Henry Hintermeister / Sophocles, Ajax
Tufts University of Arts and Sciences
Text alignment, Greek 22 final project
Ajax 485-515, Close Translation (Final Exam)
Henry Hintermeister / Sophocles, Ajax
- Created on 2018-05-08 21:15:53
- Modified on 2018-05-09 17:05:47
- Translated by Henry Hintermeister
- Aligned by Henry Hintermeister
A close translation of Ajax 485-515.
Ἑλληνική Transliterate
English
ὦ δέσποτ’ Αἴας , τῆς ἀναγκαίας τύχης
οὐκ ἔστιν οὐδὲν μεῖζον ἀνθρώποις κακόν .
ἐγὼ δ’ ἐλευθέρου μὲν ἐξέφυν πατρός ,
εἴπερ τινὸς σθένοντος ἐν πλούτῳ Φρυγῶν ·
νῦν δ’ εἰμὶ δούλη · θεοῖς γὰρ ὧδ’ ἔδοξέ που
καὶ σῇ μάλιστα χειρί . τοιγαροῦν , ἐπεὶ
τὸ σὸν λέχος ξυνῆλθον , εὖ φρονῶ τὰ σά ,
καί σ’ ἀντιάζω πρός τ’ ἐφεστίου Διὸς
εὐνῆς τε τῆς σῆς , ᾗ συνηλλάχθης ἐμοί ,
μή μ’ ἀξιώσῃς βάξιν ἀλγεινὴν λαβεῖν
τῶν σῶν ὑπ’ ἐχθρῶν , χειρίαν ἐφείς τινι .
ᾗ γὰρ θάνῃς σὺ καὶ τελευτήσας ἀφῇς ,
ταύτῃ νόμιζε κἀμὲ τῇ τόθ’ ἡμέρᾳ
βίᾳ ξυναρπασθεῖσαν Ἀργείων ὕπο
ξὺν παιδὶ τῷ σῷ δουλίαν ἕξειν τροφήν .
καί τις πικρὸν πρόσφθεγμα δεσποτῶν ἐρεῖ
λόγοις ἰάπτων · ἴδετε τὴν ὁμευνέτιν
Αἴαντος , ὃς μέγιστον ἴσχυσεν στρατοῦ ,
οἵας λατρείας ἀνθ’ ὅσου ζήλου τρέφει .
τοιαῦτ’ ἐρεῖ τις · κἀμὲ μὲν δαίμων ἐλᾷ ,
σοὶ δ’ αἰσχρὰ τἄπη ταῦτα καὶ τῷ σῷ γένει .
ἀλλ’ αἴδεσαι μὲν πατέρα τὸν σὸν ἐν λυγρῷ
γήρᾳ προλείπων , αἴδεσαι δὲ μητέρα
πολλῶν ἐτῶν κληροῦχον , ἥ σε πολλάκις
θεοῖς ἀρᾶται ζῶντα πρὸς δόμους μολεῖν ·
οἴκτιρε δ’ , ὦναξ , παῖδα τὸν σόν , εἰ νέας
τροφῆς στερηθεὶς σοῦ διοίσεται μόνος
ὑπ’ ὀρφανιστῶν μὴ φίλων , ὅσον κακὸν
κείνῳ τε κἀμοὶ τοῦθ’ , ὅταν θάνῃς , νεμεῖς .
ἐμοὶ γὰρ οὐκέτ’ ἔστιν εἰς ὅ τι βλέπω
πλὴν σοῦ .
οὐκ ἔστιν οὐδὲν μεῖζον ἀνθρώποις κακόν .
ἐγὼ δ’ ἐλευθέρου μὲν ἐξέφυν πατρός ,
εἴπερ τινὸς σθένοντος ἐν πλούτῳ Φρυγῶν ·
νῦν δ’ εἰμὶ δούλη · θεοῖς γὰρ ὧδ’ ἔδοξέ που
καὶ σῇ μάλιστα χειρί . τοιγαροῦν , ἐπεὶ
τὸ σὸν λέχος ξυνῆλθον , εὖ φρονῶ τὰ σά ,
καί σ’ ἀντιάζω πρός τ’ ἐφεστίου Διὸς
εὐνῆς τε τῆς σῆς , ᾗ συνηλλάχθης ἐμοί ,
μή μ’ ἀξιώσῃς βάξιν ἀλγεινὴν λαβεῖν
τῶν σῶν ὑπ’ ἐχθρῶν , χειρίαν ἐφείς τινι .
ᾗ γὰρ θάνῃς σὺ καὶ τελευτήσας ἀφῇς ,
ταύτῃ νόμιζε κἀμὲ τῇ τόθ’ ἡμέρᾳ
βίᾳ ξυναρπασθεῖσαν Ἀργείων ὕπο
ξὺν παιδὶ τῷ σῷ δουλίαν ἕξειν τροφήν .
καί τις πικρὸν πρόσφθεγμα δεσποτῶν ἐρεῖ
λόγοις ἰάπτων · ἴδετε τὴν ὁμευνέτιν
Αἴαντος , ὃς μέγιστον ἴσχυσεν στρατοῦ ,
οἵας λατρείας ἀνθ’ ὅσου ζήλου τρέφει .
τοιαῦτ’ ἐρεῖ τις · κἀμὲ μὲν δαίμων ἐλᾷ ,
σοὶ δ’ αἰσχρὰ τἄπη ταῦτα καὶ τῷ σῷ γένει .
ἀλλ’ αἴδεσαι μὲν πατέρα τὸν σὸν ἐν λυγρῷ
γήρᾳ προλείπων , αἴδεσαι δὲ μητέρα
πολλῶν ἐτῶν κληροῦχον , ἥ σε πολλάκις
θεοῖς ἀρᾶται ζῶντα πρὸς δόμους μολεῖν ·
οἴκτιρε δ’ , ὦναξ , παῖδα τὸν σόν , εἰ νέας
τροφῆς στερηθεὶς σοῦ διοίσεται μόνος
ὑπ’ ὀρφανιστῶν μὴ φίλων , ὅσον κακὸν
κείνῳ τε κἀμοὶ τοῦθ’ , ὅταν θάνῃς , νεμεῖς .
ἐμοὶ γὰρ οὐκέτ’ ἔστιν εἰς ὅ τι βλέπω
πλὴν σοῦ .
Oh
,
master
Ajax
,
than
inevitable
fortune
There is not any greater evil to men .
I , on the one hand , was born of a free father ,
If indeed any man from Phrygia is being strong in wealth .
But now , I am a slave . For to the gods , I suppose , like this it seemed best ,
And mostly to your hand . So then , therefore , since
To your marriage bed I have come , well I think on you ,
And you I entreat before both the hearth of Zeus
And your bed , where you had sex with me ,
Do not think me worthy to receive evil talk
From your enemies , abandoning the one under your power to some other .
For whither you die and neglect me , having reached your end ,
Think on that day about when even I ,
being snatched through force by the Argives
Together with your child will suffer slavery’s mode of living .
And some man will speak the piercing address of slave-owners ,
Wounding me with the words , " see the consort
Of Ajax , who had the greatest strength of the army ,
Such service for the sake of such admiration does she rear up . "
Some man will say these things . And fate will drive me on ,
But these words are shameful for you and your kin .
But respect your father , abandoning him in miserable
Old age , and respect your colonist mother of many years , who
Prays often to the gods for you to return to the houses being alive .
And pity , Lord , your child , if from the early
Nourishment of you he is deprived he will live forsaken
Beneath unfriendly guardians , evil as great as this
Both to him and to me , when you die , do you allot .
For to me , there is no longer anything into which I see
Except for you .
There is not any greater evil to men .
I , on the one hand , was born of a free father ,
If indeed any man from Phrygia is being strong in wealth .
But now , I am a slave . For to the gods , I suppose , like this it seemed best ,
And mostly to your hand . So then , therefore , since
To your marriage bed I have come , well I think on you ,
And you I entreat before both the hearth of Zeus
And your bed , where you had sex with me ,
Do not think me worthy to receive evil talk
From your enemies , abandoning the one under your power to some other .
For whither you die and neglect me , having reached your end ,
Think on that day about when even I ,
being snatched through force by the Argives
Together with your child will suffer slavery’s mode of living .
And some man will speak the piercing address of slave-owners ,
Wounding me with the words , " see the consort
Of Ajax , who had the greatest strength of the army ,
Such service for the sake of such admiration does she rear up . "
Some man will say these things . And fate will drive me on ,
But these words are shameful for you and your kin .
But respect your father , abandoning him in miserable
Old age , and respect your colonist mother of many years , who
Prays often to the gods for you to return to the houses being alive .
And pity , Lord , your child , if from the early
Nourishment of you he is deprived he will live forsaken
Beneath unfriendly guardians , evil as great as this
Both to him and to me , when you die , do you allot .
For to me , there is no longer anything into which I see
Except for you .
Ajax 485-515, Free Translation (Final Exam)
Henry Hintermeister / Sophocles, Ajax
- Created on 2018-05-09 00:49:39
- Modified on 2018-05-09 17:05:54
- Translated by Henry Hintermeister
- Aligned by Henry Hintermeister
A liberal translation of Ajax 485-515.
Ἑλληνική Transliterate
English
ὦ δέσποτ’ Αἴας , τῆς ἀναγκαίας τύχης
οὐκ ἔστιν οὐδὲν μεῖζον ἀνθρώποις κακόν .
ἐγὼ δ’ ἐλευθέρου μὲν ἐξέφυν πατρός ,
εἴπερ τινὸς σθένοντος ἐν πλούτῳ Φρυγῶν ·
νῦν δ’ εἰμὶ δούλη · θεοῖς γὰρ ὧδ’ ἔδοξέ που
καὶ σῇ μάλιστα χειρί . τοιγαροῦν , ἐπεὶ
τὸ σὸν λέχος ξυνῆλθον , εὖ φρονῶ τὰ σά ,
καί σ’ ἀντιάζω πρός τ’ ἐφεστίου Διὸς
εὐνῆς τε τῆς σῆς , ᾗ συνηλλάχθης ἐμοί ,
μή μ’ ἀξιώσῃς βάξιν ἀλγεινὴν λαβεῖν
τῶν σῶν ὑπ’ ἐχθρῶν , χειρίαν ἐφείς τινι .
ᾗ γὰρ θάνῃς σὺ καὶ τελευτήσας ἀφῇς ,
ταύτῃ νόμιζε κἀμὲ τῇ τόθ’ ἡμέρᾳ
βίᾳ ξυναρπασθεῖσαν Ἀργείων ὕπο
ξὺν παιδὶ τῷ σῷ δουλίαν ἕξειν τροφήν .
καί τις πικρὸν πρόσφθεγμα δεσποτῶν ἐρεῖ
λόγοις ἰάπτων · ἴδετε τὴν ὁμευνέτιν
Αἴαντος , ὃς μέγιστον ἴσχυσεν στρατοῦ ,
οἵας λατρείας ἀνθ’ ὅσου ζήλου τρέφει .
τοιαῦτ’ ἐρεῖ τις · κἀμὲ μὲν δαίμων ἐλᾷ ,
σοὶ δ’ αἰσχρὰ τἄπη ταῦτα καὶ τῷ σῷ γένει .
ἀλλ’ αἴδεσαι μὲν πατέρα τὸν σὸν ἐν λυγρῷ
γήρᾳ προλείπων , αἴδεσαι δὲ μητέρα
πολλῶν ἐτῶν κληροῦχον , ἥ σε πολλάκις
θεοῖς ἀρᾶται ζῶντα πρὸς δόμους μολεῖν ·
οἴκτιρε δ’ , ὦναξ , παῖδα τὸν σόν , εἰ νέας
τροφῆς στερηθεὶς σοῦ διοίσεται μόνος
ὑπ’ ὀρφανιστῶν μὴ φίλων , ὅσον κακὸν
κείνῳ τε κἀμοὶ τοῦθ’ , ὅταν θάνῃς , νεμεῖς .
ἐμοὶ γὰρ οὐκέτ’ ἔστιν εἰς ὅ τι βλέπω
πλὴν σοῦ .
οὐκ ἔστιν οὐδὲν μεῖζον ἀνθρώποις κακόν .
ἐγὼ δ’ ἐλευθέρου μὲν ἐξέφυν πατρός ,
εἴπερ τινὸς σθένοντος ἐν πλούτῳ Φρυγῶν ·
νῦν δ’ εἰμὶ δούλη · θεοῖς γὰρ ὧδ’ ἔδοξέ που
καὶ σῇ μάλιστα χειρί . τοιγαροῦν , ἐπεὶ
τὸ σὸν λέχος ξυνῆλθον , εὖ φρονῶ τὰ σά ,
καί σ’ ἀντιάζω πρός τ’ ἐφεστίου Διὸς
εὐνῆς τε τῆς σῆς , ᾗ συνηλλάχθης ἐμοί ,
μή μ’ ἀξιώσῃς βάξιν ἀλγεινὴν λαβεῖν
τῶν σῶν ὑπ’ ἐχθρῶν , χειρίαν ἐφείς τινι .
ᾗ γὰρ θάνῃς σὺ καὶ τελευτήσας ἀφῇς ,
ταύτῃ νόμιζε κἀμὲ τῇ τόθ’ ἡμέρᾳ
βίᾳ ξυναρπασθεῖσαν Ἀργείων ὕπο
ξὺν παιδὶ τῷ σῷ δουλίαν ἕξειν τροφήν .
καί τις πικρὸν πρόσφθεγμα δεσποτῶν ἐρεῖ
λόγοις ἰάπτων · ἴδετε τὴν ὁμευνέτιν
Αἴαντος , ὃς μέγιστον ἴσχυσεν στρατοῦ ,
οἵας λατρείας ἀνθ’ ὅσου ζήλου τρέφει .
τοιαῦτ’ ἐρεῖ τις · κἀμὲ μὲν δαίμων ἐλᾷ ,
σοὶ δ’ αἰσχρὰ τἄπη ταῦτα καὶ τῷ σῷ γένει .
ἀλλ’ αἴδεσαι μὲν πατέρα τὸν σὸν ἐν λυγρῷ
γήρᾳ προλείπων , αἴδεσαι δὲ μητέρα
πολλῶν ἐτῶν κληροῦχον , ἥ σε πολλάκις
θεοῖς ἀρᾶται ζῶντα πρὸς δόμους μολεῖν ·
οἴκτιρε δ’ , ὦναξ , παῖδα τὸν σόν , εἰ νέας
τροφῆς στερηθεὶς σοῦ διοίσεται μόνος
ὑπ’ ὀρφανιστῶν μὴ φίλων , ὅσον κακὸν
κείνῳ τε κἀμοὶ τοῦθ’ , ὅταν θάνῃς , νεμεῖς .
ἐμοὶ γὰρ οὐκέτ’ ἔστιν εἰς ὅ τι βλέπω
πλὴν σοῦ .
Oh
,
Master
Ajax
,
there
is
no
greater
evil
For man than unavoidable fate .
I was born of a free father ,
If it can be said that any man in Phrygia is wealthy .
But now I am a slave . I suppose this seemed best to the gods ,
But it was assured by your war-heavy hands when you ravaged my homeland .
But , since I have lain in the marriage bed with you , I think well on you ,
And so I beg you before the hearth of Zeus
And your bed , where you coupled with me ,
Do not think it right that I should receive
The wrathful insults of your enemies , abandoning your slave , the mother of your child , to some other man .
When you die and abandon me , as you draw your final breaths ,
Think on that day about how I will be snatched in the night by the Argives ,
Forced from our home together with your child , to endure a life of servitude and labor .
And some man will call the cutting address of a slave-gang master ,
Wounding me with his words , " See there the whore
of Ajax , who was once the bravest of the army !
What service for such praise does she now yield ! "
Some low man will utter these things . And me , fate will drive me on with lashes ,
But consider the shame these words will bring down on you and your kin , on Telemon .
Have thought for your father , who you will
Abandon in his miserable old age , and have thought for your
Foreign mother of many years , who prays to the gods
Day and night for you to return home alive .
And pity your child , Master , who will be deprived of your early
Nurturing and will grow up forsaken
Beneath the cruel watch of some rough stranger , being beaten because he is your son . Such a life of misery
Will you inflict on he and I if you choose to fall on your sword .
Understand that for me , Ajax , there is no life
Without you .
For man than unavoidable fate .
I was born of a free father ,
If it can be said that any man in Phrygia is wealthy .
But now I am a slave . I suppose this seemed best to the gods ,
But it was assured by your war-heavy hands when you ravaged my homeland .
But , since I have lain in the marriage bed with you , I think well on you ,
And so I beg you before the hearth of Zeus
And your bed , where you coupled with me ,
Do not think it right that I should receive
The wrathful insults of your enemies , abandoning your slave , the mother of your child , to some other man .
When you die and abandon me , as you draw your final breaths ,
Think on that day about how I will be snatched in the night by the Argives ,
Forced from our home together with your child , to endure a life of servitude and labor .
And some man will call the cutting address of a slave-gang master ,
Wounding me with his words , " See there the whore
of Ajax , who was once the bravest of the army !
What service for such praise does she now yield ! "
Some low man will utter these things . And me , fate will drive me on with lashes ,
But consider the shame these words will bring down on you and your kin , on Telemon .
Have thought for your father , who you will
Abandon in his miserable old age , and have thought for your
Foreign mother of many years , who prays to the gods
Day and night for you to return home alive .
And pity your child , Master , who will be deprived of your early
Nurturing and will grow up forsaken
Beneath the cruel watch of some rough stranger , being beaten because he is your son . Such a life of misery
Will you inflict on he and I if you choose to fall on your sword .
Understand that for me , Ajax , there is no life
Without you .
Ajax 394-408/9 Strophic Pair, Close Translation (Final Exam)
Henry Hintermeister / Sophocles, Ajax
- Created on 2018-05-09 05:03:59
- Modified on 2018-05-10 05:11:08
- Translated by Henry Hintermeister
- Aligned by Henry Hintermeister
Ἑλληνική Transliterate
English
ἰὼ
σκότος , ἐμὸν φάος ,
ἔρεβος ὦ φαεννότατον , ὡς ἐμοί ,
ἕλεσθ’ ἕλεσθέ μ’ οἰκήτορα ,
ἕλεσθέ μ’ · οὔτε γὰρ θεῶν γένος οὔθ’ ἁμερίων
ἔτ’ ἄξιος βλέπειν τιν’ εἰς ὄνασιν ἀνθρώπων .
ἀλλά μ’ ἁ Διὸς
ἀλκίμα θεὸς
αἰκίζει .
ποῖ τις οὖν φύγῃ ;
ποῖ μολὼν μενῶ ;
εἰ τὰ μὲν . . .
. . . φθίνει , φίλοι , τοιοῖσδ’
ὁμοῦ , μώραις δ’ ἄγραις προσκείμεθα ,
πᾶς δὲ στρατὸς δίπαλτος ἄν με
χειρὶ φονεύοι .
σκότος , ἐμὸν φάος ,
ἔρεβος ὦ φαεννότατον , ὡς ἐμοί ,
ἕλεσθ’ ἕλεσθέ μ’ οἰκήτορα ,
ἕλεσθέ μ’ · οὔτε γὰρ θεῶν γένος οὔθ’ ἁμερίων
ἔτ’ ἄξιος βλέπειν τιν’ εἰς ὄνασιν ἀνθρώπων .
ἀλλά μ’ ἁ Διὸς
ἀλκίμα θεὸς
αἰκίζει .
ποῖ τις οὖν φύγῃ ;
ποῖ μολὼν μενῶ ;
εἰ τὰ μὲν . . .
. . . φθίνει , φίλοι , τοιοῖσδ’
ὁμοῦ , μώραις δ’ ἄγραις προσκείμεθα ,
πᾶς δὲ στρατὸς δίπαλτος ἄν με
χειρὶ φονεύοι .
Oh
.
.
.
Darkness , my light ,
Oh Erebus brightest , as bright as possible for me ,
Take me ! Take me as your inhabitant ,
Take me ! For neither am I worthy
To see the race of gods
Nor yet into whatever bliss of short lived men .
But , the warlike goddess ,
daughter of Zeus ,
Plagues me .
To where , therefore , should a man flee ?
Going to where do I take a stand ?
If ( lacuna )
( lacuna ) decays , friends ,
Together with these ,
Then we are involved in foolish hunts ,
Indeed the whole sword-wielding army
Might slay me with their hands .
Darkness , my light ,
Oh Erebus brightest , as bright as possible for me ,
Take me ! Take me as your inhabitant ,
Take me ! For neither am I worthy
To see the race of gods
Nor yet into whatever bliss of short lived men .
But , the warlike goddess ,
daughter of Zeus ,
Plagues me .
To where , therefore , should a man flee ?
Going to where do I take a stand ?
If ( lacuna )
( lacuna ) decays , friends ,
Together with these ,
Then we are involved in foolish hunts ,
Indeed the whole sword-wielding army
Might slay me with their hands .
Ajax 394-408/9 Strophic Pair, Free Translation (Final Exam)
Henry Hintermeister / Sophocles, Ajax
- Created on 2018-05-09 05:25:02
- Modified on 2018-05-09 17:06:01
- Translated by Henry Hintermeister
- Aligned by Henry Hintermeister
Ἑλληνική Transliterate
English
ἰὼ
σκότος , ἐμὸν φάος ,
ἔρεβος ὦ φαεννότατον , ὡς ἐμοί ,
ἕλεσθ’ ἕλεσθέ μ’ οἰκήτορα ,
ἕλεσθέ μ’ · οὔτε γὰρ θεῶν γένος οὔθ’ ἁμερίων
ἔτ’ ἄξιος βλέπειν τιν’ εἰς ὄνασιν ἀνθρώπων .
ἀλλά μ’ ἁ Διὸς
ἀλκίμα θεὸς
αἰκίζει .
ποῖ τις οὖν φύγῃ ;
ποῖ μολὼν μενῶ ;
εἰ τὰ μὲν . . .
. . . φθίνει , φίλοι , τοιοῖσδ’
ὁμοῦ , μώραις δ’ ἄγραις προσκείμεθα ,
πᾶς δὲ στρατὸς δίπαλτος ἄν με
χειρὶ φονεύοι .
σκότος , ἐμὸν φάος ,
ἔρεβος ὦ φαεννότατον , ὡς ἐμοί ,
ἕλεσθ’ ἕλεσθέ μ’ οἰκήτορα ,
ἕλεσθέ μ’ · οὔτε γὰρ θεῶν γένος οὔθ’ ἁμερίων
ἔτ’ ἄξιος βλέπειν τιν’ εἰς ὄνασιν ἀνθρώπων .
ἀλλά μ’ ἁ Διὸς
ἀλκίμα θεὸς
αἰκίζει .
ποῖ τις οὖν φύγῃ ;
ποῖ μολὼν μενῶ ;
εἰ τὰ μὲν . . .
. . . φθίνει , φίλοι , τοιοῖσδ’
ὁμοῦ , μώραις δ’ ἄγραις προσκείμεθα ,
πᾶς δὲ στρατὸς δίπαλτος ἄν με
χειρὶ φονεύοι .
Oh…
Darkness , my only light ,
Oh Erebus , the brightest thing I see ,
Take me ! Take me to lie at last in your fields ,
Take me ! A disgraced man such as I must not ever
Lay eyes on the race of gods ,
nor peer ever again into the bliss of mortal life .
But , the bloodthirsty Athena ,
That conniving daughter of Zeus ,
Would not let me rest even there . . .
When the gods hate him , where can a man run to ?
With what walls can he defend himself ?
Friends , if my hard
Fought-honor decays ,
Together with these carcasses strewn about ,
Then indeed we have sailed out on a foolish hunt .
When Rumor spreads word of my bloody work ,
The whole sword-wielding army might rip me
To pieces , just like these animals .
Darkness , my only light ,
Oh Erebus , the brightest thing I see ,
Take me ! Take me to lie at last in your fields ,
Take me ! A disgraced man such as I must not ever
Lay eyes on the race of gods ,
nor peer ever again into the bliss of mortal life .
But , the bloodthirsty Athena ,
That conniving daughter of Zeus ,
Would not let me rest even there . . .
When the gods hate him , where can a man run to ?
With what walls can he defend himself ?
Friends , if my hard
Fought-honor decays ,
Together with these carcasses strewn about ,
Then indeed we have sailed out on a foolish hunt .
When Rumor spreads word of my bloody work ,
The whole sword-wielding army might rip me
To pieces , just like these animals .
Ajax 430-461 (FInal Project)
Henry Hintermeister / Sophocles, Ajax
- Created on 2018-05-11 01:03:17
- Modified on 2018-05-11 02:12:17
- Translated by Henry Hintermeister
- Aligned by Henry Hintermeister
Ἑλληνική
English
English
αἰαῖ · τίς ἄν ποτ’ ᾤεθ’ ὧδ’ ἐπώνυμον
τοὐμὸν ξυνοίσειν ὄνομα τοῖς ἐμοῖς κακοῖς ;
νῦν γὰρ πάρεστι καὶ δὶς αἰάζειν ἐμοὶ
καὶ τρίς · τοιούτοις γὰρ κακοῖς ἐντυγχάνω ·
ὅτου πατὴρ μὲν τῆσδ’ ἀπ’ Ἰδαίας χθονὸς
τὰ πρῶτα καλλιστεῖ’ ἀριστεύσας στρατοῦ
πρὸς οἶκον ἦλθε πᾶσαν εὔκλειαν φέρων ·
ἐγὼ δ’ ὁ κείνου παῖς , τὸν αὐτὸν ἐς τόπον
Τροίας ἐπελθὼν οὐκ ἐλάσσονι σθένει
οὐδ’ ἔργα μείω χειρὸς ἀρκέσας ἐμῆς ,
ἄτιμος Ἀργείοισιν ὧδ’ ἀπόλλυμαι .
καίτοι τοσοῦτόν γ’ ἐξεπίστασθαι δοκῶ ·
εἰ ζῶν Ἀχιλλεὺς τῶν ὅπλων τῶν ὧν πέρι
κρίνειν ἔμελλε κράτος ἀριστείας τινί ,
οὐκ ἄν τις αὔτ’ ἔμαρψεν ἄλλος ἀντ’ ἐμοῦ .
νῦν δ’ αὔτ’ Ἀτρεῖδαι φωτὶ παντουργῷ φρένας
ἔπραξαν , ἀνδρὸς τοῦδ’ ἀπώσαντες κράτη .
κεἰ μὴ τόδ’ ὄμμα καὶ φρένες διάστροφοι
γνώμης ἀπῇξαν τῆς ἐμῆς , οὐκ ἄν ποτε
δίκην κατ’ ἄλλου φωτὸς ὧδ’ ἐψήφισαν .
νῦν δ’ ἡ Διὸς γοργῶπις ἀδάματος θεὰ
ἤδη μ’ ἐπ’ αὐτοῖς χεῖρ’ ἐπεντύνοντ’ ἐμὴν
ἔσφηλεν , ἐμβαλοῦσα λυσσώδη νόσον ,
ὥστ’ ἐν τοιοῖσδε χεῖρας αἱμάξαι βοτοῖς ·
κεῖνοι δ’ ἐπεγγελῶσιν ἐκπεφευγότες ,
ἐμοῦ μὲν οὐχ ἑκόντος · εἰ δέ τις θεῶν
βλάπτοι , φύγοι τἂν χὠ κακὸς τὸν κρείσσονα .
καὶ νῦν τί χρὴ δρᾶν ; ὅστις ἐμφανῶς θεοῖς
ἐχθαίρομαι , μισεῖ δέ μ’ Ἑλλήνων στρατός ,
ἔχθει δὲ Τροία πᾶσα καὶ πεδία τάδε .
πότερα πρὸς οἴκους , ναυλόχους λιπὼν ἕδρας
μόνους τ’ Ἀτρείδας , πέλαγος Αἰγαῖον περῶ ;
τοὐμὸν ξυνοίσειν ὄνομα τοῖς ἐμοῖς κακοῖς ;
νῦν γὰρ πάρεστι καὶ δὶς αἰάζειν ἐμοὶ
καὶ τρίς · τοιούτοις γὰρ κακοῖς ἐντυγχάνω ·
ὅτου πατὴρ μὲν τῆσδ’ ἀπ’ Ἰδαίας χθονὸς
τὰ πρῶτα καλλιστεῖ’ ἀριστεύσας στρατοῦ
πρὸς οἶκον ἦλθε πᾶσαν εὔκλειαν φέρων ·
ἐγὼ δ’ ὁ κείνου παῖς , τὸν αὐτὸν ἐς τόπον
Τροίας ἐπελθὼν οὐκ ἐλάσσονι σθένει
οὐδ’ ἔργα μείω χειρὸς ἀρκέσας ἐμῆς ,
ἄτιμος Ἀργείοισιν ὧδ’ ἀπόλλυμαι .
καίτοι τοσοῦτόν γ’ ἐξεπίστασθαι δοκῶ ·
εἰ ζῶν Ἀχιλλεὺς τῶν ὅπλων τῶν ὧν πέρι
κρίνειν ἔμελλε κράτος ἀριστείας τινί ,
οὐκ ἄν τις αὔτ’ ἔμαρψεν ἄλλος ἀντ’ ἐμοῦ .
νῦν δ’ αὔτ’ Ἀτρεῖδαι φωτὶ παντουργῷ φρένας
ἔπραξαν , ἀνδρὸς τοῦδ’ ἀπώσαντες κράτη .
κεἰ μὴ τόδ’ ὄμμα καὶ φρένες διάστροφοι
γνώμης ἀπῇξαν τῆς ἐμῆς , οὐκ ἄν ποτε
δίκην κατ’ ἄλλου φωτὸς ὧδ’ ἐψήφισαν .
νῦν δ’ ἡ Διὸς γοργῶπις ἀδάματος θεὰ
ἤδη μ’ ἐπ’ αὐτοῖς χεῖρ’ ἐπεντύνοντ’ ἐμὴν
ἔσφηλεν , ἐμβαλοῦσα λυσσώδη νόσον ,
ὥστ’ ἐν τοιοῖσδε χεῖρας αἱμάξαι βοτοῖς ·
κεῖνοι δ’ ἐπεγγελῶσιν ἐκπεφευγότες ,
ἐμοῦ μὲν οὐχ ἑκόντος · εἰ δέ τις θεῶν
βλάπτοι , φύγοι τἂν χὠ κακὸς τὸν κρείσσονα .
καὶ νῦν τί χρὴ δρᾶν ; ὅστις ἐμφανῶς θεοῖς
ἐχθαίρομαι , μισεῖ δέ μ’ Ἑλλήνων στρατός ,
ἔχθει δὲ Τροία πᾶσα καὶ πεδία τάδε .
πότερα πρὸς οἴκους , ναυλόχους λιπὼν ἕδρας
μόνους τ’ Ἀτρείδας , πέλαγος Αἰγαῖον περῶ ;
Ai , ai . Whoever would have thought that my given name would join with my woes like this ? For now it is possible for me to wail that sound twice and even thrice . For such evils do I fall in with . The father of whom came out of this same land of Troy towards home having won the first prizes for valour from the army , carrying all the fame . But I , the child of that man , having come up to the same land of Troy with no less force , nor having assisted with my hand in fewer deeds of bravery , I , dishonored by the Argives , am ruined like this ! And yet this much , at least , I think I understand fully . If Achilles , still living , had intended to judge the strength of heroism in some man on behalf of his arms , not one other would have held them before me ! But now , the sons of Atreus have made them over to the man with the cunning mind , having rejected the mighty deeds of this man ! And if this eye and this crippled mind had not strayed from my purpose , they never again would have voted judgement against another man like this ! But now , the terror striking , inexorable goddess , daughter of Zeus , as I was already sending my hand against them , has undone me , throwing a raging madness upon me so that I have stained my hands with such as animals’ blood ! And those men laugh , having escaped , not through any will of my own . But if one of the gods strikes , then the coward might escape the better man . And now , what must I do ? I who clearly am hated by the gods , the army of the Greeks despises me , and all of Troy and this battlefield detest me . Towards which houses , abandoning the seats of safe harbor and the forsaken sons of Atreus , do I cross the open Aegean ?
Ajax . Ajax . My name is a sad song . Who would have thought that it would someday be the sound that a man makes in despair ? Ajax . After Troy , my father , Telemon , he rode home in a victory parade . He made quite a name for himself , here , in this country , receiving full honors from the army . But now I , the son , stand in the place where my father once stood , with no less troops , no fewer triumphs , but my body will rot on strange soil . Dishonored in front of my fellow soldiers ! This much I know . If Achilles still lived , and decided to hold a contest for his arms , awarding them to the greatest warrior , at the end of the day , they would be mine ! But the generals gave the arms to a man without morals ignoring all the times I risked my life to defend them against our enemies . And if my eyes and mind had not been twisted by a sickness , taking me off target , the generals and Odysseus would not have lived to cast their votes , cast to the sea in the morning . But relentless , dark eyed daughter of Zeus ravaged me with a madness as I stood beside their beds and so I stained my hands with the blood of cows .
The men I hunted narrowly escaped through no fault of mine . They laugh at me . But , with a god’s help , the weak evaded the strong . What should I do now ? The gods hate me , the Greeks loathe me , the Trojans despise me . Perhaps I should set sail for home across the open sea leaving behind the men and the sons of Atreus ?
The men I hunted narrowly escaped through no fault of mine . They laugh at me . But , with a god’s help , the weak evaded the strong . What should I do now ? The gods hate me , the Greeks loathe me , the Trojans despise me . Perhaps I should set sail for home across the open sea leaving behind the men and the sons of Atreus ?