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Joseph Laughman /
- Created on 2018-05-06 03:12:28
- Modified on 2018-05-06 04:24:19
- Translated by Joseph Laughman
- Aligned by Joseph Laughman
Ajax Text
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 .
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
Ajax , and so I would wish that you would have pity
in mind : For you would approve the words of this woman
Ajax
And she will obtain at any rate my approval , if she only
dares to finish the thing ordered .
Tekmessa
But O dear Ajax , I at least will obey everything
Ajax
Now convey to me my child , so I can see
Tekmessa
And nor at any rate I sent him away for fear
Ajax
In such evils as theses ? Or what are you telling me ?
Tekmessa
So that he , wretched one having met you somewhere , he die .
Ajax
At any rate , this was fitting of my daemon
Tekmessa
But therefore I guarded to ward off this
Ajax
I approve the deed and forethought which you sat .
Tekmessa
How then would I help you from these things ?
Ajax
Give him clear to me to address and to see .
Tekmessa
And certainly he is being guarded near by the slaves .
Ajax
Why then is it not to have not being present
Tekmessa
O child , you father calls you . Bring him here from the
the slaves , the very one guiding with hands you have .
Ajax
You speaking to one crawling or to one have left the speeches ?
Tekmessa
And indeed this one of the slaves is conveying near .
Ajax
Grab him , grab him here : For he will not fear
anywhere looking on this fresh spilt murder .
If indeed he is justly mine from my parentage .
But on the spot it is necessary that he in the row
customs of his father be assimilated to break his nature .
O child , may you be luckier than your father , but in other
things similar : And may you not be bad . And even
now at any rate I am able to praise you this , because
you know nothing of these evils : for in the act of
thinking life is not at all the sweetest , for the act
of not thinking is very much an evil fire from pain
until you learn the act of rejoicing and grieving .
Whenever you come to this , it is necessary that you
will show as you father among your enemies , such
a man you were raised from such a man . Until then feed
on soft breezes , leaping your young soul , a joy to
your mother . There men of the Achaeans , I know . Someone
should not transgress you with hateful reproaches .
Not being separate from me . I will leave such a warder
for you , Teucer as a guard , resolute like a nourisher ,
even if now he is going away , having a hunt of
the enemy but , shield armed men , men on the
sea , and on you I prop this common favor ,
Send my order to him , so that , leading this child to my
houses , he will show him to Telamon and my
mother , I say to Eriboia , so that he be to
them always a nourisher of old age , until they reach
where the nooks are of the god below , and my arms
neither some judges nor my destroyer will set them
to the Achaeans . But rather , child , you having taken the
namesake , Eurysakes , and hold turning through the
well-stitched handle , a shield unbreakable seven cow-hided :
But the other common arms will be buried with me .
But so speed take this child already and close the house .
Don’t weep public moans : a woman is indeed
exceedingly prone to pity . Close quicker :
It is not characteristic of a wise doctor to sing
songs towards a misery needing cut .
Chorus
Having listened , I fear this eagerness : For the
sharpened tongue of yours does not please me .
Tekmessa
O Lord Ajax , what ever do you intend in mind ?
Ajax
Don’t discern , don’t examine : It is a beautiful thing to b
sound of mind
Tekmessa
Alas how I’m disheartened : I come to you by you son
and gods , don’t be betraying us .
Ajax
you grieve too much : you don’t know that I
am still a debtor to the gods to keep off nothing
Tekmessa
You say things of good omen
Ajax
Speak to those listening
Tekmessa
Will you not be persuaded
Ajax
You already mourn many things too much .
Tekmessa
For I am alarmed , Lord .
Ajax
Will you not bar the door so quickly ?
Tekmessa
by the gods , be softened .
Ajax
You seem to me to think stupid things .
If recently you intend to educate my character .
Chorus
O renowned Salamis , you dwell somewhere
sea-struck , good fortune ,
always conspicuous to all :
I , stout harded old age from which ,
remaining in Idian marches countless
folds of months always I lay asleep
being worn out by time ,
having an evil hope that
still sometime I will achieve ,
the far off , unseen Hades
Chorus
And Ajax difficult to cure
sitting with me , woe to me ,
dwelling with divine madness :
Who you sent out before whenever being
strong in the furious war : Now again
he has discovered a tame pasture of the
mind and a great desire for friends .
The deeds before with his hands were the
greatest excellence he dropped unfriendly
words from the unfriendly . useless Atiridae .
Chorus
Or perhaps a companion with old day ,
and a mother with old age whenever she
hears that he is suffering mentally . a dirge a dirge
she , ill fated , will not release the wail of
a pitiable song bird .
But rather she will wail piercing odes ,
and hand-struck thuds will fall on her
breasts and tearing against her flowing grey hairs .
He is stronger being sick with respect to folly
being covered in Hades , who is best coming
from an ancestral race much laboring
Achaeans , no longer is fettered reared
impulses , but he consorts outside .
O suffering father , it waits that heavy you
learn such madness of your son , which
some age not yet reared apart from this one .
Ajax , and so I would wish that you would have pity
in mind : For you would approve the words of this woman
Ajax
And she will obtain at any rate my approval , if she only
dares to finish the thing ordered .
Tekmessa
But O dear Ajax , I at least will obey everything
Ajax
Now convey to me my child , so I can see
Tekmessa
And nor at any rate I sent him away for fear
Ajax
In such evils as theses ? Or what are you telling me ?
Tekmessa
So that he , wretched one having met you somewhere , he die .
Ajax
At any rate , this was fitting of my daemon
Tekmessa
But therefore I guarded to ward off this
Ajax
I approve the deed and forethought which you sat .
Tekmessa
How then would I help you from these things ?
Ajax
Give him clear to me to address and to see .
Tekmessa
And certainly he is being guarded near by the slaves .
Ajax
Why then is it not to have not being present
Tekmessa
O child , you father calls you . Bring him here from the
the slaves , the very one guiding with hands you have .
Ajax
You speaking to one crawling or to one have left the speeches ?
Tekmessa
And indeed this one of the slaves is conveying near .
Ajax
Grab him , grab him here : For he will not fear
anywhere looking on this fresh spilt murder .
If indeed he is justly mine from my parentage .
But on the spot it is necessary that he in the row
customs of his father be assimilated to break his nature .
O child , may you be luckier than your father , but in other
things similar : And may you not be bad . And even
now at any rate I am able to praise you this , because
you know nothing of these evils : for in the act of
thinking life is not at all the sweetest , for the act
of not thinking is very much an evil fire from pain
until you learn the act of rejoicing and grieving .
Whenever you come to this , it is necessary that you
will show as you father among your enemies , such
a man you were raised from such a man . Until then feed
on soft breezes , leaping your young soul , a joy to
your mother . There men of the Achaeans , I know . Someone
should not transgress you with hateful reproaches .
Not being separate from me . I will leave such a warder
for you , Teucer as a guard , resolute like a nourisher ,
even if now he is going away , having a hunt of
the enemy but , shield armed men , men on the
sea , and on you I prop this common favor ,
Send my order to him , so that , leading this child to my
houses , he will show him to Telamon and my
mother , I say to Eriboia , so that he be to
them always a nourisher of old age , until they reach
where the nooks are of the god below , and my arms
neither some judges nor my destroyer will set them
to the Achaeans . But rather , child , you having taken the
namesake , Eurysakes , and hold turning through the
well-stitched handle , a shield unbreakable seven cow-hided :
But the other common arms will be buried with me .
But so speed take this child already and close the house .
Don’t weep public moans : a woman is indeed
exceedingly prone to pity . Close quicker :
It is not characteristic of a wise doctor to sing
songs towards a misery needing cut .
Chorus
Having listened , I fear this eagerness : For the
sharpened tongue of yours does not please me .
Tekmessa
O Lord Ajax , what ever do you intend in mind ?
Ajax
Don’t discern , don’t examine : It is a beautiful thing to b
sound of mind
Tekmessa
Alas how I’m disheartened : I come to you by you son
and gods , don’t be betraying us .
Ajax
you grieve too much : you don’t know that I
am still a debtor to the gods to keep off nothing
Tekmessa
You say things of good omen
Ajax
Speak to those listening
Tekmessa
Will you not be persuaded
Ajax
You already mourn many things too much .
Tekmessa
For I am alarmed , Lord .
Ajax
Will you not bar the door so quickly ?
Tekmessa
by the gods , be softened .
Ajax
You seem to me to think stupid things .
If recently you intend to educate my character .
Chorus
O renowned Salamis , you dwell somewhere
sea-struck , good fortune ,
always conspicuous to all :
I , stout harded old age from which ,
remaining in Idian marches countless
folds of months always I lay asleep
being worn out by time ,
having an evil hope that
still sometime I will achieve ,
the far off , unseen Hades
Chorus
And Ajax difficult to cure
sitting with me , woe to me ,
dwelling with divine madness :
Who you sent out before whenever being
strong in the furious war : Now again
he has discovered a tame pasture of the
mind and a great desire for friends .
The deeds before with his hands were the
greatest excellence he dropped unfriendly
words from the unfriendly . useless Atiridae .
Chorus
Or perhaps a companion with old day ,
and a mother with old age whenever she
hears that he is suffering mentally . a dirge a dirge
she , ill fated , will not release the wail of
a pitiable song bird .
But rather she will wail piercing odes ,
and hand-struck thuds will fall on her
breasts and tearing against her flowing grey hairs .
He is stronger being sick with respect to folly
being covered in Hades , who is best coming
from an ancestral race much laboring
Achaeans , no longer is fettered reared
impulses , but he consorts outside .
O suffering father , it waits that heavy you
learn such madness of your son , which
some age not yet reared apart from this one .
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 .
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 .
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 .