Teucer:Then I am destroyed by my heavy fortune!
Τεῦκρος:ὤμοι βαρείας ἆρα τῆς ἐμῆς τύχης.
Chorus:When things stand as they do—
Χορός:ὡς ὧδʼ ἐχόντων
Teucer:Ah, misery, misery!
Τεῦκρος:ὦ τάλας ἐγώ, τάλας.
Chorus:—you have cause to mourn.
Χορός:πάρα στενάζειν.
Teucer:O rash passion!
Τεῦκρος:ὦ περισπερχὲς πάθος.
Chorus:Yes, Teucer, far too rash.
Χορός:ἄγαν γε, Τεῦκρε.
Teucer:Ah, misery—what about the man’s child? Where in all of Troy can I find him?
Τεῦκρος:φεῦ τάλας· τί γὰρ τέκνοντὸ τοῦδε, ποῦ μοι γῆς κυρεῖ τῆς Τρῳάδος;
Chorus:He is alone near the tent.
Χορός:μόνος παρὰ σκηναῖσιν.
Teucer: To Tecmessa.Then bring him here right away, so that we may prevent some enemy from snatching him away, as a hunter snatches a cub from a lioness and leaves her barren! Go quickly; give me your help! It is the habit of men everywhere to laugh in triumph over the dead when they are mere corpses on the ground.Exit Tecmessa.
Τεῦκρος:οὐχ ὅσον τάχοςδῆτʼ αὐτὸν ἄξεις δεῦρο, μή τις ὡς κενῆςσκύμνον λεαίνης δυσμενῶν ἀναρπάσῃ;ἴθʼ, ἐγκόνει, σύγκαμνε· τοῖς θανοῦσί τοιφιλοῦσι πάντες κειμένοις ἐπεγγελᾶν.
Chorus:Yes, while still alive, Teucer, Ajax ordered you to care for the child, just as you are in fact doing.
Χορός:καὶ μὴν ἔτι ζῶν, Τεῦκρε, τοῦδέ σοι μέλεινἐφίεθʼ ἁνὴρ κεῖνος, ὥσπερ οὖν μέλει.
Teucer:This sight is truly most painful to me of all that my eyes have seen.And the journey truly loathsome to my heart above all other journeys is this one that I have just now made while pursuing and scouting out your footsteps, dearest Ajax, once I learned of your fate! For a swift rumor about you, as if sent from some god, passed throughout all the Greek army, telling that you were dead and gone.
Τεῦκρος:ὦ τῶν ἁπάντων δὴ θεαμάτων ἐμοὶἄλγιστον ὧν προσεῖδον ὀφθαλμοῖς ἐγώ,ὁδός θʼ ὁδῶν πασῶν ἀνιάσασα δὴμάλιστα τοὐμὸν σπλάγχνον, ἣν δὴ νῦν ἔβην.ὦ φίλτατʼ Αἴας, τὸν σὸν ὡς ἐπῃσθόμηνμόρον διώκων κἀξιχνοσκοπούμενος.ὀξεῖα γάρ σου βάξις ὡς θεοῦ τινοςδιῆλθʼ Ἀχαιοὺς πάντας ὡς οἴχει θανών.
I heard the rumor while still far away from you, and I groaned quietly in sadness. But now that I see its truth, my heart is utterly shattered! Oh, god! Come, uncover him; let me see the worst. The corpse of Ajax is uncovered. O face painful to look upon and full of cruel boldness,what a full crop of sorrows you have sown for me in your death! Where can I go? What people will receive me, when I have failed to help you in your troubles? No doubt Telamon, your father and mine, will likely greet me with a smile and kind words,when I return without you. Yes, of course he will—a man who, even when enjoying good fortune, tends not to smile more brightly than before! What will a man like him leave unsaid? What insult will he forego against “the bastard offspring of his spear’s war-prize,” against your “cowardly, unmanly betrayer,” dear Ajax,or better yet, your “treacherous betrayer” with designs to govern your domain and your house after your death? So will he insult me; he is a man quick to anger, severe in old age, and his rage seeks quarrels without cause. And in the end I shall be thrust out of our land, and cast off,branded by his taunts as a slave instead of a freeman. These are my prospects at home. At Troy, on the other hand, my enemies are many, while I have few things to help me. All this have I gained from your death! Ah, me, what shall I do? How shall I draw your poor corpseoff the sharp tooth of this gleaming sword, the murderer who, it seems, made you breathe your last? Now do you see how in time Hector, though dead, was to destroy you? By the gods, note the fortune of this mortal pair.First Hector with the very warrior’s belt given to him by Ajax was lashed to the chariot-rail and shredded without end, until his life fled with his breath. Now Ajax here had this gift from Hector, and by this he has perished in his deadly fall. Was it not the Fury who forged this blade,was not that belt the product of Hades, the grim artificer? I, for my part, would affirm that these happenings and all happenings ever are designed by the gods for men. But if there is anyone in whose judgment my words are unacceptable, let him cherish his own thoughts, as I do mine.
ἁγὼ κλύων δύστηνος ἐκποδὼν μὲν ὢνὑπεστέναζον, νῦν δʼ ὁρῶν ἀπόλλυμαι.οἴμοι.ἴθʼ, ἐκκάλυψον, ὡς ἴδω τὸ πᾶν κακόν.ὦ δυσθέατον ὄμμα καὶ τόλμης πικρᾶς,ὅσας ἀνίας μοι κατασπείρας φθίνεις.ποῖ γὰρ μολεῖν μοι δυνατόν, εἰς ποίους βροτούς,τοῖς σοῖς ἀρήξαντʼ ἐν πόνοισι μηδαμοῦ;ἦ πού με Τελαμών, σὸς πατὴρ ἐμός θʼ ἅμα,δέξαιτʼ ἂν εὐπρόσωπος ἵλεώς τʼ ἴσωςχωροῦντʼ ἄνευ σοῦ. πῶς γὰρ οὔχ; ὅτῳ πάραμηδʼ εὐτυχοῦντι μηδὲν ἥδιον γελᾶν.οὗτος τί κρύψει; ποῖον οὐχ ἐρεῖ κακὸντὸν ἐκ δορὸς γεγῶτα πολεμίου νόθον,τὸν δειλίᾳ προδόντα καὶ κακανδρίᾳσέ, φίλτατʼ Αἴας, ἢ δόλοισιν, ὡς τὰ σὰκράτη θανόντος καὶ δόμους νέμοιμι σούς.τοιαῦτʼ ἀνὴρ δύσοργος, ἐν γήρᾳ βαρύς,ἐρεῖ, πρὸς οὐδὲν εἰς ἔριν θυμούμενος.τέλος δʼ ἀπωστὸς γῆς ἀπορριφθήσομαι,δοῦλος λόγοισιν ἀντʼ ἐλευθέρου φανείς.τοιαῦτα μὲν κατʼ οἶκον· ἐν Τροίᾳ δέ μοιπολλοὶ μὲν ἐχθροί, παῦρα δʼ ὠφελήσιμα.καὶ ταῦτα πάντα σοῦ θανόντος ηὑρόμην.οἴμοι, τί δράσω; πῶς σʼ ἀποσπάσω πικροῦ·τοῦδʼ αἰόλου κνώδοντος, ὦ τάλας, ὑφʼ οὗφονέως ἄρʼ ἐξέπνευσας; εἶδες ὡς χρόνῳἔμελλέ σʼ Ἕκτωρ καὶ θανὼν ἀποφθίσειν;σκέψασθε, πρὸς θεῶν, τὴν τύχην δυοῖν βροτοῖν.Ἕκτωρ μέν, ᾧ δὴ τοῦδʼ ἐδωρήθη πάρα,ζωστῆρι πρισθεὶς ἱππικῶν ἐξ ἀντύγωνἐκνάπτετʼ αἰέν, ἔστʼ ἀπέψυξεν βίον·οὗτος δʼ ἐκείνου τήνδε δωρεὰν ἔχωνπρὸς τοῦδʼ ὄλωλε θανασίμῳ πεσήματι.ἆρʼ οὐκ Ἐρινὺς τοῦτʼ ἐχάλκευσεν ξίφοςκἀκεῖνον Ἅιδης, δημιουργὸς ἄγριος;ἐγὼ μὲν οὖν καὶ ταῦτα καὶ τὰ πάντʼ ἀεὶφάσκοιμʼ ἂν ἀνθρώποισι μηχανᾶν θεούς·ὅτῳ δὲ μὴ τάδʼ ἐστὶν ἐν γνώμῃ φίλα,κεῖνός τʼ ἐκεῖνα στεργέτω κἀγὼ τάδε.
Chorus:Do not go on at length, but consider how you will bury him and what you will next say. For I see our enemy approaching, and chances are that he comes to mock at our sorrows, like one who would do us harm.
Χορός:μὴ τεῖνε μακράν, ἀλλʼ ὅπως κρύψεις τάφῳφράζου τὸν ἄνδρα χὤ τι μυθήσει τάχα.βλέπω γὰρ ἐχθρὸν φῶτα, καὶ τάχʼ ἂν κακοῖςγελῶν ἃ δὴ κακοῦργος ἐξίκοιτʼ ἀνήρ.
Teucer:What man of the army do you see?
Τεῦκρος:τίς δʼ ἐστὶν ὅντινʼ ἄνδρα προσλεύσσεις στρατοῦ;
Chorus:Menelaus, the beneficiary of this expedition.
Χορός:Μενέλαος, ᾧ δὴ τόνδε πλοῦν ἐστείλαμεν.
Teucer:I see him; he is not hard to recognize when near.Enter Menelaus.
Τεῦκρος:ὁρῶ· μαθεῖν γὰρ ἐγγὺς ὢν οὐ δυσπετής.
Menelaus:You there, I tell you not to lift that corpse for burial, but leave it where it lies.
Μενέλαος:οὗτος, σὲ φωνῶ τόνδε τὸν νεκρὸν χεροῖνμὴ συγκομίζειν, ἀλλʼ ἐᾶν ὅπως ἔχει.
Teucer:Why do you waste your breath on this arrogant command?
Τεῦκρος:τίνος χάριν τοσόνδʼ ἀνήλωσας λόγον;
Menelaus:It conveys my decree, and the decree of the army’s supreme ruler.
Μενέλαος:δοκοῦντʼ ἐμοί, δοκοῦντα δʼ ὃς κραίνει στρατοῦ.
Teucer:Would you mind, then, telling me what reason you pretend?
Τεῦκρος:οὔκουν ἂν εἴποις ἥντινʼ αἰτίαν προθείς;
Menelaus:This—that when we had hoped we were bringing Ajax from home to be an ally and a friend for the Greeks, we found him on closer examination to be an enemy worse than the Phrygians,since he plotted the murder of the entire army and marched by night against us in order to take us with his spear. And if some god had not smothered this attempt, we would have been allotted the fate which he now has, and we would be dead and lie prostrate by an ignoble doom,while he would be living. But now a god has turned his outrage aside, so that it fell on the sheep and cattle. For this reason there is no man so powerful that he will be able to entomb the corpse of Ajax. Instead he shall be cast forth somewhere on the yellow sandto become forage for the birds of the seashore. So then do not inflame the terrible force of your spirit. If we were unable to master him while he lived, in any case in death, at least, we shall rule him despite your opposition and control him by force of our hands. For while he lived, there never was a timewhen he would obey my commands. Now it is, in truth, the mark of a base nature when a commoner does not think it right to obey those who stand over him. Never can the laws maintain a prosperous course in a city where fear has no fixed place,nor can a camp be ruled any more with moderation, if it lacks the guarding force of fear and reverence. A man, though he grow his body great and mighty, must expect to fall, even from a light blow. Whoever knows fear and shame both,you can be certain that he has found his salvation; but where there is license to attack others and act at will, do not doubt that such a State, though she has run before a favoring wind, will eventually sink with time into the depths. No, let me see fear, too, established, where fear is fitting;let us not think that we can act on our desires without paying the price in pain. These things come by turns. He was once the hot attacker, now it is my hour to glory. And so I warn you not to bury him,so that you can avoid falling into your own grave.
Μενέλαος:ὁθούνεκʼ αὐτὸν ἐλπίσαντες οἴκοθενἄγειν Ἀχαιοῖς ξύμμαχόν τε καὶ φίλον,ἐξηύρομεν ζητοῦντες ἐχθίω Φρυγῶν·ὅστις στρατῷ ξύμπαντι βουλεύσας φόνοννύκτωρ ἐπεστράτευσεν, ὡς ἕλοι δόρει·κεἰ μὴ θεῶν τις τήνδε πεῖραν ἔσβεσεν,ἡμεῖς μὲν ἂν τήνδʼ ἣν ὅδʼ εἴληχεν τύχηνθανόντες ἂν προυκείμεθʼ αἰσχίστῳ μόρῳ,οὗτος δʼ ἂν ἔζη. νῦν δʼ ἐνήλλαξεν θεὸςτὴν τοῦδʼ ὕβριν πρὸς μῆλα καὶ ποίμνας πεσεῖν.ὧν εἵνεκʼ αὐτὸν οὔτις ἔστʼ ἀνὴρ σθένωντοσοῦτον ὥστε σῶμα τυμβεῦσαι τάφῳ,ἀλλʼ ἀμφὶ χλωρὰν ψάμαθον ἐκβεβλημένοςὄρνισι φορβὴ παραλίοις γενήσεται.πρὸς ταῦτα μηδὲν δεινὸν ἐξάρῃς μένος.εἰ γὰρ βλέποντος μὴ ʼδυνήθημεν κρατεῖν,πάντως θανόντος γʼ ἄρξομεν, κἂν μὴ θέλῃς,χερσὶν παρευθύνοντες· οὐ γὰρ ἔσθʼ ὅπουλόγων γʼ ἀκοῦσαι ζῶν ποτʼ ἠθέλησʼ ἐμῶν.καίτοι κακοῦ πρὸς ἀνδρὸς ὄντα δημότηνμηδὲν δικαιοῦν τῶν ἐφεστώτων κλύειν.οὐ γάρ ποτʼ οὔτʼ ἂν ἐν πόλει νόμοι καλῶςφέροιντʼ ἄν, ἔνθα μὴ καθεστήκῃ δέος,οὔτʼ ἂν στρατός γε σωφρόνως ἄρχοιτʼ ἔτι,μηδὲν φόβου πρόβλημα μηδʼ αἰδοῦς ἔχων.ἀλλʼ ἄνδρα χρή, κἂν σῶμα γεννήσῃ μέγα,δοκεῖν πεσεῖν ἂν κἂν ἀπὸ σμικροῦ κακοῦ.δέος γὰρ ᾧ πρόσεστιν αἰσχύνη θʼ ὁμοῦ,σωτηρίαν ἔχοντα τόνδʼ ἐπίστασο·ὅπου δʼ ὑβρίζειν δρᾶν θʼ ἃ βούλεται παρῇ,ταύτην νόμιζε τὴν πόλιν χρόνῳ ποτὲἐξ οὐρίων δραμοῦσαν εἰς βυθὸν πεσεῖν.ἀλλʼ ἑστάτω μοι καὶ δέος τι καίριον,καὶ μὴ δοκῶμεν δρῶντες ἃν ἡδώμεθαοὐκ ἀντιτίσειν αὖθις ἂν λυπώμεθα.ἕρπει παραλλὰξ ταῦτα. πρόσθεν οὗτος ἦναἴθων ὑβριστής, νῦν δʼ ἐγὼ μέγʼ αὖ φρονῶ.καί σοι προφωνῶ τόνδε μὴ θάπτειν, ὅπωςμὴ τόνδε θάπτων αὐτὸς εἰς ταφὰς πέσῃς.
Chorus:Menelaus, after laying down wise precepts, do not then violate the dead.
Χορός:Μενέλαε, μὴ γνώμας ὑποστήσας σοφὰςεἶτʼ αὐτὸς ἐν θανοῦσιν ὑβριστὴς γένῃ.
Teucer:Never again, my fellow Salaminians, will I be amazed if some nobody by birth does wrong,when those who are reputed to be born of noble blood employ such wrongful sentiments in their arguments. Come, tell me from the first once more—do you really say that you brought Ajax here to the Greeks as an ally personally recruited by you? Did he not sail of his own accord? As his own master?
Τεῦκρος:οὐκ ἄν ποτʼ, ἄνδρες, ἄνδρα θαυμάσαιμʼ ἔτι,ὃς μηδὲν ὢν γοναῖσιν εἶθʼ ἁμαρτάνει,ὅθʼ οἱ δοκοῦντες εὐγενεῖς πεφυκέναιτοιαῦθʼ ἁμαρτάνουσιν ἐν λόγοις ἔπη·ἄγʼ εἴπʼ ἀπʼ ἀρχῆς αὖθις, ἦ σὺ φὴς ἄγειντόνδʼ ἄνδρʼ Ἀχαιοῖς δεῦρο σύμμαχον λαβών;οὐκ αὐτὸς ἐξέπλευσεν ὡς αὑτοῦ κρατῶν;
On what grounds are you his commander? On what grounds have you a right to kingship over the men whom he brought from home? It was as Sparta’s king that you came, not as master over us. Nowhere was it established among your lawful powers that you should order him any more than he you.
ποῦ σὺ στρατηγεῖς τοῦδε; ποῦ δὲ σοὶ λεῶνἔξεστʼ ἀνάσσειν ὧν ὅδʼ ἤγαγʼ οἴκοθεν;Σπάρτης ἀνάσσων ἦλθες, οὐχ ἡμῶν κρατῶν·οὐδʼ ἔσθʼ ὅπου σοὶ τόνδε κοσμῆσαι πλέονἀρχῆς ἔκειτο θεσμὸς ἢ καὶ τῷδε σέ.
You sailed here under the command of others, not as a supreme commander who might at any time exercise authority over Ajax. No, rule the troops you rule, and use your reverend words to punish them! But this man, whether you or the other general forbid it, I will layin the grave as justice demands, and I will not fear your tongue. It was not at all for your wife’s sake that Ajax made this expedition, as did those toil-worn drudges. No, it was for the sake of the oath by which he had sworn, and not at all for you, since it was not his habit to value nobodies.
ὕπαρχος ἄλλων δεῦρʼ ἔπλευσας, οὐχ ὅλωνστρατηγός, ὥστʼ Αἴαντος ἡγεῖσθαί ποτε.ἀλλʼ ὧνπερ ἄρχεις ἄρχε καὶ τὰ σέμνʼ ἔπηκόλαζʼ ἐκείνους· τόνδε δʼ, εἴτε μὴ σὺ φὴςεἴθʼ ἅτερος στρατηγός, εἰς ταφὰς ἐγὼθήσω δικαίως, οὐ τὸ σὸν δείσας στόμα.οὐ γάρ τι τῆς σῆς εἵνεκʼ ἐστρατεύσατογυναικός, ὥσπερ οἱ πόνου πολλοῦ πλέῳ,ἀλλʼ εἵνεχʼ ὅρκων οἷσιν ἦν ἐνώμοτος,σοῦ δʼ οὐδέν· οὐ γὰρ ἠξίου τοὺς μηδένας.
And so when you come here again, bring more heralds, and the leader of the expedition, too. Your bluster could not make me turn to notice you, so long as you are what you are.
πρὸς ταῦτα πλείους δεῦρο κήρυκας λαβὼνκαὶ τὸν στρατηγὸν ἧκε, τοῦ δὲ σοῦ ψόφουοὐκ ἂν στραφείην, ἕως ἂν ᾖς οἷός περ εἶ.
Chorus:Again, I say, in these troubles I cannot approve of such a tone. Harsh words sting, however just they are.
Χορός:οὐδʼ αὖ τοιαύτην γλῶσσαν ἐν κακοῖς φιλῶ·τὰ σκληρὰ γάρ τοι, κἂν ὑπέρδικʼ ᾖ, δάκνει.
Menelaus:The bowman seems to feel no little grandeur.
Μενέλαος:ὁ τοξότης ἔοικεν οὐ σμικρὸν φρονεῖν.
Teucer:I do, since it is no lowly skill that I possess.
Τεῦκρος:οὐ γὰρ βάναυσον τὴν τέχνην ἐκτησάμην.
Menelaus:How you would boast, if you had a shield!
Μενέλαος:μέγʼ ἄν τι κομπάσειας, ἀσπίδʼ εἰ λάβοις.
Teucer:Even without a shield I would be a match for you fully armed.
Τεῦκρος:κἂν ψιλὸς ἀρκέσαιμι σοί γʼ ὡπλισμένῳ.
Menelaus:What a tongue you have! What dreadful anger it feeds!
Μενέλαος:ἡ γλῶσσά σου τὸν θυμὸν ὡς δεινὸν τρέφει.
Teucer:When right is with him, a man’s thoughts may be grand.
Τεῦκρος:ξὺν τῷ δικαίῳ γὰρ μέγʼ ἔξεστιν φρονεῖν.
Menelaus:What, is it right that the man who murdered me should prosper?
Μενέλαος:δίκαια γὰρ τόνδʼ εὐτυχεῖν κτείναντά με;
Teucer:Murdered you? It is truly a strange happening, if in fact you live after being killed.
Τεῦκρος:κτείναντα; δεινόν γʼ εἶπας, εἰ καὶ ζῇς θανών.
Menelaus:A god rescued me. So far as that corpse is concerned, I am in Hades.
Μενέλαος:θεὸς γὰρ ἐκσῴζει με, τῷδε δʼ οἴχομαι.
Teucer:Then since it was the gods who saved you, do not dishonor the gods.
Τεῦκρος:μή νυν ἀτίμα θεούς, θεοῖς σεσωσμένος.
Menelaus:What, would I find fault with divine law?
Μενέλαος:ἐγὼ γὰρ ἂν ψέξαιμι δαιμόνων νόμους;
Teucer:Yes, if by your presence here you prevent burial of the dead.
Τεῦκρος:εἰ τοὺς θανόντας οὐκ ἐᾷς θάπτειν παρών.
Menelaus:Prevent it I do, since he was at war with me and I with him. Burial in such a case would not be right.
Μενέλαος:τούς γʼ αὐτὸς αὑτοῦ πολεμίους. οὐ γὰρ καλόν.
Teucer:What do you mean? Did Ajax ever stand forth publicly to war with you?
Τεῦκρος:ἦ σοὶ γὰρ Αἴας πολέμιος προύστη ποτέ;
Menelaus:He hated me as I hated him, and you knew it, too.
Μενέλαος:μισοῦντʼ ἐμίσει· καὶ σὺ τοῦτʼ ἠπίστασο.
Teucer:Yes, he hated you because you had been caught fixing the votes in order to rob him.
Τεῦκρος:κλέπτης γὰρ αὐτοῦ ψηφοποιὸς ηὑρέθης.
Menelaus:At the hands of the jurymen, not mine, he suffered that loss.
Μενέλαος:ἐν τοῖς δικασταῖς, κοὐκ ἐμοί, τόδʼ ἐσφάλη.
Teucer:You could make a thousand stealthy crimes look pretty.
Τεῦκρος:πόλλʼ ἂν κακῶς λάθρᾳ σὺ κλέψειας κακά.
Menelaus:That sentiment leads to pain for someone I know.
Μενέλαος:τοῦτʼ εἰς ἀνίαν τοὔπος ἔρχεταί τινι.
Teucer:The pain will be no greater, I think, than that which we will inflict.
Τεῦκρος:οὐ μᾶλλον, ὡς ἔοικεν, ἢ λυπήσομεν.
Menelaus:I will tell you once and for all—there is to be no burial for him.
Μενέλαος:ἕν σοι φράσω· τόνδʼ ἐστὶν οὐχὶ θαπτέον.
Teucer:And hear my reply—he shall be buried immediately.
Τεῦκρος:ἀλλʼ ἀντακούσει τοῦτον ὡς τεθάψεται.
Menelaus:Once I saw a bold-tongued man who had urged sailors to set sail during wintertime. Yet in him you could have found no voicewhen the worst of the storm was upon him. No, hidden beneath his cloak he allowed the crew to trample on him at will. And so it is with you and your raging speech—perhaps a great storm, even if its blast comes from a small cloud, will extinguish your shouting.
Μενέλαος:ἤδη ποτʼ εἶδον ἄνδρʼ ἐγὼ γλώσσῃ θρασὺνναύτας ἐφορμήσαντα χειμῶνος τὸ πλεῖν,ᾧ φθέγμʼ ἂν οὐκ ἂν ηὗρες, ἡνίκʼ ἐν κακῷχειμῶνος εἴχετʼ, ἀλλʼ ὑφʼ εἵματος κρυφεὶςπατεῖν παρεῖχε τῷ θέλοντι ναυτίλων.οὕτω δὲ καὶ σὲ καὶ τὸ σὸν λάβρον στόμασμικροῦ νέφους τάχʼ ἄν τις ἐκπνεύσας μέγαςχειμὼν κατασβέσειε τὴν πολλὴν βοήν.
Teucer:Yes, and I have seen a man stuffed with foolishness who exulted in his neighbor’s misfortunes. It turned out that a man like me and of similar temperament stared at him and said, “Man, do not wrong the dead; for, if you do, rest assured that you will come to harm.” So he warned the misguided man before him. Take note—I see him now, and I think that he is no one but you. Have I spoken in riddles?
Τεῦκρος:ἐγὼ δέ γʼ ἄνδρʼ ὄπωπα μωρίας πλέων,ὃς ἐν κακοῖς ὕβριζε τοῖσι τῶν πέλας.κᾆτʼ αὐτὸν εἰσιδών τις ἐμφερὴς ἐμοὶὀργήν θʼ ὅμοιος εἶπε τοιοῦτον λόγον·ὤνθρωπε, μὴ δρᾶ τοὺς τεθνηκότας κακῶς·εἰ γὰρ ποήσεις, ἴσθι πημανούμενος.τοιαῦτʼ ἄνολβον ἄνδρʼ ἐνουθέτει παρών.ὁρῶ δέ τοί νιν, κἄστιν, ὡς ἐμοὶ δοκεῖ,οὐδείς ποτʼ ἄλλος ἢ σύ. μῶν ᾐνιξάμην;
Menelaus:I will go—it would be a disgrace to have it knownthat I argue when I have the power to use force.
Μενέλαος:ἄπειμι· καὶ γὰρ αἰσχρόν, εἰ πύθοιτό τιςλόγοις κολάζειν ᾧ βιάζεσθαι πάρα.
Teucer:Leave then! The worst disgrace for me is that I should listen to a fool’s empty chatter.Exit Menelaus.
Τεῦκρος:ἄφερπέ νυν· κἀμοὶ γὰρ αἴσχιστον κλύεινἀνδρὸς ματαίου φλαῦρʼ ἔπη μυθουμένου.
Chorus:A trial of this great discord will soon come about. But you, Teucer, with all the speed you can muster,be quick to seek a hollow grave for Ajax, where he shall establish his dank tomb, a constant memorial for mortals.Enter Tecmessa and Eurysaces.
Χορός:ἔσται μεγάλης ἔριδός τις ἀγών.ἀλλʼ ὡς δύνασαι, Τεῦκρε, ταχύναςσπεῦσον κοίλην κάπετόν τινʼ ἰδεῖντῷδʼ, ἔνθα βροτοῖς τὸν ἀείμνηστοντάφον εὐρώεντα καθέξει.
Teucer:And now just in time his son and his wife approachto arrange the burial of the pitiable corpse. Come here, nephew. Take your place near him, and grasp in supplication your father, your begetter. Kneel and pray for help, with locks of hair in your hand from me, her, and thirdly you;they are the suppliant’s only resource. But if any soldier from the army should tear you by violence from this body, then for his wickedness may he be wickedly cast out of his country and get no burial, but be severed at the root with all his race, just as I shear this lock.
Τεῦκρος:καὶ μὴν ἐς αὐτὸν καιρὸν οἵδε πλησίοιπάρεισιν ἀνδρὸς τοῦδε παῖς τε καὶ γυνή,τάφον περιστελοῦντε δυστήνου νεκροῦ.ὦ παῖ, πρόσελθε δεῦρο καὶ σταθεὶς πέλαςἱκέτης ἔφαψαι πατρός, ὅς σʼ ἐγείνατο.θάκει δὲ προστρόπαιος ἐν χεροῖν ἔχωνκόμας ἐμὰς καὶ τῆσδε καὶ σαυτοῦ τρίτου,ἱκτήριον θησαυρόν. εἰ δέ τις στρατοῦβίᾳ σʼ ἀποσπάσειε τοῦδε τοῦ νεκροῦ,κακὸς κακῶς ἄθαπτος ἐκπέσοι χθονός,γένους ἅπαντος ῥίζαν ἐξημημένος,αὔτως ὅπωσπερ τόνδʼ ἐγὼ τέμνω πλόκον.
Take it, Nephew, and keep it safe. Let no one move you, but kneel there and cling to the dead. And you there, do not stand idly by like women, not men. Help defend us until I return, when I have seen to a grave for him, though all the world forbids it.Exit Teucer.
ἔχʼ αὐτόν, ὦ παῖ, καὶ φύλασσε, μηδέ σεκινησάτω τις, ἀλλὰ προσπεσὼν ἔχου.ὑμεῖς τε μὴ γυναῖκες ἀντʼ ἀνδρῶν πέλαςπαρέστατʼ, ἀλλʼ ἀρήγετʼ, ἔστʼ ἐγὼ μολὼντάφου μεληθῶ τῷδε, κἂν μηδεὶς ἐᾷ.
Chorus:Which will be the last year? When will the sum of the years of our many wanderings stop bringing upon me the unending doom of toilful spear-battlesthroughout broad Troy, the cause of sorrow and of shame for Greece?
Χορός:τίς ἄρα νέατος ἐς πότε λήξει πολυπλάγκτων ἐτέων ἀριθμός,τὰν ἄπαυστον αἰὲν ἐμοὶ δορυσσοήτωνμόχθων ἄταν ἐπάγωνἄν τὰν εὐρώδεα Τρωΐαν,δύστανον ὄνειδος Ἑλλάνων;
Chorus:If only that man had first passed into the depths of the sky or into Hades, the common home of all,before he taught the Greeks the shared plague of Ares’ detested arms! Ah, those toils of his invention, which produced so many more toils! Look how that man has ravaged humanity!
Χορός:ὄφελε πρότερον αἰθέρα δῦναι μέγαν ἢ τὸν πολύκοινον Ἅιδανκεῖνος ἁνήρ, ὃς στυγερῶν ἔδειξεν ὅπλωνἝλλασιν κοινὸν Ἄρη.ἰὼ πόνοι πρόγονοι πόνων·κεῖνος γὰρ ἔπερσεν ἀνθρώπους.
Chorus:No delight in garlandsor deep wine-cups did that man provide me, no sweet din of flutes, that miserable man, or pleasing rest in the night.
Χορός:ἐκεῖνος οὔτε στεφάνωνοὔτε βαθεῖαν κυλίκωννεῖμεν ἐμοὶ τέρψιν ὁμιλεῖν,οὔτε γλυκὺν αὐλῶν ὄτοβον,δύσμορος, οὔτʼ ἐννυχίαντέρψιν ἰαύειν.
And from love—god!—from love he has totally barred me. Here I lie uncared for, while heavy dews constantly wet my hair,damp reminders of joyless Troy.
ἐρώτων δʼ ἐρώτων ἀπέπαυσεν, ὤμοι.κεῖμαι δʼ, ἀμέριμνος οὕτως,ἀεὶ πυκιναῖς δρόσοιςτεγγόμενος κόμας,λυγρᾶς μνήματα Τροίας.
Chorus:In the past bold Ajax was always my bulwark against night’s terrors and flying missiles. But now he has become an offering consecratedto a malignant divinity. What joy, then, what delight awaits me anymore? O to be where the wooded wave-washed cape fences off the deep sea,to be beneath Sunium’s jutting plateau, so that we might salute sacred Athens!Enter Teucer.
Χορός:καὶ πρὶν μὲν αἰὲν νυχίουδείματος ἦν μοι προβολὰκαὶ βελέων θούριος Αἴας·νῦν δʼ οὗτος ἀνεῖται στυγερῷδαίμονι· τίς μοι, τίς ἔτʼ οὖντέρψις ἐπέσται;γενοίμαν ἵνʼ ὑλᾶεν ἔπεστι πόντουπρόβλημʼ ἁλίκλυστον, ἄκρανὑπὸ πλάκα Σουνίου,τὰς ἱερὰς ὅπωςπροσείποιμεν Ἀθάνας.
Teucer:Here I am! I hurried back when I saw the supreme commander, Agamemnon, rapidly approaching.
Τεῦκρος:καὶ μὴν ἰδὼν ἔσπευσα τὸν στρατηλάτηνἈγαμέμνονʼ ἡμῖν δεῦρο τόνδʼ ὁρμώμενον·
It is plain to me that he will let his clumsy tongue fly.Enter Agamemnon.
δῆλος δέ μοὐστὶ σκαιὸν ἐκλύσων στόμα.
Agamemnon:So it is you, they tell me, who dared open your mouth wide to make fierce threats against us—and are you still unpunished? Yes, I mean you—you, the captive slave’s son. No doubt if you were born from a noble mother,your talk would reach the sky and you would proudly strut about, when now it is the case that, though you are a nobody and a nothing, you have stood up for this other nothing lying here, and have vowed that we came out with no authority either as admirals or as generals to rule the Greeks or you. No, as an autonomous ruler, you say, Ajax set sail.
Ἀγαμέμνων:σὲ δὴ τὰ δεινὰ ῥήματʼ ἀγγέλλουσί μοιτλῆναι καθʼ ἡμῶν ὧδʼ ἀνοιμωκτὶ χανεῖν;σέ τοι, τὸν ἐκ τῆς αἰχμαλωτίδος λέγω,ἦ που τραφεὶς ἂν μητρὸς εὐγενοῦς ἄποὑψήλʼ ἐκόμπεις κἀπʼ ἄκρων ὡδοιπόρεις,ὅτʼ οὐδὲν ὢν τοῦ μηδὲν ἀντέστης ὕπερ,κοὔτε στρατηγοὺς οὔτε ναυάρχους μολεῖνἡμᾶς Ἀχαιῶν οὐδὲ σοῦ διωμόσωἀλλʼ αὐτὸς ἄρχων, ὡς σὺ φής, Αἴας ἔπλει.
Does it not shame me that I hear these proud words from slavish mouths? What was the man whom you shout about with such arrogance? Where did he advance, or where did he stand his ground, where I did not do the same? Have the Greeks, then, no other men but him? To our own harm, it seems, we announcedto the Greeks the contests for the arms of Achilles, if on all sides we are accounted corrupt because of Teucer, and if it will never satisfy you Salaminians, even when you are defeated, to accept the verdict which satisfied the majority of the judges. But instead you will always no doubt aim your slanderous arrows at us,or treacherously lash at our backs when you fall behind us in the race. Yet in a place where such ways prevail, there could be no settled order for any law, if we are to thrust the rightful winners aside and bring those in the rear up to the front ranks.
ταῦτʼ οὐκ ἀκούειν μεγάλα πρὸς δούλων κακά;ποίου κέκραγας ἀνδρὸς ὧδʼ ὑπέρφρονα;ποῖ βάντος ἢ ποῦ στάντος οὗπερ οὐκ ἐγώ;οὐκ ἆρʼ Ἀχαιοῖς ἄνδρες εἰσὶ πλὴν ὅδε;πικροὺς ἔοιγμεν τῶν Ἀχιλλείων ὅπλωνἀγῶνας Ἀργείοισι κηρῦξαι τότε,εἰ πανταχοῦ φανούμεθʼ ἐκ Τεύκρου κακοί,κοὐκ ἀρκέσει ποθʼ ὑμὶν οὐδʼ ἡσσημένοιςεἴκειν ἃ τοῖς πολλοῖσιν ἤρεσκεν κριταῖς,ἀλλʼ αἰὲν ἡμᾶς ἢ κακοῖς βαλεῖτέ πουἢ σὺν δόλῳ κεντήσεθʼ οἱ λελειμμένοι.ἐκ τῶνδε μέντοι τῶν τρόπων οὐκ ἄν ποτεκατάστασις γένοιτʼ ἂν οὐδενὸς νόμου,εἰ τοὺς δίκῃ νικῶντας ἐξωθήσομενκαὶ τοὺς ὄπισθεν εἰς τὸ πρόσθεν ἄξομεν.
These tendencies must be checked. It is not the stout, broad-shouldered men that are the steadiest allies. No, it is the wise who prevail in every engagement. A broad-backed ox is kept straight on the road all the same when only a small whip directs him.
ἀλλʼ εἰρκτέον τάδʼ ἐστίν· οὐ γὰρ οἱ πλατεῖςοὐδʼ εὐρύνωτοι φῶτες ἀσφαλέστατοι,ἀλλʼ οἱ φρονοῦντες εὖ κρατοῦσι πανταχοῦ.μέγας δὲ πλευρὰ βοῦς ὑπὸ σμικρᾶς ὅμωςμάστιγος ὀρθὸς εἰς ὁδὸν πορεύεται.
And a dose of this very medicine, I foresee, will find you before long, unless you gain a little good sense. He no longer exists, but is already a shade, yet still you boldly insult us and give your tongue too much freedom. Restrain yourself, I say. Recall your birth, your nature.Bring someone else here—a man who is freeborn—who can plead your cause before me in your place. For when you speak, I no longer understand— I do not know your barbarian language.
καὶ σοὶ προσέρπον τοῦτʼ ἐγὼ τὸ φάρμακονὁρῶ τάχʼ, εἰ μὴ νοῦν κατακτήσει τινά·ὃς ἀνδρὸς οὐκέτʼ ὄντος, ἀλλʼ ἤδη σκιᾶς,θαρσῶν ὑβρίζεις κἀξελευθεροστομεῖς.οὐ σωφρονήσεις; οὐ μαθὼν ὃς εἶ φύσινἄλλον τινʼ ἄξεις ἄνδρα δεῦρʼ ἐλεύθερον,ὅστις πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἀντὶ σοῦ λέξει τὰ σά;σοῦ γὰρ λέγοντος οὐκέτʼ ἂν μάθοιμʼ ἐγώ·τὴν βάρβαρον γὰρ γλῶσσαν οὐκ ἐπαΐω.
Chorus:If only you both had the sense to exercise self-restraint!
Χορός:εἴθʼ ὑμὶν ἀμφοῖν νοῦς γένοιτο σωφρονεῖν·
There is no better advice that I could give you two.
τούτου γὰρ οὐδὲν σφῷν ἔχω λῷον φράσαι.
Teucer:My, how quickly gratitude to the dead seeps away from men and is found to have turned to betrayal, since this man no longer offers even the slightest praise in remembrance of you, Ajax, even though it was for his sakeyou toiled so often in battle, offering your own life to the spear! No, your assistance is dead and gone, all flung aside! Full and foolish talker, do you no longer remember anything of the time when you were trapped inside your defenses,when you were all but destroyed in the turn of the battle and he, he alone came and saved you at the moment when the flames were already blazing around the decks at your ships’ sterns and Hector was leaping high over the trench towards the vessels?
Τεῦκρος:φεῦ· τοῦ θανόντος ὡς ταχεῖά τις βροτοῖςχάρις διαρρεῖ καὶ προδοῦσʼ ἁλίσκεται,εἰ σοῦ γʼ ὅδʼ ἁνὴρ οὐδʼ ἐπὶ σμικρῶν λόγων,Αἴας, ἔτʼ ἴσχει μνῆστιν, οὗ σὺ πολλάκιςτὴν σὴν προτείνων προύκαμες ψυχὴν δόρει.ἀλλʼ οἴχεται δὴ πάντα ταῦτʼ ἐρριμμένα.ὦ πολλὰ λέξας ἄρτι κἀνόητʼ ἔπη,οὐ μνημονεύεις οὐκέτʼ οὐδέν, ἡνίκαἑρκέων ποθʼ ὑμᾶς οὗτος ἐγκεκλῃμένους,ἤδη τὸ μηδὲν ὄντας, ἐν τροπῇ δορὸςἐρρύσατʼ ἐλθὼν μοῦνος, ἀμφὶ μὲν νεῶνἄκροισιν ἤδη ναυτικοῖς ἑδωλίοιςπυρὸς φλέγοντος, εἰς δὲ ναυτικὰ σκάφηπηδῶντος ἄρδην Ἕκτορος τάφρων ὕπερ;
Who averted that? Was it not Ajax who did it, the one who, you say, nowhere set foot where you were not? Well, do you grant that he did his duty to you there? And what about when another time, all alone, he confronted Hector in single combat according to the fall of the lots, and not at anyone’s command?The lot which he cast in was not the kind to flee the challenge; it was no lump of moist earth, but one which would be the first to leap lightly from the crested helmet! It was this man who did those deeds, and I, the slave, the son of the barbarian mother, was at his side.
τίς ταῦτʼ ἀπεῖρξεν; οὐχ ὅδʼ ἦν ὁ δρῶν τάδε,ὃν οὐδαμοῦ φής, οὗ σὺ μή, βῆναι ποδί;ἆρʼ ὑμὶν οὗτος ταῦτʼ ἔδρασεν ἔνδικα;χὤτʼ αὖθις αὐτὸς Ἕκτορος μόνος μόνουλαχών τε κἀκέλευστος ἦλθʼ ἐναντίος,οὐ δραπέτην τὸν κλῆρον ἐς μέσον καθείς,ὑγρᾶς ἀρούρας βῶλον, ἀλλʼ ὃς εὐλόφουκυνῆς ἔμελλε πρῶτος ἅλμα κουφιεῖν;ὅδʼ ἦν ὁ πράσσων ταῦτα, σὺν δʼ ἐγὼ παρών,ὁ δοῦλος, οὑκ τῆς βαρβάρου μητρὸς γεγώς.
Pitiful creature, how can you be so blind as to argue the way you do? Are you not aware of the fact that your father’s father Pelops long ago was a barbarian, a Phrygian? That Atreus, your own begetter, set before his brother a most unholy feast made from the flesh of his brother’s children?
Τεῦκρος:δύστηνε, ποῖ βλέπων ποτʼ αὐτὰ καὶ θροεῖς;οὐκ οἶσθα σοῦ πατρὸς μὲν ὃς προύφυ πατὴρἀρχαῖον ὄντα Πέλοπα βάρβαρον Φρύγα;Ἀτρέα δʼ, ὃς αὖ σʼ ἔσπειρε δυσσεβέστατον,προθέντʼ ἀδελφῷ δεῖπνον οἰκείων τέκνων;
And you yourself were born from a Cretan mother, whose father found a stranger straddling her and who was consigned by him to be prey for the mute fish. So being of such a kind, can you reproach a man like me for my lineage? I am the son of Telamon,who won my mother for his consort as prize for valor supreme in the army. And she was the daughter of Laomedon, of royal blood, and it was as the flower of the spoil that Alcmena’s son gave her to Telamon. Thus nobly born as I am from two noble parents,could I disgrace my own flesh and blood, whom even as he lies here subdued by such massive troubles, you, making your pronouncements without a blush of shame, would thrust out without burial? Now consider this well: wherever you cast him away, with him you will also cast our three corpses.
αὐτὸς δὲ μητρὸς ἐξέφυς Κρήσσης, ἐφʼ ᾗλαβὼν ἐπακτὸν ἄνδρʼ ὁ φιτύσας πατὴρἐφῆκεν ἐλλοῖς ἰχθύσιν διαφθοράν.τοιοῦτος ὢν τοιῷδʼ ὀνειδίζεις σποράν;ὃς ἐκ πατρὸς μέν εἰμι Τελαμῶνος γεγώς,ὅστις στρατοῦ τὰ πρῶτʼ ἀριστεύσας ἐμὴνἴσχει ξύνευνον μητέρʼ, ἣ φύσει μὲν ἦνβασίλεια, Λαομέδοντος· ἔκκριτον δέ νινδώρημα κείνῳ ʼδωκεν Ἀλκμήνης γόνος.ἆρʼ ὧδʼ ἄριστος ἐξ ἀριστέοιν δυοῖνβλαστὼν ἂν αἰσχύνοιμι τοὺς πρὸς αἵματος,οὓς νῦν σὺ τοιοῖσδʼ ἐν πόνοισι κειμένουςὠθεῖς ἀθάπτους, οὐδʼ ἐπαισχύνει λέγων;εὖ νυν τόδʼ ἴσθι, τοῦτον εἰ βαλεῖτέ που,βαλεῖτε χἠμᾶς τρεῖς ὁμοῦ συγκειμένους.
It is right for me to die before all men’s eyes while I am toiling in his cause, rather than for your wife—or should I say your brother’s? With this in mind, then, look not to my safety, but to yours instead, since if you cause me any grief at all, you will soon wishthat you had been more timid than bold when confronting me.Enter Odysseus.
ἐπεὶ καλόν μοι τοῦδʼ ὑπερπονουμένῳθανεῖν προδήλως μᾶλλον ἢ τῆς σῆς ὑπὲργυναικός, ἢ τοῦ σοῦ γʼ ὁμαίμονος λέγω;πρὸς ταῦθʼ ὅρα μὴ τοὐμόν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ σόν·ὡς εἴ με πημανεῖς τι, βουλήσει ποτὲκαὶ δειλὸς εἶναι μᾶλλον ἢ ʼν ἐμοὶ θρασύς.
Chorus:Lord Odysseus, you arrive at the right time, if mediation, not division, is your purpose in coming.
Χορός:ἄναξ, Ὀδυσσεῦ, καιρὸν ἴσθʼ ἐληλυθώς,εἰ μὴ ξυνάψων, ἀλλὰ συλλύσων πάρει.
Odysseus:What is the trouble, friends? From far off I heard shouting from the Atreidae over this brave man’s corpse.
Ὀδυσσεύς:τί δʼ ἔστιν, ἄνδρες; τηλόθεν γὰρ ᾐσθόμηνβοὴν Ἀτρειδῶν τῷδʼ ἐπʼ ἀλκίμῳ νεκρῷ.
Agamemnon:Is it not because we, Lord Odysseus, have long had to hear the worst, most shameful language from this man?
Ἀγαμέμνων:οὐ γὰρ κλύοντές ἐσμεν αἰσχίστους λόγους,ἄναξ Ὀδυσσεῦ, τοῦδʼ ὑπʼ ἀνδρὸς ἀρτίως;
Odysseus:How so? I can pardon a man a retaliatory barrage of abuse if another has insulted him.
Ὀδυσσεύς:ποίους; ἐγὼ γὰρ ἀνδρὶ συγγνώμην ἔχωκλύοντι φλαῦρα συμβαλεῖν ἔπη κακά.
Agamemnon:I insulted him, since his conduct toward me was of the same stripe.
Ἀγαμέμνων:ἤκουσεν αἰσχρά· δρῶν γὰρ ἦν τοιαῦτά με.
Odysseus:And what did he do that harmed you?
Ὀδυσσεύς:τί γάρ σʼ ἔδρασεν, ὥστε καὶ βλάβην ἔχειν;
Agamemnon:He declares that he will not leave this corpse without due burial, but will entomb it in spite of me.
Ἀγαμέμνων:οὔ φησʼ ἐάσειν τόνδε τὸν νεκρὸν ταφῆςἄμοιρον, ἀλλὰ πρὸς βίαν θάψειν ἐμοῦ.
Odysseus:Then may a friend speak the truth, and still remain your helpmate no less than before?
Ὀδυσσεύς:ἔξεστιν οὖν εἰπόντι τἀληθῆ φίλῳσοὶ μηδὲν ἧσσον ἢ πάρος ξυνηρετεῖν;
Agamemnon:Speak. Otherwise I would be less than sane, since I count you my greatest friend among all the Greeks.
Ἀγαμέμνων:εἴπʼ· ἦ γὰρ εἴην οὐκ ἂν εὖ φρονῶν, ἐπεὶφίλον σʼ ἐγὼ μέγιστον Ἀργείων νέμω.
Odysseus:Listen, then. In the name of the gods, do not let yourself so ruthlessly cast this man out unburied. Do not in any way let the violence of your hatred overcome youso much that you trample justice under foot. To me, too, this man was once the most hostile enemy in the army from the day on which I beat him for possession of Achilles’ arms. Yet for all that he was hostile towards me, I would not dishonor him in return or refuse to admitthat in all our Greek force at Troy he was, in my view, the best and bravest, excepting Achilles. It would not be just, then, that he should be dishonored by you. It is not he, but the laws given by the gods that you would damage. When a good man is dead, there is no justicein doing him harm, not even if you hate him.
Ὀδυσσεύς:ἄκουέ νυν. τὸν ἄνδρα τόνδε πρὸς θεῶνμὴ τλῇς ἄθαπτον ὧδʼ ἀναλγήτως βαλεῖν·μηδʼ ἡ βία σε μηδαμῶς νικησάτωτοσόνδε μισεῖν ὥστε τὴν δίκην πατεῖν.κἀμοὶ γὰρ ἦν ποθʼ οὗτος ἔχθιστος στρατοῦ,ἐξ οὗ ʼκράτησα τῶν Ἀχιλλείων ὅπλων,ἀλλʼ αὐτὸν ἔμπας ὄντʼ ἐγὼ τοιόνδʼ ἐμοὶοὐκ ἀντατιμάσαιμʼ ἄν, ὥστε μὴ λέγεινἕνʼ ἄνδρʼ ἰδεῖν ἄριστον Ἀργείων, ὅσοιΤροίαν ἀφικόμεσθα, πλὴν Ἀχιλλέως.ὥστʼ οὐκ ἂν ἐνδίκως γʼ ἀτιμάζοιτό σοι·οὐ γάρ τι τοῦτον, ἀλλὰ τοὺς θεῶν νόμουςφθείροις ἄν. ἄνδρα δʼ οὐ δίκαιον, εἰ θάνοι,βλάπτειν τὸν ἐσθλόν, οὐδʼ ἐὰν μισῶν κυρῇς.
Agamemnon:You, Odysseus—do you champion him against me in this battle?
Ἀγαμέμνων:σὺ ταῦτʼ, Ὀδυσσεῦ, τοῦδʼ ὑπερμαχεῖς ἐμοί;
Odysseus:I do, though I did hate him, when it was honorable for me to hate.
Ὀδυσσεύς:ἔγωγʼ· ἐμίσουν δʼ, ἡνίκʼ ἦν μισεῖν καλόν.
Agamemnon:But should you not also trample him now that he is dead?
Ἀγαμέμνων:οὐ γὰρ θανόντι καὶ προσεμβῆναί σε χρή;
Odysseus:Do not take delight, son of Atreus, in that superiority which brings no honor.
Ὀδυσσεύς:μὴ χαῖρʼ, Ἀτρείδη, κέρδεσιν τοῖς μὴ καλοῖς.
Agamemnon:Reverence, I tell you, is not easily practiced by the autocrat.
Ἀγαμέμνων:τόν τοι τύραννον εὐσεβεῖν οὐ ῥᾴδιον.
Odysseus:But it is easy to grant dispensations to friends when they advise well.
Ὀδυσσεύς:ἀλλʼ εὖ λέγουσι τοῖς φίλοις τιμὰς νέμειν.
Agamemnon:A good man should listen to those in charge.
Ἀγαμέμνων:κλύειν τὸν ἐσθλὸν ἄνδρα χρὴ τῶν ἐν τέλει.
Odysseus:Stop! Your power is victorious when you surrender to your friends.
Ὀδυσσεύς:παῦσαι· κρατεῖς τοι τῶν φίλων νικώμενος.
Agamemnon:Remember to what sort of man you show this kindness!
Ἀγαμέμνων:μέμνησʼ ὁποίῳ φωτὶ τὴν χάριν δίδως.
Odysseus:The man was once my enemy, yes, but he was also noble.
Ὀδυσσεύς:ὅδʼ ἐχθρὸς ἁνήρ, ἀλλὰ γενναῖός ποτʼ ἦν.
Agamemnon:Why do you do this? Why do you so respect an enemy’s corpse?
Ἀγαμέμνων:τί ποτε ποήσεις; ἐχθρὸν ὧδʼ αἰδεῖ νέκυν;
Odysseus:I yield to his excellence much more than his hostility.
Ὀδυσσεύς:νικᾷ γὰρ ἁρετή με τῆς ἔχθρας πολύ.
Agamemnon:Men who act as you do are the unstable sort in humankind.
Ἀγαμέμνων:τοιοίδε μέντοι φῶτες ἔμπληκτοι βροτῶν.
Odysseus:Quite the majority of men, I assure you, are friendly at one time, and bitter at another.
Ὀδυσσεύς:ἦ κάρτα πολλοὶ νῦν φίλοι καὖθις πικροί.
Agamemnon:So then, are these the type of friends that you recommend we make?
Ἀγαμέμνων:τοιούσδʼ ἐπαινεῖς δῆτα σὺ κτᾶσθαι φίλους;
Odysseus:It is not my habit to recommend an inflexible spirit.
Ὀδυσσεύς:σκληρὰν ἐπαινεῖν οὐ φιλῶ ψυχὴν ἐγώ.
Agamemnon:You will make us appear to be cowards today.
Ἀγαμέμνων:ἡμᾶς σὺ δειλοὺς τῇδε θἠμέρᾳ φανεῖς.
Odysseus:On the contrary, we will be men of justice in the eyes of all the Greeks.
Ὀδυσσεύς:ἄνδρας μὲν οὖν Ἕλλησι πᾶσιν ἐνδίκους.
Agamemnon:Then do you truly urge me to allow the burying of the dead?
Ἀγαμέμνων:ἄνωγας οὖν με τὸν νεκρὸν θάπτειν ἐᾶν;
Odysseus:Yes, for I too shall come to that necessity.
Ὀδυσσεύς:ἔγωγε· καὶ γὰρ αὐτὸς ἐνθάδʼ ἵξομαι.
Agamemnon:How true it is that in all things alike each man works for himself!
Ἀγαμέμνων:ἦ πάνθʼ ὅμοια πᾶς ἀνὴρ αὑτῷ πονεῖ.
Odysseus:And for whom should I work more than for myself?
Ὀδυσσεύς:τῷ γάρ με μᾶλλον εἰκὸς ἢ ʼμαυτῷ πονεῖν;
Agamemnon:It must be called your doing then, not mine.
Ἀγαμέμνων:σὸν ἆρα τοὔργον, οὐκ ἐμὸν κεκλήσεται.
Odysseus:However you do it, in all respects you will at least prove beneficent.
Ὀδυσσεύς:ὡς ἂν ποήσῃς, πανταχῇ χρηστός γʼ ἔσει.
Agamemnon:In any case, be quite certain that to you I would grant a larger favor than this. To that man, however, as on earth, so below I give my hatred. But you can do what you will.Exit Agamemnon.
Ἀγαμέμνων:ἀλλʼ εὖ γε μέντοι τοῦτʼ ἐπίστασʼ ὡς ἐγὼσοὶ μὲν νέμοιμʼ ἂν τῆσδε καὶ μείζω χάριν,οὗτος δὲ κἀκεῖ κἀνθάδʼ ὢν ἔμοιγʼ ὁμῶςἔχθιστος ἔσται· σοὶ δὲ δρᾶν ἔξεσθʼ ἃ χρῇς.
Chorus:Whoever denies, Odysseus, that you were born wise in judgmentis a total fool since you have shown it just now.
Χορός:ὅστις σʼ, Ὀδυσσεῦ, μὴ λέγει γνώμῃ σοφὸνφῦναι, τοιοῦτον ὄντα, μῶρός ἐστʼ ἀνήρ.
Odysseus:And now I announce that from this point on I am ready to be Teucer’s friend as much as I was once his enemy. And I would like to join in the burying of your dead and share your labors, omitting no servicewhich mortals should render to their best and bravest warriors.
Ὀδυσσεύς:καὶ νῦν γε Τεύκρῳ τἀπὸ τοῦδʼ ἀγγέλλομαι,ὅσον τότʼ ἐχθρὸς ἦ, τοσόνδʼ εἶναι φίλος.καὶ τὸν θανόντα τόνδε συνθάπτειν θέλωκαὶ ξυμπονεῖν καὶ μηδὲν ἐλλείπειν ὅσωνχρὴ τοῖς ἀρίστοις ἀνδράσιν πονεῖν βροτούς.
Teucer:Good Odysseus, I have only praise for your words. You have greatly belied my fears. Of all the Greeks you were his deadliest enemy, and yet you alone have stood by him with helping hand and did not come here and allow yourself in lifeto violate the dead Ajax ruthlessly, as did the crazed general who came, since he and his brother wanted to cast out the outraged corpse without burial. Therefore may the Father supreme on Olympus above us,and the unforgetting Fury and Justice the Fulfiller destroy them for their wickedness with wicked deaths, just as they sought to cast this man out with unmerited, outrageous mistreatment. But you, progeny of aged Laertes, I hesitate to permit you to touch the corpse in burial,lest I so offend the dead. In all other tasks do indeed be our partner. And if you wish to bring any soldier of the army with you, he shall be welcome. For the rest, I will make all things ready. But you, Odysseus, know that to us you have been a good and noble friend.
Τεῦκρος:ἄριστʼ Ὀδυσσεῦ, πάντʼ ἔχω σʼ ἐπαινέσαιλόγοισι, καί μʼ ἔψευσας ἐλπίδος πολύ.τούτῳ γὰρ ὢν ἔχθιστος Ἀργείων ἀνὴρμόνος παρέστης χερσίν, οὐδʼ ἔτλης παρὼνθανόντι τῷδε ζῶν ἐφυβρίσαι μέγα,ὡς ὁ στρατηγὸς οὑπιβρόντητος μολὼναὐτός τε χὠ ξύναιμος ἠθελησάτηνλωβητὸν αὐτὸν ἐκβαλεῖν ταφῆς ἄτερ.τοιγάρ σφʼ Ὀλύμπου τοῦδʼ ὁ πρεσβεύων πατὴρμνήμων τʼ Ἐρινὺς καὶ τελεσφόρος Δίκηκακοὺς κακῶς φθείρειαν, ὥσπερ ἤθελοντὸν ἄνδρα λώβαις ἐκβαλεῖν ἀναξίως.σὲ δʼ, ὦ γεραιοῦ σπέρμα Λαέρτου πατρός,τάφου μὲν ὀκνῶ τοῦδʼ ἐπιψαύειν ἐᾶν,μὴ τῷ θανόντι τοῦτο δυσχερὲς ποιῶ·τὰ δʼ ἄλλα καὶ ξύμπρασσε, κεἴ τινα στρατοῦθέλεις κομίζειν, οὐδὲν ἄλγος ἕξομεν.ἐγὼ δὲ τἄλλα πάντα πορσυνῶ· σὺ δὲἀνὴρ καθʼ ἡμᾶς ἐσθλὸς ὢν ἐπίστασο.
Odysseus:It was my wish to help, but if it is not pleasing to you that I should assist here, I accept your decision and depart.Exit Odysseus.
Ὀδυσσεύς:ἀλλʼ ἤθελον μέν· εἰ δὲ μή ʼστί σοι φίλονπράσσειν τάδʼ ἡμᾶς, εἶμʼ ἐπαινέσας τὸ σόν.
Teucer:Enough. Already the interval has been long drawn out. Come, hurry some of you to dig the hollow grave; others erect thecauldron wrapped in fire on its high stand for prompt preparation of the ritual cleansing. Let another company bring from the tent the finery which he wore in battle beneath his shield. And you, too, child, with such strength as you havelay a loving hand upon your father and help me to lighten his body; for his channels are still warm and spray upwards the dark force of his spirit. Come, come everyone who claims to be our friend, start forward and move on,laboring in service to this man of perfect excellence. To a nobler man such service has never yet been rendered [—nobler than Ajax when he lived, I mean].
Τεῦκρος:ἅλις· ἤδη γὰρ πολὺς ἐκτέταταιχρόνος. ἀλλʼ οἱ μὲν κοίλην κάπετονχερσὶ ταχύνατε, τοὶ δʼ ὑψίβατοντρίποδʼ ἀμφίπυρον λουτρῶν ὁσίωνθέσθʼ ἐπίκαιρον·μία δʼ ἐκ κλισίας ἀνδρῶν ἴλητὸν ὑπασπίδιον κόσμον φερέτω.παῖ, σὺ δὲ πατρός γʼ, ὅσον ἰσχύεις,φιλότητι θιγὼν πλευρὰς σὺν ἐμοὶτάσδʼ ἐπικούφιζʼ· ἔτι γὰρ θερμαὶσύριγγες ἄνω φυσῶσι μέλανμένος. ἀλλʼ ἄγε πᾶς, φίλος ὅστις ἀνὴρφησὶ παρεῖναι, σούσθω, βάτω,τῷδʼ ἀνδρὶ πονῶν τῷ πάντʼ ἀγαθῷκοὐδενί πω λῴονι θνητῶν[Αἴαντος, ὅτʼ ἦν, τότε φωνῶ.]
Chorus:Many things, I tell you, can be known through mortal eyes; but before he sees it happening, no one can foretellthe future, or what his fate will be.
Χορός:ἦ πολλὰ βροτοῖς ἔστιν ἰδοῦσινγνῶναι· πρὶν ἰδεῖν δʼ οὐδεὶς μάντιςτῶν μελλόντων, ὅ τι πράξει.