Ajax Poetry in Trans

Joseph Laughman /
  • Created on 2018-05-06 04:51:31
  • Modified on 2018-05-06 08:05:31
  • Translated by Joseph Laughman - Poetry in Translation
  • Aligned by Joseph Laughman
Ajax Trans Alignment https://www.poetryintranslation.com/PITBR/Greek/Ajax.php
Ἑλληνική Transliterate
English
Χορός
525 Αἴας , ἔχειν σ᾽ ἂν οἶκτον ὡς κἀγὼ φρενὶ
θέλοιμ᾽ ἄν : αἰνοίης γὰρ ἂν τὰ τῆσδ᾽ ἔπη .
Αἴας
καὶ κάρτ᾽ ἐπαίνου τεύξεται πρὸς γοῦν ἐμοῦ ,
ἐὰν μόνον τὸ ταχθὲν εὖ τολμᾷ τελεῖν .
Τέκμησσ
ἀλλ᾽ ὦ φίλ᾽ Αἴας , πάντ᾽ ἔγωγε πείσομαι .
Αἴας
530 κόμιζέ νύν μοι παῖδα τὸν ἐμόν , ὡς ἴδω .
Τέκμησσα
καὶ μὴν φόβοισί γ᾽ αὐτὸν ἐξελυσάμην .
Αἴας
ἐν τοῖσδε τοῖς κακοῖσιν ; ἢ τί μοι λέγεις ;
Τέκμησσα
μὴ σοί γέ που δύστηνος ἀντήσας θάνοι .
Αἴας
πρέπον γέ τἂν ἦν δαίμονος τοὐμοῦ τόδε .
Τέκμησσα
535 ἀλλ᾽ οὖν ἐγὼ ' φύλαξα τοῦτό γ᾽ ἀρκέσαι .
Αἴας
ἐπῄνεσ᾽ ἔργον καὶ πρόνοιαν ἣν ἔθου .
Τέκμησσα
τί δῆτ᾽ ἂν ὡς ἐκ τῶνδ᾽ ἂν ὠφελοῖμί σε ;
Αἴας
δός μοι προσειπεῖν αὐτὸν ἐμφανῆ τ᾽ ἰδεῖν .
Τέκμησσα
καὶ μὴν πέλας γε προσπόλοις φυλάσσεται .
Αἴας
540 τί δῆτα μέλλει μὴ οὐ παρουσίαν ἔχειν ;
Τέκμησσα
ὦ παῖ , πατὴρ καλεῖ σε . δεῦρο προσπόλων
ἄγ᾽ αὐτὸν ὅσπερ χερσὶν εὐθύνων κυρεῖς .
Αἴας
ἕρποντι φωνεῖς ἢ λελειμμένῳ λόγων ;
Τέκμησσα
καὶ δὴ κομίζει προσπόλων ὅδ᾽ ἐγγύθεν .
Αἴας
545 αἶρ᾽ αὐτόν , αἶρε δεῦρο : ταρβήσει γὰρ οὒ
νεοσφαγῆ που τόνδε προσλεύσσων φόνον ,
εἴπερ δικαίως ἔστ᾽ ἐμὸς τὰ πατρόθεν .
ἀλλ᾽ αὐτίκ᾽ ὠμοῖς αὐτὸν ἐν νόμοις πατρὸς
δεῖ πωλοδαμνεῖν κἀξομοιοῦσθαι φύσιν .
550 ὦ παῖ , γένοιο πατρὸς εὐτυχέστερος ,
τὰ δ᾽ ἄλλ᾽ ὅμοιος : καὶ γένοι᾽ ἂν οὐ κακός .
καίτοι σε καὶ νῦν τοῦτό γε ζηλοῦν ἔχω ,
ὁθούνεκ᾽ οὐδὲν τῶνδ᾽ ἐπαισθάνει κακῶν :
ἐν τῷ φρονεῖν γὰρ μηδὲν ἥδιστος βίος ,
555 τὸ μὴ φρονεῖν γὰρ κάρτ᾽ ἀνώδυνον κακόν
ἕως τὸ χαίρειν καὶ τὸ λυπεῖσθαι μάθῃς .
ὅταν δ᾽ ἵκῃ πρὸς τοῦτο , δεῖ σ᾽ ὅπως πατρὸς
δείξεις ἐν ἐχθροῖς , οἷος ἐξ οἵου ' τράφης .
τέως δὲ κούφοις πνεύμασιν βόσκου , νέαν
ψυχὴν ἀτάλλων , μητρὶ τῇδε χαρμονήν .
560 οὔτοι σ᾽ Ἀχαιῶν , οἶδα , μή τις ὑβρίσῃ
στυγναῖσι λώβαις , οὐδὲ χωρὶς ὄντ᾽ ἐμοῦ .
τοῖον πυλωρὸν φύλακα Τεῦκρον ἀμφί σοι
λείψω τροφῆ τ᾽ ἄοκνον ἔμπα , κεἰ τανῦν
τηλωπὸς οἰχνεῖ , δυσμενῶν θήραν ἔχων .
565 ἀλλ᾽ , ἄνδρες ἀσπιστῆρες , ἐνάλιος λεώς ,
ὑμῖν τε κοινὴν τήνδ᾽ ἐπισκήπτω χάριν ,
κείνῳ τ᾽ ἐμὴν ἀγγείλατ᾽ ἐντολήν , ὅπως
τὸν παῖδα τόνδε πρὸς δόμους ἐμοὺς ἄγων
Τελαμῶνι δείξει μητρί τ᾽ , Ἐριβοίᾳ λέγω ,
570 ὥς σφιν γένηται γηροβοσκὸς εἰσαεί ,
μέχρις οὗ μυχοὺς κίχωσι τοῦ κάτω θεοῦ ,
καὶ τἀμὰ τεύχη μήτ᾽ ἀγωνάρχαι τινὲς
θήσουσ᾽ Ἀχαιοῖς μήθ᾽ ὁ λυμεὼν ἐμός .
ἀλλ᾽ αὐτό μοι σύ , παῖ , λαβὼν ἐπώνυμον ,
575 Εὐρύσακες , ἴσχε διὰ πολυρράφου στρέφων
πόρπακος , ἑπτάβοιον ἄρρηκτον σάκος :
τὰ δ᾽ ἄλλα τεύχη κοίν᾽ ἐμοὶ τεθάψεται .
ἀλλ᾽ ὡς τάχος τὸν παῖδα τόνδ᾽ ἤδη δέχου
καὶ δῶμα πάκτου , μηδ᾽ ἐπισκήνους γόους
580 δάκρυε : κάρτα τοι φιλοίκτιστον γυνή .
πύκαζε θᾶσσον : οὐ πρὸς ἰατροῦ σοφοῦ
θρηνεῖν ἐπῳδὰς πρὸς τομῶντι πήματι .
Χορός
δέδοικ᾽ ἀκούων τήνδε τὴν προθυμίαν :
οὐ γάρ μ᾽ ἀρέσκει γλῶσσά σου τεθηγμένη .
Τέκμησσα
585 ὦ δέσποτ᾽ Αἴας , τί ποτε δρασείεις φρενί ;
Αἴας
μὴ κρῖνε , μὴ ' ξέταζε : σωφρονεῖν καλόν .
Τέκμησσα
οἴμ᾽ ὡς ἀθυμῶ : καί σε πρὸς τοῦ σοῦ τέκνου
καὶ θεῶν ἱκνοῦμαι , μὴ προδοὺς ἡμᾶς γένῃ .
Αἴας
ἄγαν γε λυπεῖς : οὐ κάτοισθ᾽ ἐγὼ θεοῖς
590 ὡς οὐδὲν ἀρκεῖν εἴμ᾽ ὀφειλέτης ἔτι ;
Τέκμησσα
εὔφημα φώνει .
Αἴας
τοῖς ἀκούουσιν λέγε .
Τέκμησσα
σὺ δ᾽ οὐχὶ πείσει ;
Αἴας
πόλλ᾽ ἄγαν ἤδη θροεῖς .
Τέκμησσα
ταρβῶ γάρ , ὦναξ .
Αἴας
οὐ ξυνέρξεθ᾽ ὡς τάχος ;
Τέκμησσα
πρὸς θεῶν , μαλάσσου .
Αἴας
μῶρά μοι δοκεῖς φρονεῖν ,
595 εἰ τοὐμὸν ἦθος ἄρτι παιδεύειν νοεῖς .
Χορός
ὦ κλεινὰ Σαλαμίς , σὺ μέν που
ναίεις ἁλίπλακτος , εὐδαίμων ,
πᾶσιν περίφαντος ἀεί :
600 ἐγὼ δ᾽ ὁ τλάμων παλαιὸς ἀφ᾽ οὗ χρόνος
Ἰδαῖα μίμνων λειμώνι᾽ ἔπαυλα μηνῶν
ἀνήριθμος αἰὲν εὐνῶμαι
605 χρόνῳ τρυχόμενος ,
κακὰν ἐλπίδ᾽ ἔχων
ἔτι μέ ποτ᾽ ἀνύσειν
τὸν ἀπότροπον ἀΐδηλον Ἅιδαν .
Χορός
καί μοι δυσθεράπευτος Αἴας
610 ξύνεστιν ἔφεδρος , ὤμοι μοι ,
θείᾳ μανίᾳ ξύναυλος :
ὃν ἐξεπέμψω πρὶν δή ποτε θουρίῳ
κρατοῦντ᾽ ἐν Ἄρει : νῦν δ᾽ αὖ φρενὸς οἰοβώτας
615 φίλοις μέγα πένθος ηὕρηται .
τὰ πρὶν δ᾽ ἔργα χεροῖν
μεγίστας ἀρετᾶς
620 ἄφιλα παρ᾽ ἀφίλοις
ἔπεσ᾽ ἔπεσε μελέοις Ἀτρείδαις .
Χορός
ἦ που παλαιᾷ μὲν σύντροφος ἁμέρᾳ ,
625 λευκῷ δὲ γήρᾳ μάτηρ νιν ὅταν νοσοῦντα
φρενομόρως ἀκούσῃ ,
αἴλινον αἴλινον
οὐδ᾽ οἰκτρᾶς γόον ὄρνιθος ἀηδοῦς
630 ἥσει δύσμορος , ἀλλ᾽ ὀξυτόνους μὲν ᾠδὰς
θρηνήσει , χερόπλακτοι δ᾽
ἐν στέρνοισι πεσοῦνται
δοῦποι καὶ πολιᾶς ἄμυγμα χαίτας .
Χορός
635 κρείσσων παρ᾽ Ἅιδᾳ κεύθων ὁ νοσῶν μάταν ,
ὃς ἐκ πατρῴας ἥκων γενεᾶς ἄριστος
πολυπόνων Ἀχαιῶν ,
οὐκέτι συντρόφοις
640 ὀργαῖς ἔμπεδος , ἀλλ᾽ ἐκτὸς ὁμιλεῖ .
ὦ τλᾶμον πάτερ , οἵαν σε μένει πυθέσθαι
παιδὸς δύσφορον ἄταν ,
ἃν οὔπω τις ἔθρεψεν
645 αἰὼν Αἰακιδᾶν ἄτερθε τοῦδε .
Chorus
I’d like you Ajax to feel for her , just as I do ! Listen to her , Ajax !
Ajax
I’ll listen to her if she’ll listen to me and do as she’s told !
Tecmessa
My dear Ajax , I shall do whatever you say .
Ajax
Then bring me my son here ! I want to see my son , now !
Tecmessa See your son ? Why ? I’ve sent him away . I was so afraid…
Ajax
Afraid of my madness ? Is that what you mean ?
Tecmessa
Yes , I was afraid you might see him and kill him .
Ajax
That’d be right . Exactly what Fate had in mind for me .
Tecmessa
And that’s exactly what I wanted to prevent .
Ajax
I agree with you . That was wise . You showed good foresight there .
Tecmessa
What about now ? How can I help now ?
Ajax
Bring him here . I want to speak with him , face-to-face .
Tecmessa
Fine , he’s been looked after by his nurse close by .
Ajax
Well then ? Don’t keep me waiting !
Tecmessa
Come , my son ! Your father wants to see you .
You , young lady , yes you , the one who’s holding onto his hand , bring him here .
Ajax Has he heard you ? Is he coming ?
Tecmessa
His attendant is bringing him here right now .
Ajax
Come , lift him up to me . Up here . He won’t get frightened by the sight of spilt blood . Not if he’s a true son of mine !
Tecmessa ,
you’ve got to start training him according to his father’s tough disciplines . Make him as tough as me .
Ah , my son ! My son ! I hope your Fate is better than that of your father’s but I also hope that in every other respect you’ll grow up to be just like him ! If you do , you won’t be called a coward as you grow up !
Still , I envy you as you are right now , my son ! A child ! That’s when life is at its sweetest . Innocent in all respects . You’ve experienced neither joy nor pain yet .
But you will grow up , my boy and when you do , when you do grow up , you’ll have to demonstrate to your enemies just what sort of a man you are , what sort of a man your father was . But , until that time , let the gentle breezes nurture your young spirit , let it feed you and fill your mother here with joy .
Of all the Greeks I know , none will dare attack you with insults , even though I won’t be standing there , next to you because I shall leave behind someone who will watch over you fearlessly . Teucer , who even at this very moment , is out there hunting down enemies !
My friends , my war mates , experts of the ocean , accept my gratitude and my request . Convey my wishes to Teucer , my brother . Tell him to deliver this boy safely to my home . Let Telamon my father and Eriboea , my mother , see him .
Let this boy look after them in their old age . Let him stay with them until the time comes for them to enter the world below .
And as for my shield and the rest of my armour , let them not be the object of some contest or other and let no one be the judge as to who’ll be its new owner , especially not , Odysseus , the man who’s destroyed me .
No , my boy . You take it . You take this broad shield of mine . I’ve named you after it . Eurysaces , Broad Shield . That’s your name , my son . Grab it , hold it by its strong leather strap . Look at it . Isn’t it strong ? Made out of seven hides . Unbreakable !
The rest of my armour… I want to have it buried with me , in my grave .
Come now , woman , quickly take this boy inside and shut the door . Lock it up behind you . I want no tears shed here , in front of the hut .
What endless crying you women do !
Come , now hurry ! Go on , go and shut the doors !
Wise doctors don’t go on chanting lamentations when what’s needed is a sharp knife !
Chorus
This eagerness of yours , Ajax ! It frightens me ! And this angry voice of yours . It worries me .
Tecmessa
My Lord , what’s in that head of yours ? What are you up to ?
Ajax
Ask no questions , be no judge ! Think calmly .
Tecmessa
Ajax ! I am losing all hope !
Ajax , I beg you !
For god’s sake and for the sake of your son , do not abandon us !
Ajax
Gods , woman ? You make me so angry , when you talk like that !
I owe the gods nothing ! Nothing , don’t you understand that ?
Tecmessa
Hush ! Don’t talk like that about the gods !
Ajax
I’d rather talk to those who care .
Tecmessa
Will you not listen to me ?
Ajax
You’ve said too much already !
Tecmessa
Because I’m afraid , my Lord !
Ajax
Go ! Go now and shut the door !
Tecmessa
Please , Ajax , please don’t !
Ajax
What a fool you must be , Tecmessa , if you think you’re going to change my character now !
Chorus
Glorious island Salamis !
In the lap of the sea !
Blessed by the gods !
For many years now I , a poor soldier , wandered aimlessly around the lush valleys of Troy , one month following the next , worn out by the passing of time with only one frightening prospect in mind .
That my wandering paths will lead me to Hades , the destroyer of all .
And for a companion I have Ajax , a man in the grips of an incurable insanity delivered to him by the gods .
O , Salamis ! You’ve sent forth a mighty man , a powerful warrior but that was a long time ago . Now Ajax is a different man . There , alone , his mind feeds on misery and we , his friends grieve for him .
Gone to waste are all his brave deeds on the battlefield .
They have no currency in the hands of the most hated , ungrateful men in the Greek army , our two kings , Atreus’ sons .
And what of his poor mother ? White haired and bent with the many years , what will she do when she hears that her son is stricken by a sickness that destroys the mind ?
I can hear her now ! She cries out the lamenting tones of a nightingale . Deep , mournful , pitiful cries , the high-pitched notes of a dirge .
And I can hear the sound of her hands as they crash against her chest !
See how she tears her hair out !
Better the dark halls of Hades than the fetters of an incurable disease .
Ajax is no more !
No more the noblest of the defiant Greeks !
No more the strength of character he was brought up with !
No more the man , no more the mind , no more the heart !
Ajax dwells elsewhere .
O , unhappy Telamon ! Unhappy father ! How will you receive the news of your son’s ruin ? A suffering beyond endurance , a suffering that none of your father’s generation , of Aeacus’ generation , has ever had to endure .

( 136 ) 17% GRC
( 678 ) 83% GRC - ENG

( 1182 ) 87% GRC - ENG
( 183 ) 13% ENG