἰδεῖν;

Ὀδυσσεύς

φρονοῦντα γάρ νιν οὐκ ἂν ἐξέστην ὄκνῳ.

Ἀθήνα

ἀλλʼ οὐδὲ νῦν σε μὴ παρόντʼ ἴδῃ πέλας.

Ὀδυσσεύς

πῶς, εἴπερ ὀφθαλμοῖς γε τοῖς αὐτοῖς ὁρᾷ;

Ἀθήνα

ἐγὼ σκοτώσω βλέφαρα καὶ δεδορκότα.
85

Ὀδυσσεύς

γένοιτο μέντἂν πᾶν θεοῦ τεχνωμένου.

Ἀθήνα

σίγα νυν ἑστὼς καὶ μένʼ ὡς κυρεῖς ἔχων.

Ὀδυσσεύς

μένοιμʼ ἄν· ἤθελον δʼ ἂν ἐκτὸς ὢν τυχεῖν.

Ἀθήνα

ὦ οὗτος, Αἴας, δεύτερόν σε προσκαλῶ.

τί βαιὸν οὕτως ἐντρέπῃ τῆς συμμάχου;
90

Αἴας

ὦ χαῖρʼ Ἀθάνα, χαῖρε Διογενὲς τέκνον,

ὡς εὖ παρέστης· καί σε παγχρύσοις ἐγὼ

στέψω λαφύροις τῆσδε τῆς ἄγρας χάριν.

Ἀθήνα

καλῶς ἔλεξας. ἀλλʼ ἐκεῖνό μοι φράσον,

ἔβαψας ἔγχος εὖ πρὸς Ἀργείων στρατῷ;
95

Αἴας

κόμπος πάρεστι κοὐκ ἀπαρνοῦμαι τὸ μή.

Ἀθήνα

ἦ καὶ πρὸς Ἀτρείδαισιν ᾔχμασας χέρα;

Αἴας

ὥστʼ οὔποτʼ Αἴανθʼ οἵδʼ ἀτιμάσουσʼ ἔτι.

Ἀθήνα

τεθνᾶσιν ἅνδρες, ὡς τὸ σὸν ξυνῆκʼ ἐγώ.

Αἴας

θανόντες ἤδη τἄμʼ ἀφαιρείσθων ὅπλα.
100

Ἀθήνα

εἶεν· τί γὰρ δὴ παῖς ὁ τοῦ Λαερτίου;

²⁶²⁷²⁸²⁹³⁰³¹³²³³³⁴³⁵³⁶³⁷³⁸

ποῦ σοι τύχης ἕστηκεν; ἢ πέφευγέ σε;

Αἴας

ἦ τοὐπίτριπτον κίναδος ἐξήρου μʼ ὅπου;

Ἀθήνα

ἔγωγʼ· Ὀδυσσέα τὸν σὸν ἐνστάτην λέγω.

Αἴας

ἥδιστος, ὦ δέσποινα, δεσμώτης ἔσω
105

θακεῖ· θανεῖν γὰρ αὐτὸν οὔ τί πω θέλω.

Ἀθήνα

πρὶν ἂν τί δράσῃς ἢ τί κερδάνῃς πλέον;

Αἴας

πρὶν ἂν δεθεὶς πρὸς κίονʼ ἑρκείου στέγης

Ἀθήνα

τί δῆτα τὸν δύστηνον ἐργάσῃ κακόν;

Αἴας

μάστιγι πρῶτον νῶτα φοινιχθεὶς θάνῃ.
110

Ἀθήνα

μὴ δῆτα τὸν δύστηνον ὧδέ γʼ αἰκίσῃ.

Αἴας

χαίρειν, Ἀθάνα, τἄλλʼ ἐγώ σʼ ἐφίεμαι·

κεῖνος δὲ τείσει τήνδε κοὐκ ἄλλην δίκην.

Ἀθήνα

σὺ δʼ οὖν, ἐπειδὴ τέρψις ἥδε σοι τὸ δρᾶν,

χρῶ χειρί, φείδου μηδὲν ὧνπερ ἐννοεῖς.
115

Αἴας

χωρῶ πρὸς ἔργον· τοῦτο σοὶ δʼ ἐφίεμαι,

τοιάνδʼ ἀεί μοι σύμμαχον παρεστάναι.

Ἀθήνα

ὁρᾷς, Ὀδυσσεῦ, τὴν θεῶν ἰσχὺν ὅση;

τούτου τίς ἄν σοι τἀνδρὸς ἢ προνούστερος

ἢ δρᾶν ἀμείνων ηὑρέθη τὰ καίρια;
120

Ὀδυσσεύς

ἐγὼ μὲν οὐδένʼ οἶδʼ· ἐποικτίρω δέ νιν

δύστηνον ἔμπας, καίπερ ὄντα δυσμενῆ,

ὁθούνεκʼ ἄτῃ συγκατέζευκται κακῇ,

οὐδὲν τὸ τούτου μᾶλλον ἢ τοὐμὸν σκοπῶν.

ὁρῶ γὰρ ἡμᾶς οὐδὲν ὄντας ἄλλο πλὴν
125

εἴδωλʼ ὅσοιπερ ζῶμεν ἢ κούφην σκιάν.

Ἀθήνα

τοιαῦτα τοίνυν εἰσορῶν ὑπέρκοπον

μηδέν ποτʼ εἴπῃς αὐτὸς ἐς θεοὺς ἔπος,

μηδʼ ὄγκον ἄρῃ μηδένʼ, εἴ τινος πλέον

³⁹⁴⁰⁴¹⁴²⁴³⁴⁴⁴⁵⁴⁶⁴⁷⁴⁸⁴⁹⁵⁰⁵¹

ἢ χειρὶ βρίθεις ἢ μακροῦ πλούτου βάθει.
130

ὡς ἡμέρα κλίνει τε κἀνάγει πάλιν

ἅπαντα τἀνθρώπεια· τοὺς δὲ σώφρονας

θεοὶ φιλοῦσι καὶ στυγοῦσι τοὺς κακούς.

Χορός

Τελαμώνιε παῖ, τῆς ἀμφιρύτου

Σαλαμῖνος ἔχων βάθρον ἀγχιάλου,
135

σὲ μὲν εὖ πράσσοντʼ ἐπιχαίρω·

σὲ δʼ ὅταν πληγὴ Διὸς ἢ ζαμενὴς

λόγος ἐκ Δαναῶν κακόθρους ἐπιβῇ,

μέγαν ὄκνον ἔχω καὶ πεφόβημαι

πτηνῆς ὡς ὄμμα πελείας.
140

ὡς καὶ τῆς νῦν φθιμένης νυκτὸς

μεγάλοι θόρυβοι κατέχουσʼ ἡμᾶς

ἐπὶ δυσκλείᾳ, σὲ τὸν ἱππομανῆ

λειμῶνʼ ἐπιβάντʼ ὀλέσαι Δαναῶν

βοτὰ καὶ λείαν,
145

ἥπερ δορίληπτος ἔτʼ ἦν λοιπή,

κτείνοντʼ αἴθωνι σιδήρῳ.

τοιούσδε λόγους ψιθύρους πλάσσων

εἰς ὦτα φέρει πᾶσιν Ὀδυσσεύς,

καὶ σφόδρα πείθει. περὶ γὰρ σοῦ νῦν
150

εὔπειστα λέγει, καὶ πᾶς ὁ κλύων

τοῦ λέξαντος χαίρει μᾶλλον

τοῖς σοῖς ἄχεσιν καθυβρίζων.

τῶν γὰρ μεγάλων ψυχῶν ἱεὶς

οὐκ ἂν ἁμάρτοι· κατὰ δʼ ἄν τις ἐμοῦ
155

τοιαῦτα λέγων οὐκ ἂν πείθοι.

πρὸς γὰρ τὸν ἔχονθʼ ὁ φθόνος ἕρπει.

⁵²⁵³⁵⁴⁵⁵⁵⁶⁵⁷⁵⁸⁵⁹

καίτοι σμικροὶ μεγάλων χωρὶς

σφαλερὸν πύργου ῥῦμα πέλονται·

μετὰ γὰρ μεγάλων βαιὸς ἄριστʼ ἂν
160

καὶ μέγας ὀρθοῖθʼ ὑπὸ μικροτέρων.

ἀλλʼ οὐ δυνατὸν τοὺς ἀνοήτους

τούτων γνώμας προδιδάσκειν.

ὑπὸ τοιούτων ἀνδρῶν θορυβῇ

χἡμεῖς οὐδὲν σθένομεν πρὸς ταῦτʼ
165

ἀπαλέξασθαι σοῦ χωρίς, ἄναξ.

ἀλλʼ ὅτε γὰρ δὴ τὸ σὸν ὄμμʼ ἀπέδραν,

παταγοῦσιν ἅπερ πτηνῶν ἀγέλαι·

μέγαν αἰγυπιὸν δʼ ὑποδείσαντες

τάχʼ ἄν, ἐξαίφνης εἰ σὺ φανείης,
170

σιγῇ πτήξειαν ἄφωνοι.

Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) — 1 focus

ἀεὶ μέν, ὦ παῖ Λαρτίου Λαρτίου λᾶρτίου, δέδορκά σε
1

πεῖράν τιν' ἐχθρῶν ἁρπάσαι θηρώμενον·

καὶ νῦν ἐπὶ σκηναῖς σε ναυτικαῖς ὁρῶ

Αἴαντος, ἔνθα τάξιν ἐσχάτην ἔχει,

πάλαι κυνηγετοῦντα καὶ μετρούμενον
5

ἴχνη τὰ κείνου τὰ ᾿κείνου τἀκείνου νεοχάραχθ᾽ νεοχάρακτ᾽ νεοχάρακθ', ὅπως ἴδῃς

εἴτ᾿ ἔνδον εἴτ᾿ οὐκ ἔνδον. εὖ δέ σ᾽ ἐκφέρει

κυνὸς Λακαίνης ὥς τις εὔρινος βάσις.

ἔνδον γὰρ ἁνὴρ ἁνὴρ (?) ἄρτι τυγχάνει, κάρα

στάζων ἱδρῶτι καὶ χέρας ξιφοκτόνους.
10

καί σ᾽ οὐδὲν εἴσω τῆσδε παπταίνειν πύλης

ἔτ᾽ ἔργον ἐστίν, ἐννέπειν δ᾽ ὅτου χάριν

σπουδὴν ἔθου τήνδ᾽, ὡς παρ᾽ εἰδυίας μάθῃς.

ΟΔΥΣΣΕΥΣ.

ὦ φθέγμ᾽ ᾿Αθάνας, φιλτάτης ἐμοὶ θεῶν,

ὡς εὐμαθές σου, κἂν ἄпоптос ἧς ὅμως,
15

φώνημ᾽ ἀκούω καὶ ξυναρπάζω φρενὶ

χαλκοστόμου κώδωνος ὡς Τυρσηνικῆς.

καὶ νῦν ἐπέγνως εὖ μ᾽ ἐπ᾿ ἀνδρὶ δυσμενεῖ

βάσιν κυκλοῦντ᾽, Αἴαντι τῷ τωι σακεσφόρῳ.

κεῖνον γάρ ᾿κεῖνον γὰρ, οὐδέν ἄλλον, ἰχνεύω πάλαι.
20

νυκτὸς γὰρ ἡμᾶς τῆσδε πρᾶγος ἄσκοπον

ἔχει περάνας, εἴπερ εἴργασται τάδε·

ἴσμεν γὰρ οὐδὲν τρανές, ἀλλ' ἀλώμεθα·

κἀγὼ ᾿θελοντὴς θελοντής τῷδ᾽ ὑπεζύγην πόνῳ.

ἐφθαρμένας γὰρ ἀρτίως εὑρίσκομεν
25

λείας ἁπάσας καὶ κατηναρισμένας

ἐκ χειρὸς αὐτοῖς ποιμνίων ἐπιστάταις ὑποστάταις ἐπιστάταισ.

τήνδ᾽ οὖν ἐκείνῳ ἐκείνω πᾶς τις αἰτίαν αἰτίον (?) νέμει τρέπει.

καί μοί τις ὀπτὴρ αὐτὸν εἰσιδὼν μόνον

πηδῶντα πεδία πεδίω σὺν νεορράντῳ ξίφει
30

φράζει τε κἀδήλωσεν· εὐθέως δ᾽ ἐγὼ

κατ᾽ ἴχνος ἄσσω, καὶ τὰ μὲν σημαίνομαι,

τὰ δ᾽ ἐκπέπληγμαι, κοὐκ ἔχω μαθεῖν ὅπου ὅτου.

καιρὸν δ᾽ ἐφήκεις· πάντα γὰρ τά τ'᾽ οὖν πάρος

τά τ᾽ εἰσέπειτα σῇ κυβερνῶμαι χερί χερί φρενί.
35

ΑΘΗΝΑ.

Greek (F. Storr, 1912) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. Storr, 1912)) — 1-171 focus

Ἀθήνα

ἀεὶ μέν, ὦ παῖ Λαρτίου, δέδορκά σε
1

πεῖράν τινʼ ἐχθρῶν ἁρπάσαι θηρώμενον·

καὶ νῦν ἐπὶ σκηναῖς σε ναυτικαῖς ὁρῶ

Αἴαντος, ἔνθα τάξιν ἐσχάτην ἔχει,

πάλαι κυνηγετοῦντα καὶ μετρούμενον
5

ἴχνη τὰ κείνου νεοχάραχθʼ, ὅπως ἴδῃς

εἴτʼ ἔνδον εἴτʼ οὐκ ἔνδον. εὖ δέ σʼ ἐκφέρει

κυνὸς Λακαίνης ὥς τις εὔρινος βάσις.

ἔνδον γὰρ ἁνὴρ ἄρτι τυγχάνει, κάρα

στάζων ἱδρῶτι καὶ χέρας ξιφοκτόνους.
10

καί σʼ οὐδὲν εἴσω τῆσδε παπταίνειν πύλης

ἔτʼ ἔργον ἐστίν, ἐννέπειν δʼ ὅτου χάριν

σπουδὴν ἔθου τήνδʼ, ὡς παρʼ εἰδυίας μάθῃς.

Ὀδυσσεύς

ὦ φθέγμʼ Ἀθάνας, φιλτάτης ἐμοὶ θεῶν,

ὡς εὐμαθές σου, κἂν ἄποπτος ᾖς ὅμως,
15

φώνημʼ ἀκούω καὶ ξυναρπάζω φρενὶ

χαλκοστόμου κώδωνος ὡς Τυρσηνικῆς.

καὶ νῦν ἐπέγνως εὖ μʼ ἐπʼ ἀνδρὶ δυσμενεῖ

βάσιν κυκλοῦντʼ, Αἴαντι τῷ σακεσφόρῳ·

κεῖνον γάρ, οὐδένʼ ἄλλον, ἰχνεύω πάλαι.
20

νυκτὸς γὰρ ἡμᾶς τῆσδε πρᾶγος ἄσκοπον

ἔχει περάνας, εἴπερ εἴργασται τάδε·

ἴσμεν γὰρ οὐδὲν τρανές, ἀλλʼ ἀλώμεθα·

κἀγὼ ʼθελοντὴς τῷδʼ ὑπεζύγην πόνῳ.

ἐφθαρμένας γὰρ ἀρτίως εὑρίσκομεν
25

λείας ἁπάσας καὶ κατηναρισμένας

ἐκ χειρὸς αὐτοῖς ποιμνίων ἐπιστάταις.

τήνδʼ οὖν ἐκείνῳ πᾶς τις αἰτίαν νέμει.

καί μοί τις ὀπτὴρ αὐτὸν εἰσιδὼν μόνον

πηδῶντα πεδία σὺν νεορράντῳ ξίφει
30

φράζει τε κἀδήλωσεν· εὐθέως δʼ ἐγὼ

κατʼ ἴχνος ᾄσσω, καὶ τὰ μὲν σημαίνομαι,

τὰ δʼ ἐκπέπληγμαι κοὐκ ἔχω μαθεῖν ὅτου.

καιρὸν δʼ ἐφήκεις· πάντα γὰρ τά τʼ οὖν πάρος

τά τʼ εἰσέπειτα σῇ κυβερνῶμαι χερί.
35

Ἀθήνα

ἔγνων, Ὀδυσσεῦ, καὶ πάλαι φύλαξ ἔβην

τῇ σῇ πρόθυμος εἰς ὁδὸν κυναγίᾳ.

Ὀδυσσεύς

ἦ καί, φίλη δέσποινα, πρὸς καιρὸν πονῶ;

Ἀθήνα

ὡς ἔστιν ἀνδρὸς τοῦδε τἄργα ταῦτά σοι.

Ὀδυσσεύς

καὶ πρὸς τί δυσλόγιστον ὧδʼ ᾖξεν χέρα;
40

Ἀθήνα

χόλῳ βαρυνθεὶς τῶν Ἀχιλλείων ὅπλων.

Ὀδυσσεύς

τί δῆτα ποίμναις τήνδʼ ἐπεμπίπτει βάσιν;

Ἀθήνα

δοκῶν ἐν ὑμῖν χεῖρα χραίνεσθαι φόνῳ.

Ὀδυσσεύς

ἦ καὶ τὸ βούλευμʼ ὡς ἐπʼ Ἀργείοις τόδʼ ἦν;

Ἀθήνα

κἂν ἐξεπράξατʼ, εἰ κατημέλησʼ ἐγώ.
45

Ὀδυσσεύς

ποίαισι τόλμαις ταῖσδε καὶ φρενῶν θράσει;

Ἀθήνα

νύκτωρ ἐφʼ ὑμᾶς δόλιος ὁρμᾶται μόνος.

Ὀδυσσεύς

ἦ καὶ παρέστη κἀπὶ τέρμʼ ἀφίκετο;

Ἀθήνα

καὶ δὴ ʼπὶ δισσαῖς ἦν στρατηγίσιν πύλαις.

Ὀδυσσεύς

καὶ πῶς ἐπέσχε χεῖρα μαιμῶσαν φόνου;
50

Ἀθήνα

ἐγώ σφʼ ἀπείργω, δυσφόρους ἐπʼ ὄμμασι

γνώμας βαλοῦσα τῆς ἀνηκέστου χαρᾶς,

καὶ πρός τε ποίμνας ἐκτρέπω σύμμικτά τε

λείας ἄδαστα βουκόλων φρουρήματα·

ἔνθʼ εἰσπεσὼν ἔκειρε πολύκερων φόνον
55

κύκλῳ ῥαχίζων· κἀδόκει μὲν ἔσθʼ ὅτε

δισσοὺς Ἀτρείδας αὐτόχειρ κτείνειν ἔχων,

ὅτʼ ἄλλοτʼ ἄλλον ἐμπίτνων στρατηλατῶν.

ἐγὼ δὲ φοιτῶντʼ ἄνδρα μανιάσιν νόσοις

ὤτρυνον, εἰσέβαλλον εἰς ἕρκη κακά.
60

κἄπειτʼ ἐπειδὴ τοῦδʼ ἐλώφησεν πόνου,

τοὺς ζῶντας αὖ δεσμοῖσι συνδήσας βοῶν

ποίμνας τε πάσας εἰς δόμους κομίζεται,

ὡς ἄνδρας, οὐχ ὡς εὔκερων ἄγραν ἔχων,

καὶ νῦν κατʼ οἴκους συνδέτους αἰκίζεται.
65

δείξω δὲ καὶ σοὶ τήνδε περιφανῆ νόσον,

ὡς πᾶσιν Ἀργείοισιν εἰσιδὼν θροῇς.

θαρσῶν δὲ μίμνε μηδὲ συμφορὰν δέχου

τὸν ἄνδρʼ· ἐγὼ γὰρ ὀμμάτων ἀποστρόφους

αὐγὰς ἀπείρξω σὴν πρόσοψιν εἰσιδεῖν.
70

οὗτος, σὲ τὸν τὰς αἰχμαλωτίδας χέρας

δεσμοῖς ἀπευθύνοντα προσμολεῖν καλῶ·

Αἴαντα φωνῶ· στεῖχε δωμάτων πάρος.

Ὀδυσσεύς

τί δρᾷς, Ἀθάνα; μηδαμῶς σφʼ ἔξω κάλει.

Ἀθήνα

οὐ σῖγʼ ἀνέξει μηδὲ δειλίαν ἀρεῖ;
75

Ὀδυσσεύς

μὴ πρὸς θεῶν, ἀλλʼ ἔνδον ἀρκείτω μένων.

Ἀθήνα

τί μὴ γένηται; πρόσθεν οὐκ ἀνὴρ ὅδʼ ἦν;

Ὀδυσσεύς

ἐχθρός γε τῷδε τἀνδρὶ καὶ τανῦν ἔτι.

Ἀθήνα

οὔκουν γέλως ἥδιστος εἰς ἐχθροὺς γελᾶν;

Ὀδυσσεύς

ἐμοὶ μὲν ἀρκεῖ τοῦτον ἐν δόμοις μένειν.
80

Ἀθήνα

μεμηνότʼ ἄνδρα περιφανῶς ὀκνεῖς ἰδεῖν;

Ὀδυσσεύς

φρονοῦντα γάρ νιν οὐκ ἂν ἐξέστην ὄκνῳ.

Ἀθήνα

ἀλλʼ οὐδὲ νῦν σε μὴ παρόντʼ ἴδῃ πέλας.

Ὀδυσσεύς

πῶς, εἴπερ ὀφθαλμοῖς γε τοῖς αὐτοῖς ὁρᾷ;

Ἀθήνα

ἐγὼ σκοτώσω βλέφαρα καὶ δεδορκότα.
85

Ὀδυσσεύς

γένοιτο μέντἂν πᾶν θεοῦ τεχνωμένου.

Ἀθήνα

σίγα νυν ἑστὼς καὶ μένʼ ὡς κυρεῖς ἔχων.

Ὀδυσσεύς

μένοιμʼ ἄν· ἤθελον δʼ ἂν ἐκτὸς ὢν τυχεῖν.

Ἀθήνα

ὦ οὗτος, Αἴας, δεύτερόν σε προσκαλῶ.

τί βαιὸν οὕτως ἐντρέπει τῆς συμμάχου;
90

Αἴας

ὦ χαῖρʼ Ἀθάνα, χαῖρε Διογενὲς τέκνον,

ὡς εὖ παρέστης· καί σε παγχρύσοις ἐγὼ

στέψω λαφύροις τῆσδε τῆς ἄγρας χάριν.

Ἀθήνα

καλῶς ἔλεξας· ἀλλʼ ἐκεῖνό μοι φράσον,

ἔβαψας ἔγχος εὖ πρὸς Ἀργείων στρατῷ;
95

Αἴας

κόμπος πάρεστι κοὐκ ἀπαρνοῦμαι τὸ μή.

Ἀθήνα

ἦ καὶ πρὸς Ἀτρείδαισιν ᾔχμασας χέρα;

Αἴας

ὥστʼ οὔποτʼ Αἴανθʼ οἵδʼ ἀτιμάσουσʼ ἔτι.

Ἀθήνα

τεθνᾶσιν ἄνδρες, ὡς τὸ σὸν ξυνῆκʼ ἐγώ.

Αἴας

θανόντες ἤδη τἄμʼ ἀφαιρείσθων ὅπλα.
100

101

Ἀθήνα

εἶεν, τί γὰρ δὴ παῖς ὁ τοῦ Λαερτίου,

ποῦ σοι τύχης ἕστηκεν; ἢ πέφευγέ σε;

Αἴας

ἦ τοὐπίτριπτον κίναδος ἐξήρου μʼ ὅπου;

Ἀθήνα

ἔγωγʼ· Ὀδυσσέα τὸν σὸν ἐνστάτην λέγω.

Αἴας

ἥδιστος, ὦ δέσποινα, δεσμώτης ἔσω
105

θακεῖ· θανεῖν γὰρ αὐτὸν οὔ τί πω θέλω.

Ἀθήνα

πρὶν ἂν τί δράσῃς ἢ τί κερδάνῃς πλέον;

Αἴας

πρὶν ἂν δεθεὶς πρὸς κίονʼ ἑρκείου στέγης.

Ἀθήνα

τί δῆτα τὸν δύστηνον ἐργάσει κακόν;

Αἴας

μάστιγι πρῶτον νῶτα φοινιχθεὶς θάνῃ.
110

Ἀθήνα

μὴ δῆτα τὸν δύστηνον ὧδέ γʼ αἰκίσῃ.

Αἴας

χαίρειν, Ἀθάνα, τἄλλʼ ἐγώ σʼ ἐφίεμαι·

κεῖνος δὲ τίσει τήνδε κοὐκ ἄλλην δίκην.

Ἀθήνα

σὺ δʼ οὖν, ἐπειδὴ τέρψις ἥδε σοι τὸ δρᾶν,

χρῶ χειρί, φείδου μηδὲν ὧνπερ ἐννοεῖς.
115

Αἴας

χωρῶ πρὸς ἔργον· σοὶ δὲ τοῦτʼ ἐφίεμαι,

τοιάνδʼ ἀεί μοι σύμμαχον παρεστάναι.

Ἀθήνα

ὁρᾷς, Ὀδυσσεῦ, τὴν θεῶν ἰσχὺν ὅση;

τούτου τίς ἄν σοι τἀνδρὸς ἢ προνούστερος

ἢ δρᾶν ἀμείνων ηὑρέθη τὰ καίρια;
120

Ὀδυσσεύς

ἐγὼ μὲν οὐδένʼ οἶδʼ· ἐποικτίρω δέ νιν

δύστηνον ἔμπας, καίπερ ὄντα δυσμενῆ,

ὁθούνεκʼ ἄτῃ συγκατέζευκται κακῇ,

οὐδὲν τὸ τούτου μᾶλλον ἢ τοὐμὸν σκοπῶν·

ὁρῶ γὰρ ἡμᾶς οὐδὲν ὄντας ἄλλο πλὴν
125

εἴδωλʼ ὅσοιπερ ζῶμεν ἢ κούφην σκιάν.

Ἀθήνα

τοιαῦτα τοίνυν εἰσορῶν ὑπέρκοπον

μηδέν ποτʼ εἴπῃς αὐτὸς εἰς θεοὺς ἔπος,

μηδʼ ὄγκον ἄρῃ μηδένʼ, εἴ τινος πλέον

ἢ χειρὶ βρίθεις ἢ μακροῦ πλούτου βάθει.
130

ὡς ἡμέρα κλίνει τε κἀνάγει πάλιν

ἅπαντα τἀνθρώπεια· τοὺς δὲ σώφρονας

θεοὶ φιλοῦσι καὶ στυγοῦσι τοὺς κακούς.

134

Χορός

Τελαμώνιε παῖ, τῆς ἀμφιρύτου

Σαλαμῖνος ἔχων βάθρον ἀγχιάλου,
135

σὲ μὲν εὖ πράσσοντʼ ἐπιχαίρω·

σὲ δʼ ὅταν πληγὴ Διὸς ἢ ζαμενὴς

λόγος ἐκ Δαναῶν κακόθρους ἐπιβῇ,

μέγαν ὄκνον ἔχω καὶ πεφόβημαι

πτηνῆς ὡς ὄμμα πελείας.
140

ὡς καὶ τῆς νῦν φθιμένης νυκτὸς

μεγάλοι θόρυβοι κατέχουσʼ ἡμᾶς

ἐπὶ δυσκλείᾳ, σὲ τὸν ἱππομανῆ

λειμῶνʼ ἐπιβάντʼ ὀλέσαι Δαναῶν

βοτὰ καὶ λείαν,
145

ἥπερ δορίληπτος ἔτʼ ἦν λοιπή,

κτείνοντʼ αἴθωνι σιδήρῳ.

τοιούσδε λόγους ψιθύρους πλάσσων

εἰς ὦτα φέρει πᾶσιν Ὀδυσσεύς,

καὶ σφόδρα πείθει· περὶ γὰρ σοῦ νῦν
150

εὔπειστα λέγει, καὶ πᾶς ὁ κλύων

τοῦ λέξαντος χαίρει μᾶλλον

τοῖς σοῖς ἄχεσιν καθυβρίζων.

τῶν γὰρ μεγάλων ψυχῶν ἱεὶς

οὐκ ἂν ἁμάρτοις· κατὰ δʼ ἄν τις ἐμοῦ
155

τοιαῦτα λέγων οὐκ ἂν πείθοι·

πρὸς γὰρ τὸν ἔχονθʼ ὁ φθόνος ἕρπει.

καίτοι σμικροὶ μεγάλων χωρὶς

σφαλερὸν πύργου ῥῦμα πέλονται·

μετὰ γὰρ μεγάλων βαιὸς ἄριστʼ ἂν
160

καὶ μέγας ὀρθοῖθʼ ὑπὸ μικροτέρων.

ἀλλʼ οὐ δυνατὸν τοὺς ἀνοήτους

τούτων γνώμας προδιδάσκειν.

ὑπὸ τοιούτων ἀνδρῶν θορυβεῖ

χἠμεῖς οὐδὲν σθένομεν πρὸς ταῦτʼ
165

ἀπαλέξασθαι σοῦ χωρίς, ἄναξ.

ἀλλʼ ὅτε γὰρ δὴ τὸ σὸν ὄμμʼ ἀπέδραν,

παταγοῦσιν ἅπερ πτηνῶν ἀγέλαι·

μέγαν αἰγυπιὸν δʼ ὑποδείσαντες

τάχʼ ἂν ἐξαίφνης, εἰ σὺ φανείης,
170

σιγῇ πτήξειαν ἄφωνοι.

Translations (5)

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 1 focus

Oft have I seen thee, Laërtiades,
1

Intent on some surprisal of thy foes;
1

As now I find thee by the seaward camp,

Where Aias holds the last place in your line,

Lingering in quest, and scanning the fresh print

Of his late footsteps, to be certified

If he keep house or no. Right well thy sense

Hath led thee forth, like some keen hound of Sparta!

The man is even but now come home, his head
5

And slaughterous hands reeking with ardent toil.
5

Thou, then, no longer strain thy gaze within

Yon gateway, but declare what eager chase

Thou followest, that a god may give thee light.

ODYSSEUS

Athena, ’tis thy voice! Dearest in heaven,

How well discerned and welcome to my soul

From that dim distance doth thine utterance fly

In tones as of Tyrrhenian trumpet clang!
15

Rightly hast thou divined mine errand here,
15

Beating this ground for Aias of the shield,
15

The lion-quarry whom I track to day.

For he hath wrought on us to night a deed

Past thought—if he be doer of this thing;

We drift in ignorant doubt, unsatisfied—

And I unbidden have bound me to this toil.

Brief time hath flown since suddenly we knew

That all our gathered spoil was reaved and slaughtered,

Flocks, herds, and herdmen, by some human hand,

All tongues, then, lay this deed at Aias’ door.

And one, a scout who had marked him, all alone,

With new-fleshed weapon bounding o’er the plain,
20

Gave me to know it, when immediately
20

I darted on the trail, and here in part

I find some trace to guide me, but in part

I halt, amazed, and know not where to look.

Thou com’st full timely. For my venturous course,

Past or to come, is governed by thy will.

ATH

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 1 focus

Zu jeder Stunde treff' ich dich, Laertes' Sohn,¹
1

Wie du, den Feind zu greifen, seine Fährt' erspürst;

Auch nun gewahr' ich, wie du hier am Schiffsgezelt²

Des Ajas, der des Lagers lezte Reihe hält,

Schon lange schleichst und lauerst und von seinem Tritt
5

Die frischgeprägten Spuren prüfst, um auszuspäh'n,

Ob innen er, ob außen: glücklich führt dich auch

Dein Schritt an's Ziel, scharfwitternd, gleich dem Sparterhund.³

Denn eben ist er innen, und von Schweiße triest

Das Haupt des Mannes und die mordbewehrte Hand.
10

Und nöthig hast du weiter nicht, am Thore hier

Hineinzulauschen; aber sprich, warum du so

Voll Eifer spähtest, gerne geb' ich dir Bescheid.

Odysseus.

O Stimm' Athene's, Göttin, mir vor allen lieb!

Denn deutlich tönt mir, sieht dich auch mein Auge nicht,
15

Dein Ruf; mein Herz ergreift er, gleich tyrrhenischer⁴

Drommeten Schalle, welcher tönt aus Erzesmund.

Auch jezt (du sahest richtig) kreist um einen Feind⁵

Mein Schritt, um Ajas, den der Riesenschild bedeckt;

Nach ihm, und keinem Andern, spür' ich lange schon.
20

Er hat ein unerhörtes Werk in dieser Nacht

An uns vollendet, ward von ihm die That verübt;

Denn nichts Gewisses wissen wir und schwanken noch;

Ich übernahm freiwillig diesen Späherdienst.

Denn hingeschlachtet finden wir jezt eben erst
25

Die Beuteheerden allzumal, von frevler Hand

Gemordet samt den Hütern auf der Weide dort,

Und Alle wälzen diese Schuld dem Ajas zu.

Auch hat ein Augenzeuge, der das Feld hindurch

Allein mit blutgetränktem Stahl ihn rennen sah,
30

Es mir gesagt und offenbart; ich eile flugs

Des Mannes Spur nach, finde bald ein Zeichen auf,

Bald steh' ich zweifelnd, und gewiß erkenn' ich Nichts.

Du kommst mir recht gelegen; denn in Allem ja,

Wie früher, so auch künftig, lenkt mich deine Hand.
35

Athene.

English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 1 focus

Son of Laertes, thy unwearied spirit
1

Is ever watchful to surprise the foe ;
1

I have observed thee wandering midst the tents

At th' utmost verge, and meas'ring o'er his steps

But late impressed ; like Sparta's hounds of scent

Sagacious dost thou trace him, nor in vain ;
5

For know, the man thou seekst is not far from thee :

Yonder he lies, with reeking brow and hands

Deep-stained with gore ; cease then thy search, and tell

English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 1 focus

Son of Laertes, oft have I observed
1

Thy watchful promptness 'gainst the foe to seize
1

Each fit occasion; and I see thee now

Ranging long time around the naval tent

Marking the fresh impression of his steps,

That thou may'st know if in the tent he rests.

Well hast thou traced him, like the Spartan hound

Of scent sagacious: in the tent he rests,

Sweat from his temples streaming, and his hands
5

With slaughter stain'd; to cast thy searching eye
5

Within these gates is needless; but declare

The cause productive of this anxious toil,

That by my knowledge thou may'st be inform'd.

Ulysses

Ye accents of Minerva, of the gods

Minerva

English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904)) — 1-170 focus

Athena

Always, son of Laertes , have I observed you on the prowl to snatch some means of attack against your enemies. So now at the tent of Ajax by the ships where he has his post at the camp’s outer edge, I watch you
1

for a long time as you hunt and scan his newly pressed tracks, in order to see whether he is inside or away. Your course leads you well to your goal, like that of a keen-scenting Laconian hound. For the man has just now gone in,
5

with sweat dripping from his head and from his hands that have killed with the sword. There is no further need for you to peer inside these doors. Rather tell me what your goal is that you have shown such eagerness for, so that you may learn from her who holds the knowledge.
10

Odysseus

Voice of Athena, dearest to me of the gods,

how clearly, though you are unseen, do I hear your call and snatch its meaning in my mind, just as I would the bronze tongue of the Tyrrhenian trumpet! And now you have discerned correctly that I am circling my path on the track of a man who hates me, Ajax the shield-bearer.
15

It is he and no other that I have been tracking so long. For tonight he has done us a deed beyond comprehension—if he is indeed the doer. We know nothing for certain, but drift in doubt. And so I of my of accord took up the burden of this search.
20

For we recently found all the cattle, our plunder, dead—yes, slaughtered by human hand—and with them the guardians of the flocks.
Now, all men lay responsibility for this crime to him. And further, a scout who had seen him
25

bounding alone over the plain with a newly-wet sword reported to me and declared what he saw. Then immediately I rush upon his track, and sometimes I follow his signs, but sometimes I am bewildered, and cannot read whose they are. Your arrival is timely, for truly in all matters, both those of the past
30

and those of the future, it is your hand that steers me.
35

Athena

I know it, Odysseus, and some time ago I came on the path as a lookout friendly to your hunt.

Odysseus

And so, dear mistress, do I toil to good effect?

Athena

Know that that man is the doer of these deeds.

Odysseus

Then to what end did he thrust his hand so senselessly?
40

Athena

He was mad with anger over the arms of Achilles.

Odysseus

Why, then, his onslaught upon the flocks?

Athena

It was in your blood, he thought, that he was staining his hand.

Odysseus

Then was this a plot aimed against the Greeks?

Athena

Yes, and he would have accomplished it, too, had I not been attentive.
45

Odysseus

And what reckless boldness was in his mind that he dared this?

Athena

Under night’s cover he set out against you, by stealth and alone.

Odysseus

And did he get near us? Did he reach his goal?

Athena

He was already at the double doors of the two generals.

Odysseus

How, then, did he restrain his hand when it was eager for murder?
50

Athena

It was I who prevented him, by casting over his eyes oppressive notions of his fatal joy, and I who turned his fury aside on the flocks of sheep and the confused droves guarded by herdsmen, the spoil which you had not yet divided.

Then he fell upon them and kept cutting out a slaughter of many horned beasts as he split their spines in a circle around him. At one time he thought that he was killing the two Atreidae, holding them in his very hand; at another time it was this commander, and at another that one which he attacked. And I, while the man ran about in diseased frenzy,
55

I kept urging him on, kept hurling him into the snares of doom. Soon, when he rested from this toil, he bound together the living oxen along with with all the sheep and brought them home, as though his quarry were men, not well-horned cattle. And now he abuses them, bound together, in the house.
But to you also will I show this madness openly, so that when you have seen it you may proclaim it to all the Argives. Be of good courage and stand your ground, and do not regard the man as a cause of disaster for you. I will turn away the beams of his eyes
60

and keep them from landing on your face.
70
To Ajax.

You there, you who bind back your captive’s arms, I am calling you, come here! I am calling Ajax! Come out in front of the house!

Odysseus

What are you doing, Athena? Do not call him out.

Athena

Hold your peace! Do not earn a reputation for cowardice!
75

Odysseus

No, by the gods, let it content you that he stay inside.

Athena

What is the danger? Was he not a man before?

Odysseus

Yes, a man hostile to me in the past, and especially now.

Athena

And is not the sweetest mockery the mockery of enemies?

Odysseus

I am content that he stay within his tent.
80

Athena

Do you fear to see a madman right before your eyes?

Odysseus

I would not shrink from him in fear, if he were sane.

Athena

But he will not see you now, even though you stand nearby.

Odysseus

How could that be, if he still sees with the same eyes?

Athena

I shall darken them, though their sight is keen.
85

Odysseus

It is true: all is possible when a god contrives.

Athena

Stand silent, then, and stay where you are.

Odysseus

I must stay. But I would prefer to be far from here!

Athena

You there, Ajax, once again I call you! Why do you show so little regard for your ally?

Enter Ajax, holding a blood-stained whip in his hand.

Ajax

Welcome, Athena! Welcome, daughter sprung from Zeus! How well have you stood by me! I will crown you with trophies of pure gold in gratitude for this quarry!

Athena

A fine pledge. But tell me this—have you dyed your sword well in the Greek army?

Ajax

I can make that boast. I do not deny it.

Athena

And have you launched your armed hand against the Atreidae?

Ajax

Yes, so that never again will they dishonor Ajax.

Athena

The men are dead, as I interpret your words.

Ajax

Dead they are. Now let them rob me of my arms!
100

101

Athena

I see. And the son of Laertes , how does his fortune with respect to you? Has he escaped you?

Ajax

That blasted fox! You ask me where he is?

Athena

Yes, I do. I mean Odysseus, your adversary.

Ajax

My most pleasing prisoner, mistress, he sits inside. I do not wish him to die just yet.
105

Athena

Until you do what? Or win what greater advantage?

Ajax

Until he be bound to a pillar beneath my roof—

Athena

What evil, then, will you inflict on the poor man?

Ajax

—and have his back crimsoned by the lash, before he dies.
110

Athena

Do not abuse the poor man so cruelly!

Ajax

In all else, Athena, I bid you take your pleasure, but he will pay this penalty and no other.

Athena

Well, then, since it delights you to do so, put your arm to use; spare no portion of your plan.

Ajax

I go to my work. And I give you this commission: be always for me the close-standing ally that you have been for me today!

Exit Ajax.

Athena

Do you see, Odysseus, how great is the strength of the gods? Whom could you have found more prudent than this man,

or better able to do what the situation demanded?
120

Odysseus

I know of no one, but in his misery I pity him all the same, even though he hates me, because he is yoked beneath a ruinous delusion—I think of my own lot no less than his.

For I see that all we who live are nothing more than phantoms or fleeting shadow.
125

Athena

Therefore since you witness his fate, see that you yourself never utter an arrogant word against the gods, nor assume any swelling pride, if in the scales of fate you are weightier

than another in strength of hand or in depth of ample wealth. For a day can press down all human things, and a day can raise them up. But the gods embrace men of sense and abhor the evil.
130
Exit Odysseus and Athena.

134

Enter the Chorus of Salaminian Sailors, followers of Ajax.

Chorus

Son of Telamon, you who hold

your throne on wave-washed Salamis near the open sea, when your fortune is fair, I rejoice with you. But whenever the stroke of Zeus, or the raging rumor of the Danaans with the clamor of their evil tongues attacks you, then I shrink with great fear and shudder in terror,
135

like the fluttering eye of the winged dove.
Just so with the passing of the night loud tumults oppressed us to our dishonor, telling how you visited the meadow wild with horses and destroyed
140

the cattle of the Greeks, their spoil, prizes of the spear which had not yet been shared, how you killed them with flashing iron.
Such are the whispered slanders that Odysseus moulds and breathes into the ears of all,
145

and he wins much belief. For now he tells tales concerning you that easily win belief, and each hearer rejoices with spiteful scorn at your burdens more than he who told.
Point your shaft at a noble spirit,
150

and you could not miss; but if a man were to speak such things against me, he would win no belief. It is on the powerful that envy creeps. Yet the small without the great are a teetering tower of defence.
155

For the lowly stand most upright and prosperous when allied with the great, and the great when served by less.
But foolish men cannot learn good precepts in these matters beforehand. It is men of this sort that subject you to tumult, and
160

we lack the power to repel these charges without you, O King. For when they have escaped your eye, they chatter like flocking birds. But, terrified by a mighty vulture,
165

perhaps, if you should appear, they would quickly cower without voice in silence.
170

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

134-200

167-171

172-200

Current edition Experimental

ΑΘΗΝΑ ἐγνων, Ὀδυσσεῦ, καὶ πάλαι φύλαξ ἔβην τῇ σῇ πρόθυμος εἰς ὁδὸν κυνηγίᾳ.

ΟΔΥΣΣΕΥΣ ἦ καὶ, φίλη δέσποινα, πρὸς καιρὸν πονῶ;

ΑΘΗΝΑ Ὡς ἔστιν ἀνδρὸς τοῦδε τἄργα ταῦτά σοι.

ΟΔΥΣΣΕΥΣ Καὶ πρὸς τί δυςλόγιστον ὧδ’ ᾖξεν χέρα; 40

ΑΘΗΝΑ Χόλῳ βαρυνθεὶς τῶν Ἀχιλλείων ὅπλων.

ΟΔΥΣΣΕΥΣ Τί δῆτα ποίμναις τήνδ’ ἐπεμπίπτει βάσιν;

ΑΘΗΝΑ Δοκῶν ὲν ὑμῖν χεῖρα χραίνεσθαι φόνῳ.

ΟΔΥΣΣΕΥΣ ἦ καὶ τὸ βούλευμ’ ὡς ἐπ’ Ἀργείοις τόδ’ ἦν;

ΑΘΗΝΑ Κὰν ὲξἐπραξεν, εἰ κατημέλησ’ ἐγώ. 45

ΟΔΥΣΣΕΥΣ Ποίαισι τόλμαις ταῖςδε καὶ φρενῶν θράσει;

ΑΘΗΝΑ Νύκτωρ ὲφ’ ὑμάς δόλιος ὁρμᾶται μόνος.

ΟΔΥΣΣΕΥΣ Ἡ καὶ παρέστη κἀπὶ τἐρμ’ ἀφίκετο;

ΑΘΗΝΑ Καὶ δὴ ’πὶ δισσαῖς ἦν στρατηγίσιν πύλαις.

ΟΔΥΣΣΕΥΣ Καὶ πῶς ἐπέσχε χεῖρα μαιμῶσαν φόνου; 50

ΟΔΥΣΣΕΥΣ Τί δρᾷς, Ἀθάνα; μηδαμῶς σφ’ ἔξω κάλει.

ΑΘΗΝΑ Οὐ σῖγ’ ἀνέξει, μηδὲ δειλίαν ἀρεῖς; 75

ΟΔΥΣΣΕΥΣ μὴ πρὸς θεῶν· ἀλλ’ ἔνδον ἀρκείτω μένων.

ΑΘΗΝΑ Τί μὴ γένηται; πρόςθεν οὐκ ἀνὴρ ὅδ’ ἦν;

ΟΔΥΣΣΕΥΣ ἐχθρός γε τῷδε τἀνδρὶ καὶ τανῦν ἔτι.

ΑΘΗΝΑ Οὔκουν γέλως ἥδιστος εἰς ἐχθροὺς γελᾷν;

ΟΔΥΣΣΕΥΣ ἐμοὶ μὲν ἀρκεῖ τοῦτον ὲν δόμοις μένειν. 80

ΑΘΗΝΑ Μεμῃνότ’ ἄνδρα περιφανῶς ὀκνεῖς ἰδεῖν;

ΟΔΥΣΣΕΥΣ Φρονοῦντα γάρ νιν οὐκ ἂν ἐξέστην ὄκνῳ.

ΑΘΗΝΑ Ἀλλ’ οὐδὲ νῦν σε μὴ παρόντ’ ἴδῃ πέλας.

ΟΔΥΣΣΕΥΣ Πῶς, εἴπερ ὀφθαλμοῖς γε τοῖς αὐτοῖς ὁρᾷ;

ΑΘΗΝΑ ἐγὼ σκοτώσω βλέφαρα καὶ δεδορκότα. 85

ΟΔΥΣΣΕΥΣ Γένοιτο μέντ’ ἂν πᾶν, θεοῦ τεχνωμένου.

ΑΘΗΝΑ Σίγα νυν ἑστὼς καὶ μέν’ ὡς κυρεῖς ἔχων.

ΟΔΥΣΣΕΥΣ Μένοιμ’ ἄν· ἤθελον δ’ ἂν ἐκτὸς ὢν τυχεῖν.

ΑΘΗΝΑ ὦ οὗτος, Αἴας, δεύτερόν σε προςκαλῶ. τί βαιὸν οὕτως ἐντρέπει τῆς ξυμμάχου; 90

ΑΙΑΣ Κόμπος πάρεστι κοὐκ ἀπαρνοῦμαι τὸ μή.

ΑΘΗΝΑ ἦ καὶ πρὸς Ἀτρείδαισιν ᾔχμασας χέρα;

ΑΙΑΣ ὥστ’ οὔποτ’ Αἴαντ’ οἵδ’ ἀτιμάσουσ’ ἔτι.

ΑΘΗΝΑ τεθνᾶσιν ἅνδρες, ὡς τὸ σὸν ζυνὴκ’ ἐγώ;

ΑΙΑΣ Θανόντες ἤδη τἄμ’ ἀφαιρείσθων ὅπλα. 100

ΑΘΗΝΑ εἶεν· τί γὰρ δὴ παῖς ὁ τοῦ Λαερτίου; ποῦ σοι τύχης ἕστηκεν; ἢ πέφευγέ σε;

ΑΙΑΣ ἦ τοὐπίτριπτον κίναδος ἐξήρου μ’, ὅπου;

ΑΘΗΝΑ Ἔγωγ’· Ὀδυσσέα, τὸν σὸν ἐνστάτην, λέγω.

ΑΙΑΣ ἥδιστος, ὦ δέσποινα, δεσμώτης ἔσω 105 θακεῖ· θανεῖν γὰρ αὐτὸν οὔ τί πω θέλω.

ΑΘΗΝΑ Πρὶν ἂν τί δρόσης ἢ τί κερδάνῃς πλέον;

ΑΙΑΣ Πρὶν ἂν δεθεὶς πρὸς κίον’ ἑρκείου στέγης —

ΑΘΗΝΑ Τί δῆτα τὸν δύστηνον ἐργάσει κακόν;

ΑΙΑΣ Μάστιγι πρῶτον νῶτα φοινιχθεὶς θάνῃ. 110

ΑΘΗΝΑ Mὴ δῆτα τὸν δύστηνον ὧδέ γ’ αἰκίσῃ.

ΑΙΑΣ Χαίρειν, Ἀθάνα, τἄλλ’ ἐγώ σ’ ἐφίεμαι, κεῖνος δὲ τίσει τήνδε κοὐκ ἄλλην δίκην.

ΑΘΗΝΑ Σὺ δ’ οὖν, ἐπειδὴ τέρψις ἥδε σοι τὸ δρᾷν, χρῶ χειρί· φείδου μηδὲν ὧνπερ ὲννοεῖς. 115

ΑΙΑΣ Χωρῶ πρὸς ἔργον· τοῦτό σοι δ’ ἐφίεμαι, τοιάνδ’ ἀεί μοι ξύμμαχον παρεστάναι.

ΑΘΗΝΑ Ὁρᾷς, Ὀδυσσεῦ, τὴν θεῶν ἰσχὺν, ὅση; τούτου τις ἄν σοι τἀνδρὸς ἢ προνούστερος, ἢ δρᾷν ἀμείνων εὑρέθη τὰ καίρια; 120

Ἀθήνα ἔγνων, Ὀδυσσεῦ, καὶ πάλαι φύλαξ ἔβην τῇ σῇ πρόθυμος εἰς ὁδὸν κυναγίᾳ.

Ὀδυσσεύς ἦ καί, φίλη δέσποινα, πρὸς καιρὸν πονῶ;

Ἀθήνα ὡς ἔστιν ἀνδρὸς τοῦδε τἄργα ταῦτά σοι.

Ὀδυσσεύς καὶ πρὸς τί δυσλόγιστον ὧδʼ ᾖξεν χέρα; 40

Ἀθήνα χόλῳ βαρυνθεὶς τῶν Ἀχιλλείων ὅπλων.

Ὀδυσσεύς τί δῆτα ποίμναις τήνδʼ ἐπεμπίπτει βάσιν;

Ἀθήνα δοκῶν ἐν ὑμῖν χεῖρα χραίνεσθαι φόνῳ.

Ὀδυσσεύς ἦ καὶ τὸ βούλευμʼ ὡς ἐπʼ Ἀργείοις τόδʼ ἦν;

Ἀθήνα κἂν ἐξέπραξεν, εἰ κατημέλησʼ ἐγώ. 45

Ὀδυσσεύς ποίαισι τόλμαις ταῖσδε καὶ φρενῶν θράσει;

Ἀθήνα νύκτωρ ἐφʼ ὑμᾶς δόλιος ὁρμᾶται μόνος.

Ὀδυσσεύς ἦ καὶ παρέστη κἀπὶ τέρμʼ ἀφίκετο; 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

Ἀθήνα καὶ δὴ ʼπὶ δισσαῖς ἦν στρατηγίσιν πύλαις.

Ὀδυσσεύς καὶ πῶς ἐπέσχε χεῖρα μαιμῶσαν φόνου; 50

Ὀδυσσεύς τί δρᾷς, Ἀθάνα; μηδαμῶς σφʼ ἔξω κάλει.

Ἀθήνα οὐ σῖγʼ ἀνέξῃ μηδὲ δειλίαν ἀρῇ 75 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

Ὀδυσσεύς μὴ πρὸς θεῶν· ἀλλʼ ἔνδον ἀρκείτω μένων.

Ἀθήνα τί μὴ γένηται; πρόσθεν οὐκ ἀνὴρ ὅδʼ ἦν;

Ὀδυσσεύς ἐχθρός γε τῷδε τἀνδρὶ καὶ τανῦν ἔτι.

Ἀθήνα οὔκουν γέλως ἥδιστος εἰς ἐχθροὺς γελᾶν;

Ὀδυσσεύς ἐμοὶ μὲν ἀρκεῖ τοῦτον ἐν δόμοις μένειν. 80

Ἀθήνα μεμηνότʼ ἄνδρα περιφανῶς ὀκνεῖς ἰδεῖν;

Ὀδυσσεύς φρονοῦντα γάρ νιν οὐκ ἂν ἐξέστην ὄκνῳ.

Ἀθήνα ἀλλʼ οὐδὲ νῦν σε μὴ παρόντʼ ἴδῃ πέλας.

Ὀδυσσεύς πῶς, εἴπερ ὀφθαλμοῖς γε τοῖς αὐτοῖς ὁρᾷ;

Ἀθήνα ἐγὼ σκοτώσω βλέφαρα καὶ δεδορκότα. 85

ΑΘΗΝΑ

ἐγνων, Ὀδυσσεῦ, καὶ πάλαι φύλαξ ἔβην

τῇ σῇ πρόθυμος εἰς ὁδὸν κυνηγίᾳ.

ΟΔΥΣΣΕΥΣ

ἦ καὶ, φίλη δέσποινα, πρὸς καιρὸν πονῶ;

ΑΘΗΝΑ

Ὡς ἔστιν ἀνδρὸς τοῦδε τἄργα ταῦτά σοι.

ΟΔΥΣΣΕΥΣ

Καὶ πρὸς τί δυςλόγιστον ὧδ’ ᾖξεν χέρα;
40

ΑΘΗΝΑ

Χόλῳ βαρυνθεὶς τῶν Ἀχιλλείων ὅπλων.

ΟΔΥΣΣΕΥΣ

Τί δῆτα ποίμναις τήνδ’ ἐπεμπίπτει βάσιν;

ΑΘΗΝΑ

Δοκῶν ὲν ὑμῖν χεῖρα χραίνεσθαι φόνῳ.

ΟΔΥΣΣΕΥΣ

ἦ καὶ τὸ βούλευμ’ ὡς ἐπ’ Ἀργείοις τόδ’ ἦν;

ΑΘΗΝΑ

Κὰν ὲξἐπραξεν, εἰ κατημέλησ’ ἐγώ.
45

ΟΔΥΣΣΕΥΣ

Ποίαισι τόλμαις ταῖςδε καὶ φρενῶν θράσει;

ΑΘΗΝΑ

Νύκτωρ ὲφ’ ὑμάς δόλιος ὁρμᾶται μόνος.

ΟΔΥΣΣΕΥΣ

Ἡ καὶ παρέστη κἀπὶ τἐρμ’ ἀφίκετο;

ΑΘΗΝΑ

Καὶ δὴ ’πὶ δισσαῖς ἦν στρατηγίσιν πύλαις.

ΟΔΥΣΣΕΥΣ

Καὶ πῶς ἐπέσχε χεῖρα μαιμῶσαν φόνου;
50

ΟΔΥΣΣΕΥΣ

Τί δρᾷς, Ἀθάνα; μηδαμῶς σφ’ ἔξω κάλει.

ΑΘΗΝΑ

Οὐ σῖγ’ ἀνέξει, μηδὲ δειλίαν ἀρεῖς;
75

ΟΔΥΣΣΕΥΣ

μὴ πρὸς θεῶν· ἀλλ’ ἔνδον ἀρκείτω μένων.

ΑΘΗΝΑ

Τί μὴ γένηται; πρόςθεν οὐκ ἀνὴρ ὅδ’ ἦν;

ΟΔΥΣΣΕΥΣ

ἐχθρός γε τῷδε τἀνδρὶ καὶ τανῦν ἔτι.

ΑΘΗΝΑ

Οὔκουν γέλως ἥδιστος εἰς ἐχθροὺς γελᾷν;

ΟΔΥΣΣΕΥΣ

ἐμοὶ μὲν ἀρκεῖ τοῦτον ὲν δόμοις μένειν.
80

ΑΘΗΝΑ

Μεμῃνότ’ ἄνδρα περιφανῶς ὀκνεῖς ἰδεῖν;

ΟΔΥΣΣΕΥΣ

Φρονοῦντα γάρ νιν οὐκ ἂν ἐξέστην ὄκνῳ.

ΑΘΗΝΑ

Ἀλλ’ οὐδὲ νῦν σε μὴ παρόντ’ ἴδῃ πέλας.

ΟΔΥΣΣΕΥΣ

Πῶς, εἴπερ ὀφθαλμοῖς γε τοῖς αὐτοῖς ὁρᾷ;

ΑΘΗΝΑ

ἐγὼ σκοτώσω βλέφαρα καὶ δεδορκότα.
85

ΟΔΥΣΣΕΥΣ

Γένοιτο μέντ’ ἂν πᾶν, θεοῦ τεχνωμένου.

ΑΘΗΝΑ

Σίγα νυν ἑστὼς καὶ μέν’ ὡς κυρεῖς ἔχων.

ΟΔΥΣΣΕΥΣ

Μένοιμ’ ἄν· ἤθελον δ’ ἂν ἐκτὸς ὢν τυχεῖν.

ΑΘΗΝΑ

ὦ οὗτος, Αἴας, δεύτερόν σε προςκαλῶ.

τί βαιὸν οὕτως ἐντρέπει τῆς ξυμμάχου;
90

ΑΙΑΣ

Κόμπος πάρεστι κοὐκ ἀπαρνοῦμαι τὸ μή.

ΑΘΗΝΑ

ἦ καὶ πρὸς Ἀτρείδαισιν ᾔχμασας χέρα;

ΑΙΑΣ

ὥστ’ οὔποτ’ Αἴαντ’ οἵδ’ ἀτιμάσουσ’ ἔτι.

ΑΘΗΝΑ

τεθνᾶσιν ἅνδρες, ὡς τὸ σὸν ζυνὴκ’ ἐγώ;

ΑΙΑΣ

Θανόντες ἤδη τἄμ’ ἀφαιρείσθων ὅπλα.
100

ΑΘΗΝΑ

εἶεν· τί γὰρ δὴ παῖς ὁ τοῦ Λαερτίου;

ποῦ σοι τύχης ἕστηκεν; ἢ πέφευγέ σε;

ΑΙΑΣ

ἦ τοὐπίτριπτον κίναδος ἐξήρου μ’, ὅπου;

ΑΘΗΝΑ

Ἔγωγ’· Ὀδυσσέα, τὸν σὸν ἐνστάτην, λέγω.

ΑΙΑΣ

ἥδιστος, ὦ δέσποινα, δεσμώτης ἔσω
105

θακεῖ· θανεῖν γὰρ αὐτὸν οὔ τί πω θέλω.

ΑΘΗΝΑ

Πρὶν ἂν τί δρόσης ἢ τί κερδάνῃς πλέον;

ΑΙΑΣ

Πρὶν ἂν δεθεὶς πρὸς κίον’ ἑρκείου στέγης —

ΑΘΗΝΑ

Τί δῆτα τὸν δύστηνον ἐργάσει κακόν;

ΑΙΑΣ

Μάστιγι πρῶτον νῶτα φοινιχθεὶς θάνῃ.
110

ΑΘΗΝΑ

Mὴ δῆτα τὸν δύστηνον ὧδέ γ’ αἰκίσῃ.

ΑΙΑΣ

Χαίρειν, Ἀθάνα, τἄλλ’ ἐγώ σ’ ἐφίεμαι,

κεῖνος δὲ τίσει τήνδε κοὐκ ἄλλην δίκην.

ΑΘΗΝΑ

Σὺ δ’ οὖν, ἐπειδὴ τέρψις ἥδε σοι τὸ δρᾷν,

χρῶ χειρί· φείδου μηδὲν ὧνπερ ὲννοεῖς.
115

ΑΙΑΣ

Χωρῶ πρὸς ἔργον· τοῦτό σοι δ’ ἐφίεμαι,

τοιάνδ’ ἀεί μοι ξύμμαχον παρεστάναι.

ΑΘΗΝΑ

Ὁρᾷς, Ὀδυσσεῦ, τὴν θεῶν ἰσχὺν, ὅση;

τούτου τις ἄν σοι τἀνδρὸς ἢ προνούστερος,

ἢ δρᾷν ἀμείνων εὑρέθη τὰ καίρια;
120

Ἀθήνα

ἔγνων, Ὀδυσσεῦ, καὶ πάλαι φύλαξ ἔβην

τῇ σῇ πρόθυμος εἰς ὁδὸν κυναγίᾳ.

Ὀδυσσεύς

ἦ καί, φίλη δέσποινα, πρὸς καιρὸν πονῶ;

Ἀθήνα

ὡς ἔστιν ἀνδρὸς τοῦδε τἄργα ταῦτά σοι.

Ὀδυσσεύς

καὶ πρὸς τί δυσλόγιστον ὧδʼ ᾖξεν χέρα;
40

Ἀθήνα

χόλῳ βαρυνθεὶς τῶν Ἀχιλλείων ὅπλων.

Ὀδυσσεύς

τί δῆτα ποίμναις τήνδʼ ἐπεμπίπτει βάσιν;

Ἀθήνα

δοκῶν ἐν ὑμῖν χεῖρα χραίνεσθαι φόνῳ.

Ὀδυσσεύς

ἦ καὶ τὸ βούλευμʼ ὡς ἐπʼ Ἀργείοις τόδʼ ἦν;

Ἀθήνα

κἂν ἐξέπραξεν, εἰ κατημέλησʼ ἐγώ.
45

Ὀδυσσεύς

ποίαισι τόλμαις ταῖσδε καὶ φρενῶν θράσει;

Ἀθήνα

νύκτωρ ἐφʼ ὑμᾶς δόλιος ὁρμᾶται μόνος.

Ὀδυσσεύς

ἦ καὶ παρέστη κἀπὶ τέρμʼ ἀφίκετο;

³⁴⁵⁶⁷⁸⁹¹⁰¹¹¹²¹³¹⁴

Ἀθήνα

καὶ δὴ ʼπὶ δισσαῖς ἦν στρατηγίσιν πύλαις.

Ὀδυσσεύς

καὶ πῶς ἐπέσχε χεῖρα μαιμῶσαν φόνου;
50

Ὀδυσσεύς

τί δρᾷς, Ἀθάνα; μηδαμῶς σφʼ ἔξω κάλει.

Ἀθήνα

οὐ σῖγʼ ἀνέξῃ μηδὲ δειλίαν ἀρῇ
75
¹⁵¹⁶¹⁷¹⁸¹⁹²⁰²¹²²²³²⁴²⁵

Ὀδυσσεύς

μὴ πρὸς θεῶν· ἀλλʼ ἔνδον ἀρκείτω μένων.

Ἀθήνα

τί μὴ γένηται; πρόσθεν οὐκ ἀνὴρ ὅδʼ ἦν;

Ὀδυσσεύς

ἐχθρός γε τῷδε τἀνδρὶ καὶ τανῦν ἔτι.

Ἀθήνα

οὔκουν γέλως ἥδιστος εἰς ἐχθροὺς γελᾶν;

Ὀδυσσεύς

ἐμοὶ μὲν ἀρκεῖ τοῦτον ἐν δόμοις μένειν.
80

Ἀθήνα

μεμηνότʼ ἄνδρα περιφανῶς ὀκνεῖς ἰδεῖν;

Ὀδυσσεύς

φρονοῦντα γάρ νιν οὐκ ἂν ἐξέστην ὄκνῳ.

Ἀθήνα

ἀλλʼ οὐδὲ νῦν σε μὴ παρόντʼ ἴδῃ πέλας.

Ὀδυσσεύς

πῶς, εἴπερ ὀφθαλμοῖς γε τοῖς αὐτοῖς ὁρᾷ;

Ἀθήνα

ἐγὼ σκοτώσω βλέφαρα καὶ δεδορκότα.
85

Ὀδυσσεύς

γένοιτο μέντἂν πᾶν θεοῦ τεχνωμένου.

Ἀθήνα

σίγα νυν ἑστὼς καὶ μένʼ ὡς κυρεῖς ἔχων.

Ὀδυσσεύς

μένοιμʼ ἄν· ἤθελον δʼ ἂν ἐκτὸς ὢν τυχεῖν.

Ἀθήνα

ὦ οὗτος, Αἴας, δεύτερόν σε προσκαλῶ.

τί βαιὸν οὕτως ἐντρέπῃ τῆς συμμάχου;
90

Αἴας

ὦ χαῖρʼ Ἀθάνα, χαῖρε Διογενὲς τέκνον,

ὡς εὖ παρέστης· καί σε παγχρύσοις ἐγὼ

στέψω λαφύροις τῆσδε τῆς ἄγρας χάριν.

Ἀθήνα

καλῶς ἔλεξας. ἀλλʼ ἐκεῖνό μοι φράσον,

ἔβαψας ἔγχος εὖ πρὸς Ἀργείων στρατῷ;
95