T II AJAX SOPHOCLES. LITERALLY TRANSLATED, AND EXPLAINED IN SHORT NOTES ON THE GRAMMAR AND CONSTRUCTION, AND SUCH ALLUSIONS AS A CANDIDATE FOR MODERATIONS MAY BE EXPECTED TO KNOW. BY A FIRST-CLASS MAN Of Balliol College, Oxford. OXFORD: T. SHRIMPTON & SON, 23 & 24 BROAD STREET. LONDON: WHITTAKER & Co., AVE MARIA LANE. 1871. PRINTED BY H. ALDEN, OXFORD, PREFACE. THE long interval between the publication of the (Edipus Rex and that of the Ajax, is due partly to stress of other work, and partly to an increased sense of the responsibility of the task which I have undertaken. Increased experience, far from lightening to me the labour of translation, has only made me more exacting towards myself. The more I see what a really good translation ought to be, the more pains I expend to attain my ideal. That I have succeeded to the full extent of my wishes I cannot assert; but it would be ridiculous affectation to deny that I think I have succeeded far beyond what most prose translators of Sophocles have even desired to attain. For instancce, I cannot think that Buckley, Mlessrs. Blohn's hack, cared in the least whether his rendering was right or wrong. I have remarked from time to time in my notes on the gross carelessness and absolute ignorance of Mr. Buckley, and I could easily make a list of over a hundred blunders, which would go a long way to induce an examiner to iv PvREFFACE. suminarily reject any credulous candidate who did not detect themn. Mvr. -i'cA L J professes -to have adhered closel, V to thel text of ID- lcrf. It" 0, Lie does not know the diff1erl-ence between x.'e and Xp7/ (A1j. 110973). But in truth M11r. Buckley knows no more difference between one text and alioti cr th in a savage between different vintages. To tile latter wine is wine, to the former Greek is Greek.Ritherto, it has cq-meWarcd to me, the real reason whyv it. is considered djiserdiinable to use a translation, has been thl-e exceedingio badness of most translations. It is a pity to see a clever boy in a. sixth form borrowing help froom one far bhflow himself in scholarship. But where reaMll good ftn-sioiions exist, such. as the tran slation of thLe Pc nl- teb Davi-es and V aughan, no shname is felt inI usimo them. The present series of tiianslations diffiers in maivy points; fronT such a translation aLS thlat of th e h1`eUonahic; it agrees witlh it in this, that it inav~ be. openly owoted in a icettire room. And in fact it is sf! qunotel m many elasses, where open ders on ix wioud tc)1o0'tv an ippeal to Buck-ley. The nof s;, 'e fterathier fuller than those to thre, (Idipus RCi~x, 1)-ut ol oca eref"111-ldeconsiderationl I think nene 're S[cw11(t1ailuous. 'i facI I Ct is that the demands ma~cde hly thle ino~e'doi'ts oji eanL41(iitates -arie continually increasingm;, aA tiive aitack becomes more severe, thle defnce"1?. P, moi-rie elaborate. The old -L o11 t C0, I)'i '' t i1O stOfIpeieali of the1 PREFACE. V Oxford pass examinations is rapidly disappearing, and already an ordinary degree can only be obtained by a careful and accurate preparation of the work taken in. We do not deprecate this tendency, we are rather rejoiced to see it. At the same time we are anxious to assist those who are in earnest with their work: we have been accurate to stimulate accuracy in others. In short, the general aim of this series may be briefly stated; it is to help those who will help themselves. Balliol College, Oxford, Dec. 6ti, 1870. AJAX. D)RAMXATIS PERSON,-E. AT IIE N E. ODYSSEUS. AJAX. CHORUS OF SALAUINIAN SAmORS. TEcarss-k. MESSTxENGR. T~rrCER. MENLA~-rUS. AGA.1 EMNNON. AJAX. ATHENIE, ODYSSEUS, A-JAX. ATII.-I have seen thee, 0 son of Laertes, ever hunting to snatch a thrust at thy foes: and now I see thee at the naval tents of Ajax, whTor e hkeeps the rearmost post, long doggin, and tracing his new-graven foot-prints, that thou mayest see whether he is within or not within: and well does thy step, as one of a sharp-scented Spartan hound, lead thee forth. For the man chances to b' jlust within, dripping on his head and sword-slaving hands with sweat. And there is no need any longer that thou shouldest peer within this gate, but that thou shouldest declare for the sake of what thou hast used this diligence, that thou. mayest learn from me who know. OD.-O voico of Athene, dearest of gods to me, how wellknown, even although thou be invisible, do I hear thy voice, and catch it in my mind as of a brass-throated Tuscan trumpet. And now well didst thou discern that I am drawingin my steps upon a foeman, Ajax the shield-bearer: for him, none other, have I long been tracling. For in this night he has accomplished on us a hidden deed, if he has done this: for we know nothing distinct, but are at fault: and I volunB 4 4 OP~~~~~~~0110IIOLE-S. tarily was bound to this taskd~ F'or i lxa1tel5 find 11l o ir capturedI-cattle slenglter(le and bhotolw-eed by Ii- dtoi veryTnViin of (Ie in 41 sX C, o ii cooe lav tV h. 1,II 1101 Andw 1;1 Oit'ii ~ AvC Ii leN114)1 lii ii wo.ItI 011iilOh nifiod it- to m e a ond ininmildiitely I hurry on the track, Some ioo1/1,A~ 1liviflO, but aIt 50111 I am I 01lli l aid I1 cinnot disoover of whiat Ci-/o coo t.lnt thou Lawst oeaie in sea~snn for in alltlii both past, certainlv, and futur e, I. ani governed by thy band. ATnT.-I know it, Odvsseus, and came lon, ago into toli -way, a guardlian zealous for thly ehasoIs. Gm)-And dlo I, doar mistress, toil to good,-purpose ATET.-IoN, sincee those doing10s "are his, J hi!, you. On)-And for what absurd pU)poiq c has hie thus launehenI his band? ATH-Beingf oppressod wvith resentment for the arms ot Achillos. GD-Wil~y, pray, (lees he fall in this in-road on thle flockNs ATrI-Thinlung~ that he is staining, his hand with -murder amiong you. G-D.-Was this plot really as against the Ar-ives? AT 1. - Ps and lhe would have accomipisised it, if I had overlookod it. On.-With such ventures and fury of soul as these? ArmL —By nighIt, treacherous, alone lie stlarts against yeu. Op)-Did lie really- come, near and arrive at his goal? AT1. - PsC, and(1 was evo'. at the two gates of' the generals. OTp-h~ut how di1d lie restrain his Lauid, eager for miurder ATmn.-I Giwvot Loui from his, ineurable desire, having thrown unhoarable taeies 111p01 his eves., anid -turn hima asille ,o-_81' A.3 AX. 5 on the flocks and on the herdsman's charge of spoil mixed with them, unshared: there falling-to he slew many a horned victim, cleaving round him; and lie thought at one time that he held and sleTw with his own hand the two sons of Atreus, tlhen one at one time, and anothcer at another, of the chieftains, falling on them. But I was inciting the man raving with mad affections, I was hemming him into evil snares. And then when he rested from this toil, next having coupled witl bonds those of the oxen that lived and all the flocks he brings them to his tents, as if holding men and not a horned spoil. And 'now in the tents he scourges them fettered. And moreover I will show to thee this manifest infirmity, that having seen it thou mayest noise it to all tlhe Argives. But await with courage, (nor look for misadventure,) the man: for I will prevent the averted glances of his eyes from beholding thy presence. Ho thou! thee that bindest the captive hands with chains, I call to advance: Ajax I summon step before tlhe house. OD.-What lost thou, Athene? by no means call him forth. AmI.-Wilt thou not endure silently, and not encourage thy cow ardice? O0. —Do not, by the gods: but let him content thee staying within. ATr.-Lest what should happen? Was not he a hero before? OD.-An enemy at all events to this man and still so now. ATH.-And is it not the sweetest laugh to laugh at our foes? OD.-To me indeed it is enough that he should remain within. ATr.-Dost thou shrink to see a man plainly mad? C, SOTIHOC'TIFS, CS2 - 0 G' OD.-WhyV, I sh1oulHd never in altrm haYve shunned him in his senses. AT-I.-lnt not, even 1-low s ib('-e ler Lt lie shIouldl see thee, though close to. On.-Ihow, if at least hie sees with thle,sotme evese ATri.-I Will darhe-cn his CyelidS e-ven thloughl 5eeiii. OD.-Surely everythingo, iuayI he done wv'heni a god contrives. ArM.-lnush now, standiug-still, and remain as thlou chancest to he. OD.-I will remJln habult I should liave wi'-shed to find inv - self awav. ATvIm-ITo there'! AVjaix_, a second timle I summon thee wNhvy dost thou so little respect thmie ally? Ajxx.-O hail, A ntli cc hail, child born-of-Zeus! hoN timely thou standest by: and I \vill crown thee wvith trop)hies all-golden, in gratitude for this spoil. ATH.-Thou savest Wvell. lunt deeiare aaother thiina to me, Didst thou well drenchl thy sword on the Argive hostAs.- The vanut bhelonous to inc, and I damrv not the. Ai.- 1(1st then" also arm t5 hiand with a spea upol)n tile Atm eidm.As. I es so te"at they s~ Awn7IiThe men are ucda 11iv c, (/ As. h'eino dead let them now steAl -my airmuS A7. —LOughl, for wha0 t now d10Jb the son of Liertes? in -wha.It state li fortune does he stul nd to thee or ha, s lie esecaped thee? Arj. 1J lidst tthou ask nie of thait wx ih fox, where he is? ATIE.-I (10 I 1)ella of thy udverSaMy Odysseus. As.-IHe sits withfin, 0 nmistress a most welcome Prisoner for nat at a(ill do I wis,4ih h-im to 1 c( L Jet. 107 —137] AJAX. i A.Trir. ---Before tlhou shalt lhve done what, or gained what further? Aj.-lBefore that having been bound to the pillar of my coult roof, - ATrr.-Wha1tt hlarm, r, ra, ilt thou (do to the unhappy man? AJ.-Hjaving1 first been crimsoned on the back by the lash, he shiall d(ie. ATIr.-Po not, pray, torture the wretch thus. A.T.-I desire, Atle(ne, tlhat in tlie rest tliou shouldst be content: but lie shall pay this and no other satisfaction. ATIr.-PDo thlou then, since this is thy pleasure to do it, use thy handt: witihhold not!ing of what thou plannest. AJ. ---I go to the tas:l but this I charge thee, to ever stand by nme such an ally. ATIr.- -ost t1hou see, Odysseus, the might of gods, how great it' i,? Who would have been found by thee either more provident, or braver to enact tilings seasonable, than this man? O(), —Truly I know none: bhut I pity him, being still wretched, thoug;-h a foe, because he hath been harnessed to dire ruin, not considering, his c(ase rather than mine. For I see that we, as many as live, are nothing else but phantoms or an imnpalplable shadow..,TIi. —Loolklng then on sucih things, never thyself speak. 'y v:4.lo A~ the go(s 100 n 0 a i a vanity:, if tileo we i( et heavier tlian any one eitlher in hand or depth of long lprisoe. For a day both levels and restores all human things: bit tlie gods love tle ciscreet and abhor the wicked. Criorecs. O son of Telamon, ruling the seat of sea-girt, wave-washed Salamis, I rejoice over thee when faring well: but when a blown forn Zeus or a violent slanderous rumour from the 8 S OPiOCLES. Danai comes ulpon thee, I lhave great awe and am scared like the eye of a plulmed dove. As even in tlle night that lihis now Vaned gLreat terrors possess us to thy ill-fame, that thou having rushed over the mead wlhere-thc-lorscs-revel, didst destroy the herds iand booty of the )Danai, which was still remainin, the-soi- he-spear, slaugh tering them with flashing steel. Feigning such -whispered words, Odysseus carries them into the ears of all, and firmly persuaLdes theml. 1For lIe speaks plausibly about thee now, and every one who hears rejoiees more than thle speaker, exultingl in thy sorrows. For aiming at noble souls he cannot miss: but any one speaking such things against me would not persuade i/c,,;.. For envy sneaks against him that hath. And yet the lowly without the powerful prove a slippery protection for a garrison: for the weak along with the great might best be supported, and the great by the lesser. But it is not possible to teacll fools i/l/,li judgments on these things. By snlch men thou art vexed, and we have no strength to make way against this without thee, 0 prince. 1However, now that they have escaped thy eye, they chatter like droves of fowl: but quickly of a sudden, if thou shouldst appear, would they cower, mute in silence, having dreaded the mighty vulture. And (lid the Taulric Artemis, d(itu/'/41' of Z7 us,-oh, dread report oh, mother of my shame -drive thee upon the common, herding beeves, either for tlle sake of a victory unprofitable to her, or even having been deceived of gloiious spoils, or for deer-cllases yielding-her-no-gift? Or, peradventure, did mail-coated Enyalius, having some grud, lg (tCaalt Ctec for his helping spear, requite his wrong by nightly shemes? For else thou wouldst never have gone so far from thy senses to the left, 0 son of Telamon, falling on the flocks: for a heaven-sent sickness 186-2A32j AJAX. t might come: but may both Zeus and Phlebus avert the evil speaking of the Argives. But if the great princes are passing- off reports, hatching them, or one of the desperate race of the Sisyphids, (lo not, do not, pray, 0 king, any longer thus keeping thy eye within the sea-side tents, receive ill report. But up from the seat, where thou art rooted in long, unmanly ease, fanning the heaven-sent mischief! and the insolence of thy enemies undisturbed waxes in the breezy glens, all laughing-loud with their tongues unendurably: but pain rests on me. TECAIESSA, CIIORUS. TEc.-0 defenders of the ship of Ajax, of the lineage of the earth-born Ereclhtheido! wTe who care for the far-off house of Telamon have griefs. For now the drcad, mighty, stoutshouldered Ajax lies sickening with a troubled tfenzy. Cir.-But with whlat force has this night been changed from calm? 0 child of Phrygian Teleutas! speak, since hot Ajax continues cherishing thee, his spear-taken wife: so that thou wouldst not hint witlessly. TEC.-How, pray, shall I tell a tale not to be spoken? For thou wilt learn a misfortune equal to death. For Ajax, our glorious one, having been seized with madness, has been dishonoured by night. Such victims, slaughtered-by-his-hand, dripping-blood, mayst thou see within the tent, the offerings of that hero. Ca.- Concerning the fiery warrior, what tidings hast thou proclaimed, unendurable and yet not to be escaped, bruited by the mighty Danai, which mighty rumour swells. Alas! I fear the future. Conspicuous will the hero die, having with frenzied hand slain, with dark sword, cattle and horse-guiding herdsmen. I o I ii 'OP~~~~~~1;~01I l0CITIFS. TEC. ---Ahi'S tieli(T 'LIii tI I eane1lk hie ti us drivin, t' fettered flock 1) W lit, ix ' b 0 i0, g po t ttin, u1pon the grounid, and j)Oi4 11( Vei -,1A_11f III two( hei 1t sides. Btn lhavi a iedo twvo w %I ait, f tocd r(In shearjn1" off the he~ad. and tonie. t~in or one( he ci ts him Jown, a1-nd having boun-d the othur t~prght to apillir, ha"'inl tablen aC iethorse~-bLlinda o 1"il!lc Stnihs it wvith a doublAOi~lji SCour~re revilh;__- it o''1 (ful wrd,]twlna at go(ti and 1101110 of nlen, ailti CrI. —'Tits time now theaf one, having veiled oin0's i ead( wivid aeishould adlopt fit' lit by Ibot; or, sitfai on ho ti rowingl beneh, to-owe way wvith thff sea-spe1 ship. 'Sne threats do tile twvin-soverci.-n Atreide- ply aogainst us. I Ibar to suffer a death by stomno'- smjttcii along wvith him, wioni a monstrous fCate IlossesscIS. Thex-( ji~.0'Q; /0 110 niore. For hie is lulled, as the, furious South wind lioviag spurungo-lip wvithout brighlt 11ligtmaiii And now in his senses lie has fresh trouble. Ficr to look upon one's owvn sfeigwhien 110 other lhas done wrong, deepens strong- P,0in5. Cii.-hiut if lie is respited, I think he mrust be v-ery fortunate. For there is less talk of tile evil nowv vanished. TEC.-LUt whether, if some one should assign thee the cocwonldst thou choose, aftlicting thy friends, thyeft have pleasure, or to be pained mixing withi them, associated with them in Common lot Cu.-The evil is greater, 0 lady, being doubled. TEc.-Wle then, not being sick, are troubled now. Cui.-Ltow saidst thou this? 1 understand not how thou salyest. TRe.-Yon mean, when he was ill the (lisease, rejoiced himi 272-304] AJAX. 11 self at the evils in which he was held, but us in our senses he pained, being with us. But now, when he has ceased, and recovered from his malady, both he is all oppressed with evil pain, and we similarly not less than before. Are not then these evils twice as great instead of one-fold? Cr.-Truly, I agree with thee, and fear lest some blow from heaven have come lupon him. For how is it not so, if, when he has respite, he is not more comforted than when sick? TEc.-It behoves thee to think as this being so. CHE.-Why, what beginning of the malady overtook him Disclose to us, who suffer with him, his misfortunes. TEc.-Thou shalt learn the whole deed, as being a partner. For he, in the depth of night, when the evening capl-fires were no longer burning, having taken his two-edged sword, was seeking to traverse the deserted outlets. And I chide him and say, " What art thou doing, Ajax? why dost thou launch on this enterprise unbidden, nor summoned by messengers, nor hearing any trumpet? But now, at all events, the whole army sleeps." But he said to me words scant, but ever bandied: " Woman, to women silence brings honour." And I, instructed, desisted, and he rushed-off alone. And of the misfortunes there indeed I cannot speak: but he came within bringing together fettered bulls, shepherd dogs, and a woolly booty. And some he beheaded, and others, bending tleir heads upwards, he stabbed, and cleft-their-spines, and others being bound he was torturing as men, falling upon the flocks. But at last, having darted through the door, he began to mouth words at some shadow, some against the Atreidx, and some concerning Odysseus, mixing with them much laughter, how great outrage he had repaid them as he went: and then, E 12 SOPHOCI ES, having rushed again back into the house, at length hardly becomes he sane somehow; and, as he eyes the house full of death, having smitten his head, he cried out: and sunk upon the wrecks of the carcasses of slaughtered sheep, he sat, in his hands seizing his hair, with his nails clenched. And for the most time he sat voiceless: then he threatened me with terrifying words, if I should not show him all tle misfortune that had befallen him, and asked me in what o.fe'? of trouble he was. And I, fiiends, fearing, told him all that was done, as far as I knew. And he forthwith vented sad plaints, which never before did I hear fromu him. For he used ever to pronounce that such groans were for a cowardly and tamesouled man: but without sounding shrill laments, he used to mourn-to-himself, moaning like a bull. But now, lying in such evil fortune, fastiln, without drink, the man sits quiet, fallen in the midst of cattle slain with the sword. And he is clearly desirous to do some mischief. For somehow he both speaks and laments such things. lBut, 0 friends, for for this was I sent, having gone within, help him,l if at all ye can. For such as he are vanquished by the words of friends. Cu.-Tecmessa, daughter of Telcutas, terrible things dost thou speak to us, that thy husband has been maddened by sorrows. AJAX, TECMESSA, CHORUS. AJ.-Ah me, me! TEc.-Soon, as it seems, he will heb more iacaddcned: or did ye not hear Ajax, what kind of voice he utters here? AJ.-Ah me, me! Cur.-The man seems either to be distempered, or to be grieved, being near the old griefs still accompanying him, A.J —Alas, my son, my saon! 340-379] AJAX. 13 TEC.-Alas, me wretched! He crieth for thee, Eurysaces. Whatever does he plot? Wherever art thou? Wretched I! A. —I call Teucer. Where is Teucer? Will he be plundering for the whole time? But I am perishing. Cii.-The maln seems to be sane. IBat open. Perchance he may even admit some shame, having looked upon me. Ti:c.-Lo, I open: and it is open for thee to see his doings, and how also he himself is found to be. AJ.-Ho! kindly sailors, alone of my friends, alone yet cleaving to the steadfast law, behold what an encircling surge, with a spray of blood, surrounds me of late. Cu. (To;LTic)essa(.- Alas! how thou seemest to testify all too truly. And the deed declares how witless he is. AJ. —0 race ministering the naval art, thou who sailedst plying the sea oar, thee, thee alone I still see a help against troubles. But slay me outright. CG.-Speak luckily: do not, applying an evil remedy to evil, make the calamity of mischief greater. A.T.-Seest thou me, the bold, the stout-hearted, dauntless in embittered fight, now terrible of hand with timid beasts Woe for the laughter, with which I was mocked! TEC.-Do not, lord Ajax, I beseech thee, speak thus. Aj.-Wilt thou not away? Wilt thou not remove thy foot backwards? Ah! ah! Cu.-0, by the gods, yield and think soberly. AJ.-0 wretch, I that with my hand let go the villains, but having fallen upon crumpled-horned kine and famous herds-of-goats, shed their black blood. CE.-Why, pray, shouldest thou grieve over what is done? for it could not be that these things should not stand thus. AJ.-0 thou that spiest all things, and ever a tool of all 14 SOPHOCLES. L380-41-9 evil, son of Laertes, thou most-passing-filthy rogue of the host, surely somewhere thou ventest much laughter for pleasure.... Cir.-According to God, every one both laughs and grieves. AJ.-Might I but see him, though thus afflicted. Ah me ah me! Cn.-Say nothing high. Seest thou not where thou art in woe? AJ.-O Zeus, forefather of my ancestors, how could I, having destroyed the wiliest, the abhorred rascal, and the twinthroned princes, die myself also at the last. TEc.-When thou prayest these things, at the same time pray for me also to die: for what boots it me to live, when thou art dead? AJ.-O darkness, my light, 0 thick-darkness most radiant, as with me, take, 0 take me for your denizen, take me: for no longer am I worthy to look, either to the race of gods, nor for any help from mortal men. But the warlike goddess, d(kldetI, of Zeus, fatally tortures me. Where then should one flee? Whither having gone should I remain? Since part is lost, friends, and vengeance is nigh, and we are given to mad chases, and all the host, doubly-armed, will slay me by violence. TEC.-Oh wretched me! that an honest man should speak such things, which before he would never have ventured to ^p'eak. AJ.-0 seaward-flowing streams, and sea-side grots, and thou grove on the shore, long, long and lengthened time have ye detained me round Troy: but no more slall ye detaci me, no more Awhile I draw breath: let any one know this, if wise. l) neighbourilng strctims of Scamander, never again, well-wish I20-459] AJAX. 15 ing to the Argives, shall ye behold this man (I will speak out the proud word), such a man as Troy saw none in the host, having come from the Greek land. But now I lie thus dishonoured. Cm-.-Truly I know not how to stop thee, nor how I should suffer thee to speak, involved in such miseries, AJ.-Ay me! ay me! who would ever have thought that my name, thus surnamed, would accord with my sorrows? For it is given to me both twice and thrice to 'ay me!' for such evils do I meet with: I, whose father from this land of Ida, having prevailed in the first prizes of the army, came home bearing all glory. But I, his son, having come to the same realm of Troy with not less might, and having achieved not less deeds of my arm, perish thus, unhonoured by the Greeks. And yet thus much at least I think I know, if Achilles, being alive, had had to adjudge the preeminence of excellence to some one, touching his own arms, no other would have grasped them in my place. But now the Atreidve have' secured them for a man, desperate in mind, having set aside the power of this man. And unless this eye and mind had erred, distorted, from my purpose, they would never thus have passed judgment against another man. But now the sterneyed, virgin goddess, datugfler of Zeus, tripped me, already aiming my hand against them, having cast on me a mad distemper, so that I defiled my hands on brutes such as these; but they mock me, having escaped, I indeed not willing it: but if one of the gods should delude him, even the coward may escape the braver man. And now what behoves it me to do? me, who am plainly hated by the gods, and the host of the Greeks hates me, and all Troy and these plains abhor me. Whether shall I, having abandoned the quarters of the fleet, V 16 SOPHOCLES. [460 —4i6 and the Atreidwa, to themselves, cross the Ege:ln sea to my home And, having appeared, what face shel:l I reveal to my father Telamon? Htow will he ever be-ar to look uipon me appearing empty -handed, without the prizes, wlelreof' he had himself a great crown of glory? The act is nlt to be bo ne. But shall I then, marclhing to the rampart of the Trojans, having engaged alone with them only, and aclieving solmethting noble, die at last But thus, at any rate, I should cheer tile Atreidmc. This is not?po.a^is/ilc. Some effort must be attempted, such that by it I may show to my aged fattier tlhat, in spirit at least, I am not born of hi.m weak-hearted. For it is dissgraceful that a man should crave long life who is not relieved in his sorrows. For what has day by day to give-pleasure, bringing near and remov-ing us from deathl I would not buy, at any price, the man whoso is cheered rb empty hopes. But it behoves the cgentle-born either honourably to live, or honourably to die. Thou hast heard all my story. C.. —No one will ever say, Ajax, that thou hast uttered a feigned story, but one from thy own heart. Yet at any rate pause, and, dismissing tlese thoughts, grant to thy soldier friends to prevail over thy judgment. TEC.-O my lord Ajax, there is to mortals no greater evil than a constrained lot. Now I was begotten of a free father, powerful by wealth among Phrygians, if any wcre: and now I am a slave. For so, methinks, it pleased the gods, and thy hand above all. Wherefore, since I have shared thy bed, I favour thy foirt;cs, and beseech thee, both by Zeus the hearthgod, and by thy bed, in which thou wert united with me, do not sentence me to receive hurtful speec.: from thy foes, having placed me in-the-hands of some one. For on what day thou mayest die, and having cieceasel abandon me, think 497-531] AJAX. 17 that on that very present day I also, having been seized with violence by the Argives, along with thy son, shall receive a servile entertainment. And one of my masters shall speak a bitter accost, wounding me with words, " Behold the fere of Ajax, who prevailed most mightily of the host, what servitude in exchange for how envied-a-lot, she endures." Such words will some one say. And me indeed fortune will persecute, but these words are disgraceful to thee and thy race. But scruple at leaving thy father in cheerless age, and scruple at learingi thy mother, the inheritress of many years, who often prays to the gods that thou mayest come to thy home alive: and pity, O king, thy son, if bereft of early guidance, deprived of thee, he shall live under no kind guardians, for all the evil which thou wilt in this assign both to him and me, when thou diest. For to me there is no more aught to which I can look save thee. For thou didst blot out my country with the spear, and my mother and my father another fate carried off, to be lifeless dwellers in Hades. What then can be a country to me in thy stead? what riches? for in thee am I wholly saved. But have regard even of me. To a man it is right that memory should belong, if in aught he receive something pleasant. For it is always kindness that engenders kindness: but from whom, having been treated kindly, memory fades, no more can he be well-born. Cu.-Ajax, I could wish that thou hadst pity in thy mind, even as I atrie; for then thou wouldst admit her words. AJ.-And freely shall she obtain praise, from me at least, if only she endures to accomplish rightly what is bidden her. TEc. —Nay, dear Ajax, I at least will obey in all things. AJ.-Bring then my boy to me, that I may see him. TEC.-And yet in my alarm I rescued him. IS SOPHOCL ES. AJ.-In these my troubles? or what meanest thou.? TEc.-Yes, lest ill-fated, having met thee somewhere, he should die. AJ.-Yes, this would surely have been agreeable to my fortune. TEc.-W-ell then, I guarded him to prevent this. AJ.-I praise the act, and the forethought which thou didst display. TEc.-In what then, pray, after this can I serve thee? AJ.-Allow me to speak to him and to see him plainly. TEC.-W- ell then, he is kept by the attendants, close by. AJ.-lWhy then does he delay to show his presence? TEc.-My son, thy father calls thee. Bring him hither, whoever of the servants happeneth to direct him by hand. AJ. —Dost thou speak to one approaching, or one missing thy words? TE. —Even now, hard by, one of the servants here is bringing him. AJ. —Bring, bring him hither; for he will not blench, beholding this new-killed slaughter, if really he is mine on-his-father's-side. But forthwith it needs to break him in in the stern ways of his father, and that he should be made like him in character. My son, mayst thou prove more fortunate than thy father, but in other things like him: and thou wilt not prove a coward. And yet even now I can envy thee in this at least, that thou"perceivest none of these evils. For in thinking nothing life is pleasantest [for not to think is a very painless evil], until thou hast understood whalt it is to rejoice and to be pained. And when thou hast come to this, thy-duty-is how thou shalt show on thy father's enemies from what a one thou wert sprung, thyse!lf leinf what a one. , —58-5901 AJAX. 19 li.t meanwhile thrive on gentle airs, nursing thy tender life, a joy for thy mother here. Not one of the Acheans, I know, will mock thee with abhorred insults, not even though thou art without me: such a staunch guard of thy nurture will I ileave about thee, Teucer, unwearying all-the-same, even if now he moves afar, maintaining the chase of the foemen. But, 0 bucklered soldiers, sea-faring host, I both enjoin this common kindness on you, and do ye announce to him my command, how that, taking this boy to my home, he shall show him to Telamon and my mother, I mean Eribcea, that he may become to them for ever a nurse-of-their-age, [until they come to the fastnesses of the nether god.] And that neither any judges-of-games, nor my persecutor, shall set my arms as prizes for the Achreans. But do thou, my son Eurysaces, take and keep it, my tough shield of-seven-bulls'hides, twirling it on the stoutly-stitched handle: but my other armour shall be buried in common with me. But now with speed take this boy, and make fast the house, nor pour forth lamentations within the tent. A woman truly is a very tearful thing. Shut up the woluse quickly. 'Tis not for a skilful leech to drone spells over a mischief that needs-the-knife. Cn.-I fear, hearing this earnestness. For thy whetted tongue does not please me. TEc.-O my lord Ajax, whatever dost thou long to do in thy mind? AJ.-Question not, enquire not. It is well to be content. TEc.-Alas! how I despond! both by thy child and by the gods, I beseech thee, do not be found betraying us. AJ.-Yea, thou troublest me too much: dost thou not know that I am no longer at all beholden to the gods to serve them? I) SOPI1OCLvES TEC.-Speak auspicious 2,ords A..-Speak to those that hear. TEC.-But wilt not thou listen? X.i.-Thou pratest far too much already. TEc.-Yes, for I shudder, 0 prince. AJ.-Will ye not confine her with speed? TEc.-By the gods, be calmed. AJ.-Thou seemest to me to think foolishly, if thou pnr posest just now to train my temper. C -fious. 0 far-falmed Salamis, thou liest somewhere sea-beaten, blessed, ever glorious with all men; while I, the miserable, it is long time since I await my prize of the meadows of Ida, losing-count of the months, being ever jaded by swift-marchng time, having sad expectation that I shall yet attain abhorred, gloomy Hades. And now Ajax, past-cure, meets me as a challenger, consorting, alas, alas! with a heaven-sent frenzy: whom once, long ago, thou didst send forth conquering in mad fight: but now, on the contrary, straying from his senses,he has been found a great sorrow to his friends, Blut the former deeds of his hands, deeds of highest valour, were thrown away, thrown away unprized upon the ungracious, unhappy Atreide. Surely, somewhere, a mother, lapped in hoar days and gray age, when she shall hear that he is sick in mind, hapless, shall sing, Ah Linus! ah Linus! and not the lament of the piteous bird, the nightingale, but piercing dirges shall she wail forth, and on her breast shall fall hand-struck blows, and rending of gray hair. For he that is hopelessly affected were better hiding with Hades, who on his father's side coming the bravest of the patient Achxeans, is no longer constant to his natural temper, but lives wide of 541-679] AJAX. 21 it. 0 unhappy sire! what an intolerable calamity of thy son it remains for thee to learn! such a one as never yet any generation of the LEacidae, save this man, has indulged. AJAX, CIuonus. AJ. —Long and untold time both brings-forth all hidden things, and shrouds all things that are seen: and nothing is beyond-hope; but even the awful oath and the stubborn mind are mastered. For even I, who then hardened-myself in my fell purpose, have been made-a-woman in tongue by this my wife, like iron by dipping: and I hesitate to leave her a widow, and my boy an orphan, among foes. But I will go to the baths and the meadows by the shore, that, having cleansed my pollution, I may escape the heavy wrath of the goddess: and, having come wherever I may find an untrodden spot, I will bury this my sword, most hateful of weapons, having buried it in the earth, where no one shall see it: but let night and darkness keep it below. For since I took this gift in my hand from Hector my worst foe, I have never yet had anything kind from the Greeks. But the proverb of men is true, "Enemies' gifts are no-gifts, nor profitable." Therefore, for the future we shall know how to yield to the gods, and shall learn to respect the Atreide. They are rulers, so that we must yield. Why not? For even things terrible and mightiest yield to authorities: in the first place the snow-piled winters make way for fruitful summer; and the orb of tedious night removes for white-teamed day to light her beam: and the breath of terrible gales lulls the roaring sea: and, besides, all-conquering sleep, having bound, sets free; nor always, having seized, holds-fast. And how-hall not we then learn to obey? But I will do so, for I understand of late that both our enemy is to be so far hated, as possibly about to 22 SOPHOCLES. [680-720 love us again; and asfor my friend, I shall be willing to aid him by serving him so far, as though he will not always remain a friend. For with the many among men the haven of fellowship is untrustworthy. But concerning these matters it will be well: but do thou, 0 wife, going within, pray to the gods to accomplish effectually that of which my heart is enamoured. And do you, my comrades, do this in honour to me the same with her, and signify to Teucer, if he comes, to care for us, and at the same time to be well-minded to you. For I go thither, whither I must go: but do ye do what I show you, and perchance ye may soon hear of me as saved, even if now I am unfortunate. CIoaius. I thrill with love, and over-joyed I flutter. 0 Pan, Pan! O Pan, Pan, sea-rover! shine from the rocky snow-struck ridge of Cyllene, O prince leader-of-the-dances of the gods! in order that being with me thou mayst begin the self-taught Gnosian and Nysian dances. For now it pleases me to dance. And may the Delian king Apollo, coming over the Icarian seas, mix familiarly with me, propitious for ever. Ares has loosed a grim pain from my eyes. Ho! ho! now again, now, O Zeus, there-is-with-us bright, happy light, so tiat we may draw near the fleet, sea-swift ships, when Ajax is again forgetful-of-trouble, and again accomplishes all-hallowed-rites, worshipping with the greatest strictness. Mighty time dulls all, and I would report nothing impossible, since unexpectedly Ajax has repented both of his wrath against the Atreidse, and his great feuds. MLESSENGERt, CnoIus. Mes.-Friends, first I wish to tell-my-news. Teucer is just come from the Mysian rocks: and having come to the central 721-752] AJAX. 23 generals'-quarters, he is reviled by all the Argives together. For having perceived him advancing from afar, they stood round him in a circle; then they smote him with taunts from this side and that (there is none who did not), styling him the brother of the madman and traitor to the army, saying that he should not protect himself from dying all rent with stones. So that they went so far that even swords, drawn from their scabbards, were unsheathed by their hands. But strife, having run to the farthest, ceases by the mediation of speech of the old men. But, tell us, where is Ajax, that I may show him these things? For it is meet to make-plain the whole tale to our lords. Cu.-He is not within, but is just departed, having coupled new counsels to new feelings. MAes.-Woe! woe! Therefore he that sends me this errand sent me a late one, or I appeared too late. Cr.-But what has been stinted in this strait? MES.-Teucer forbade the man to go out to him from within the tent, before he himself should be present. Ca.-Nay, but he is gone, having turned to the most profitable of purposes, that he may be quit of his wrath against the gods. MEs.-These words are full of much folly, if Calchas prophesies aught with a good understanding. Cn.-Of what kind? and what does he say, knowing it, about this matter? MES.-Thus much I know and I chanced to be present. Now Calchas having gone-aside from the counselling and royal circle, alone, apart from the Atreidoe, having put his right hand into the hand of Teucer lovingly, spoke and enjoined him by all manner of device to restrain Ajax through 24 SOPHOCLES. [753-788 out this now visible day under his tent, and not to neglect and let him go, if he wished ever to behold him alive. For on this day only the wrath of divine Athene drives him, as he said in speaking. For the seer said that unwieldy and helpless bodies fall by heavy misfortunes at the hand of the gods, whosoever springing of the race of man thinks not befittinglyto man. But he, forthwith at starting from home, was found foolish, his father speaking nobly. For he indeed addresses him, ("My child, long to prevail by the spear, but to prevail always along with God." And he answered boastingly and unwisely, "Father, together with the gods even he that is nothing might achieve victory: but I, even apart from them, trust to snatch this glory." Such a vaunt did he boast. Then, a second time, divine Athene speaking, when urging him she bade him turn his crimson hand upon the foe, then he speaks back a horrible word and not to be spoken: " 0 Queen, stand near the rest of the Argives, but over against us the battle will never break through." By such words, mark me, has he earned the grim wrath of the goddess, thinking not suitably-to man. But if he lives on this day, perchance we may prove, along with heaven, his saviours. Thus much the prophet said: and he, Teucer, straightway sends me from the council bearing these behests to thee, to watch him. But if we have failed, that man is no more, if Calchas is wise. CHORrus, TECMESSA, MESSENGER. Cii.-O hapless Teemessa, ill-fated child, come and see this man, what kind of words lie utters. For this cuts to the quick, so that one cannot rejoice. TEc.-Why rouse ye me again from rest, wretched me, just respited from never-ending ills? 789-816] AJAX, 25 Cn.-Listen to this man, since he is come reporting to us the plight of Ajax, at which I grieved. TEC.-Ah me! what sayest thou, man are we then lost? MLEs. —I do not know thy state, but I know that I am not hopeful for Ajax, if he is abroad. TEc.-Yes, surely he is abroad, so that I am afflicted as to what thou meanest. MEs.-Teucer commands to confine him canopied in the tent, and not to leave him alone. TEc.-But where is Teucer, and on what ground says he this? MEs.-He is just come: and he expects that this departure of Ajax that he announces is fatal. TEc.-Ah wretched me! having learned of whatever man? MES.-Of the seer, son-of-Thestor, who on the present day proclaims to him death or life. TEc.-Ah me, friends, help me against constraining fortune, and hasten, some that Teucer may come with speed, and others going to the western bays, and others to the eastern, search Cor the unlucky out-going of the hero. For I know that I have boen cheated by the man, and rejected from my former favour. Alas! what shall I do, my child? We must not sit still. But I also will go thither, whithersoever I may have strength. Let us go, let us hasten, 'tis not the nick of ease. [Wishing to save a man who is in haste to die.] CI.-I am ready to go, and I will show it not only by word. For quickness of deed and of foot shall-keep-pace together. AJAX. AT.-The slayer indeed stands up where it may prove keenest (if there is leisure to one even to think), the gift of 26 SOPHOCLES. [817-858 Hector, a man of aliens most abhorred by me, and most hateful to view. And it is fixed in a hostile soil, the Trojan, new-set by the steel-biting whetstone: and I fixed it having well planted it, most kindly to this man for him to quickly die. Thus indeed we are well equipped: and after this do thou first, 0 Zeus, for it is even right, help me. Nor will I ask of thee to obtain a vast meed. Send for us some messenger bearing the ill report to Teucer, that he first may raise me up having fallen upon this fresh-sprinkled sword, and that I may not, having been first espied by one of my foes, be tossed a east-away to dogs and a prey to birds. Thus much I entreat of thee, Zeus, and at-the-same-time I call on nether Hermes, the conductor, to kindly lull me, having rent my side with this sword, with a leap without-struggle and swift. And I call as aids them who are ever virgins, and ever see all the sorrows among mortals, the awful, far-striding Furies, to learn of me how I perish wretched at the handd of the Atreidae. [And them, villains, may they seize most evilly and withutter-ruin, as they look on me falling self-slain, so self-slain may they fall by their darling offspring.] Go, swift and vengeful Furies, feast on them, spare not the whole army. And thou, O Sun, coursing-in-thy-car the high heaven, when thou seest my native land, drawing thy gold-backed rein, tell of my frenzy and my doom to my aged sire and to my hapless nurse. Surely unhappy, when she hears this report, will she vent a loud wail in all the city. But it is no use that these things should be lamented in vain, but the deed must be begun with speed. 0 death, death! now come and view me: and yet even there I shall accost thee, being with thee. And thee, 0 present brightness of the lustrous day I call, and the charioteer sun, now for the last time of all and never again 859-895] AJAX. hereafter. 0 sunshine! O holy plain of my own land, Salamis! 0 ancestral base of the hearth; and famous Athens, and the kindred race! and ye fountains and rivers here! and the Trojan plains I call. Farewell, my fosterers. This last word does Ajax speak to youl: but the rest will I tell in Hades to those below. CHOItus, TEC3IESSA. SEiIr-CHORtus A.-Trouble adds trouble to trouble. For whither, whither, whither went I not? and no place knows, so that I should learn too. Lo! again I hear some sound. SEMI-CrH. B.-Yes, us the common crew of the ship. SEMI-CH. A.-What is it now? SEmI-Cn. B.-All the western side of the fleet has been traced. SEMII-Cr. A.-Hast thou then-? SEMI-CH. B.-Yes, abundance of troubles, and nothing more to view. KSI- -CaH A.-Well, neither now on the path towards the suln'- ratys does the hero anywhere show himself appearing. I. -Who, pray! who of the toiling fishermen, busied -:i is sleepless casts, or who of Olympian goddesses, or wri f' the rushing streams of Bosphorus, seeing the sterns- 'lti one roaming anywhere, can tell me} For it is hard:tit i, a pilgrim of great sorrows, should not draw near him 1n sI cessful course, but should not see a feeble man, where ' c.-Ahme me! me O.-Of whom did the neighbouring cry issue from the 'rove? Ti;c.-Ah, wretched ' Cr. —I see the ill-starred, spear-captured bride, Teemessa, jverwhelmed with this grief. E 2,q 2S4OPLOCLE>. [896)-93,70 TEC.-I am sped, I am lost, I am undone, friends. Cri.-B Lt I wht is it? 'Ti-:.- '-er liees our Ajax, just new-slain, folded on his hidden socrd. Cii.-A- h ie! for Imy return: thoa llast slain,il, heret, thy fellow-sailor, 0 prince, 0 unhappy man! 0 miserable woman! 1T:c.-.W elcn this stMiands thus, it is (1/J'.lt/c to tsa, ' ah. Cn. — Sy whose ever hand, pray, did lie, poor.sol,, do it? Tic. —Himself by himself: 'tis plain. For his sword here, driven in the ground, round-whichl-hc-fell, accuses him. Cni.-Alas for nmy lin' i c;'/~/0 of nwha- t i.r-) t wert tholu blood-stained, u; llarie(1d by) friends; bu)t I, the all dull, the all witless. neglectiid iltce. Where, where lies the stubborn, the fattally-named Ajax? T e. —He is not to be seen, I say: but I will wholly cover him with this einfolding cloak, since no one, whoever is indeed a friend, could bear to see him spurting up to his nostrils, and out of the bleeding gash, dark blood ifrom his selfgiven rwound. Ahl me, what slhll I do? Who of thy friends will raise thee up? WhereI is Teucer? How opportunely twould lie come, if lie should co1me, to lay out his brother fallen here! 0 hapless Ajax! being what a man in what way standest thou, so that thou art worthy to obtain a lamen even with foes. CH.-Thou wert bent then, wretched man! thou wert bent, hard-hearted, thus at lvst to complete thy evil lot of endless woes. Such l//t'c,0/,' lvy niiht 'ni d dlay, hatefqit to the Atrcid(e, wouldst thou, I iknow, relentless cry out with deadly passion.. Surely that time was a great starter of troubles, when the prize for the ste.utcst-lhaid \was proposed for the arms. Tlec.-Ah me, me! 938-978j] AJAX..'9 C. -A sterling grief goes to thy heart, I know. TEC.-A1h me, me CII.-I doubt, not that thou mournest even two-fold, 0 lady, having just been berelt of such a1 friendl. TEC. —t is for thee to think all this, but for me to feel it too much. Crr.-I agree. TEC.-Alas, my child, to what bonds of slavery do we pass! What spies stand over us! Cun.-Als! thou speakest of an unutterable act of the two unfeeling Atcid(h in this thy woe. But may God avert it. TEc.-TTese things would never have stood thus, but with the gods hcpilpf,,. Cir. —They brought to pass an over-weighty burden. Tlec.-And yet the dread goddess, dalzdter of Zeus, Pallas, sows such trouble for the sake of Odysseus. CH.-Vcrily the much-enduring hero exults-maliciously in his gloomy soul, and laughs with much laughter at these frenzied sorro-ws; alas, alas! and with him lagh/ the twin kings, thle Atreidal, at hearing it. TEC.-WAell, let them laugh and rejoice in his miseries. Perhaps, mark me, even if they missed him not when living, i.l, y may regret him when dead, in ftheir; need of his spear. [Fo the wrong in judgment do not know when they hold tdv:intagc in their hand, until some one has struck it out. '[It has died regretted by me ratfter than comforting them, m1d joyous to himself. For what he longed to obtain he 'ailiii d for himself, death, which he desired. AVhy then, pray, sh,,uld they laugh over him? Through the gods he died, not t:heri —no. Therefore let Odysseus idly exult. For Ajax 'ives no more for them, but is gone, having left to me anguish 'i,:ments. :(O) SOPHOCLE'S. L974-1o00 (HaoKUS, TEUCER. TEU.-Ah me, me! Cu. -Hush! for I seem to hear the voice of Teucer, crying out a refrain suitable to this calamity. TEU. — dearest Ajax, 0 brotherly eye mine, have I then dealt with thee as the report prevails? CH.-'lThe man is dead, Teucer; know this. TEU.-Woe is me, then, for my heavy misfortune. Cu.-This being soTEU.-O wretched I, wretched! CH.-It is given to lament. TEU.-O oppressing woe CH.-Too much so, Teucer. TEU.-.Ah wretched I! For what of his child-where, tell me, is he in the Trojan land? CH.-Alone, by the tents. TEU.-Wilt thou not, pray, with all speed bring him hither, lest one of his foes should snatch him away, like the cub of a forlorn lioness? Go, bestir thyself, bear-aid. All, Itell thee, are wont to deride the fallen dead. Cu.-W-hy now,,:/ile still living, 0 Telucer, that hero enjoined that there should be care for him to thee, just as now there is a care. TEV. —O most sorrowful to Ime, yea of all the sights which I have beheld-with my eyes; and thou, errand of all errands, most surely having wrung1 my heart, which now I am come0 dearest Ajax, when I had heard thy fate, following it up, and tracking it. For a swift report of thee, as ifsome god /po/.e, spread through all the Achoeans, that thou art dead and gone. Which I hearing, being far-away, was moaning in alarn, but now seeing it I am lost. Ah me Come, unco-1 ' 1003-1039j AJAX. 31 him, that I may behold the whole evil. 0 sight sad to see, and of bitter daring, having sown how many vexations for me dost thou consume away! For whither is it possible for me to go, to what kind of mortals, having nowhere aided thee in thy troubles? Surely, I ween, Telamon, thy father and mine at once, will welcome me, benign and gentle perchance, coming without thee. How not? With whom it is wont not even when faring-well to smile too pleasantly. What will he spare? What insult will he not speak of me, the bastard, born of a war prize, the one that by cowardice and unmanliness, or by treachery, betrayed thee, 0 dearest Ajax, that I might administer thy rule and the house of the dead. Such things will a man, passionate, surly with age, angered to quarrel at nothing, say. And at length, thrust from the land, I shall be cast out, convicted a slave by his talk, instead of free. Such things at home: but in Troy many are hostile to me, and few things serviceable. And all these things have I earned, thou having died. Ah me, what shall I do? How;'- dl I draw thee off this glancing sword, poor soul, the I 'Xr'derer by which thou didst expire? Sawest thou how at catr Hector, even though dead, was about to wither thee?,'<nider, by the gods, the fate of the two men; Hector, in(:d(lt, having been fastened by the girdle, with which he was pre^! nted from this man, from the chariot rim, was mangled coitinually, until he breathed out his life: and he here, haviLg this gift of him, by it has perished in a deadly fall. Did Dlt then a Fury forge this sword, and Hades that belt, a savage smith? I indeed would say that the gods contrive 'itL these and all things continually for mortals: but to w'icmsoever these things are not pleasing in his judgment, toeth, let him maintain that, and me this. j2 SOPHOCLES. [1040-1069 Cn.-Do not prolong wor'ds far, but think how thou wilt conceal the hero in the tomb, and what thou wilt speak soon. For I see a foeman, and perhaps he may come forth laughing at our misfortunes, just like a knavish man. TEU.-But what man of the army is it that thou sccst CIi.-Menelaus, for whom we launched this voyage. TEr.-I see: for being near he is not difficult to recognise. MENELAXS, TEUCER, CHlORnS. MEN. -Ho there' I bid thee not to aid-in-burying this dead with thy hands, but to leave him as he is. TEFu.-For whose sake hast tltou expended so long a speech ' MEN.-As pleasing to me, and pleasing to /lah who sways the host. TEu. —Wouldst thou not then say, having put forward what cause t/Ato aci(et t/.O'? MIEN.-Bccause, having looked to bring him from home both ally and friend to the Ach:eans, examining him we found him more hostile than the Phrygians; who, haxing plotted death for all the army, attacked it by night, that he might destroy it by the spear: and if one of the gods had not put out tlis attempt, we having died by this fate, which he has drawn, should have been outstretched in most shameful doom, while he would have lived. But now God turned his wantonness to fall upon sheep and flocks. Wherefore him there is no man so strong as to entomb his body in a grave, but east out on the pale sand lie shall become food for tle sea-side birds. Therefore do not puff-up a terrible resentment. For if we were not able to rule him alive, at least we will govern him dead, even if thou art not willing, con-. straining him witll our hands. For there is no /tJ,:, where 1070 —11041 AJAX. 33 he ever chose, while living, to listen to my words. And yet it is 2roof of an evil man, that a man of the people should deign in nothing to hear those that are set over him. For never, either in a city could laws move prosperously, where terror is not established, nor could any longer an army be strictly disciplined, having no hindrance of fear and shame. But it behoves a man, even if he rear a great bulk, to think that he may fall even from a little evil. For to whom fear attaches, and shame together, think that he has safety: but where it is possible to be lawless, and do what a man pleases, consider that that state, one day in time, having run before favourable winds, sinks to the bottom. But let there even abide in me a certain seasonable fear, and let us not think, while doing what we like, that we shall not hereafter pay back what we grieve at. These things come alternately. Formerly this man was a fiery scoffer: but now I in turn am highminded. And I command thee not to bury this man, in order that thou mayest not, by burying him, fall into the tomb thyself. Cr.-Menelaus, do not, having advanced wise sentences, thci, become thyself insolent toward the dead. '!::. —Never any longer, O men, should I marvel at a man wn -o being nothing by birth, thereby errs, when they who think tlv — re born noble abuse such words in their talk. Come, tel { me again from the beginning. Dost thou say that thou tooL,:t and broughtest this man as an ally to the Achieans? Pitd he not sail forth of himself, as being master of himself? 'l,:rein dost thou command him? or wherein is it given Ih, ( to rule the people whom he brought from home? Thou:amenst ruling Sparta, not governing us. Nor is there any-,hrew where the law of rule lay with thee to order him, rather 34 SOPHOCLES. [L1105-1.130 than with him to order thee. Thou sailedst hither subordinate to others, not general of the whole, so as ever to lead Ajax. But whom thou rulest rule, and chastise them 'it1i lofty words: but him here, whether thou forbiddest or the other general, I will duly place in the tomb, not having feared thy voice. For not at all for the sake of thy wife did he serve, like those full of much toil, but for the sake of the oaths to which he was sworn; but not at all for thee: for he used not to honour nobodies. Therefore come hither, bringing more heralds and the commander. But for any noise of thine I would not turn, in order that thou mayest be just such as thou art. C. —Nor again do I like such a tongue in misfortunes. For harsh words, even if they be too just, sting. MIEN.-The archer seems to think not humbly. TE1'.-A-o, for the art I possess is not a sordid one. MEN.-Thou wouldst boast somewhat proudly, if thou shouldst take a shield. TEUT.-Even unarmed I could match thee full-armed. MEN. —How terrible is the spirit thy tongue nurseth! TEU.-Y-ea, for along with right it-is-lawful to think proudly. MENx.-Why, is it just that he should prosper, having slain me? TEU.-H-aving slain? Surely a strange thing hast thou spoken, if being dead thou livest. MEN.- Yes, for God preserves me; but as far as?cwas in him, I am departed. TEo.-Do not now dishonour the gods, having been saved by the gods. MEN.-Why, should I slight the laws of the gods? 1131-1158] AJAX. 35 TEu. —Yes, if being present thou forbiddest to bury the dead. MEN.-Yes, I do forbid my own enemies, for my part; for it is not right. TEU. —Why? Did Ajax ever stand forth an enemy to tkee? MEN.-He hated mefor hating him: and thou knewest this. TEu.- Yes, for thou wert found a vote-juggling cheat. MEN.-That was blundered by the judges, not by me. TEu.-In secret thou mightest dishonestly palm off many wrongs. MEN.-This taunt proceeds to the vexing of some one. TEr.- 2Tot more so, as it seems, than we shall give pain. MEN.-I will tell thee one thing: this man must not be buried. TEI.-And thou in-return.shalt hear of him, that he shall be buried. MEN.-Ere-now once I saw a man bold in tongue inciting the crew to sail in a storm, in whom thou wouldst have found no voice, when he was caught in the rage of the storm; but cowering under his cloak, he gave himself to him of the sailors that chose to trample on. And so perchance even thee and thy blustering tongue, a storm blowing high from a little cloud might put out thy loud crying. TEU.-And I, indeed, have seen a man full of folly, who was insolent in the misfortunes of his neighbours: and then a man, like to me, and similar in temper, having beheld him, spoke such a word as this: " Fellow, use not the dead amiss: for if thou wilt do so, know that thou wilt suffer woe." Thus, being by, was he admonishing the unhappy man. And, I tell thee, I see him, and he is, as it seems to me, no other than thou. Have I spoken riddles? 36 SOPI!OCLES. [1169-1198 M:EN. — I will depart: for-it were even a disgrace, if anyone should hear of it, for him to chastise with words in whose power it is to use force. TETU.-Depart now. For to me also it is most disgraceful to hear a silly fellow babbling foolish words. Cnortus, TEUCER. CH.-There will be a conflict of great contention. But, 0 Teucer, hastening as thou canst, speed to look for some hollow grave for this man, where he shall fill the mouldering tomb ever memorable to men. TEu.-And surely in the very nick-of-time here, close at hand, come the son and wife of this hero, to dress the tomb of the hapless dead. 0 boy, come hither, and standing near as a suppliant, touch the father who begat thee. And sit in supplication, holding in thy hands my hair, and hers, and thine own the third, the suppliant's treasure. But if any one of the host by force should drag thee from this corse, may he being evil be evilly banished from his country, unburied, mowed down to the stock of all his race, just so as I cut this tress. Keep it, my child, and guard it, and let no one move thee, but falling on him cling-fast. And do ye stand near, not women instead of men, but help, until I am come having provided for a funeral for him, even if no one permit. CIORUS. What, pray, (end when will the last number of the vagrant years end, ever bringing to me the ceaseless mischief of warlike toils, throughout broad Troy, a sorry reproach of the Greeks? Would that that man had first entered mighty ~Ether or Hades open-to-all, who showed to the Greeks the common pest of dismal arms. (0 troubles, beyond troubles!) For he ruined men. He assigned to be with me neither the 1199-1244] AJAX. 37 joy of chaplets, nor of deep cups, nor the tender wail of flutes, wretch, nor to linger-late over pleasure by night: and he debarred from loves, from loves, ah me! And thus uncaredfor I lie, ever drenched on my hair with the constant dews, memorials of doleful Troy. And formerly indeed impetuous Ajax was a shield to me against nightly fear and arrows; but now he is given up to hateful fortune. What then, what pleasure will ever attend me again i 0 might I be where the woody sea-beaten headland stands upon the sea, under the lofty plain of Sunium, that we might accost sacred Athens. TElCEK, AGAMEMNON, CHORUS. TEnT.-And truly I hastened, having seen Agamemnon hero our general starting hither; and lie is plainly about to loose his mischievous tongue on me. AG.-Thou forsooth, they tell me, hast dared thus dauntlessly to pour thy hard words against us: thee truly, the son of the war-slave, I mean. Of a truth, if born of a gentle mother thou wouldst have spoken proud things, and have walked on tip-toe, when being nothing thou hast stood up against us on behalf of a nothing, and hast affirmed that we have come neither generals nor admirals of the Greeks, nor of thee: but, as thou sayest, Ajax sailed a commander himself. Are not these great insults to hear from slaves? of what kind of man hast thou exclaimed thus overbearingly? of a main having gone whither, or where stood, where I was not? Are there then no men with the Achieans save him? Bitter contests for the arms of Achilles do we seem to have proposed to the Argives at that time, if everywhere we shall be denoted villains by Teucer; and it shall never content you, not even when worsted, to accept what pleased the most of the judges, but ye shall ever either assail us with insults somehow, or 38 SOPHOCLES. [1245-1281 stab us with treason, you the vanquished. Yet with these manners there can never be an establishing of any law, if we shall thrust away those who win by right, and shall lead to the front those behind. But these things must be checked. For not stout and broad-backed men are surest; but they who think soundly rule everywhere. And the ox, vast in the flanks, yet steps straight into the line under a tiny whip. And on thee I see this medicine quickly approaching, if thou wilt not gain some sense: who, when a man is no more, but is already a shadow, being bold art insolent and waggest-thy-tongue. Wilt thou not be sober? Wilt thou not, having understood who thou art by birth, bring hither some one else, a free man, who shall plead thy crase to us instead of thee? For while thou speakest I can understand no longer; for I do not understand an outlandish tongue. CH.-Would that to you both sense came to be wise! For I have nothing better than this to show you. TEU.-Alas! how swiftly with men does gratitude to the dead ebb-away, and is found to have deserted l1ha, if this man, 0 Ajax, not even with few words, any longer keeps memory of thee; for whom thou didst often toil with the spear, putting forward thine own life: but now all these things are gone, cast away. 0 thou that hast spoken many and profitless words, dost thou no longer remember at all when he, having come alone, in the rout of his force, once rescued you pent up within the barriers, being already as nothing, when fire was blazing round the ships even in the topmost seamen's benches, and Hector was leaping high over the trenches upon the naval hulls? Who repelled this? Was it not he who did this, who, thou sayest, nowhere even with foot met thf1w /lb? Did lie not then do these things 1282-1319] AJAX. 39 justly for you? And when again, of himself, he came alone against Hector alone, both having drawn the lot and unbidden, not having cast into the midst a shirking lot, a clod of damp mould, but one which was sure first to clear a leap from the well plumed helmet? He it was iwho did this, and present with Mim was I, the slave, the one born of the outlandish mother. Wretch, whither ever looking dost thou prate this? Dost thou not know that ancient Pelops, who was first born the father of thy father, was an outlandish Phrygian? and that Atreus, who again begat thee most impious, set before his brother a banquet of his own children? and thou thyself wert born of a Cretan mother, with whom the father that begat thee having taken a lover par-amour, launched her a prey to mute fishes. Being such dost thou revile their race in such (as I? Iwho am born of Telamon to father, who having won the first prizes of the host has my mother for his mate, who was a queen by birth, daughter of Laomedon: and the son of Alemena gave her to him as a choice gift. Can I then, born most noble of two most noble, disgrace those akinb by blood, whom thou now castest-out unburied, lying in such miseries, nor blushest at speaking? Now know this well, if ye shall injure this man anywhere, ye will injure us also, three lying together; for I say that it is honourable for me to fall openly, labouring on behalf of him, rather than about thy wife or thy brother. Therefore consider not my case, but thine also. Since if thou shalt vex me at all, thou wilt one-day wish even to be a coward rather than presumptuous with me. ODYSSEUS, AGAMEMNON, TETCER, CTHOnRS. CHr.-Prince Odysseus, know that thou hast come in season, if thou comest, not to entangle, but to separate. OD.-But what is it, sirs? For from afar I perceived the shout of the A\treidc over this vlliant dead. 40 SOPHOCLES. [1320 —1349 AG.-Yes; for are we not just hearing most shameful words, Prince Odysseus, from this man? OD.-Of what kind? For I have fellow-feeling with a man, hearing injurious words, in retorting harsh words. AG.-He heard disgraceful words; for he was doing such to me. OD.-Why, what did he to thee, so that tihou hadst injury? AG.-He says he will not leave this corpse destitute of burial, but will bury it in spite of me. OD.-Is it allowable then to a friend, having spoken the truth, to work with thee not less than before? AG.-Speak: for truly I should not else be sound minded, since I count thee a most powerful friend of the Argives. OD.-Hear, then. Do not, by the gods, presume to cast out thus unfeelingly this hero unburied: nor by any means let violence conquer thee to hate him so far, as to tread down justice. For to me also once this man was most hostile of the host, since I obtained the arms of Achilles: but I would not slight him, although being such to me, so as not to admit that I have seen him the one bravest hero of the Argives, as many of us as came to Troy, except Achilles. So that he should not, righteously at least, be dishonoured by thee. For thou wouldst injure him not at all, but the laws of the gods. And it is not lawful to wrong the brave man, if he be dead, not even if thou chancest to hate him. AG.-Dost thou contend thus with me for him, Odysseus? OD.-I do: but I hated him, when it was honourable to hate him. AG.-What, does it not behove thee also to insult him when dead? OD.-Do not rejoice, son-of-Atreus, in advantages not honourable. 1350-1370] AJAX. 41 AG.-It is not easy, look you, that a king should be scrupulous. OD.-But it is easy to accord respect to friends speaking well. AG.-It behoves the good man to obey those in office. OD.-Stay: thou conquerest, being vanquished by thy friend. AG.-Remember to what kind of man thou givest the favour. OD. —This man is an enemy, but he was once noble. Aa.-Whatever wilt thou do? Dost thou thus respect an enemy's corpse? OD.-Yes; for his merit vanquishes me far more than my hatred. AG.-Such men however are with mortals unstable. OD.-Surely very many are friends now and foes hereafter. AG. -Dost thou really approve possessing such friends? OD.-I am not wont to approve a stubborn spirit. Aa.-Thou wilt show us as cowards on this day. OD.-Rather as just men to all the Greeks. AG. —Dost thou bid me then to suffer them to bury the dead? OD.-I do. For I also myself shall come to this. AG.-Truly every man in everything labours consistently for himself. OD.-Why! for whom is it more likely that I should labour than for myself? Ac.-The act will be called thine then, not mine. OD.-However you may do it, you will everywhere be kind at least. AG.-But know this well, however, that I would accord a 42 SOPHOCLES. [1371-140'2 favour even greater than this to thee: but this man, being both there and here will nevertheless be most hateful to meBut it is allowable for thee to do what thou desirest. CH.-Whoever, Odysseus, says that thou wert not born wise in judgment, being such, is a foolish man. OD.-And now, at all events, henceforth I announce myself to be as much a friend to Teucer as then I was a foe: and I wish to bury this dead along with him, and to toil with him (and to omit nothing), as much as it behoves mortals to labour for the best men. TEv. —Most noble Odysseus, I find everything to praise thee in words: and thou hast much undeceived me of my expectation. For being of Argives the man most hostile to him, thou alone didst stand by with acts, nor standing by alive didst thou venture to greatly insult this dead man, as the mad-struck general having come, both himself and his brother wished to cast him forth outraged, without burial. Therefore may the sire that sways this Olympus, and mindful Erinys, and unfailing Justice, evilly destroy them, being evil, as they wished to unworthily cast out the hero with insults. But, O seed of the ancient sire Laertes, I shrink to suffer thee to put-thy-hand to this burial, lest I do this displeasing to the dead: but for the rest even act with me, and if thou wishest any one of the host to attend him, we shall have no reluctance. But I will make ready all the other things: but know thou that thou art towards us a good man. OD.-Well I wished it indeed: but, if it is not pleasing to thee that we should do this, I will go, having approved thy decision. TEv.-Enough: for already much delay has been prolonged. But some of you prepare-in-haste with your hands AJAX. 43 the hollow grave, and others see-placed on the fire the highset cauldron, convenient for the sacred lustral-waters: and let one troop of men fetch his body armour from the tent. But do thou, child, as far as thou hast strength, having in love grasped thy father, ease his side with me: for still do the warm veins spout up black sap. But come, let everyone, whoever says he is present a friendly man, go, be quick, labouring for this man, good in everything, and none better as yet of mortals, Ethan Ajax then, when he was, I declare.] CIr.-Truly there are many things for mortals to know, having seen them: but before he sees tEenm, no one is a prophet of the future, how he shall fare. I I I NOTES TO AJAX. S. 8t,(aut' joi' Liddell and seott; aland / fid lguies after I. S. for- tiw suction anid jjdiagrap/ in the leieo, icbd ygices theepal-ituleir nunbe f tiw wordiae theetet. AJ A. 47 SIHORT NOTES, EXPLAINING THIE CHIEF DIFFICULTIES IN THE GRAMMAR AND PARSING, AND SUCH ALLUSIONS AS A CANDIDATE FOR MODERATIONS MAY BE EXPECTED TO KNOW. 1. Aapriov, for Aaepnt'ov; the contracted geritive of Aaepr1rj. CiCO(,Ka, perf. of CiEpotcu(, aor. 2, EpaCwov. 2. X090p5Y, a1 obljective genitive, i.e. ' an assault of your toes,' means here, ' an assault made against your foes,' not ' made by your foes.' The latter would be a genitive of the subject, or subjective genitive. 4. rtc'tv qXCdvr,'. Ajax and Achilles, as the two bravest of the Greeks, had been appointed to guard the two extremities of tle Greek line. 8. Evo',roc, ace. to L.S. is the:gen. of Evpic: others make it the nominative. )c means 'as it were,' ' s o o speak.' 't. n'/,p. Notice the difference between c/vip and tvlp'=p 6;/ip. Kcpoa, ace. of respect. 13. F'0ou, 2nd pers. sing. 2 aor. mid. of rifOLt. Get up the cognate tenses of oiSa. puO)c', 2nd aor. subj. of pmvOcvw 15.;s uvpafic aov' )OI'Irit aKrovo, lit. how easily-known I hear thy voice.' This is a good illustration of how the Greeks throw an adjective into the predicate, after a transitive 48 SOPHOCLE-S. verb. They combine in one sentence what we can only properly express in two: ' How easily-known thy voice is,' and ' I hear thy voice.' The usual trick for expressing this predicative use of an adjective is to put the principal verb into a relative sentence, and to put the verb 'is' before the adj., thus: ' how easily-known is thy voice, which I hear.' We shall come across other instances of this use. &'o7wroc70 means 'seen from afar,' ace. to L.S. II. 1.; but I have taken the meaning of the Scholiast, defended by Brunck and Wunder, of ' unseen,' or ' invisible.' 18. e-7nyvwc, 2nd pers. sing. 2 aor. of E7r1y/lCTK'w. 20. iXivu 7rwaXat. In English we say ' I have tracked him for a long time:' in Greek they say, ' I track him for a long time.' In similar cases the French use the present where we use the perfect. 22. ~'XEt 7repdIac, an aorist indicative is sometimes resolved into the aorist participle and the auxiliary verb e'Xi, when the idea of completeness is strongly emphasized. e'tpyao6aL though passive in form is active in meaning. 24. V7~e,-Vy1v, 2 aor. pass. of V7roEvyrVft. 27. iK XEap;c. The commentators are all at sea about the meaning here. The meaning is surely plain: LK XEtpoc means by a human hand, as opposed to the teeth of wild beasts. avrotc Ei-rl tn-ratc, ' herdsmen and all.' 30. wr.Cia is the ace. of the space traversed after 7rrqwvra, which here equals 'crossing by leaping.' 33.!caOFetv orov. We must supply some such word as ra7' 34. Krapor is the ace. used as if eis preceded it. It must be borne in mind that where a case admits a particular preposition, it was originally capable of standing without it. -\JAX. 49 39. c., = for: we must therefore understand 'yes' before it. 40. JErv, aor. 1, from &caaw, properly intransitive, but here used transitively. 41. o'7r\-Xv is the gen. after XoX/y) i3apvvOetc. Verbs of indignation take a genitive of the thing for the loss of which indignation is felt. Cnf. Alcestis 3, o 0 ), XoX( eiOc. 42. /caftlv, cognate ace. after Tre7LTyTiW7et. 56. 'eaO' 're, lit. ' there is when' ' there are times when,' i.e. 'at one time.' aeO' otr, 'at one time' is opposed to o' iXXorE, ' at another time,' in 1. 58. 68. Oapaiov iE pi t've go closely with rov iivcpa, and the other words are parenthetical. 70. 17 roorpor(ovC citeipow = r'T7orpEo'P4r J IC W TretipoW. 71. oTroc is used with the 2nd person as we use an appellative interjection, such as ' holloa.' 72. Tpoo-poXEo7V, 2nd aor. of rpo'/3AXiW. 75. The ob goes with both verbs, so that in the second clause it is ob us), where two negatives do not make an affirmative, but have each their full force. ' Will you not endure in silence, and will you not not encourage your cowardice?' etX\iCav atpC. L.S. on a'1pev III. simply translate 'be a coward,' but it means rather 'raise,' or ' encourage.' 77. ri pi) y7E'pral. WVe must supply Oo/3E7, 'are you afraid.' av'lp, L.S. II. is here opposed to ' a god.' 78. T5E 7r tvSp', pointing to himself, 'this man,' i.e. 'me.' 81. peuFlYvora, perf. part. of airceopat. 82. VLV is the ace. after ifiEarrV, though this is an intransitive verb. But it is transitive in meaning, and equals here ' avoid.' 83. dou P with the subj. - the future. The learned 50 SSOPHOC(L, ES. Buckley evidently seems to think tlat in prohibitive imperatives 'v is the proper particle to use. I am afraid that,} will still be generally preferruld. 86. uy/a i i t]he 2nd pers. ilmpcr of U7ycio. ~y/a is an 90. Errpi7roj.ta, with a gen. of the person, meanrs to regard or reverence. L.S. II. 2. 94. caXisc 'XEsl. 1The aorist is here used to dismiss the subject. You spoke well, but that is past and gone. 95. ro tpi. Supply E/ fcatL a'xos. 97.;X/lasac, fr. i&Xatc'o, L.S. II. ' to arm with a spear.' 102. wrov aoL rTx7c;rrrl'e, lit. 'where of fortune does he stand to you?' i.e. to what plight of fortune is he reduced by you?' 112. Buckley translates pi)iyat 'concede;' fiptpiL means 'concede,' EiieruOt means ' desire,' or, when followed by a dative, as in 1. 116, ' command.' 115. /7JUEv is of course used adverbially, as qEicouat govs. a gen. 122. 4irac is difficult to translate: it opposes cvarl7,ovo, to valEr'i': ' though an enemy, still unhappy.' 135. (yXiXtov, ace. to L.S. means the same as ptLpV7rou, 'i:., 'sea-girt;' others translate it 'near the mainland,' but then so does Buclley. 136. ~F. We should naturally have expected either the dative or the genitive absolute. Lobeck is perhaps right in saying that the second tJ has attracted the first. 11. 9OtllPeVJc VVKTOCS, gen. in point of time. Ottlfvic, pf. pass. of iw. 143. 7ri —opli is translated in three ways: 1. 'on which horses revel:' 2. ' swarming with horses:' 3. ' which makes AJAX. 51 horses mad,' i.e. with rank vegetation. The last is the worst translation. 154. uvXv aerc. '1 irL takes a gen. when it means to shoot at; OVK Yv acpaproi means 'will not fail to gain credit for his malicious reports.' 157. rTO 'Eovra, ' the man who has,' i.e. ' the rich man.' So in the Alcestis, 1. 57: 'rpos rTv EXyovTrV 7y V0LOy riOr70. 163. rTOVTr is the gen. after ypwfcac. It refers to what he has just said about the relations of the great and small in a state. 167. aXXa yap is translated 'however.' After aXXa there is something understood, such as, 'But you need not be alarmed, for it is only when they are out of your sight, that they venture to speak freely.' aTripav is the 2nd aor. of aros6pdoa'iw. are == Kaa TrEC. 172. Tavpo7r6Xa (= Tavpo7rdXrl) is translated in two ways: 1. 'worshipped at Tauris:' 2. ' drawn by bulls.' L.S. do not decide between these two meanings. Take your choice. 173. l ~FleyaXa-EL/aig are parenthetical. 176. aKap7rowrov viKas, which yielded her no fruit of victory.' L.S. 2. 178. a&~poit, 'giving no gifts,' frommwhich no gifts were offered.' L.S. II. 179. 'EvvaXio. There is some doubt whether this can be the same deity as Ares or not. L.S. holds that it can. Wunder and others maintain that a different god is meant, as Ares was notoriously on the side of Troy. 182. fpev6 ~-v pEK opevy c, i.e. 'out of your mind,' L.S. Others take it to mean ' of your own impulse.' 188. v7ro/aXXd\\ovot. Take the meaning in L.S. II. 189. KX'7rrrovaff 'to invent secretly, or falsely,' 'to coin.' L.S. IV. I 52 SOPHOCLES. 190. yEvieai is in the genitive after rLg understood. Ulysses was known as the son of Laertes, but his mother Anticlea was said to have been pregnant by Sisyphus when she married Laertes. 191. p,' must here be violently twisted into poL the ethical dative. 193. app, 2nd pers. sing. 1st aor. mid. sub. of aipw. 194. lva, having the accent thrown back, = ctoara1t. 198. EvaveFotL admits two meanings: 1. 'sheltered,' 2. 'breezy:' the latter is perhaps better, as keeping up the metaphor of fire. 202. Xoviwov = a UvroX^owv, L.S. III. The connection between Salamis and Athens is of course only introduced here by an anachronism. 204. rov Tr\6drev o'thov, the far-off house;' like o 7raXat, 'the men of old.' 205.,'oKpar'Jl is better translated 'broad-shouldered,' than 'of rude might,' as L.S. take it. 208.?'}pEuiac. As an instance of Buckley's scandalous carelessness I may mention, that he unsuspectingly translates another reading, fuaepiac. /3apoc is a sort of cognate accusative after Ev)\XXaKrat. 215. eh-7eaet, 2nd pers. sing. fut. of Ervvu3avofiat. aXoiv, 2nd aor. part. of aXMh'opat. 221. ('cvpoic is the objective genitive: ' the man's message' here means 'the message about the man.' 229. 7rep[bavroc must be taken closely with 3avelraTc: 'he will die manifest' ' it is manifest that he will die.' 235. &v is plural, though its antecedent 7roi/vav is singular, because 7r. is a collective noun == I3or. r'v / pEv refers to 7ro1lj,)vl understood, rh ZE to fiord understood. AJAX. 237. avEX\', fr. &vatpio, here means 'having lifted up.' 243. maKh, cognate ace. after &EvvaTwv. 245. rvy'v is the ace. of space occupied after ';ouevov: so in English we say ' a man sits a horse well,' instead of ' sits on a horse.' peO7avat (2nd aor. inf. of per,/Ult) is used absolutely, 'to give way.' Buckley adopts Hermann's rendering in his Latin note, and seems to think he has translated it. In fact he has copied his note from one source, and his translation from another. Of course he understands neither. 252. "Apr7 is an instance of a proper name used as a common noun: 'death.' L.S. IL. 257. After oK 'ert understand 'TaXEr from the preceding line. 258. Ad has the accent because it comes after vd6oc, the word it qualifies. 261. wrapa'paclavroc, ace. to L.S. II. means ' assisting.' 268. &i'rXaiov, usually transitive, is here intransitive. The rot admits that what Teemessa says is right: she is leading up to her point, that, now Ajax is sane, matters are worse than before. 273. )'via is the impf. of aviaw, 1. 275. E\CXaTrat, pf. pass. of eXavrvw. 278. ctpa sometimes expects the answer 'yes,' sometimes 'no.' Here it expects the former, and is therefore equivalent to the Latin nonne. 279. 7rwQ yap. We have to supply some omitted words, such as ' could it be otherwise.' 281. W A d' Exo'vrTw. s, with a gen. absol., often introduces the condition under which the action signified by the verb can take place, and thus comes very near the same verb with an ace. 281 is literally 'it is your duty to think on the understanding that this is so;' which is nearly the same as 'it is your duty to think that this is so.' SOPHOCLES. 284.,uaSaet, 2nd pers. fut. of pavahvw. 285. vvKroc is the gen. of time. 286. (7rTEpoL Xap/T/ripec undoubtedly refers to the camp fires (L.S.), and has no reference to the stars. The time meant is midnight, when attention to the watch fires is relaxed, because sleep is heavy on friend and foe. The stars are not put out at midnight. 290. a)poppaiw, used in the intransitive sense: the proper cognate ace. after it would have been 6pyu'v, but the poet puts the more expressive word wrElpav. 294. Eavvr/, passive aorist of aeou. 297. Evepov of course is 'woolly.' There is another reading, EVKE~p WV. 301. r7Xoc, accusative used adverbially. Vn7rac, fr. vbraiaow. 305. '7raac. Translate simply 'dashed into the house,' not 'dashed away into the house,' which is the translation of another reading, airaac. 308. (c6rov depends on VyE-pov, and vEKpciv depends on EpEL7r/t0. For the meaning of o6vov see L.S. II. 2. 311. 7aro, pl. pf. of taiL. The definite article r3v makes the meaning ' most of the time;' without it, it would be ' a very long time.' The time he occupied in sitting is divided into two parts; one part when he was silent, and one part when he spoke. Mr. Buckley, as usual, outrages both Greek and English grammar. 312. rt 6eivti. The article must not be omitted in translation: it refers not to general threats, but to a particular threat, viz., of death. 313. 4avouiv, fut. opt. of pacvw. 314. Ev 7r (== irt) 7rpayyaroc, lit. 'in what of plight,' i.e. 'in what plight.' 319. 4n7yiTro is not put for the simple verb;lye7ro: i'XEXV AJAX. 55 does not = Eilat, but governs' y6ouc. E7rYeiro 'he used to maintain,' 7rpoc KCK(i (sub. etrat) 'that it was the part of a coward,' yoovC;XeLv, ' to have groans,' i.e. to groan. 326. 8paCEiow is the desiderative form of pacw': 'he is plain as desiring to do some harm' is a more emphatic expression for 'it is plain that he desires to do some harm.' 328. ardAXrjv, 2 aor. pass. of CTiXXw, used actively in sense of 'to go.' 330. X6yoLc is so much pleasanter a reading than fXolt, that we regret that it has little authority. 332. tla7Trcoit(3d cant, perf. pass. inf. from Laooti/3aw. 345. K7r' i0oi' the Kac goes with ali', and not ipol. The point is that now Ajax has recovered his senses, he may be alive to shame also. 351. 9)oLvia' vTro Sa'Xrc. Viro here seems to denote merely the attendant circumstances. L.S. A. II. 4. iXa\r means spray, which might accompany a crested wave, but could not be the cause of its cresting. 360. 7rryLpovijv apKog. A good instance of the objective genitive: ' a help against my woes.' 363. rjqc TrrC. The gen. depends on ro wrpa, not on TrXov. 367. yiXwroc. A genitive can stand alone in exclamation; with and without an interjection, or a word that expresses admiration, indignation, compassion, &c. 369. OVK EKrOc. The verb arEt is of course understood. 372. XFpi must go with lEKlca, and Wunder's attempt to join it to 7rEa)v is absurd. 374. cXvrToi may have the meaning given by the Scholiast of ' loud,' or 'bleating;' or that given by L.S. 2, of' splendid.' 378. istow oVX w' EXEti. We should naturally expect 'XEt, in fact as the line stands it is not grammar. 5o6 SOPHOCL ES. 381. aXrtpa, which literally means the finest meal, is used by metaphor of a man who has been ground and fined to the last degree of subtlety. 387. 7ric av belong to Odvoqtt, and simply intensify the wish. 395. dc Eiot = 'considering in what a position I stand.' 399. The order is as follows: oVre 7- ] O6v yE'voc OvrE e'I TrV' Ovrl'Lv aplpiWv avOpTniwY. Both yivoc and;ovnYa'v are governed by the same preposition eic. 401. Atoc is the genitive after Ovydrr7p understood. doXiepta is the neuter plural, used adverbially. 405. et rT MELv 09tEiv. The text here is undoubtedly corrupt. The reading in our text, riltc ' pIovi is a mere conjecture of Dindorf for the usual reading roc7 3' opoi, which Wunder pronounces hopeless either to translate or correct. With our present reading there is no difficulty in putting the Greek into English, but the meaning is not clear. Perhaps it is best to understand ra pE'v not of the cattle, or his glory, but of his life up to the present time in general. 'The past is past beyond recall, but vengeance awaits me.' 407. ^rWaXroc, ' having two spears each.' L.S. 410. woveiv. An infinitive is often used in exclamations; it depends upon some such phrase understood as ov OavIaoircv irOTv. So in Latin we have mene inceptis desistere victam. 412. 7ropov lXlppo.ot, translated by L.S. 'seaward-flowing streams,' seems rather to mean 'streams that flow over the sea,' i.e. 'currents,' which look rather like ocean rivers. 415. oVrc 'tL: of course the verb KaaiSere is understood. ap7rvoaC exovra means 'alive.' ilarw is 3rd pers. imperative of &oka. 421. ov pur —'ITre. dv pr, with the subjunctive = a very emphatic future. AJAX. 57 425. UipX3r. First, notice the absence of the augment: next, though passive in form, the verb is active in meaning. 1 aor. pass. of &picomaL. 428. o'roL a' a7reipyev. The infinitive depends on I'w in the following line. aov/U-erTTWKOTa, perf. part. of vp,'ri7rw. 430. Ajax is alluding to the similarity in sound between his name A'tla and the Greek exclamation of woe alaT, as if the connection between them was more than accidental. The Greeks attached great importance to lucky names. 435. rT 'rpora KaX\\XtrEa aptarerEac. The accusative here is added to limit the notion of the participle, or to indicate the particular occasion on which he showed his superiority to the army. The prize he won was Hesione. 439. apKEcaa is rendered by L.S. II. simply 'achieve.' 442. &v. 6'c is very rarely used in Attic as a possessive pronoun. L.S. II. '443. KparTO apLtreiac, ' the strength of excellence,' i.e. 'the highest meed of valour.' L.S. III. 445. '7paaav means here exactly what our English word 'jobbed' means: 'they have jobbed them for a villain.' Kpdrrq in the plural involves the notion of particular acts of bravery. 448. a7rrav, aor. 1 of a'rat'aw; BLaOrpobor belongs to the predicate, not to the subject. Not 'my devious mind had wandered,' but 'my mind had wandered devious.' 456. Tr&v by crasis for 7ro av. 457. O'arLc refers of course to its antecedent pe, understood in the previous sentence. Notice the change of construction from ' I who am,' to ' and they hate me,' from a relative to a principal clause. 465. ar7iavorv evcKXELCa are almost equivalent to a compound word, as we might say in English, 'a glory-crown.' SOPHOCLES. 470. r\w(ji yeyc, 'I shall show that I am born.' After verbs of showing, where in Latin we should have an accusative with the infinitive, the Greek puts a participle. The case of the participle depends on whether it refers to the subject of the verb or not; when, as here, it refers to the subject of the verb, it is in the nominative. 474. K:Cok'Otiv, the dative of respect; ' who finds no change in respect of misfortunes.' 475, 476. rT yap-KTaraet?; Y lPE9pa 7rap' 7plap, 'day succeeding day.' For this notion of alternation see wrapc in L.S. C. I. 5. c. 7rpoo-eacta, 'bringing near,' avaelcaa, 'putting back.' L.S. III. Time, according to Ajax, plays upon men through death, as a cat plays with a mouse. 477. TptcatiLYv, opt. aor. 1, of the defective verb Wliopat. 485. rijc rvayKaiac here means slavery. An 'rvayKaia rv'X7 is a lot in which a man does, not what he likes, but what he is compelled to do. 488. e'7rEp rLYOc is in the genitive, by the attraction of aevovros; it is an abbreviated expression for E'thEp rTL }vY 491. X\EXo can scarcely be a cognate accusative after vviijXNov, as L.S. would explain it: Uvrw0XOov belongs properly to oiL, understood, and XEXoc is a limiting word, to qualify the nature of their meeting. 494. t3a4tv 'a. X. 'to receive painful speech,' i.e. 'to be spoken of unkindly by my enemies.' 496. 17 of course refers to /'p/pa. Oavl]: we do not usually find the conjunctive after a relative, except e;v is joined to it: we can only say that here ir has the same force as c alv. 503. ot7ac-o6' o. The Greeks use double exclamations, where we should only use one: instead of saying with them, AJAX. 59 ' How great slavery in exchange for how great happiness,' we say, 'in exchange for such great happiness.' rpE0~EL is a stronger expression than ave, as if she took her lot close home to her, hugged it, so to say. 506. cc'lo'ttat 7rpoXeiwtv, means ' feel ashamed of leaving your father, which is what you are doing.' aic. TrpoXEt7reiv would mean, 'feel ashamed of leaving your father, though at present you are not doing so.' 509. poX7\~r, 2 aor. inf. of i3/XrXw. 511. cov p loc hlere == (oTv 1ovo3eiC. LtoLE'raCt is translated in two ways: (1) as equivalent to ('uEEi,' shall live or continue,' ctaqEp)S, L.S. 2: (2) passively, 'shall be harassed.' The first is the best. 515. i7r;,o'acc, 1st aor. from A 'ivro. 516. aXXri is here used idiomatically: a\XX\ polpa does not mean ' another fate,' but ' fate also.' 521. 7rciaot does not follow the usual rule of the sequence of tenses, according to which the optative is used after past tenses; but the notion involves the idea of past time. 532. Iv ro7o-CE, &c., i.e. 'Do you mean you removed him out of the way when I was mad?' 534. TV, -== Tl UY. 536. 7rj'rVEaa. Although we have the aorist here, we must translate it as present. The Greek aorist involves the notion of doing a thing once for all, and this sense is sometimes brought into such strong relief that the idea of past time is quite lost sight of. ' I praise you, and there let it end.' 537. Ic Tr',E: hK is here used to indicate the circumstances of the case, which are in a way the origin of the action. 540. 7rapovaiav y XEtV is a mere periphrasis for 7rapeivat. pI ov must be omitted altogether in translating: after verbs of tO SOPHOCLES. hindering and delaying the Greeks insert negative adverbs, which to us seem quite superfluous. 543. XX\E\Ei'),\cyw v. The passive of XE',rw, with a genitive, means to fall short of a thing: so, to fall short of our words is not to hear them, not to attend to them. 'Do you speak to one coming, or one inattentive to your words?' 54-i. `'E here has the true demonstrative force: she points to the man. 5463.;hoovo is used here, as in 1. 309, not for 'slaughter,' but for the things slain. 547. jwhcaiw, L.S. 'really and truly.' r7 Cr1rp;UOE', ace. of respect. By saying ' If he is really mine on his father's side,' Ajax seems to mean, ' If he takes after his father rather than his mother.' 549. E'oPoLo-vatC may be taken passively, as L.S.: or in a middle causative sense, ' to have him made like.' 556. E~ c o w7r(c cE~i4Ec. Some such word as Opav or orKOTniV must be understood before ot-rwS. 559. Xappov@v is the ace. in what is called apposition to the sentence i.e. it is added so as to express a result of the main idea. 562. 7rvXwpo'v, properly a substantive, is here used adjectivally. 564. '/t7ra must be taken as closely as possible with dsi; though it does not follow, as the Oxford edition says, that it cannot be rendered apart from it. 571. pXPIc o0: adverbial phrase 'until that.' 572. i'tre O'alovoaL. The future depends on 'wrc understood from line 567. 574. The 7rUpTraS was a broad strap in the middle of the inner side of the hield, through which the arm was passed. AJAX. 61 As this strap would receive considerable strain as the shield played on the arm, it was necessarily strongly woven or twisted; 7roXv;);patoc. 577. re.u'erT. The paulo post future is here used because Ajax had made up his mind to commit suicide, and so in some sense his burial had already begun. 581. ov -pics;arpov oyou5. For this meaning of TrpO see L.S. A. IV. troio is a desiderative verb. 584. /p' apoK'ei: apedOKv usually governs a dative. 585. Cpaa-Ei is another desiderative verb. 586.;p7lve: see L.S. III. 589. pi). i/.. is a circumlocution for ' do not betray us;' it seems to be the Greek idiomatic equivalent for the Irishism, ' don't be after betraying us.' 593i. The force of this line seems to be that Teemessa only weaikened her appeal by introducing the gods, to whom Ajax acknowledges no allegiance. 593. $vV'Ep$e0, does not mean 'restrain her,' but 'shut' or ' close up the tent.' 597. c'Xiw7rXak'roc, for —Xricroc, 'sea-smitten.' If any proof were needed that Buckley understood no Greek, his note here would supply it: he translates the word right, and then adds note adapted to the hypothesis of a wrong translation. 600. raXatoc aup' oi XpOYoc: an adverbial sentence of time, iLserted thus: ' But I, it is long since, await.' The French have exactly the same idiom in ' il y a longtemps.' 602. ar/'lptLaoc, according to L.S. is active, ' losing count of.' ivyrlac -ov. 607. avjetv, ' make my way to.' L.S. I. 3. 608. a&croXov may be taken either actively, ' making to disappear,' i.e. destructive; or passively, 'invisible.' 6.) 62 ~~~~~~~~~~S 0P I I 0C L E;S 6GiG. Ef, CP 0C. AVunder and oth,.ers are. surely right in seeinz here an allu siona 1 thie pl~alstra, thouoh LES. talke a more colourless meaniag, Ii 1. Tue Ncsth-e cliahenger of the victor of two comibata-nt~_s so thali 1611er a man head won his heat he had' to mteet a fresh o-naoaent in the E-~rfCPo. 631 2. i 4pzd7. 2nd pers. sin 1 1sd 614. opo.,30oofrac, L.S. transIt selfitwilled; _Wunder translates ' going ast'ay Min int ellect. 627. dAi~iov. The ne'-,: itt Ie In 0(5,lt does not affect this first clause-. 635.,ciawr ued 1,1,1,Ifl_.[I civ lyhere. The Greek and English ioiom coine-ie~c ia lio e is better coueealed, for it -is better fori hini to TA OI!e co ci'c.' 6 40. 6O T~~ I Ie- s tnd a, 1 lt mutst rememnber that the primitive meanmno, of 6oy/ not o n~,er,' bat ' disposition.' 3,cuXi the best word to lron iste by 110,0 Would be the archiaic word 6-17. i,5ut: tne taidokll is, here used for the active. 6413. UIX770o, ' beyond expeetation; wie mansexpcta tion, of -whaf i~ s Vii as 'we-il as of' wat~l(1 IS goodJ. 6,50.:-dt Lc 1r, the coguiate ace. aflte,, the intransitivc verb 653. X~'a0~ ~ The herasunderstand him to refer to the wasom'r o1f t LA idod of the slain cattle;in his own min i Ad. he t Iin.''ed Su -d" 659. -uiur5 tl,,C t,-;1LCIl o c, AS if after 7ciYraD(~a an UndertCo-od a~UO"21 to ci' a, C ciDo i-wvr j, 3rd pers. pl. imper p'n 666. ou'- aaoOc o fr aC Forojiai used as a future of' OICda AJAX. 63 669. ra' ~,rtvc. Signs sent from heaven to inspire mien with 1awe. 6710. 7twc~c; abstract put for concrete, offces put for the persons in office. 672. dartai~c, gen. from aI'a,;'o', ' wearisome: others make it the nominative. 673. oiyyc~ 0Xf'iyuv depend on ~A~-u makes way for white-teamed dlay to light her beam.' lX;EyEtw is transitive here. 675'. &, used adverbially here __'besids.' 67 7. yz'wU)0ru'PEa for -li'(da ofLEt fat, o iwoCKti. 678. C'E'-Yai. After the 6" ~ we must understand yi'Jropat. Ajax answers the question of the former line: in that he askis, ' Shall we not learn mnoderation?' in this he replies, IlBut I w-ill learn moderation, for I know, &e.' 680. Ic=- here I'quod. attlinet' 'as re dn.' S. TAT. 2. 685, 686. The order is I'Eau EXvg x ov Oro7c, (tt rf-iXovc 7-E79u1at. et~ 7EXovoc. 1.8. I. 6. completely. 693. adE7ri-rd'aa,' ~for -py~v), 2 nor, of ClVC-wrOropat. 696. dni,2nd nor. imper. pass. of ocdv(d. 700. piot, dlative, dependingv on 4orVIW. ad~c L.S. 1 begin )7 05. ~-`4o,'rb770 'may he meet me easily known; i.e. 'may he come revealled as a god,' and not assume a disgruise, as the gcds generally dlo in Hlomer. 708, 70()9. 7,-6occafor -rprru'PIOtl: before 7fX4AL'oc d",r7r is under stood. v'uC bi s in the g'enE Jvc after 7rK-X40atL. The general drift is that now they are no longer ashamed to meet people in broad daylight. 712. 7raP,4ra,, LS. ' all-hallowed.' Eb')'Ivvo, 1st aor. fr. 64 SOPHOCLES. 715. et cig7rrwv,t 'starting from circumstances that give no expectation of improvement,' i.e. simply 'unexpectedly.' 716. PETaveyil a'?%, 1st aor. pass. used trans. of pEralvayty722. Kv' UCETrat, derived from rucoc, 'reproof;' not -uaoc, ' glory.' 725. oiVrLc 'ca0' O oV, a circumlocution for aTCl,r'Ec: they assailed him, there was none who did not,' = 'they all assailed him.' 726. pavlevroc, 2 aor. pass. of palivopuat. kW OVK apcKaUot. We must not understand XiyovrEs before these words from the aUroKuXouv rC. 728. ro pi ov. After verbs of hindering or preventing the Greeks add a double negative. 731.;papotaa rov 7TpoiawrrtTo, 'having run to its furthest point.' The use of the genitive for motion to is rare. 733. ];'MtI, a loose ethical dative: ' Where is Ajax for us?' ' Tell me where Ajax is.' 735. His new disposition is his sanity, opposed to his old condition, madness. 737. '3pacEtctvc belongs to the predicate of the sentence. 739. )'' O^d,,lv for;i EiOa',p'. 2 aor. pass. of c)aiw. 740. Hermann's view of this line is undoubtedly the right one; viz., ' What point has been neglected in this matter ' 744. KcreXXaX?^- X(JXov means ' that he may give up his anger against the gods,' not' that he may be relieved from the consequences of the gods' anger,' as thinks Buckley. 749. tvui'pov is an adj. from Vo-I'rpoc, not a substantive. 756. ~aiX is the present tense of EiXw, a poetical form of \Xavov,), rarely used.. 759. wrpoc Oeco expresses the agency by which the action o' AJAX. 65 the verb T7rtITEtv is brought about, as 7rl7rrtEL, though intransitive, is here equal to a passive, 'is overthrown.' 760. oTarC, though masculine, refers to the neuter antecedent Ank7cara. 761. /3Xa9Tr(l'), from f3XatarvYo. KaT' arVpwio7, 'proportionately to man.' 762. roppFt/'eoc, from ~EoppC(o, pres. part. middle. 767. Oeo7l, in the dative after ofov. 769. 7r~rwocSa, 2nd perfect of 7ritw. TrtaTraciuty, act. for mid. 771. lacs 'A'^A vac. It is a little difficult to see the construction of the genitive here. Hermann considers Z. 'A.?'lreK?/vdro = I. 'A. aviwopEYr?. Others simply understand XEyorqC. Wunder says the passage is corrupt. Buckley contents himself with a general mistranslation. 778. o'0r, is shown by the accent to be the existential verb, not the substantive: 'if he exists, or is alive.' 781. E7rrLroXc'C; 'commands.' 782. a'7r7r~p4ejc~a, ' are unsuccessful.' L.S. 784. yi7og. For this meaning of the word ' offspring,' see L.S. II. 788. Before the ha) X. we must understand I(r7E. r7LV is put indefinitely for the persons present. 'For this cuts to the quick, so that one (i.e. we) should not rejoice.' 788. ['pac here simply = ' rest,' or ' quiet.' L.S. II. 2. 790. Wv. Where in English we say 'I grieve at a thing,' the Greeks said ' I grieve a thing;' as if the cause of grief became a part of the mental state of grief. 797. Ka7r rt-,a== i:ai ri Tv, i.e. 'on what occasion.' 799.;Xrtrrt espresses simply expectation here, not hope. The o\XSpiav belongs to the predicate; 'he expects to an 66 SOPItOCIES. nounce his outgoing as fatal;' -= 'he expects that the outgoing tlhat he announces is fatal.' 800. rov = rr'oe. 802. 7podrr/1-E rVXuIc clearly means protect me against illluck,' though according to usual usage it wouldl mean ' protect ill luck:' however we may standt before a person to protect or to oppose: here we have the latter, ' confront.' 804. ooX\v l depends on CrJTE understood. 806. 0trorc' the genitive depends on the participle. 816. r7o for rLvL, the indefinite for the definite personal pronoun. 819. 7'r~7rya, 2nd or middle perfect of 7r1yviut. 820. VEcrOYVlI. Look in L.S. for 'Eq1lw'orc. 821. TrEptrEritXac. The explanation of the Scholiast, rEprabyact, ' having twisted it firm in the soil,' is better than tha of L.S., who simply explain ' having prepared.' 822. Oal'iv depends on 'iuvoV'raov, ' ' most kind to me for me to die,' i.e. ' kind enough to kill me.' 830. Cpo)5, 1 aor. subj. pass. K) iTrio. 836. rav /)poroif T;m.q -7- ma ~1 i'). r. 841. TrC == v-rwc. 842. Xo\0iao -= OX\OLVo. 844. There is no need to follow Wunder in putting a comma after eit'Err-E, as ~iicopfti can naturally govern a genitive. 845. oboal'v is the ace. of space traversed. Notice the great flexibility of the Greek compounds; where we must say 'to traverse the heavens in a chariot,' the poet has one word, &l0,)TXa76T V. 851. ijTLt, future of i'llpt. 852. Oprvta"ati, pass. ' to be lamented.' L.S. 2. 854. ~7TiovKE4ct, 1 n0o. imper. mid. of i~rtco7r~w. 863. rpoq4c, voc. plural of rpoetVc. AJAX. 67 869. avulaeiv, if the passage is not corrupt, must depend on (JTre, understood before pe. It must be borne in mind that an infinitive is added, in Greek and Latin, to express an amplification of the main idea in a very loose manner. The most literal rendering would be 'no place knows of Ajax with a shared by me knowledge.' 872. otXilav: the accus. depends on aicovelc, understood from the previous line. 878. The Oxford edition has a surprisingly bad note here: for example, it translates Ctvrp 'any one,' oaveic is dependent on BrXow: cf. r\jX'wo yeySw, 1. 470. KEXevuov is in the ace. because the idea of extension is involved: 'all along the eastern road.' 880. 'Xwv aptL, ' busied or occupied in:' L.S. 'Xw, B. I. 3. 887. aXErXta: the plural is here used as the singular is more usually. 'A wanderer of long toils,' - 'one who has drifted from trouble to trouble.' 892. va7novc, genitive of ra57ro, a neuter form of varr. r'ipavXo:, ' neighbouring,' agrees with 3o`,. 895. evyKEcpaupEVrp, pf. pass. part. of avyKepaIvvvYt, L.S. II. 2, 'deeply affected.' 905. epe, 1 aor. of 'p3wo. 908. oloc. Buckley, as usual, translates the reading oloc 'alone,' without any warning to his unfortunate dupes. 910. KWto9c, 'dull.' L.S. 5. 916. 7rap'rlirjv, merely a reduplicated form of rra, 'entirely.' 917. Kai emphasizes the verb laor understood, 'whoever is really a friend.' 921. aicaa7a, the neuter plural used adverbially. 925. XpO,', c at last.' 68. SOPIOCLES. 929. pot, a loose ethical dative; ' for me to hear,' 'to my knowledge.' 935. apLrrro;Xp cyw)/, 'a contest for the stoutest hand.' There seems to be an ellipse of a word, but it is of no importance to the translation. 939. 7rp(3c T7rap, used to denote a very acute pain. 947. fl'avu2ov = uivavrov: L.S. II.,' unutterable.' 954.; Wvj3,l/<', 'exult maliciously,' L.S. roXvrXac, used ironically, according to L.S.; the Chorus calls Odysseus 'much endurin,' meaning 'unscrupulous.' Ovtov is not so much a cognate ace. as an ace. of limitation. 961. yLX.\c'TW, is of course the 3rd pers. pl. pres. imper. of 966. i): this adverb follows the adverb pttX\Xor, suppressed before TKh',C. 967. i1)ira7'?: 1st aor. pass. used actively of tpati. 970. OE7r~ dative of agency. 971. Ev Eroc == KEr,'C. 976. Ertco'i'o,, rightly rendered by the Scholiast, 'ouX 'ijCp(-?iSOC ricS (TvjuopiC,) i.e. 'appropriate to.' Cf. L.S. sub verb. 978. '/7irojX1ct o-'. The reader must beware of translating another reading )P7XroiXrcac,. which means ' have you acted?' 980. Ti rj VX1QC, genitive after the exclamation witoL. 983. ri —ro: the double interrogation is due to the excitement of Teucer, who begins by asking one question and then changes it to another. ye/j depends on TroV. 986. KE;'jg, proleptic for pEpoOvwpivrc: 'bereft of young.' L.S. II. 1. 993. dv is in the genitive by attraction from O aparwv; it -= roVro(v a r Tr(OrETco'. AJAX. 69 995. fOv is not a cognate accusative so much as an accusative of space transversed. ferL'-o tYlv, 2 aor. fr. '7ratC'4avooat. 998. cov, objective genitive, ' a report of thee,' i.e. ' about thee ' with Oeov rTIvO we must understand /4otvroc. 1000. a y7, by crasis for &i y7(. 1002. This line is addressed to the Chorus, Teemessa having gone away to fetch Eurysaces. 1007. apfiavr' is the accusative, and not the dative, although it refers to the dative poi. Such change of case is justifiable by supposing an accusative of the same person as the dative understood before the infinitive: ' Where is it possible for me that I should go?' 1010. 0ory for WrtL,, dative of 'ari ': o'6rLc is used to express more than a simple relative, it introduces a causal shade of meaning. 1018. wrpoc, used to designate the exciting cause, 'irritated to the point of quarrelling at no cause.' 1021. Tpo'a seems here to mean, not Troy, but the land of Troy, the Troad. 1029. 7rapa has the accent thrown back on to the first syllable because the case which it governs, To0cE, precedes it. 1030. 7rpto'reic: see 7rpoi, L.S. III., 'to seize as with the teeth,' 'hold tight.' 61,Trv$, in the singular, means the rim or rail in front of the chariot, in the plural the chariot itself. L.S. II. 1. The account given by Sophocles of the dragging of Hector differs considerably from that given by Homer. See some longer note, as Wunder's. 1035. KAIEEvov refers to the taWrljp. 1039. eKEctva =- rh EavrTOV oyara, < his own opinion.' This line passed into a proverb. ,7~0 n SOPHOCLES. 1042, 1043. The order of the words is Cat rdaX' al EbiKotro y7~eXv K'aKo7l ai ) Karovpyoc a&ilp. a ^) -== WOTEp, 'just like.' 1044. 4vYpa is attracted out of its more natural case, the nominative. 1045. y, dativus commodi, 'for whose advantage.' 1049. arvcAXwac here =- ari\l(oac, the indicative, not the participle: the participle would be differently accented, avatcX^aa. 1050. 6OKOZvva 3' C[iatv avr~] 6'c, &C. 105 7. "aEa/Ev, 1st aor. of 3ivviUl. 1058. riv'E agrees with rvXapv understood, and is governed in the accusative by Hau'vdrfc, being a sort of cognate accusative. 1062. avbrov - alpa. There is nothing unnatural in rvp/ecrica having these two objects, as the second only explains and specializes the first: cf. 1147, Ur7lpa and jP/o)v. 1072. eiEarTWTO, contracted genitive of the perf. part. of 1073. KaXuc ' bepacai, 'to be borne along prosperously,' 'to move on prosperously.' 1077. yEl'loap, 1st aor. subj. of yEvaCI, here used like Ovaw; it is more forcible than 'X, 'if he grow a great body.' Buckley evidently mistakes the verb for some tense of 7ityopat. 1083. fe ovpiuwv so. 7rVevpdiar7 understood: (prpuvaav, see 7PEXW. 1084. ET'ra ^), contracted perfect imperative for e'-rnarw. 1085. av, crasis for ia (y. 1091. v-7oar'Tiac, see vOtirrjut, L.S. 2, 'having suggested as a foundation or beginning.' The chorus means to say, 'I approve of your premises, but I do not admit your conclusion.' 1092. ev Savouaiv, ' towards the dead.' 1096. ~rrn is in the accusative after qpapr-cvovauv, with which AJAX. 71 it enters so closely into combination as to almost form a compound verb. 1100. arov means 'where' in the sense of 'on what ground? ' 1104. TrCE after E'rKLTO understood from the former; oa governed by Koa/1riiaL understood again. 1107. rt a/ipv' trrq are in the accusative, not as the direct object of the verb, but rather as forming part of the action of the verb; they are in fact limiting accusatives: 'proudword-chastise them.' 1109. irepocg = 'ErEpOc. 1112. ol TirOov 7rwX\ is taken to refer to mercenary soldiers, according to the Scholiast. 7r\X,, nom. pl. of rXEwsc, the Attic form of 7rXEoc. 1116.;0pou. arpEqoPa, seems to be used with a genitive of cause in the same way as i7ta7rpof0opl. 1117. uc ar, see L.S., B. II. 4, is not to be translated as equal to 's a'tv, as of course Buckley does translate it. 1121. /3drav7ov belongs to the predicate of the sentence. 1128. r7(e e' o'iXopac. rTi)(E seems to hover between a causative dative and a dativus commodi. 1130. yap in interrogation expresses surprise: 'Is it likely that I should slight the laws of the gods?' 1131. ovw eac are taken intimately together, and equal one verb 'forbid.' 1132. We must understand from the previous line oVKr iE.arjTTEtV. 1135. yap gives the reason of the pLavoSra in the preceding line. In adjudging the arms of Achilles, a majority of votes was obtained for Odysseus by fraudulent practices. 1138. rLVl is a significant expression for vol, i.e. Teucer. f 1143. vav7rac and ro rXrTv are both accusative after Eipopprfv ar7r'. 7i SOPHOCLES. 1146. rapE7Xi: the pronoun EavTrI, is understood. 1147. r7 ac(hi a(ro7t - rt), woXXI'r i 3oijv: this second accusative may be explained either as standing in a loose explanatory apposition to the first, as or being an accusative of respect. 1150. o7rwwra, second perfect of opuo. 1166. The natural order would be Trv P)poTolc Ledpivrnrov. 1170. 7repti(TEXovvrE, see 7rEpirTEX\, L.S., I. 2, ' to dress.' 1171. aracEic, 1st aor. pass. part. of 'IaruIt, used as a neuter. 1174. o'tpac: it seems to have been the custom in Homeric time for the friends and relations of the dead to cut off tresses of their hair and throw them on on the tomb of the deceased. 1178. Err/Peroc, perf. part. pass. of iEapdw(. oiuav, ace. of respect. 1181. AXov governs roV re'Epo understood. 1185. Observe the double interrogatives r 7ig rre comprehended in one member of the sentence: accumulation of interrogatives denotes excitement. 1186. copvao7lorwv, friom copvcoic, warlike.' 1190. EVpUJCic simply equals Eipvc according to L.S. 1192. OiXEe; ';0E'iXw in Attic makes its 2nd aor. both with and without the augment. 1197. The whole verse is parenthetical. rpo7rovot, 'beyond troubles,' L.S. 1201. ftXaeEv after (arE understood, 'so that it should be with me.' 1204. rEp4^tv, cognate accusative after tiaetv; ' to sleep pleasure = ' to enjoy sleep.' 1210. pvjlIara is in what is called apposition to the sentence, that is to say, it places the previous part of the sentence in a new relation or point of view. 1214. 'Tve7rat, perf. pass. of ( silttJ, 'is given up to.' AJAX. 73t i Ol 1222. T7pooei'ToLLeV is in the optative by attraction of the previous optative. 1227. XavEiv, the 2nd aor. of Xai',w: instead however of xativw the best authors use a present Xda'cw. Xaveiv is here used transitively. 1230. ir' CKpowv agreeing with caKrvXwv understood, 'on tiptoe.' 1233. L5wpo'aTw, 1st aor. mid. of,aouvvpLu. 1236. The genitive Atvpdo depends on KiKpayas. 1239. 'OLYtyEv is the Attic 1 pl. of 'ooKa. 1245. XeXeiftIE'OL, left behind, i.e. 'worsted by the decision of the judges.' 1257. cl,'poC - ac-Krc: these are both genitives absolute. 1266. ro5 avtvrroc Xpitc, an objective enitive, ' gratitude to the dead.' 1267. wrpoooaa governs ro'v aLVO'6ra understood. 1268. E-t oCLIKpiV X)6ywv. L.S., XSyoc, A., VIII. take Xdyot here to mean the exploits which formed the subject of conversation. But there is not much force in saying, ' He does not even remember you in your small achievements;' had it been ' great,' the ' even' would have had force. I think we may adopt Wunder's translation, while rejecting his reading, rrli ur/cpi XSoyy: ( He does not rest his memory of you even on a few words,' i.e. He does not even vouchsafe a few words to keep up your memory.' 1283. Xr' a9,c'g: these words refer back to the verb j/Uvyov, YveV in 1. 1273. 1287. ctrpa iovtElv, ' to make a leap light' - 'to make a light leap.' 1289. OVK by crasis for O6 K. 1295.;E' r XaF3wi, 'having taken with her,' i.e. 'in adul 74 SO PIOCLES. tery with her.' T'he object of )0E'6ev is aVrT'r understood; Ctap0opalv, 'a prey,' L.S., II., in apposition with cavr/jv. 1309. 'You will offend three of us and will have to pay the consequences of giving such offence.' 1312. roV aou 0' opailpolro is a very bad reading, as the re is quite impossible to translate. 1315. i? 'v i= } I,. 'in my case,' or 'towards me.' 1316. Katpov' by itself equals the more usual ecs hKiipov. 1325. 'arE /JXi/3Ftaq v XE; the subject of the verb is ar understood. /iXci3/1 tE'Xi,, 'to have injury,' i.e. 'to be injured.' 1330. ' For (otherwise, understood) I should not,' &c. 1340. i'r, iaptLrov l; Esc is added to superlatives tr still further increase their force, 'the one bravest' = 'the very bravest.' cvpdu is in the ace. after i'EVl. 1351. pawov, understood from the preceding line: 'It is easy to allot respect to your friends who advise well.' 1357. 'tperi by crasis for! (ctpETli. There is here a mixture of two constructions of vtKjv: vtic( takes an ace. pe as a transitive verb, meaning 'to conquer,' and a genitive '0xpac, as an intransitive verb, meaning 'to be superior to.' 1358. ~'g7r\?X1c7r. L.S., 2, 'unstable.' tporoic, 'with men,' i.e. 'in the judgment of men.' 1373. XpPc, a shortened form of Xp'olfc. 1377. y, old Attic form of {v, 1st pers. sing. imperf. of eJLt. 1406. 0aO0e. Notice that this has the true middle sense of getting a thing done. It means, not 'put the cauldron on the fire,' but ' see that the cauldron is put on the fire.' 1416. hKOVCEV i TTO X Lovt OvrJTv, a very peculiar case of attraction for ical ov5 OvEi& Tri- OvrTrv X\(uv v, ' and one than whom there never was up to this time a better.' "Ii