Kacey King
Tufts
Sophocles' Ajax 172-181
Kacey King /
- Created on 2018-05-08 19:59:03
- Modified on 2018-05-08 20:16:03
- Translated by Kacey King
- Aligned by Kacey King
Ἑλληνική Transliterate
English
Χορός
ἦ ῥά σε Ταυροπόλα Διὸς Ἄρτεμις—
ὦ μεγάλα φάτις , ὦ
μᾶτερ αἰσχύνας ἐμᾶς—
ὥρμασε πανδάμους ἐπὶ βοῦς ἀγελαίας ,
ἦ πού τινος νίκας ἀκάρπωτον χάριν ,
ἤ ῥα κλυτῶν ἐνάρων
ψευσθεῖσ᾽ , ἀδώροις , εἴτ᾽ ἐλαφαβολίας ;
ἢ χαλκοθώραξ μή τιν᾽ Ἐνυάλιος
μομφὰν ἔχων ξυνοῦ δορὸς ἐννυχίοις
μαχαναῖς ἐτίσατο λώβαν ;
ἦ ῥά σε Ταυροπόλα Διὸς Ἄρτεμις—
ὦ μεγάλα φάτις , ὦ
μᾶτερ αἰσχύνας ἐμᾶς—
ὥρμασε πανδάμους ἐπὶ βοῦς ἀγελαίας ,
ἦ πού τινος νίκας ἀκάρπωτον χάριν ,
ἤ ῥα κλυτῶν ἐνάρων
ψευσθεῖσ᾽ , ἀδώροις , εἴτ᾽ ἐλαφαβολίας ;
ἢ χαλκοθώραξ μή τιν᾽ Ἐνυάλιος
μομφὰν ἔχων ξυνοῦ δορὸς ἐννυχίοις
μαχαναῖς ἐτίσατο λώβαν ;
Chorus
Was it Artemis Bull-Ruler , daughter of Zeus ,
O Great Rumor , O mother of my shame ,
who spurred you on against the cattle herds of all our people ?
Was it for the sake of some unthanked victory ,
whether she was cheated of glorious spoils
or whether it was from the shooting of a deer with no gifts .
Or did the bronze-plated War God , having cause for anger from an alliance of spears ,
take vengeance for the outrage by way of machinations during the night ?
Was it Artemis Bull-Ruler , daughter of Zeus ,
O Great Rumor , O mother of my shame ,
who spurred you on against the cattle herds of all our people ?
Was it for the sake of some unthanked victory ,
whether she was cheated of glorious spoils
or whether it was from the shooting of a deer with no gifts .
Or did the bronze-plated War God , having cause for anger from an alliance of spears ,
take vengeance for the outrage by way of machinations during the night ?
Sophocles' Ajax 215-220
Kacey King /
- Created on 2018-05-08 20:18:15
- Modified on 2018-05-08 20:21:04
- Translated by Kacey King
- Aligned by Kacey King
Sophocles' Ajax 221-230
Kacey King /
- Created on 2018-05-08 21:34:48
- Modified on 2018-05-08 21:38:06
- Translated by Kacey King
- Aligned by Kacey King
Ἑλληνική Transliterate
English
Χορός
οἵαν ἐδήλωσας ἀνέρος αἴθονος
ἀγγελίαν ἄτλατον οὐδὲ φευκτάν ,
τῶν μεγάλων Δαναῶν ὕπο κλῃζομέναν ,
τὰν ὁ μέγας μῦθος ἀέξει .
οἴμοι φοβοῦμαι τὸ προσέρπον : περίφαντος ἁνὴρ
θανεῖται , παραπλάκτῳ χερὶ συγκατακτὰς
κελαινοῖς ξίφεσιν βοτὰ καὶ βοτῆρας ἱππονώμας .
οἵαν ἐδήλωσας ἀνέρος αἴθονος
ἀγγελίαν ἄτλατον οὐδὲ φευκτάν ,
τῶν μεγάλων Δαναῶν ὕπο κλῃζομέναν ,
τὰν ὁ μέγας μῦθος ἀέξει .
οἴμοι φοβοῦμαι τὸ προσέρπον : περίφαντος ἁνὴρ
θανεῖται , παραπλάκτῳ χερὶ συγκατακτὰς
κελαινοῖς ξίφεσιν βοτὰ καὶ βοτῆρας ἱππονώμας .
Chorus
What tidings of the fiery man you reveal ,
unbearable and unavoidable ,
made famous by the great Danaans ,
which their great words spread .
Alas , I fear what creeps onward : the man
will die in plain sight , because
with a dark sword in his frenzy-stricken hand
he slew together the herds and the horsekeeping herdsmen .
What tidings of the fiery man you reveal ,
unbearable and unavoidable ,
made famous by the great Danaans ,
which their great words spread .
Alas , I fear what creeps onward : the man
will die in plain sight , because
with a dark sword in his frenzy-stricken hand
he slew together the herds and the horsekeeping herdsmen .
Sophocles' Ajax 231-244
Kacey King /
- Created on 2018-05-08 22:02:15
- Modified on 2018-05-08 22:10:46
- Translated by Kacey King
- Aligned by Kacey King
Ἑλληνική Transliterate
English
Τέκμησσα
ὤμοι : κεῖθεν κεῖθεν ἄρ᾽ ἡμῖν
δεσμῶτιν ἄγων ἤλυθε ποίμνην :
ὧν τὴν μὲν ἔσω σφάζ᾽ ἐπὶ γαίας ,
τὰ δὲ πλευροκοπῶν δίχ᾽ ἀνερρήγνυ .
δύο δ᾽ ἀργίποδας κριοὺς ἀνελὼν
τοῦ μὲν κεφαλὴν καὶ γλῶσσαν ἄκραν
ῥιπτεῖ θερίσας , τὸν δ᾽ ὀρθὸν ἄνω
κίονι δήσας
μέγαν ἱπποδέτην ῥυτῆρα λαβὼν
παίει λιγυρᾷ μάστιγι διπλῇ ,
κακὰ δεννάζων ῥήμαθ᾽ , ἃ δαίμων
κοὐδεὶς ἀνδρῶν ἐδίδαξεν .
ὤμοι : κεῖθεν κεῖθεν ἄρ᾽ ἡμῖν
δεσμῶτιν ἄγων ἤλυθε ποίμνην :
ὧν τὴν μὲν ἔσω σφάζ᾽ ἐπὶ γαίας ,
τὰ δὲ πλευροκοπῶν δίχ᾽ ἀνερρήγνυ .
δύο δ᾽ ἀργίποδας κριοὺς ἀνελὼν
τοῦ μὲν κεφαλὴν καὶ γλῶσσαν ἄκραν
ῥιπτεῖ θερίσας , τὸν δ᾽ ὀρθὸν ἄνω
κίονι δήσας
μέγαν ἱπποδέτην ῥυτῆρα λαβὼν
παίει λιγυρᾷ μάστιγι διπλῇ ,
κακὰ δεννάζων ῥήμαθ᾽ , ἃ δαίμων
κοὐδεὶς ἀνδρῶν ἐδίδαξεν .
Tecmessa
Alas ! Then from that place there he came to me
leading the captive flock .
Some he slaughtered on the ground inside ,
some by smiting their ribs he tore asunder .
Then he took up two swift-footed rams ,
And reaping the head from one he cast
down the tip of the tongue ;
the other he bound upright to a pillar
And seizing a great horse rein
he struck it with a shrill double lash
cursing it with words which a god , not any human , taught him .
Alas ! Then from that place there he came to me
leading the captive flock .
Some he slaughtered on the ground inside ,
some by smiting their ribs he tore asunder .
Then he took up two swift-footed rams ,
And reaping the head from one he cast
down the tip of the tongue ;
the other he bound upright to a pillar
And seizing a great horse rein
he struck it with a shrill double lash
cursing it with words which a god , not any human , taught him .
Sophocles' Ajax 51-60
Kacey King /
- Created on 2018-05-09 00:10:07
- Modified on 2018-05-09 00:15:07
- Translated by Kacey King
- Aligned by Kacey King
Ἑλληνική Transliterate
English
Ἀθήνα :
ἐγώ σφ᾽ ἀπείργω , δυσφόρους ἐπ᾽ ὄμμασι
γνώμας βαλοῦσα τῆς ἀνηκέστου χαρᾶς ,
καὶ πρός τε ποίμνας ἐκτρέπω σύμμικτά τε
λείας ἄδαστα βουκόλων φρουρήματα :
ἔνθ᾽ εἰσπεσὼν ἔκειρε πολύκερων φόνον
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 .
ἐγώ σφ᾽ ἀπείργω , δυσφόρους ἐπ᾽ ὄμμασι
γνώμας βαλοῦσα τῆς ἀνηκέστου χαρᾶς ,
καὶ πρός τε ποίμνας ἐκτρέπω σύμμικτά τε
λείας ἄδαστα βουκόλων φρουρήματα :
ἔνθ᾽ εἰσπεσὼν ἔκειρε πολύκερων φόνον
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 .
Athena
:
I prevented him , throwing over his eyes
oppressive thoughts of deadly job ,
and I turned him against the flocks
and the commingled undivided part of the spoils guarded by herdsmen :
there falling upon them he cut down a many-horned slaughter ,
cleaving their spines in a circle around him . It seemed to him then
that he was killing the two sons of Atreus , holding them by his own hand ;
at one time falling upon one then the another of the generals .
And I , as the man stalked to and fro in raging sickness ,
spurred him on , throwing him into the wicked snares .
I prevented him , throwing over his eyes
oppressive thoughts of deadly job ,
and I turned him against the flocks
and the commingled undivided part of the spoils guarded by herdsmen :
there falling upon them he cut down a many-horned slaughter ,
cleaving their spines in a circle around him . It seemed to him then
that he was killing the two sons of Atreus , holding them by his own hand ;
at one time falling upon one then the another of the generals .
And I , as the man stalked to and fro in raging sickness ,
spurred him on , throwing him into the wicked snares .
Sophocles' Ajax 295-310
Kacey King /
- Created on 2018-05-09 03:26:46
- Modified on 2018-05-09 03:36:48
- Translated by Kacey King
- Aligned by Kacey King
Ἑλληνική Transliterate
English
καὶ τὰς ἐκεῖ μὲν οὐκ ἔχω λέγειν πάθας :
ἔσω δ᾽ ἐσῆλθε συνδέτους ἄγων ὁμοῦ
ταύρους , κύνας βοτῆρας , εὔερόν τ᾽ ἄγραν .
καὶ τοὺς μὲν ηὐχένιζε , τοὺς δ᾽ ἄνω τρέπων
ἔσφαζε κἀρράχιζε , τοὺς δὲ δεσμίους
ᾐκίζεθ᾽ ὥστε φῶτας ἐν ποίμναις πίτνων .
τέλος δ᾽ ὑπᾴξας διὰ θυρῶν σκιᾷ τινι
λόγους ἀνέσπα , τοὺς μὲν Ἀτρειδῶν κάτα ,
τοὺς δ᾽ ἀμφ᾽ Ὀδυσσεῖ , συντιθεὶς γέλων πολύν ,
ὅσην κατ᾽ αὐτῶν ὕβριν ἐκτίσαιτ᾽ ἰών :
κἄπειτ᾽ ἐπᾴξας αὖθις ἐς δόμους πάλιν ,
ἔμφρων μόλις πως ξὺν χρόνῳ καθίσταται ,
καὶ πλῆρες ἄτης ὡς διοπτεύει στέγος ,
παίσας κάρα ' θώϋξεν : ἐν δ᾽ ἐρειπίοις
νεκρῶν ἐρειφθεὶς ἕζετ᾽ ἀρνείου φόνου ,
κόμην ἀπρὶξ ὄνυξι συλλαβὼν χερί .
ἔσω δ᾽ ἐσῆλθε συνδέτους ἄγων ὁμοῦ
ταύρους , κύνας βοτῆρας , εὔερόν τ᾽ ἄγραν .
καὶ τοὺς μὲν ηὐχένιζε , τοὺς δ᾽ ἄνω τρέπων
ἔσφαζε κἀρράχιζε , τοὺς δὲ δεσμίους
ᾐκίζεθ᾽ ὥστε φῶτας ἐν ποίμναις πίτνων .
τέλος δ᾽ ὑπᾴξας διὰ θυρῶν σκιᾷ τινι
λόγους ἀνέσπα , τοὺς μὲν Ἀτρειδῶν κάτα ,
τοὺς δ᾽ ἀμφ᾽ Ὀδυσσεῖ , συντιθεὶς γέλων πολύν ,
ὅσην κατ᾽ αὐτῶν ὕβριν ἐκτίσαιτ᾽ ἰών :
κἄπειτ᾽ ἐπᾴξας αὖθις ἐς δόμους πάλιν ,
ἔμφρων μόλις πως ξὺν χρόνῳ καθίσταται ,
καὶ πλῆρες ἄτης ὡς διοπτεύει στέγος ,
παίσας κάρα ' θώϋξεν : ἐν δ᾽ ἐρειπίοις
νεκρῶν ἐρειφθεὶς ἕζετ᾽ ἀρνείου φόνου ,
κόμην ἀπρὶξ ὄνυξι συλλαβὼν χερί .
Tecmessa
I cannot tell what happened there ,
but he came inside leading them bound together ,
bulls and herding dogs and his fleecy prey .
For some he beheaded them , others twisting them upwards
he slit their throats or cut through the spine
as if he were falling upon men in place of sheep .
Finally darting out through the doors
he uttered words to some shadow--now against the sons of Atreus ,
Now about Odysseus , laughing much
at how much violence he exacted on them while going .
After that he rushed once more back into the house again ,
with time somehow only just coming into his senses .
And as he looked into the room full of ruin ,
he struck his head and cried aloud , and having fallen
into the wreck of corpses of the slaughtered sheep , he sat down ,
grasping his hair tight with the nails of his hand .
I cannot tell what happened there ,
but he came inside leading them bound together ,
bulls and herding dogs and his fleecy prey .
For some he beheaded them , others twisting them upwards
he slit their throats or cut through the spine
as if he were falling upon men in place of sheep .
Finally darting out through the doors
he uttered words to some shadow--now against the sons of Atreus ,
Now about Odysseus , laughing much
at how much violence he exacted on them while going .
After that he rushed once more back into the house again ,
with time somehow only just coming into his senses .
And as he looked into the room full of ruin ,
he struck his head and cried aloud , and having fallen
into the wreck of corpses of the slaughtered sheep , he sat down ,
grasping his hair tight with the nails of his hand .
Sophocles' Ajax 311-322
Kacey King /
- Created on 2018-05-09 03:39:00
- Modified on 2018-05-09 03:46:39
- Translated by Kacey King
- Aligned by Kacey King
Ἑλληνική Transliterate
English
καὶ τὸν μὲν ἧστο πλεῖστον ἄφθογγος χρόνον :
ἔπειτ᾽ ἐμοὶ τὰ δείν᾽ ἐπηπείλησ᾽ ἔπη ,
εἰ μὴ φανοίην πᾶν τὸ συντυχὸν πάθος ,
κἀνήρετ᾽ ἐν τῷ πράγματος κυροῖ ποτέ .
κἀγώ , φίλοι , δείσασα τοὐξειργασμένον
ἔλεξα πᾶν ὅσονπερ ἐξηπιστάμην .
ὁ δ᾽ εὐθὺς ἐξῴμωξεν οἰμωγὰς λυγράς ,
ἃς οὔποτ᾽ αὐτοῦ πρόσθεν εἰσήκουσ᾽ ἐγώ :
πρὸς γὰρ κακοῦ τε καὶ βαρυψύχου γόους
τοιούσδ᾽ ἀεί ποτ᾽ ἀνδρὸς ἐξηγεῖτ᾽ ἔχειν :
ἀλλ᾽ ἀψόφητος ὀξέων κωκυμάτων
ὑπεστέναζε ταῦρος ὣς βρυχώμενος .
ἔπειτ᾽ ἐμοὶ τὰ δείν᾽ ἐπηπείλησ᾽ ἔπη ,
εἰ μὴ φανοίην πᾶν τὸ συντυχὸν πάθος ,
κἀνήρετ᾽ ἐν τῷ πράγματος κυροῖ ποτέ .
κἀγώ , φίλοι , δείσασα τοὐξειργασμένον
ἔλεξα πᾶν ὅσονπερ ἐξηπιστάμην .
ὁ δ᾽ εὐθὺς ἐξῴμωξεν οἰμωγὰς λυγράς ,
ἃς οὔποτ᾽ αὐτοῦ πρόσθεν εἰσήκουσ᾽ ἐγώ :
πρὸς γὰρ κακοῦ τε καὶ βαρυψύχου γόους
τοιούσδ᾽ ἀεί ποτ᾽ ἀνδρὸς ἐξηγεῖτ᾽ ἔχειν :
ἀλλ᾽ ἀψόφητος ὀξέων κωκυμάτων
ὑπεστέναζε ταῦρος ὣς βρυχώμενος .
He
had
sat
speechless
for
a
very
long
time
,
and then he threatened terrible words to me ,
if I did not explain everything that had happened ,
and he asked in what circumstances he happened to be .
And I , my friends , in fear told him all that had been accomplished ,
as much as I knew well .
But he immediately wailed aloud baneful lamentations ,
such as I had never heard from him before ,
for before he had prescribed such wailing
to cowardly and heavy-souled men ,
but instead of without the sound of keen shrieking ,
he was uttering low moans like a bellowing bull .
and then he threatened terrible words to me ,
if I did not explain everything that had happened ,
and he asked in what circumstances he happened to be .
And I , my friends , in fear told him all that had been accomplished ,
as much as I knew well .
But he immediately wailed aloud baneful lamentations ,
such as I had never heard from him before ,
for before he had prescribed such wailing
to cowardly and heavy-souled men ,
but instead of without the sound of keen shrieking ,
he was uttering low moans like a bellowing bull .
Sophocles' Ajax 61-65
Kacey King /
- Created on 2018-05-09 03:54:24
- Modified on 2018-05-09 03:58:09
- Translated by Kacey King
- Aligned by Kacey King
Sophocoles' Ajax 430-480 (Final Exam)
Kacey King /
- Created on 2018-05-12 19:33:15
- Modified on 2018-05-12 22:16:44
- Translated by Kacey King
- Aligned by Kacey King
Ἑλληνική
English
English
Αἴας
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 ;
καὶ ποῖον ὄμμα πατρὶ δηλώσω φανεὶς
Τελαμῶνι ; πῶς με τλήσεταί ποτ᾽ εἰσιδεῖν
γυμνὸν φανέντα τῶν ἀριστείων ἄτερ ,
ὧν αὐτὸς ἔσχε στέφανον εὐκλείας μέγαν ;
οὐκ ἔστι τοὔργον τλητόν . ἀλλὰ δῆτ᾽ ἰὼν
πρὸς ἔρυμα Τρώων , ξυμπεσὼν μόνος μόνοις
καὶ δρῶν τι χρηστόν , εἶτα λοίσθιον θάνω ;
ἀλλ᾽ ὧδέ γ᾽ Ἀτρείδας ἂν εὐφράναιμί που .
οὐκ ἔστι ταῦτα . πεῖρά τις ζητητέα
τοιάδ᾽ ἀφ᾽ ἧς γέροντι δηλώσω πατρὶ
μή τοι φύσιν γ᾽ ἄσπλαγχνος ἐκ κείνου γεγώς .
αἰσχρὸν γὰρ ἄνδρα τοῦ μακροῦ χρῄζειν βίου ,
κακοῖσιν ὅστις μηδὲν ἐξαλλάσσεται .
τί γὰρ παρ᾽ ἦμαρ ἡμέρα τέρπειν ἔχει
προσθεῖσα κἀναθεῖσα τοῦ γε κατθανεῖν ;
οὐκ ἂν πριαίμην οὐδενὸς λόγου βροτὸν
ὅστις κεναῖσιν ἐλπίσιν θερμαίνεται :
ἀλλ᾽ ἢ καλῶς ζῆν ἢ καλῶς τεθνηκέναι
τὸν εὐγενῆ χρή . πάντ᾽ ἀκήκοας λόγον .
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 ;
καὶ ποῖον ὄμμα πατρὶ δηλώσω φανεὶς
Τελαμῶνι ; πῶς με τλήσεταί ποτ᾽ εἰσιδεῖν
γυμνὸν φανέντα τῶν ἀριστείων ἄτερ ,
ὧν αὐτὸς ἔσχε στέφανον εὐκλείας μέγαν ;
οὐκ ἔστι τοὔργον τλητόν . ἀλλὰ δῆτ᾽ ἰὼν
πρὸς ἔρυμα Τρώων , ξυμπεσὼν μόνος μόνοις
καὶ δρῶν τι χρηστόν , εἶτα λοίσθιον θάνω ;
ἀλλ᾽ ὧδέ γ᾽ Ἀτρείδας ἂν εὐφράναιμί που .
οὐκ ἔστι ταῦτα . πεῖρά τις ζητητέα
τοιάδ᾽ ἀφ᾽ ἧς γέροντι δηλώσω πατρὶ
μή τοι φύσιν γ᾽ ἄσπλαγχνος ἐκ κείνου γεγώς .
αἰσχρὸν γὰρ ἄνδρα τοῦ μακροῦ χρῄζειν βίου ,
κακοῖσιν ὅστις μηδὲν ἐξαλλάσσεται .
τί γὰρ παρ᾽ ἦμαρ ἡμέρα τέρπειν ἔχει
προσθεῖσα κἀναθεῖσα τοῦ γε κατθανεῖν ;
οὐκ ἂν πριαίμην οὐδενὸς λόγου βροτὸν
ὅστις κεναῖσιν ἐλπίσιν θερμαίνεται :
ἀλλ᾽ ἢ καλῶς ζῆν ἢ καλῶς τεθνηκέναι
τὸν εὐγενῆ χρή . πάντ᾽ ἀκήκοας λόγον .
Ajax :
Aiai ! Who would ever think my given name
would fit my sorrows in such a way ?
For now it’s possible for me to cry Aiai !
twice and three times : for I meet such sorrows .
I whose father from the land of Ida
having won the army’s the fairest prize of valour
came home carrying every honor .
And I , the child of that man , having come after
to this region of Troy with no lesser strength ,
performing no lesser deeds by my hand ,
I am thus perishing utterly , dishonored by the sons of Atreus .
And indeed this I think I know :
if while living Achilles was going to judge
the power of excellence for his arms ,
no one other than me would have seized them .
But now the sons of Atreus have passed them over to a man with wicked will ,
having thrust away the victories of this man .
And if these eyes and twisted mind
had not sprung from my intent , they would never
have voted such a judgment against another man .
And now the daughter of Zeus , the fierce-eyed unconquered goddess
overthrew me as I was steadying my hand against them ,
throwing on me a disease of madness ,
so that I bloodied my hands on these beasts .
And those men laugh having escaped me ,
not by my will . But if any of the gods
hinders , even a worthless man may flee the mightier .
And now what is it necessary to do ? I who am clearly abhorred by the gods ,
and the army of Hellas hates me ,
and all of Troy and these plains detests me .
Should I pass through the Aegean sea towards home ,
leaving the ship-safe seat and the sons of Atreus alone ?
And having appeared , what face will I show to my father Telamon ?
How will he ever bear to see me ,
appearing naked without the prize for valour ,
the glory for which he won the great crown ?
It is an unendurable task . But then going
towards the bulwarks of Troy , having fallen alone against others alone
and doing something useful , should I then die at last ?
But in doing that I might somehow gladden the sons of Atreus ,
and that is not possible . Some attempt must be made
by which I may show my aged father
that the nature of this man has not become gutless .
For it is shameful of a man to desire a long life
for he who sees no change at all from his troubles .
For what does he have to enjoy day after day
advancing him towards and pulling him back from dying .
I would not buy a man at any price
who is warmed by empty hopes .
It’s necessary for a well-born man to live beautifully or die beautifully .
You have heard the whole tale .
Aiai ! Who would ever think my given name
would fit my sorrows in such a way ?
For now it’s possible for me to cry Aiai !
twice and three times : for I meet such sorrows .
I whose father from the land of Ida
having won the army’s the fairest prize of valour
came home carrying every honor .
And I , the child of that man , having come after
to this region of Troy with no lesser strength ,
performing no lesser deeds by my hand ,
I am thus perishing utterly , dishonored by the sons of Atreus .
And indeed this I think I know :
if while living Achilles was going to judge
the power of excellence for his arms ,
no one other than me would have seized them .
But now the sons of Atreus have passed them over to a man with wicked will ,
having thrust away the victories of this man .
And if these eyes and twisted mind
had not sprung from my intent , they would never
have voted such a judgment against another man .
And now the daughter of Zeus , the fierce-eyed unconquered goddess
overthrew me as I was steadying my hand against them ,
throwing on me a disease of madness ,
so that I bloodied my hands on these beasts .
And those men laugh having escaped me ,
not by my will . But if any of the gods
hinders , even a worthless man may flee the mightier .
And now what is it necessary to do ? I who am clearly abhorred by the gods ,
and the army of Hellas hates me ,
and all of Troy and these plains detests me .
Should I pass through the Aegean sea towards home ,
leaving the ship-safe seat and the sons of Atreus alone ?
And having appeared , what face will I show to my father Telamon ?
How will he ever bear to see me ,
appearing naked without the prize for valour ,
the glory for which he won the great crown ?
It is an unendurable task . But then going
towards the bulwarks of Troy , having fallen alone against others alone
and doing something useful , should I then die at last ?
But in doing that I might somehow gladden the sons of Atreus ,
and that is not possible . Some attempt must be made
by which I may show my aged father
that the nature of this man has not become gutless .
For it is shameful of a man to desire a long life
for he who sees no change at all from his troubles .
For what does he have to enjoy day after day
advancing him towards and pulling him back from dying .
I would not buy a man at any price
who is warmed by empty hopes .
It’s necessary for a well-born man to live beautifully or die beautifully .
You have heard the whole tale .
Ajax :
Aiai ! Who could’ve known my name would fit my sorrows so well ?
Now I may cry my name " Aiai ! " twice then three times :
for such are the sorrows I meet .
My father came home from the land of Ida
having won the army’s fairest prize and carrying every honor .
I am his child , and I came upon this Trojan land
with no lesser strength and performing by my hand no lesser deeds
--but now I’m dying , honorless among the Argives .
Still this I know : If Achilles had judged a contest for his arms while living ,
I would’ve seized them before anyone .
But now the sons of Atreus have given them to a wicked-willed man ,
ignoring my own victories .
If my eyes and warped senses had not sprung from my plan ,
they would’ve never voted such a judgment against anyone again .
But the fierce-eyed daughter of Zeus , that unconquered goddess ,
thwarted me just as I was aiming my hand against them ,
inflicting a disease of madness so that I bloodied my hands with beasts instead .
Now they laugh to have escaped me -- that was not by my will .
But if one of the gods interferes , even a worthless man may escape the mightier .
Now what can I do ? I am clearly abhorred by the gods ;
the army of Hellas hates me and all of Troy and these plains detests me .
Should I go home across the Aegean Sea , leaving my station by the ships
and the sons of Atreus alone ? How can I show my face to my father Telamon ?
How will he ever bear to see me when I’ve returned naked without the prize for valor
which he himself won as a great crown ?
No , that’s unendurable . But then should I go towards the bulwarks of Troy ,
fighting alone man-to-man -- doing something useful before dying at last ?
But no , that might please the sons of Atreus ,
and that can’t be . I must find a plan by which I can prove to my father
that his son is not gutless by nature .
It’s shameful for a man to want a long life when his trouble are never-ending .
What joy is there in inching forward and then back to and from death day after day ?
I wouldn’t buy a man at any price who warmed himself with empty hopes .
A well-born may either live beautifully or die beautifully .
You’ve heard the whole tale .
Aiai ! Who could’ve known my name would fit my sorrows so well ?
Now I may cry my name " Aiai ! " twice then three times :
for such are the sorrows I meet .
My father came home from the land of Ida
having won the army’s fairest prize and carrying every honor .
I am his child , and I came upon this Trojan land
with no lesser strength and performing by my hand no lesser deeds
--but now I’m dying , honorless among the Argives .
Still this I know : If Achilles had judged a contest for his arms while living ,
I would’ve seized them before anyone .
But now the sons of Atreus have given them to a wicked-willed man ,
ignoring my own victories .
If my eyes and warped senses had not sprung from my plan ,
they would’ve never voted such a judgment against anyone again .
But the fierce-eyed daughter of Zeus , that unconquered goddess ,
thwarted me just as I was aiming my hand against them ,
inflicting a disease of madness so that I bloodied my hands with beasts instead .
Now they laugh to have escaped me -- that was not by my will .
But if one of the gods interferes , even a worthless man may escape the mightier .
Now what can I do ? I am clearly abhorred by the gods ;
the army of Hellas hates me and all of Troy and these plains detests me .
Should I go home across the Aegean Sea , leaving my station by the ships
and the sons of Atreus alone ? How can I show my face to my father Telamon ?
How will he ever bear to see me when I’ve returned naked without the prize for valor
which he himself won as a great crown ?
No , that’s unendurable . But then should I go towards the bulwarks of Troy ,
fighting alone man-to-man -- doing something useful before dying at last ?
But no , that might please the sons of Atreus ,
and that can’t be . I must find a plan by which I can prove to my father
that his son is not gutless by nature .
It’s shameful for a man to want a long life when his trouble are never-ending .
What joy is there in inching forward and then back to and from death day after day ?
I wouldn’t buy a man at any price who warmed himself with empty hopes .
A well-born may either live beautifully or die beautifully .
You’ve heard the whole tale .
Sophocles' Ajax 172-192 (Final Exam Strophic Pair)
Kacey King /
- Created on 2018-05-13 00:33:56
- Modified on 2018-05-13 00:56:36
- Aligned by Kacey King
Ἑλληνική
English
English
Χορός
ἦ ῥά σε Ταυροπόλα Διὸς Ἄρτεμις—
ὦ μεγάλα φάτις , ὦ
μᾶτερ αἰσχύνας ἐμᾶς—
ὥρμασε πανδάμους ἐπὶ βοῦς ἀγελαίας ,
ἦ πού τινος νίκας ἀκάρπωτον χάριν ,
ἤ ῥα κλυτῶν ἐνάρων
ψευσθεῖσ᾽ , ἀδώροις , εἴτ᾽ ἐλαφαβολίας ;
ἢ χαλκοθώραξ μή τιν᾽ Ἐνυάλιος
μομφὰν ἔχων ξυνοῦ δορὸς ἐννυχίοις
μαχαναῖς ἐτίσατο λώβαν ;
οὔ ποτε γὰρ φρενόθεν γ᾽ ἐπ᾽ ἀριστερά ,
παῖ Τελαμῶνος , ἔβας
τόσσον , ἐν ποίμναις πίτνων :
ἥκοι γὰρ ἂν θεία νόσος : ἀλλ᾽ ἀπερύκοι
καὶ Ζεὺς κακὰν καὶ Φοῖβος Ἀργείων φάτιν .
εἰ δ᾽ ὑποβαλλόμενοι
κλέπτουσι μύθους οἱ μεγάλοι βασιλῆς
ἢ τᾶς ἀσώτου Σισυφιδᾶν γενεᾶς ,
μὴ μή , ἄναξ , ἔθ᾽ ὧδ᾽ ἐφάλοις κλισίαις
ὄμμ᾽ ἔχων κακὰν φάτιν ἄρῃ .
ἦ ῥά σε Ταυροπόλα Διὸς Ἄρτεμις—
ὦ μεγάλα φάτις , ὦ
μᾶτερ αἰσχύνας ἐμᾶς—
ὥρμασε πανδάμους ἐπὶ βοῦς ἀγελαίας ,
ἦ πού τινος νίκας ἀκάρπωτον χάριν ,
ἤ ῥα κλυτῶν ἐνάρων
ψευσθεῖσ᾽ , ἀδώροις , εἴτ᾽ ἐλαφαβολίας ;
ἢ χαλκοθώραξ μή τιν᾽ Ἐνυάλιος
μομφὰν ἔχων ξυνοῦ δορὸς ἐννυχίοις
μαχαναῖς ἐτίσατο λώβαν ;
οὔ ποτε γὰρ φρενόθεν γ᾽ ἐπ᾽ ἀριστερά ,
παῖ Τελαμῶνος , ἔβας
τόσσον , ἐν ποίμναις πίτνων :
ἥκοι γὰρ ἂν θεία νόσος : ἀλλ᾽ ἀπερύκοι
καὶ Ζεὺς κακὰν καὶ Φοῖβος Ἀργείων φάτιν .
εἰ δ᾽ ὑποβαλλόμενοι
κλέπτουσι μύθους οἱ μεγάλοι βασιλῆς
ἢ τᾶς ἀσώτου Σισυφιδᾶν γενεᾶς ,
μὴ μή , ἄναξ , ἔθ᾽ ὧδ᾽ ἐφάλοις κλισίαις
ὄμμ᾽ ἔχων κακὰν φάτιν ἄρῃ .
Chorus :
Was it Artemis Taropola , daughter of Zeus ,
O Great Rumor , O Mother of my shame ,
who spurred you on against the cattle herds of all our people ?
Was it perhaps for the sake of some victory that yielded no fruit ,
whether from her being cheated of glorious spoils ,
or whether from the giftless shooting of a deer ?
Or did bronze-plated Enyalius ,
having cause for anger from a common spear
avenge the outrage with contrivances in the night ?
For never of your own mind , son of Telamon ,
would you have gone so far along the sinister ,
falling onto the flocks .
For a divine sickness may have come ,
but may Zeus and Phoebus keep away the evil rumor of the Argives .
But if the great kings , making false suggestions ,
whisper tales ,
or he of the fatal race of Sisyphus ,
don’t , don’t , my lord , raise up an evil rumor ,
keeping your face in the huts by the sea in this way .
Was it Artemis Taropola , daughter of Zeus ,
O Great Rumor , O Mother of my shame ,
who spurred you on against the cattle herds of all our people ?
Was it perhaps for the sake of some victory that yielded no fruit ,
whether from her being cheated of glorious spoils ,
or whether from the giftless shooting of a deer ?
Or did bronze-plated Enyalius ,
having cause for anger from a common spear
avenge the outrage with contrivances in the night ?
For never of your own mind , son of Telamon ,
would you have gone so far along the sinister ,
falling onto the flocks .
For a divine sickness may have come ,
but may Zeus and Phoebus keep away the evil rumor of the Argives .
But if the great kings , making false suggestions ,
whisper tales ,
or he of the fatal race of Sisyphus ,
don’t , don’t , my lord , raise up an evil rumor ,
keeping your face in the huts by the sea in this way .
Chorus :
Was it Artemis Bull-Ruler , daughter of Zeus ,
O Great Rumor , O mother of my shame ,
who spurred you on against the cattle herds of all our people ?
Was it because of some unthanked victory ,
whether she was cheated of glorious spoils
or whether it was from the shooting of a deer that brought her no gifts ?
Or was it the bronze-plated War God who had cause for anger from an alliance of spears ,
take vengeance for the outrage by way of machinations during the night ?
For never in your right mind , son of Telamon ,
would you have strayed so far as to attack the flocks .
A divine sickness must have come ,
but may Zeus and Phoebus Apollo keep back the evil rumor of the Argives .
But if the great kings whisper false tales ,
or he of the ruinous race of Sisyphus ,
Don’t , my lord , don’t support an evil rumor
by hiding your face in your hut by the sea .
Was it Artemis Bull-Ruler , daughter of Zeus ,
O Great Rumor , O mother of my shame ,
who spurred you on against the cattle herds of all our people ?
Was it because of some unthanked victory ,
whether she was cheated of glorious spoils
or whether it was from the shooting of a deer that brought her no gifts ?
Or was it the bronze-plated War God who had cause for anger from an alliance of spears ,
take vengeance for the outrage by way of machinations during the night ?
For never in your right mind , son of Telamon ,
would you have strayed so far as to attack the flocks .
A divine sickness must have come ,
but may Zeus and Phoebus Apollo keep back the evil rumor of the Argives .
But if the great kings whisper false tales ,
or he of the ruinous race of Sisyphus ,
Don’t , my lord , don’t support an evil rumor
by hiding your face in your hut by the sea .