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by SophoclesTranslated by Daniel Libatique

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Table of Contents 3-6: Foreword 7-51: The Full Translation 52: Production Details 53-75: The Production Script 76-100: The Musical Score 76-78: The Contest 79-87: Slander 88-96: This Cannot Be Borne / My Safety 97-100: Aiai, Omoi

All work contained herein 2010, Daniel Libatique.

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The Senior Capstone ProjectAll things the long and countless years rst draw from darkness, And then bury from light; and there is nothing which man should not expect: The dread power of oath is conquered, as is unyielding will. For even I, who used to be so tremendously strongyes, like tempered iron Felt my tongue's sharp edge emasculated by this woman's words, And I feel the pity of leaving her a widow and the boy an orphan among my enemies. Sophocles, Ajax, 646 ff., trans. Sir Richard Jebb So begins a translation of what is arguably the most beautifully written monologue in extant Classical Greek drama. Ajax, the Homeric hero second in battleeld prowess only to Achilles himself, has disgraced his name and that of his father. After Achilles death, Ajax and Odysseus both made claims to earn his armor. The rulers of the Achaeans and judges of the contest, Menelaos and Agamemnon, judged Odysseus to be the victor, however, and Ajax as a result was left enraged. He concocts a plan to slay Menelaos and Agamemnon, but the goddess Athena tricks him into slaying a eld of sheep and livestock instead. After he comes to his senses, he realizes that his life will be unbearable, since he is now humiliated and branded as a traitor against the Achaeans. Hence comes this monologue, a lament on times ability to uncover the truth and on the pragmatism associated with deference to greater powers. Something quite literally, however, gets lost in this translation. With all due respect to Sir Richard Jebb, his diction and that of the modern day differ drastically, with such words as dread being used as an adjective. The sentence structure he utilizes requires an analysis akin to what a translator looking at the original Greek would have to use. For example, in the very rst sentence, the object all things precedes the subject the long and countless years and verb rst draw from darkness. The sentence structure is reminiscent of Classical Greek composition, where word order as English speakers understand it is skewed and where we must look at the inected endings of the words to piece the puzzle together in a language we can understand. The greatest obstacle between these classical works and our modern-day mentalities is the distance created by time in terms of culture and language. How can we connect with a character whom we cannot even understand? From here comes the need for translations, and the challenge posed to a translator becomes how to tell this story in a way a modern-day audience can understand and still manage to maintain every ounce of emotion and passion these characters possessed in the original language. Translations ought to mirror their sources in style and intention. Philosophy was meant to be read and pondered upon. History was meant to be interpreted and learned from. Drama, however, was meant to be performed on a stage. Such authors as Aeschylus, Euripides, and indeed Sophocles were masters at portraying characters whose emotional and spiritual journeys keep an audience bound to its seats. Translations that do not capture that raw emotional connection between actor and audience do a grave disservice to these magna opera. So, my proposal for this project was two-fold:

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1. I wanted to translate the Ajax of Sophocles into a workable script for the stage, in language easily accessible to a modern-day audience. 2. I wanted to explore the work in detail through the medium of performance, examining its structure and also analyzing the problems that critics have had with the play for millenia. A Workable Script for the Stage The Ajax is an extraordinary work of art. The themes of the bonds of family and the unstoppable passage of time still resonate today. Sophocles diction too is utterly breath-taking: his aphorisms and maxims about the ephemeral states of human life strike to the core. In speaking to Athene after seeing Aias in his hoodwinked state, Odysseus claims that / I see that we who live exist as nothing more than phantoms or a eeting shadow (Ajax, 125-126, self-translated). The poetry in these lines (the metrics, the resonant imagery, the brilliant diction) is something truly to be admired. The themes contained in the opus also continue to resonate today and help us understand why we should even care about the story. Sophocles delves into the place of the warrior in society. What happens when the warrior is taken out of war, the context that denes him? However virtuous and valiant one may have been in war, what happens if that virtue and valor is not adequately remunerated by those who have the power to do so? Would resentment be justied to the point where a soldier can take revenge on his superiors? The themes also of honor and shame gure prominently into the psychology of Ajax. With so much honor accrued in his acts on the battleeld, how could he possibly deal with the shame he experiences when his honor and glory become transformed into infamy by his treasonous acts? All of these questions make great fodder for an essay or a thesis, but again, we cannot ignore this plays purpose: to be produced and performed on stage. An audience member in the modern day must be able to understand the story clearly in order to connect with the characters. A focus on translating the Ajax as solely a literary work (something merely to be read, perhaps in an academic setting) would destroy the text or at the very least diminish its power. So, my goal in translating the Aias was to create a performance-ready text t for an audience of the twenty-rst century. Did I achieve that goal? Well, I suppose the answer to that question lies in the eyes and hands of the reader (and ears of the audience member). I originally submitted a proposal for this project to a committee that (quite rightfully) did not award the grant to me because of my lack of credentials when it comes to creative writing. I found that I had an intellectual grasp of what Sophocles was saying through these lines, but actually getting the words down in black and white on a page was extraordinarily difcult. I structured my translation by setting dialogue in iambic pentameter and essentially anything that was not in iambic trimeter in the original Greek in free verse, adding another challenge. This approach, however, I found stimulated my interest and creativity more than a normal classroom setting ever could have. Every word received such care and attention, and every phrase (let alone sentence) was painstakingly composed, with the triple goal of doing justice to Sophocles Greek and the tenets of iambic pentameter while also making the diction and structure accessible to the modern day.

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Structural Problems The rst half of the work is packed with exceptional imagery and dramatic conict. Ajax downfall is dramatized in the retelling of the nights events by his wife (or prize as a spoil of war) Tekmessa, and when he nally comes to his senses, the audience is enthralled by his quest to gure out how to reconcile his situation and protect his wife and child, Eurysakes. All of his contemplation comes to completion when he decides to kill himself with the very sword he took in a gift exchange from Hector, his rival. The Ajax, however, is not a perfect work. It has structural problems that have been debated since literary criticism of these classical works began. Ajax death marks the halfway point of the work, but many would call what happens afterward boring or at the very least anticlimactic. Teukros, Ajax half-brother, arrives to nd him dead, and he prepares to bury him in accordance with what is proprietary to the gods. Menelaos and Agamemnon, however, arrive and demand that his body be left out to rot and fed upon by birds as an enemy combatant because of his betrayal, even though he had heretofore been among the Achaean armys elite. Odysseus, Ajax rival a mere 1300 lines earlier, then arrives and demands that Teukros wishes be met, and the body is buried. This sudden drop-off from the highly charged and energetic rst half to the supposedly languid and boring second half has puzzled commentators since the works inception. Why is the audience taken from this kinetic dynamism only to be subjected to 700 lines of people simply standing about talking at one another? Some attribute it to the fact that the Ajax was one of Sophocles rst plays, and so he was simply warming up to write the better plays, like the Theban cycle which deals with the story of Oidipous. We need look no further, however, than the denition of drama. The Greek root of drama is the verb (to do) and associated noun (deed or act). What we consider drama exists when you have one person who wants to do something but becomes obstructed by someone elses desire (for example, there is drama in the Oidipous Tyrannos when Oidipous, who wants to nd the murderer of Laios, runs into the roadblocks set up by Teiresias, who refuses to tell him what he wants). Pragmatically and physically, we have three men arguing over a corpse for the better part of 400 lines, but when we have those 400 lines delivered in a brutal tete-a-tete on stage, where the stakes are high and there has to be a clear winner or loser, we create dynamism and an exciting match to watch. There is plenty of dramatic conict and imagery in the second half; it is simply a matter of what a modern-day production chooses to do with it. The Production I spent the rst semester of my senior year working on the translation seen above (and to some extent it will always be under revision), and the following winter break, I began to conceptualize the show. I was trained as a director, but I wore a lot more hats than I was used to wearing for this production, becoming the scenic and lighting designer and composer as well. In terms of time period, the best analogy for the situation depicted in the Ajax (a soldier trying to nd his place when war is over) seemed to be the Vietnam War, reected in the costumes.

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The musical numbers were as follows: The Contest (Chorus): a musical prelude that dramatized the contest between Ajax and Odysseus and his descent into madness. Slander (Chorus): based off the rst part of the parodos (ll.133-200), wherein the Chorus laments Odysseus spreading the rumor about Ajax actions around the army camp. This Cannot Be Borne (Ajax): based off ll. 457-472, wherein Ajax tries to gure out what he can do to make the situation right. My Safety (Tekmessa): based off ll. ll. 484-520, wherein Tekmessa entreats Ajax to stay alive for the sake of his family, especially her and Eurysakes. Aiai, Omoi (All): a dirge using the Greek sounds of lament and Tekmessas words upon nding Ajax lifeless body (, , I am destroyed, I am ruined, I am undone) used for the dramatization of Ajax burial at the end of the production. Acknowledgements So many people helped me in the course of this translation and production that it is difcult to thank everybody. On the translation side, much gratitude to the Department of Classics at the College of the Holy Cross for their faith and trust in me to take on a project as demanding as a full translation. Special thanks (and eternal gratitude) goes to Professor Mary Ebbott, who guided me in the course of my translation and believed in me and my ability to pull it off. I hope Ive made you proud. On the production side, thank you to everybody in the Department of Theatre at Holy Cross for all the lessons (whether intentional or inadvertent) that youve taught me in the course of my four years, peers and teachers alike, and for all of the support I received even when it seemed as though this project would not get off the ground. Thank you to Rob Mack, my technical godsend; BJ Powell for your excellent instruction in the ways of theatrical lighting; Steve Vineberg for your help in my formation as a literary analyst; Lynn Kremer for all of the voice and acting lessons and constant encouragement; and special thanks to Edward Isser, my directing professor and de facto life coach throughout the process. To my production staff (Justine, Karl, and Kate) - thank you for all of the hard work you put into making this production a success. To my cast, my eternal gratitude and thanks for the intense work you all put into this show, even when there were fty million other things going on in the department at the time. Special thanks to my Ajax, Eric McGowan, whom I had the pleasure of directing six times and who has never let me down. I could not think of anyone better or whom I trusted more to take the lead of my nal directing project at Holy Cross. Thank you to all of the support from my family and friends along the way. Special thanks to my best friends who would not hear the end of it whenever I was stressed about the project - you know who you are. And also thank you to anyone (and everyone) else I may have forgotten to thank.

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The Full TranslationATHENA I always see you hunting around, Odysseus, To get an edge, surpass your enemies. And now I see youre at the naval tents Of Ajax, where he holds the rightmost ank. You chase him and youre pondering his tracks (5) So newly made to see if they will tell If hes within or not. And like a bloodhound, Youve stalked him well with your keen sense of smell. Oh, look! Hes there, within the tents, his head And murderous hands both glistening with sweat. (10) You shouldnt keep on peering in the gates its not your job. But tell me, why such pains? Youll prot from the knowledge I can teach. ODYSSEUS Athena, is that you, most august mistress? I hear your well-known voice, though youre not there, (15) And hold it in my heart, that voice, just like A foreign trumpets bell, one made of bronze. Youve got me: yes, I search around for him, That odious man, for Ajax of the shield. Ive sought him and no other for some time. (20) It seems he did a monstrous thing last night, Against us, if he committed all these crimes. Were in the dark alright, and were confused, And so I volunteered to gure it out. We found our ocks and herds all slaughtered, all, (25) A massacre, the guards of the ocks with them All butchered by some hand. And so, this Ajax Bears the brunt of blame from everyone. A witness pointed out to me that he Was raging down the plain all by himself (30) With sword so newly stained, and so I leapt Upon his tracks. And I have marked these out, But those perplex me. Where do they come from? You came in time. Ill let myself be steered In matters past and future by your hand. (35) ATHENA I know, Odysseus. As your faithful guide I come to meet you, eager for your journey. ODYSSEUS

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Athena, am I working towards some goal? ATHENA These deeds were done by Ajax, whom you seek. ODYSSEUS But what ill thought thus made him raise his hand? (40) ATHENA His heavy rage at the armor of Achilles. ODYSSEUS But whyd he fall upon the ocks? ATHENA He thought He stained his hand with soldiers blood, you see. ODYSSEUS He plotted all this rage against the Argives? ATHENA If Id been careless, hed have done the deed. (45) ODYSSEUS What daring so emboldened him? ATHENA He used The night to carry out his wicked plans. ODYSSEUS And did he do it? How far did he get? ATHENA He made it to the gates of your commanders. ODYSSEUS But howd he check his erce, bloodthirsty hand? (50) ATHENA I hemmed him off and cast some blinding thoughts, Dreams of insatiate joy there at his eyes. I turned him towards the ocks and herds of cattle That none had claimed, all thronging on the plain. He fell upon the beasts with many horns. (55)

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He whirled about and chopped them down in rage. He slew the Atreidai, and later on He laid his hands upon another of The generals - or so he thought. I stirred The madman up with frantic plagues and cast (60) Him in my evil nets. And then, when he Had nished up his work, he bound the living Bulls with chains and led the ocks inside, Chasing them all like men, not beasts. Throughout His home he tortured them, all bound. Now I (65) Will show to you his all-too-clear disease, To tell all Argives after you have seen. But stay, be bold - dont fear this man, this wreck. Stay here, be strong, for I will bend the light To see your form away from his two eyes. (70) You there, I call for you to come on out Who binds those captive hands with chains. I call For Ajax; come before the house. ODYSSEUS Athena, What are you doing? No, dont call him out! ATHENA Dont be a coward. Stand there, and shut up. (75) ODYSSEUS No, by the gods, let it sufce that he Remain inside. ATHENA And why? Is he not just A man? ODYSSEUS He was and is my enemy. ATHENA But laughing at your enemies, is it not The sweetest laughter? ODYSSEUS Let him stay inside. (80) ATHENA

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Do you fear to feast your eyes upon this madman? ODYSSEUS I would not be afraid if he were sane. ATHENA But he wont see you even though youre near. ODYSSEUS How, if he still sees with his own eyes? ATHENA Ill darken his eyelids and blind his sight. (85) ODYSSEUS When god does all, it happens as it should. ATHENA Be quiet, good - just as you were before. ODYSSEUS Ill stay - though I would rather not be here. ATHENA Oh, Ajax, you, I call you yet again, Why pay so little heed to me, your ally? (90) AJAX O hail, Athena, hail, O child of Zeus, How well youve stood by me! Ill wreathe your head With golden spoils as thanks for this rich hunt. ATHENA You speak so beautifully, but tell me this: Did Argive blood help stain your swords point well? (95) AJAX Im proud to say it; Ill not deny its so. ATHENA And did you raise your sword against the kings? AJAX Assuredly, theyll never slight me again. ATHENA

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The men are dead, if I catch your drift. AJAX Ha! Let Those fallen bastards steal my armor now. (100) ATHENA Thats great, but what about Laertes son? Where does he stand? Did he escape your hand? AJAX That cursed beast - you ask me where he is? ATHENA Im talking about your enemy, Odysseus. AJAX Athena, my most prized captive sits (105) Inside, but I dont want him dead just yet. ATHENA Whats rst? What more is there for you to gain? AJAX Ill tie him rst out front to the tent pole. ATHENA What evils next in store against the man? AJAX A bloodied, torn, whipped back before he dies. (110) ATHENA Dont torture the wretch so. AJAX Ill grant you other Things to make you happy, but this man Will pay with death - no other price will do. ATHENA Well then, if there is pleasure in this act, Do it, delay not what is in your mind. (115) AJAX Im off to work - and still I grant you this,

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To always be my ally. ATHENA Now you see How great the gods power is, Odysseus? Was ever there a man more careful, sage, Better in valiant deed than Ajax here? (120) ODYSSEUS I know none. But I nevertheless feel pity For the wretch, although he was my rival, Since hes been yoked to this unhappy lot. I think about both his fate and my own. I see that we who live are nothing more (125) Than phantoms or a eeting shadow. ATHENA Then Because youve seen such things, dont ever speak A haughty word against the gods. Dont walk Too proudly, even though you have more might Or wealth than someone else, for one short day (130) Destroys and resurrects all humanly Affairs. The gods dote on the wise, but hate The evil. CHORUS O child of Telamon, who holds His sea-girt dominion over Salamis, (135) I rejoice when you do well. But when a blow from Zeus or mighty Slanderous Danaid tongue treads upon you, Great fear I hold, and I fear Like the eye of a winged dove. (140) As now the night begins to wane, Great rumors mark us out For disgrace, rumors that you Roamed the meadow teeming with horses To destroy the beasts and ocks of the Danaans, (145) Which, won by the spear, were still left unclaimed That you slaughtered them with the ery iron. Odysseus, creating such defamatory lies, Brings them to the ear of all And holds great sway. For now he says (150) Things about you easily believed, and each who hears

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Him speak rejoices all the more, Insulting you because of your griefs. For when they aim at great souls, They do not miss, but when someone (155) Says such things about me, he holds no sway. For envy falls upon the one who holds it. The slight without the great Are but a slippery support for a tower. The slight act best when amongst the great, (160) And the great are held up by the lesser. But you cannot teach fools Right judgment in these situations. By such men youre slandered, And we cannot at all defend against (165) Such words without you, lord. When they escape the notice of your eye, They chatter like a ock of winged birds, But because they fear the great eagle, If you were to appear all of a sudden, (170) They would quickly cower, silent, voiceless. Did Artemis, daughter of Zeus, (strophe) The bull rider - O terrible thought, O Mother of my shame Set you against the bulls in herds? Was it for the sake of some victory unaccomplished, Or because of glorious spoils That she beguiled you? Or because of festivals without gifts? Or did Enyalios of the bronze breastplate Blaming you for his share of the burden of the spear (180) Repay this dishonor with these nightly tricks? For if you were of your right wits, O child (antistrophe) Of Telamon, you never would have gone So far astray, falling upon the ocks. For this divine afiction may have come, but let Zeus (185) And Phoebus Apollo ward off that evil slander. But if those great kings create stories and Thus reap unfair prots, Or the kings of the worthless race of Sisyphus, Lord, dont take up this evil reputation, (190) Remaining still in your naval tents. But up from that place (epode)

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Where ever you sit in this long-lasting respite From the struggle, kindling This heaven-reaching ame of destruction. (195) Thus the arrogance of your enemies goes on Fearlessly, in well-winded glens, While all ridicule your heavy misfortunes With their tongues, But I still have this grief. (200) TEKMESSA O helpers of the temple of Ajax, Those of the race from Erechthian lands, We have cause for lament, those who care For the son of Telamon, so far from home. Now our terrible, great, strong-shouldered (205) Ajax in a dirty frock Lies aficted. CHORUS What heavy burden does this night Receive from the day? O child of Phrygian Teleutas, (210) Tell us, because ery Ajax loves And respects you, his spear-won bride, So that you dont speak ignorantly. TEKMESSA How can I say what cannot be said? For you will learn about this suffering, equal to death. (215) Our famous Ajax by night has lost his honor, Been snatched away by maddening frenzy. You can see inside the tent his Victims, slaughtered by his hand, bathed in blood, His rage-driven sacrices. (220) CHORUS Youre telling a story about that ery man, (strophe) One unbearable and unescapable, One cried out by the noble Danaans, (225) A message which great rumor spreads about. Alas, I fear what is to come. Found out, that man will Die, because he slaughtered by his frenzy-stricken hand (230) And swords blackened with blood the beasts and Herdsmen tending the horses. TEKMESSA

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Alas, from there - from there he came To us, bringing with him the bound ock. He slaughtered some of them on the ground inside, (235) While he hewed others in half, hacking at their sides. He lifted two white-footed rams by the forelegs He slashed off the head and tip of the tongue of one And tossed them down, while the other, standing straight up, He tied to a pillar, and taking up (240) The handle of a great horse-taming strap, He struck it with the whizzing double whip, Abusing it with horrible words that no human Spirit ever taught. (244) CHORUS Its time now to cover our heads (antistrophe) With hoods and steal away Or to let the seafaring ship go, sitting on The swift rowing bench. (250) The jointly-ruling Atreidai row such insults Towards us. I fear the blow, to be stoned along With this man, (255) The man whom terrible Destiny controls. TEKMESSA No more - for without the blinding thunderbolt, The swift wind darting forth has ceased. And now in his right mind, he has a new kind of grief. For seeing grief at home and knowing (260) No one caused it but yourself Offers you nothing but great agony. CHORUS But if its stopped, Id think youd be quite lucky. For when the pain has stopped, the talk is less. TEKMESSA Which would you choose if you were given the choice: (265) To grieve your friends and so have joy yourself Or join with them, be faced with all their pain? CHORUS The double grief seems worse to me by far. TEKMESSA Were in distress though we are not struck mad.

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CHORUS What are you saying? I dont understand. (270) TEKMESSA That man, when still plunged deep into his madness, Took pleasure in the pains that held him captive And grieved us who were sane when he came near. Now that he breathes and his disease is gone, Hes driven wholly by his wretched pain, (275) And so are we, no less now than before. Is not this single grief now double more? CHORUS Thats true. But Im afraid some god-dealt blow Will come. For how is he not sounder now That he has stopped than when he was beset? (280) TEKMESSA You ought to know the way things really are. CHORUS But what caused all this trouble? Whered it start? Tell us who share in grief about his fortunes. TEKMESSA Youll hear the entire story, my dear friends. In the darkest depths of night, when all the torches (285) No longer burned, he took his double-edged Sword and he set out on some fruitless task. Afraid, I said, Ajax, what do you need? Why set you out when no ones called at all, No heralds summons, no blast from the horn? (290) The entire armys fast asleep. But he Curtly snapped back things hes always said: Woman, silence most bets your kind. He stopped me cold. Then he set out alone. I cannot tell what happened then out there, (295) But he came back within, bringing with him Bound bulls, dogs, herdsmen, and the well-eeced ock. He slit the throats of some, and some he made To stand and chopped in half, and even more He tortured, treating ocks like living men. (300) Finally he darted through the gates And spluttered words at shadows, some against The Atreidai, some about Odysseus, Cackling that hes repaid their arrogance.

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Then darting back inside the house he stood (305) Just barely coming to his senses there With time, and when he saw his home so full Of ruin, he beat his head and screamed - amongst The wreckage of the corpses thus he sat Clutching at hair with nail and hand so tight. (310) He sat voiceless for quite a while, but then He threatened me with awful words if I Would not reveal what baneful thing had happened. Friends, I feared that which had just been done, (315) And so I told him everything I knew. Straightway he cried out agonizing wails, That I have never heard from him before. He always said that such laments bet Only a wretch and one weighed down in his soul. (320) But he did not wail shrilly - rather, he Groaned low, like bulls who roar deep, heavily. And now he lies in his terrible mischance. No food, no drink, he sits amongst the beasts Slain by the iron, fallen in silence there, (325) And clearly he is set upon some harm. But friends, Im here to ask you: go and help Him out if you are able. You, his friends, Might overcome his sickness with your words. (330) CHORUS Clever Tekmessa, to us you say this man Has been beset by all these grievous pains. AJAX Io moi moi. TEKMESSA Go help him, faster! Or did you not hear Ajax, the kind of cry he bellowed forth? (335) AJAX Io moi moi. CHORUS The man now seems aficted, even grieved By all the torments he has long been dealt. AJAX Ah, my child, my child!

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TEKMESSA Alas! Eurysakes, he calls for you! (340) What could he want? Where are you? Wretched me! AJAX I call for Teucer - where is Teucer? Will He always be out pillaging while I die? CHORUS The man seems to be sane. Open the gates. He might regain his wits if he saw me. (345) TEKMESSA Ive done it. You can gaze upon his deeds, His lack of moderation over himself. AJAX O (strophe a) Beloved sailors, alone of my friends, The only ones who still stay the true course, (350) Look at me, whom just now the wave From the bloody storm has Engulfed, swirling all around. CHORUS Alas, you seem to have seen too much - the deed Now makes it clear how hes in a mad state. (355) AJAX O (antistrophe a) You race that aids the naval crafts, Who travels the sea by twirling the oar, That you alone, you alone of the shepherds Have aided me I know. (360) Kill me. CHORUS Speak good things; dont pay more of a price of ruin By salving wicked wounds with wicked cures. AJAX You see me, bold, stouthearted, (strophe b) Untrembling in battles against the enemy, (365) Clever with my hands amongst fearless beasts? Im a laughingstock. Oh, how Ive been shamed!

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TEKMESSA I pray, my master, do not say these things. AJAX Youre here? Why dont you go away? Aiai, Aiai. (370) TEKMESSA Oh, by the gods, stop, be more kind to us. AJAX O damned wretch, who with my own two hands Stirred up the spirits of vengeance, And who fell amongst the rolling-gaited bulls And far-famed herds of goats (375) And made their dark blood to gush. CHORUS Why should you grieve at deeds already done? The way things are cannot be changed at all. AJAX That one who sees and hears everything, (antistrophe b) The worker of wretched ills, the child of Laertes, (380) That most foul scum of the army, Odysseus, How greatly you must be laughing, delighting in my demise! CHORUS The gods can make each man both laugh and grieve. AJAX Would that I could see him, though Im thus Dishonored - io moi moi. (385) CHORUS Dont talk too big! Do you see what strife youre in? AJAX O Zeus, father of my ancestors, How I would nally die myself After I kill that most wily, Hateful scum, and the jointly- (390) Ruling kings! TEKMESSA You pray for this? Then pray death for me too,

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For why should I still live when you are dead? AJAX O (strophe c) Darkness, my light, (395) O most radiant shadow, Take me, take me as your inhabitant, Take me - I am not worthy to look Upon the race of the gods Or of mortals for some humanly help. (400) But she, the stout goddess, born from Zeus, Works this destruction against me. Where can I go? Where should I stay, now that Ive come? If these things die away, my beloved friends, (405) We lie before these bodies near us And this foolish prey. And the entire army would murder me By their hand, with all their strength. TEKMESSA O wretched me, a worthy man is saying (410) Things hes never dared to say before. AJAX O straits of the roaring sea (antistrophe c) And caves by the sea and the plain on the shore, For much too long a time Youve kept me here around Troy, (415) But no longer will you hold me whilst I still breathe. Let someone wise know this. O Scamander, River nearby, Hostile to the Argives, (420) No longer will you see This man - I offer my Great boast A man of the sort that Troy Has never seen coming from (425) Greek land. But now I lie thus dishonored. CHORUS I cannot stop you nor even can I speak The way I want. Youre too deep in misfortune.

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AJAX Aiai - who ever could have thought that this, (430) My given name, would sort so well with these Misfortunes? For my lot now is grieving twice And three times over, meeting with these pains. My father from Idaean land once came, Who earned the most alluring gifts of the army. (435) He came home bringing with him all his glory. But I, his son, came to that selfsame place In Troy with no less strength, and all the deeds I did with my own hand were no less great. But now I die dishonored by the Argives. (440) And still I seem to know this best - if while He lived Achilles had decided to Award dominion over his own armor, No one else would take it in my place. But now the Atreidai awarded glory (445) To a man of evil ways and spurned my head. But if my foresight and my spirit hadnt Sprung away from reason, they would never Have cast their ballot for this other man. And now the unconquerable and erce-eyed goddess (450) Of Zeus has tripped me up, who raised my hand Against them - she hurled at me a plague of madness, So that in beasts Id bloody these, my hands. And now they laugh in their escape, which I Never intended, but if some god stands (455) In the way, the coward thus can ee his better. What should I do, whos hated by the gods, And the army of Greece too hates me, and all Troy The land itself - all hate me? Should I cross The Aegean Sea and leave the harbors and (460) The sons of Atreus alone? What kind Of eye show I to Telamon my father When I appear? How will he bear to see Me naked, bereft of glories which he earned Again and again, his crowns of victory? (465) No, this cannot be borne. Or should I go Up to the Trojan walls, engage the foe Alone, and die accomplished of some useful Deed? But no, I might gladden them this way. Thats not it. But I have to nd some plan (470) To show my aged father that Im not Gutless in nature. I was born from him. Its shameful for a man to want a life Thats long, who sees no change in his misfortune.

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What does the day delight in, day by day, (475) To send us towards and draw us back from death? I would not prize a man of little merit Whos warmed by fruitless hopes. But those born nobly Must either live or die nobly. Youve heard All I will say. CHORUS No one will ever say (480) You spoke an untrue word but that you spoke From your own heart. But stop now. Grant it to Your friends to overcome your reason, and let go These thoughts. TEKMESSA O master Ajax, there is no Worse evil for mankind than the compulsion (485) Of chance. Now, I was born from a free father. If anyone from Phrygia ourished greatly In wealth, he did. But now I am a slave. For thus did it seem good to the gods and to Your own hand most of all. And so because (490) I came to this, your bed, I care well for Your state, and I beg now by Zeus of the hearth And your own bed, where you were joined to me, Dont think it t for me to be enslaved, To have to bear these rumors from your foes. (495) For when you die and so send me away, On that same day, know Ill be dragged by force To be the Argives slave, and so will he, Your son, Eurysakes. And some will speak A painful, piercing barb: Look at the bedmate (500) Of Ajax, who once ourished most of all A slave now, once the object of all envy. Thus will someone speak. My spirit will Console me, but these words are a disgrace To you and your whole race. And you will shame (505) Your father in his baneful, sad old age, And you will shame your mother getting on In years, who often prayed to the gods that you Would come home safe, alive. But O my lord, Take pity on your child, if he should bear (510) New ways of life without you, all alone, With hostile guardians. How great is the evil Youll yoke us to if you should die, my Ajax. Theres nowhere I can look for help except

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For you, for you destroyed my homeland with your sword. (515) Another fate took down my mother and My father, lifeless residents of Hades. What home is there for me if its not you? What wealth? Im only safe when Im with you. But keep me in your thoughts, because remembrance (520) Is tting when affairs are going well. Thanks always sires thanks. But when a man Forgets past kindness when hes doing well, No longer is that man quite so well-born. CHORUS I wish youd have some pity in your heart (525) Like me, for youd give heed to her words then. AJAX Shell light upon approval from me if She does whats been commanded of her well. TEKMESSA But my dear Ajax, Ill do everything. AJAX Bring me my child so I can see him now. (530) TEKMESSA But out of fear I had him sent away. AJAX In grief like this? What are you telling me? TEKMESSA I feared youd kill him if he got in the way. AJAX That does make sense. That act bets my spirit. TEKMESSA So I made sure that that deed wouldnt happen. (535) AJAX I praise the deed, the foresight that you had. TEKMESSA What can I do to help you then, my lord?

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AJAX Grant it to me to see him face-to-face. TEKMESSA Hes guarded close by servants now nearby. AJAX Then why is he not here now? TEKMESSA O my child, (540) Your father calls you. Bring him here, you there, Who guides him, leads him hither with your hands. AJAX Do you call one who cannot hear your voice? TEKMESSA This servant coming near is bringing him. AJAX Lift him, and bring him here, for he will not (545) Be scared to look upon this newly-slaughtered Gore, if hes by right and lineage My child. And now I have to train him in My rough ways and make him like me in nature. May you be luckier than I, my child, (550) But otherwise the same. Be not a coward. Ha ... I can even be jealous of you now Since you dont understand the evil thats Here now. For life is sweetest when you know Nothing until you learn of joy and grief. (555) But when it comes to that, you have to show Your enemies just who you are and by What father you were raised. Till then, feed on Swift winds, take care of your young soul, your mothers Greatest joy. I know no Greek will ever (560) Outrage you with hateful slander, even When Im not there. Ill leave for you an aide To help you grow, Teucer, whos ever steadfast, Though now hes far away to chase his foes. But men of the shield, seafaring people, I (565) Enjoin this favor on you all, and bear it To Teucer: bring my child back to my home. Give him to my father and my mother, To Eriboea, so that he can take

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Care of them when theyre old, until they reach (570) The secret rooms of Hades down below. And let no judges of the contest or My ruiner set my armor down before The Achaeans. O my child, take this which gave Your name, Eurysakes. Here, grasp the handle (575) Of this shield that none can ever breach. My other arms will lay buried with me. But quickly, take this child, shut up the homes, And dont wail dirges out in front of the tents. What a pitying thing is woman. Shut (580) The gates fast. No wise doctor would prescribe A threnody to cure a cutting pain. CHORUS Your fervent passions now made me afraid, For your sharp tongue gives me no ease of mind. TEKMESSA O Ajax, what is your intent? AJAX Dont question, (585) Dont ask too much. You ought to check yourself. TEKMESSA How Im disheartened! By your child and by The gods I beg, do not desert us now! AJAX You grieve too much. Do you not see that Im No longer bound at all to please the gods? (590) TEKMESSA Please say good things, I AJAX Talk to those wholl listen. TEKMESSA Will you not yield? AJAX I say, you cry too much! TEKMESSA

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I fear, my lord. AJAX Relent! AJAX You seem to me to be a fool To think that you can change my inbred nature. (595) CHORUS O famous Salamis, you (strophe a) Live, beaten by the sea, but happy, Forever known to all. Its been a long time since (600) I stayed in Idaean land in a eld like this And slept countless months, Worn away by time, (605) Holding some foolish hope That I would ward off destructive, whirling Hades. And Ajax, hard for me to cure, (antistrophe a) Sits there, omoi moi, (610) Sharing in this divine frenzy. I sent him out in time past when He ourished in the raging art of war, But now he feeds alone upon his thoughts, Considered a great grief by his friends, (615) And the former deeds of his hands Of the greatest excellence Now fall, fall unfriended upon the unfriendly, Unhappy Atreidai. (620) His nourishing mother in time past (strophe b) In her white old age - when she hears (625) That hes so madly aficted O pity, pity She, the ill-fated wretch, wont sing the strain Of a pitiable nightingale, But cry out bitter laments (630) And beat her chest, sounding hollow thuds, And tear her white hair. Hes better off hidden in Hades (635, antistrophe b) Will you not shut the gates? TEKMESSA

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Destroyed by disease, the best scion Of his fathers line, the best of the much-toiling Achaeans. Hes no longer rm-set in his inbred ways, But he consorts with unnatural ones. (640) O patient father, what remains for you Is to learn what sort of ill-fated destruction awaits Your child, ruin which no age yet of the sons of Aeacus Has undergone, save him. (645) AJAX The long and innite time begets all things Unseen and hides them when theyve been revealed. Its what you can expect - theyre snatched away, My terrible oath and stubborn states of mind. For I, who once overcame such awful things - (650) My sword was forged thus - grow soft in the mouth, And for a womans sake. But I take pity To leave her widowed, my child an orphan. Ill go to the baths and meadows by the sea So that by washing my delement off (655) I might escape the crushing wrath of the goddess. And when I go and nd some untrod land, Ill hide my spear, most terrible of weapons, And bury it so no one then can see it. Let night and Hades keep it safe below. (660) For ever since I took this gift in hand From ever-hostile Hector, I have gained No benet at all from them, the Argives. Its true, what mortals say: gifts from your foes Are giftless, of no help. So in the future (665) Well learn to yield to the gods and then to give Due reverence to the sons of Atreus. They lead; thus, we must follow. And why not? The direst and the strongest of all things Give way to honor. All the snow-piled winters (670) Yield to the fruitful summer, and the endless Cycle of night gives way to the light of day, Its burning, white-hot re. Every blast Of powerful wind makes calm the groaning sea. All-powerful Sleep sets free what he has bound - (675) He doesnt keep his hold forever. How Should we not know to check ourselves? I know, For Ive just realized that we should only Hate an enemy so far, as he Might become a friend again. And I (680)

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Should only aid a friend so far, as he Will not remain a friend forever. For Many dont trust the harbor of this friendship. But Ill be ne. You, woman, go inside, Perform a sacred offering to the gods, (685) Pray that my heart perfects what it desires. And you, my friends, respect these pleas for me. Tell Teucer, if he comes, always to care For us and plan good counsel for you all. For I will go there where I have to go. (690) But do these things I ask, and you might learn Soon, though now Im a wretch, that Ive been saved. CHORUS I tremble with desire, and I y, completely happy. (strophe) O O Pan, Pan, O Pan, Pan, sea-roamer, appear (695) From the rocky crag Of snowy Cyllene, O Lord, the dance-leader of the gods, so that You can begin the dances, Mysian, Knosian, Self-taught, joining with me. (700) For now I want to dance. And Lord Apollo, having come above the Icarian seas, the Delian, well-minded, Let him be with me kindly-disposed for all time. (705) Ares has freed this dire pain from our eyes (antistrophe) O O, now again, Now, O Zeus, let the brilliant Light of a happy day approach From the nimble, sea-swift ships, back when Ajax (710) Was forgetful of his pain, and he performed The gods divine rituals, complete with sacrices, Paying respect with the greatest good intentions. Great time lays waste to everything, And I would say nothing that shouldnt be spoken (715) When unexpectedly Ajax repented himself Of his anger and the great quarrels with the Atreidai. MESSENGER Comrades-in-arms, I wish to tell you rst: Teucer has just arrived from the Mysian (720) Mountains, but when he came inside the camp, He was reviled by each and every Argive. They saw him coming when he was far off.

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They all encircled him, and to a man, They jeered and hurled at him so many insults, (725) The brother of a lunatic who plots Against the army. Then he had to ght To stay alive amidst their blows and stones. They came for that, to draw their sheathed swords With two hands out their scabbards, but the strife, (730) Though it was coming to a head, then stopped, Thanks to the elders interchange of words. But Ajax - where is he? I have to tell The entire story to him, the one in power. CHORUS Hes not inside but just now gone to t (735) His new-found counsel to his new-found ways. MESSENGER Oh, no. He either sent me on my way too late, Or else I was too slow. CHORUS What need have you Thats yet to be fullled? MESSENGER Teucer forbade (740) That Ajax be allowed to leave the tent Or go outside before he arrived himself. CHORUS He went but is in a better state of mind, To leave off from his anger towards the gods. MESSENGER These words are full of too much folly if (745) The prophet Kalchas speaks in his right wits. CHORUS What do you know thats brought you here to us? MESSENGER I know this much (I happened to be there) That from his seat and kingly circle, Kalchas Stood up alone, apart from the Atreidai. (750) He placed his right hand as a friend in Teucers

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And said - no, begged - that he with all his skill Should for this present day hold Ajax back Under the tents and not to allow him out, If ever he wished to see him alive again. (755) Her wrath would drive him for this single day, That of divine Athena, Kalchas said. Too many useless bodies fall upon The ponderous evil fates sent by the gods, The seer said, whoever grew up as (760) A human, yet thinks not as humans should. So Ajax, soon as he left home, was found To be unmindful of his father, who spoke sagely. He told him, Ajax, you can win by the sword, But always with the help of the gods. But Ajax (765) Replied disdainfully: My father, no Someone whos nothing with the help of the gods Can win distinction, but Im condent That I can earn my glory without them. He boasted this, and later on, Athena (770) Urged him on to bear his bloody hand Against his foes, but he replied to her Something profane and terrible indeed: Mistress, go stand near the other Argives. The battle will not break here where I stand. (775) With words like these he earned the goddess wrath Because he overstepped his mortal bounds. If he survives this day, we might become His saviors with the aid of the gods. This much The prophet said. So Teucer straightway sent (780) Me from my seat to bear these, his commands To watch over him. If theres no chance of that, He is no more, if Kalchas sagely spoke. CHORUS Wretched Tekmessa, race of the unlucky, Come and see this man, hear what he says. (785) This shaves so close that I can feel no joy. TEKMESSA Why do you make me stand up from my seat, When these incessant pains have barely ended? CHORUS Hear this man. Hes come to us with news Of Ajax, news that grieves us.

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TEKMESSA What do you say, (790) Man? Surely not that we have been destroyed? MESSENGER I know not about you, but that if Ajax Is gone, I fear for him. TEKMESSA He is abroad. How what you say gives cause to me to worry! MESSENGER Teucer commanded that we shut him off (795) And that he must not leave the tents alone. TEKMESSA But where is Teucer? Whom did he speak to? MESSENGER Hes just arrived, but he expects that Ajax Will nd destruction in his exodus. TEKMESSA O wretched me! But whod he learn this from? (800) MESSENGER The seer, son of Thestor. This day here Bears with it either death or life for him. TEKMESSA O friends, stand here before this fate-bound chance, And some of you, bring Teucer here in haste. You others, search the western and the eastern (805) Bends. Travel the ill-starred path of Ajax. I realize that Ive been duped by him And lost the care he gave me for so long. What can I do, my child? I cant just sit. Ill go as far as I have strength to go. (810) Lets go in haste, no strength is in these seats. Lets hope to save this man whos off to die. CHORUS Were ready - we wont show it just in words. The swiftness of our deeds and feet will follow.

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AJAX This slayer stands where it becomes the sharpest, (815) If I have any leisure still to chat, This gift from Hector, hateful most of all Of guests to me, most vile to look upon. Its planted in this hostile Trojan earth, So newly honed by iron-eating whetstone. (820) I xed it here and dressed it well to make It apt to help me quickly meet my end. Now Ive prepared enough. Because of this, Now help me rst, as ts your station, Zeus. I ask to light upon a triing gift. (825) Send us some messenger wholl bear this evil News to Teucer, so that he will be The rst to lift me from this reeking sword, For fear a foe will cast his eyes on me, Then cast me to the dogs and birds as food. (830) I ask this much, O Zeus, and I call Hermes, Deaths messenger, to lull me now to sleep, With swift and painless leap upon this sword That now will pierce me through the ribs. I call Upon you aides, forever maiden, ever (835) Looking upon all sufferings of mankind, Most august Furies with long strides. Know I Thus die a wretch at the hands of the Atreidai. Snatch away their life, those ruinous villains. And as they see me slain by my own hand, (840) May they be murdered likewise by their own Kin, by their most precious progeny. Come now, you swift and vengeful Furies - taste The entire armys blood, dont spare one man. And Helios, who drives the soaring heavens, (845) When next you see my fatherland, with reins Of gold in hand, announce my sad destruction And fate to my unhappy, aged parents. O wretched mother, when she hears my story, Shell wail an awful cry of elegy (850) Throughout the entire city. But its not My job to cry lament for all this folly. No, I must start this task with speed and haste. O death, O death, now come and look at me. When were together, Ill address you then. (855) O brilliant ame of radiant day, Ill speak To you and Helios, the charioteer,

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Never again, for this is the last time. O light; O holy soil of Salamis, My home; O you, my fathers hearth and home; (860) And famous Athens; and my kindred brethren; The wells and rivers; and this Trojan land. I speak to all of you. Be happy, you Who gave me life. I speak this one last word The rest Ill save for those condemned to Hades (865) Down below. SEMI-CHORUS 1 Toil begets more toil with toil. Where, where, where did I not go? No place, I think, has deceived me. Look, look - (870) I heard some noise. SEMI-CHORUS 2 Its just us, your fellow sailors. SEMI-CHORUS 1 So? SEMI-CHORUS 2 We searched the entire area west of the ships. SEMI-CHORUS 1 What did you nd? (875) SEMI-CHORUS 2 Nothing but a great deal of work for our search. SEMI-CHORUS 1 Theres nothing on the path from the east; The mans to be found nowhere. CHORUS Who of the toil-loving shermen On these sleepless hunts, (880) Or of the goddesses of Olympus or Flowing rivers of the Bosporus, Would call to me (885) If any saw that savage-hearted man Ever roving? Its cruel that I As a wanderer of such great toil Should not come near the right path,

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And rather, not nd this eeting man anywhere. (890) TEKMESSA Io moi moi. CHORUS That cry - whered it come from? That thicket there? TEKMESSA O wretched Ajax. CHORUS I see his spear-won bride, the ever-mournful Tekmessa, overcome with baneful grief. (895) TEKMESSA Im ruined, destroyed, undone, my dearest friends. CHORUS What is it? TEKMESSA Our Ajax lies here newly butchered, slaughtered, Fallen upon his own clandestine sword. CHORUS Omoi, my homecoming; (900) Omoi, youve killed, my lord, Your shipmate, you hapless man; O woman, subjected to such suffering. TEKMESSA At last, to grieve over his unhappy state. CHORUS So by whose hand did Ajax meet his end? (905) TEKMESSA Its clear - a suicide. This sword so neatly Packed into the ground accuses him. CHORUS Omoi, my destruction - you spilled your blood alone, Unguarded by your friends; (910) And I, dumb and ignorant of everything, Let you go unnoticed. Where, where

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Does he lie, the intractable Ajax, So fatefully named? TEKMESSA You shouldnt see this - no, Ill cover him, (915) Folding tight this cloak around his body, For none, however loved, should see him thus, Breathing out blackened blood from his two nostrils And from the bloody wound from his own sword. Omoi, what should I do? Wholl lift you up? (920) Wheres Teucer? Would that he would come in time To help us lay to rest his fallen brother. O wretched Ajax, the only of your kind, How worthy you are to have your rivals weep For you. CHORUS Ajax the ill-fated, stubborn-minded, in time, (925) You would have ended this evil fate Of countless toils. Such words Hateful to the Atreidai, by dark and by light, Did you groan forth, (930) You savage-minded beast, With such deadly suffering. Great time was the ruler of strife, When the contest over Achilles armor (935) Was to be won by the strongest hand. TEKMESSA Io moi moi. CHORUS I know this noble anguish strikes to the core. TEKMESSA Io moi moi. CHORUS I do not doubt that you twice grieve because (940) Youve just now lost a man so dear to you. TEKMESSA You think that if you want. I feel it all Too much. CHORUS

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Youre right.

TEKMESSA Omoi, my child, we wear the yokes of slaves, Our foes from now on guard us carefully. (945) CHORUS Omoi, you cried out in grief Inutterable deeds of the Atreidai, That would make them ruthless A god might stop it! TEKMESSA It would not be this way without the gods. (950) CHORUS Theyve placed on you a burden far too heavy. TEKMESSA Pallas Athena, child of Zeus, dealt out This pain to help Odysseus, for sure. CHORUS In his dark soul, he boasts, (955) That much-suffering man, Odysseus, And he guffaws cruelly In such maddening painful circumstances, Pheu, pheu, And the double kingly Atreidai Hear him and laugh with him. (960) TEKMESSA Well, let them laugh and jump for joy while hes Overthrown. If they did not have need for him Alive, theyll rue his death on the battle lines. Those base in thought know not what good they hold In hand until its cast away. His death, (965) Bitter to me but sweet to them, pleased him Alone, because he gained the one thing that He wanted: death. Why ever should they laugh, Exult over him? His death concerns the gods. It has nothing to do with them at all. (970) Whats more, laugh idly as you will, Odysseus. Ajax exists no more, and yet though gone Hes left to me nothing but grief and wailing.

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TEUCER Io moi moi. CHORUS Silence! I think I hear the voice of Teucer, (975) Crying a dirge that speaks to this disaster. TEUCER My dearest brother Ajax, have you fared As cruelly as the rumor says you have? CHORUS Hes perished, Teucer. This you ought to know. TEUCER How heavy is the burden of this fate. (980) CHORUS These things are thus TEUCER O wretched me, alas! CHORUS Do groan. TEUCER This suffering was much too rash. CHORUS Yes, too much, Teucer. TEUCER Wretch ... But wheres his child? Where in the land of Troy will he be found? CHORUS Hes by the tents alone. TEUCER Go bring him here (985) As quickly as you can so that no foe Will snatch him up, as though a lioness Whelp. Go now, work fast! The entire world Laughs at our loved ones when theyre lying dead.

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CHORUS While Ajax lived, he charged you, Teucer, with (990) Caring for his child, as youre doing now. TEUCER Most painful sight of all Ive had to see With my own eyes. This road Ive traveled now So grieves my heart the most of all roads else, Beloved brother, since I learned of your (995) Cruel fate, chasing you here and trailing you. The bitter story spread like wildre through The entire camp, as though some god had spread It: you were dead. I heard about it when I was still far off, O wretched me. (1000) I groaned, and now I see its true, that you Are ruined. Oimoi. But go, uncover him, So that Ill see the entire wretched deed. O face so ill to see, such bitter boldness, What misery your death has left to me. (1005) Where can I go? What men will take me in, Now that Ive failed to aid you in your toils? Now Telamon, your father and my own, Might take me in with kindly face and mien When I return without you. Hah! Im sure. (1010) The man can barely smile when things go well. What mean rebuke will he not spare me from? You bastard, you, begotten by the war-spear, Betrayer of your kin, dear Ajax - coward, Woman, or maybe con, for now you stand (1015) To gain his power and home now that hes dead. That temperamental man will say as much, Severe in his old age, looking to start A ght. And I will be cast out of my Own land, now made a slave, not free, by his (1020) Own words. All this at home, but then at Troy Ive many enemies but not much help. These are my options now because youve died. What will I do? How will I tear you from This glittering sword? O wretch, this slayer made (1025) You breathe your last. You see how Hector managed To kill you even though hes dead himself ? Look at the fate of these two mortals now. Hector, whom Ajax gifted with a girdle, Dragged from his chariot-boards by that same gift, (1030) Was mangled, butchered, till he breathed his last.

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And Ajax, holding Hectors gift, gave up His life with such a fatal fall. Did not A Fury forge the sword and Hades, savage Craftsman of the people, forge the girdle? (1035) I thus might say the gods contrive for mortals All happenings, forever. Now, if any Disagrees with what I think, let him Have his way, and I shall have my own. CHORUS Dont talk too long, but tell us how youll hide (1040) Ajax inside a grave, and tell us quickly. I see a hostile man, coming to mock Our troubles like the knavish wretch he is. TEUCER What soldier of the army do you see? CHORUS The one for whom we sailed: Menelaos. (1045) TEUCER Ah, I can make him out now that hes near. MENELAOS Hey, you there, you! Dont touch that body there. Yes, take your hands off. Leave it as it is. TEUCER And on whose orders do you waste your breath? MENELAOS Its right to me and to our armys general. (1050) TEUCER And wont you let us know about your cause? MENELAOS Because we brought that man there here from home, Expecting he would be our friend and ally, But now we nd that hes more hostile than Our enemies. He plotted murder against (1055) Us all, attacked by night to seize us with His sword. If some god hadnt quenched his re, We would have been subjected to his lot, Lie dead, hewed down by this most shameful fate,

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And he would live. A god has channeled Ajax (1060) Rage into an onslaught against the ocks. As such, no man will be allowed to bury The body in a grave, but rather, hell Be cast out on the yellow sands of the shore. Hell feed the birds of the ocean with his body. (1065) Whats more, dont waste your mighty energy. For though we couldnt rule him while he lived, Well rule him since hes dead, despite your wishes, Controlling him in hand. For when he was Alive, he never wished to listen to us. (1070) But only a common soldier thinks that its Beneath his rank to listen to his betters. For laws cannot be executed well There in a city where no fear has taken Root, nor can we lead an army sagely (1075) That has no sense of fear, shame, no respect. Even the most imposing man must know That he can fall too, simply by slight chance. But fear thats joined with shame - whoever holds That, know that he holds safety too. But bearing (1080) Yourself proudly, doing what you want These acts will drive a city from fair winds And plunge it deep into the sea. So let This fear now stand, and lets not have in mind That we can do the things we want without (1085) Having to pay with that which gives us grief. These things go hand in hand. That man was once The violent rebrand, but now its I Who think so big. Dont bury him, unless You want to join with him by doing so. (1090) CHORUS Youve been so wise till now, O Menelaos. Dont smear the dead and cause outrage yourself. TEUCER Ill never wonder again, O men, when one Whos base in birth goes wide of the mark when those Who think theyre nobly-born mistake so poorly (1095) In words and speeches like the ones youve heard. Come, speak again your charge - you say that you Brought Ajax here as ally to the Achaeans? Did he not sail here of his own accord? How do you rule him? How do you lay claim (1100)

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To power over the peoples that he brought From home? Youre king of Sparta, not of us. Youve no more right to claim that youre his sovereign Than he has right to claim the same over you. And you sailed here inferior in rank, (1105) Far from supreme, to claim supremacy Over Ajax. You, just rule over those you rule, Beat them with holy words. And I, no matter What you or Agamemnon say, will bury Him by right, not fearing your harsh words. (1110) He fought not for your wife, like many here Who worked so hard on this great voyage, but Because of oaths he swore by, not for you At all. He gave no worth to nobodies. Come back and bring more heralds here - oh, and (1115) Your general. I wont give any heed To all your noise while youre the sort you are. CHORUS I dont approve of your sharp tongue in times Like these: such harsh words bite, even if theyre just. MENELAOS The archer seems to think hes quite the big-shot. (1120) TEUCER The skill Ive learned is not a useless one. MENELAOS Youd boast even greater if you held a shield. TEUCER Your arms are not a match for my pure skill. MENELAOS How terrible a soul your tongue has borne. TEUCER With justice, I can always think this way. (1125) MENELAOS Was it just that he should have the luck to kill Me? TEUCER Kill? Youve spoken cleverly, O living

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Dead. MENELAOS A god saved me - he wished me dead. TEUCER Dont shame the gods whove saved you. MENELAOS Would I censure The statutes of the august spirits? TEUCER If (1130) You dont allow the burial of the dead. MENELAOS Thats to allow the burial of my foes. It isnt right. TEUCER And when did Ajax stand Against you? MENELAOS He hated me, vice versa. This You know. TEUCER Because you rigged the vote, you thief. (1135)

MENELAOS The judges caused his downfall - it was not I. TEUCER You make these occult crimes seem so appealing. MENELAOS Words like that will cause some pain for someone. TEUCER No more, I hope, than all the pain well deal. MENELAOS Ill say it once: this man must not be buried. (1140)

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TEUCER Then hear this once: this man most surely will. MENELAOS I saw a man once bold in tongue who stirred The sailors up to sail in winter, whose Voice you couldnt hear when still the storm Was raging, but he hid under a cloak (1145) And let whoever wished to trample him. Some great storm bursting out from some small cloud May stie you, your over-boisterous tongue, Your massive cry TEUCER And I once saw a man So full of folly, causing massive outrage (1150) To his neighbors in the midst of strife. And someone who resembled me in look And temperament eyed him and said to him: Man, dont disrespect the dead. If you Do so, youll be undone. He thus rebuked (1155) The hapless, wretched man with words like these. I see him here, it seems to me. Why, hes None other than yourself ! Do I speak riddles? MENELAOS Ill go. Id be ashamed if any learned That I used words instead of force to ght. (1160) TEUCER Scurry away. It would be most shameful if I heeded the empty words of empty men. CHORUS This struggle sure will come to some great strife. But since you can, please hasten, hurry, nd Some shallow ditch to bury Ajax in, (1165) Where he will hold his dank and musty grave, Forever in the memory of mortals. TEUCER And just in time, those nearest him in love Are here, his offspring and his dearest wife, To tend the grave for his unhappy corpse. (1170) O child, come here, and stand near. Place your hands Upon the one who gave you birth, your father,

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In prayer. Sit turned towards him, and take in hand My hair, your mothers, and your own as third, A treasure for a supplicant. If someone (1175) Ever by force should tear you from his corpse, That wicked man will fall unburied to The earth, chopping the root of his own line Away, the same way I now chop this lock. Hold it, O child, and guard it, and dont let (1180) Yourself be moved, stay fallen as you are. And you, dont stand about like women rather Than men, but help us till I go and nd A grave for him, even if its forbidden. CHORUS What nal number of ever-roving years (strophe a, 1185) Will be the last, bearing The destruction thats forever unceasing for me, The destruction of the toils of the spear All throughout broad Troy, (1190) A disastrous censure to all Greece? He ought to sink into the massive aether (antistrophe a) Or into Hades, common to many, That man who showed to Greece that Ares (1195) Of the hateful weapons is common to all. O toil that engenders more toil, For that man ransacked humankind. That man made me have no part in sharing (strophe b) The pleasure of wreaths (1200) Or weighty chalices, Nor the sweet music of utes for the wretch, Nor to spend a pleasant night in sleep. Hes ended my desire, my desire, omoi. (1205) And now I lie unheeded thus, Forever wetting my hair With close-set drops of dew, A reminder of grievous Troy. (1210) Furious Ajax - he used to be my bulwark (antistrophe b) Against fear in the night, Against arrows, But now hes given up as an offering To some hateful spirit. What joy will I ever have again? (1215) I wish I were at the woody, sea-beaten cape On the sea, the lofty plain (1220)

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Of Sounion, so that we could Address holy Athens. TEUCER I hurried back because I caught a glimpse Of Agamemnon coming here towards us. For sure hell give his wretched mouth free rein. (1225) AGAMEMNON They tell me that its you whos dared to splutter Insults against us without penalty. You! A spear-won whores own progeny. Now if your mother were well-born, youd boast More mightily, youd strut on crags so high - (1230) A no one who stands up for one of his kind. You swear we dont command the army or The eet, nor the Achaeans or even you, But Ajax sailed here ruler over himself. Are these not awful things to hear from slaves? (1235) What sort of man do you croak out haughty words For? Whered he go or stand that I did not? Was he the only man amongst the Argives? These contests over the armor of Achilles It seems the announcement did us a disservice (1240) If Teucer makes us villains everywhere We go. It doesnt help that you dont give Consent to the honest ruling of the judges, But always you lambast us with your insults, Wound us, trick us, since youre left behind. (1245) No rule can be established from these ways, If we should force the ones whove won by right To go and bring the ones who lag behind Up to the forefront. All this must be stopped. For burly, broad-backed men are not the most (1250) Immovable, but those who have good sense Rule everywhere. A tiny whip can spur Into the road a bull of massive girth At once. And such a remedy, I see, Is creeping up towards you, unless you gain (1255) Some sense. Although the man is nothing - no, A shadow - still youre reckless, bold, cause outrage, Speak and give your mouth free rein. Will you Not check yourself ? Know what you are by nature. Just bring here some free man wholl deign to speak (1260) Your words instead of you. No longer can I understand you when you talk. I cannot

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Interpret you, the tongue of such a brute. CHORUS Would that you both would learn to check yourselves! I cannot cry out anything thats better. (1265) TEUCER How quick, the grace of mortals towards the dead! It ows, gets snatched away once it betrays. Ha, this man here still holds some memory Of you, O Ajax, not in triing word, The one for whom you risked your life so often (1270) In war. But all is gone - its cast away. You spoke so many foolish words just now. Dont you recall when you were hedged within By all your walls, already rendered helpless When the battle turned? He saved you then, (1275) The only one to come, even though a re Was raging round the highest benches of The ships, and even more, Hector straightway Was leaping over the ditches towards the sterns. Who stopped these acts? Did he not do it all, (1280) Whom you say went nowhere you didnt go? Did he not do such noble deeds for you? Did he not handle Hector one on one, By lot, uncalled? Did he not come against Him, having cast his lot into the center, (1285) Not a runaway clod of dampened earth One that would leap rst from the dogskin cap? He did these things, and I was there with him, A slave, one not born from a foreign mother. You wretch - what gives you the right to say such things? (1290) Do you not know that your grandfather, ancient Pelops, was himself a Phrygian brute? And Atreus, who gave you birth, set forth A most impious feast before his brother Made from his own children? And your mother (1295) Was a Cretan whom her father caught In bed with a barbarian who earned For her a drowning amongst the sh. Can you Upbraid my lineage now? For I was born Of Telamon, the best in all the army, (1300) Who kept as wife my mother, she by birth A princess, child of Laomedon. And she Was given by Heracles to Telamon As a choice gift. And I, so nobly born -

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Should I shame those of my blood, whom you (1305) So force to lie unburied in these toils? Are you not now ashamed of your rough words? Well, know this: if you cast him out, youll have To cast us three out too to lie with him Because its far more right for me to die (1310) Working on his behalf than on your wifes Or should I say your brothers wife? Indeed, Look not upon my state, but look at yours. If you so grieve me, then youll wish I were A coward rather than so bold myself. (1315) CHORUS O lord Odysseus, you have come in time, If youve come not to join them but to part Them. ODYSSEUS Men, what is it? I could hear far off The cry of the Atreidai over this valiant Corpse. AGAMEMNON We have heard most shameless slander, lord (1320) Odysseus, from this man just now. ODYSSEUS What words? I might have pardon for the man if he Took insults that were ill to have to bear. AGAMEMNON He heard some shameful things, but he dealt out The same to me. ODYSSEUS What did he do to cause (1325) Such injury? AGAMEMNON He would not leave this corpse Without a grave. Hed bury it, on threat Of force from me. ODYSSEUS Now can I speak the truth

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As friend and aid you no less than before? AGAMEMNON Speak! Else Id be mad, because I count (1330) You as my greatest friend amongst the Argives. ODYSSEUS Now listen. Dont allow this man to be Cast out so ruthlessly unburied, and Dont let your force so overcome you that You hate so much, you trample on all justice. (1335) The man was once most vile of all to me, Ever since I won the armor of Achilles. And yet, although he was an enemy To me, I wont dishonor him by saying That hes not the best of the Achaeans, (1340) Of those who came to Troy, except Achilles. Dishonoring him is not the righteous way. You wouldnt harm him but the laws of the gods. It isnt right to harm a good man when Hes died, even if you hated him. AGAMEMNON Odysseus, (1345) Youd take his side against me? ODYSSEUS Yes, I would. I hated him while it was right to hate. AGAMEMNON But shouldnt you be trampling on his corpse? ODYSSEUS Delight not in your gains when theyre not good. AGAMEMNON A tyrant cannot easily be reverent. ODYSSEUS But he can give sway to his friends good counsel. AGAMEMNON A good man has to listen to his better. ODYSSEUS

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Stop. Youre strong when you are ruled by friends. AGAMEMNON Recall what sort of man youre doing this for. ODYSSEUS A hateful man, but one who once was noble. (1355) AGAMEMNON What will you do? Revere a hostile corpse? ODYSSEUS His virtue wins me more than all my hatred. AGAMEMNON Such men are the unstable types of mortals. ODYSSEUS Many can often change their love to hate. AGAMEMNON Youd recommend acquiring friends like these? (1360) ODYSSEUS I cant condone possession of a brittle Soul. AGAMEMNON Youll make me seem a coward on This day. ODYSSEUS No, youll seem virtuous to all. AGAMEMNON Youre telling me to let them bury Ajax? ODYSSEUS I am, for I will one day need that too. (1365) AGAMEMNON Its all the same: we all work for ourselves. ODYSSEUS And should I work for him more than myself ?

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AGAMEMNON This act shall be called yours, not mine. ODYSSEUS But if You do it, youll be praised in every way. AGAMEMNON Then know this well: that I would grant a greater (1370) Gift than this to you, but he, no matter Where he is, will always be most hateful To me. Now you can do whatever you need. CHORUS Whoever says you were not born with sense, Being what you are - that mans a fool, Odysseus. (1375) ODYSSEUS And now to Teucer, I announce that I, As much as I was foe before, will now Be friend. I wish to help you bury Ajax, Work with you, and leave out nothing we Will need to bury such a peerless man. (1380) TEUCER Noble Odysseus, I can commend you now. Youve duped my expectations. For though he Was most abhorred to you of all the Argives, You stood by him in deed, and you did not Let the living cause such great outrage (1385) To the dead: that frantic Agamemnon and His brother wished to cast poor Ajax out, Abused, without a grave. And so, may they, The ancient father, mindful Fury, and Death-bearing Justice ruin those evil men (1390) Just as they wished to cast our Ajax out Unworthily, outrageously. But you, O son of old Laertes, Im afraid To let come near the burial, for fear Youll work some harm against our fallen brother. (1395) Please do whatever else, if still you wish To help these soldiers out - well have no grievance. I will arrange the rest myself, but know That we consider you a noble man. ODYSSEUS

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I wished to help, but if you do not want (1400) Me doing those things, Ill heed your wish and go. TEUCER Enough. For too much time has passed us by. You all, hurry to dig this shallow ditch. You all, go place the lofty cauldron with The re on both ends at the sacred baths. (1405) Let one band of men bring from the tent The array of his armor. Child, as much as you can, In love for your father, help lift him Here with me, for still his nostrils (1410) Bubble up his dark strength. Come all, Whoever proclaims himself near and dear, Go quickly, go, toiling for such A noble man - no one better (1415) Than Ajax has ever lived, I say, When he still lived. CHORUS Men know only once theyve seen. No prophet can know beforehand What will happen in the future. (1420)

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Production DetailsA production of a scaled-down version of this translation was mounted at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA, as a Senior Capstone Project, in The Pit, March 26-28, 2010. Many sections were scaled down, some characters were cut completely (like Eurysakes, the Nurse, and the Army Herald), and some sections were musicalized. The musical score follows the script. Director, Translator, Scenic / Lighting Designer, Composer Costume Designer Poster Designer Light Board Operator Athena / Chorus Odysseus / Chorus Ajax Tekmessa Messenger / Chorus Teucer / Chorus Menelaos / Chorus Agamemnon / Chorus Chorus Chorus Chorus Daniel Libatique Kate Hultgren Karl Hinze Justine Cameron Christine Freije Jeffrey Godowski Eric McGowan Jamie McCarthy Jack Mason Michael Gumbley Christian Krenek James DAmico Erin McMahon Caitlin Crowley Egan Millard

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The Production ScriptUnit 1: Contest [MUSIC: The Contest] The soldiers, including ODYSSEUS and AJAX, march in and take formation. They salute as AGAMEMNON and MENELAOS enter, the latter bearing the arms of Achilles. AJAX and ODYSSEUS take position in front of the Atreidai, salute, and stand at attention. After deliberation, AGAMEMNON takes the arms from Menelaos and bestows them upon Odysseus. AGAMEMNON, MENELAOS, and ODYSSEUS, laughing at Ajax and joking around like old friends, jeer at Ajax, WHO stands like a rock, stupeed by what has just happened. AJAX tries to rally the soldiers, WHO march about, not paying him (or anything) any heed. ATHENA watches from afar and machinates the following. Ajax attempts become more heated and energetic, until nally he draws a dagger and begins to stab what he believes are the soldiers - but in reality are sheep and bulls. Blood everywhere, he drags a few of the beasts into his tent with him. Unit 2: Hunt Midnight. Ajax maniacal laughter and screams, the sounds of tearing wool as ambient noise. ATHENA I always see you hunting around, Odysseus, To get an edge, surpass your enemies. You shouldnt keep on peering in those gates Thats not your job. But tell me, why such pains? Youll prot from the knowledge I can teach. (5) ODYSSEUS Athena, is that you, most august mistress? Im searching around for Ajax of the shield. It seems he did a monstrous thing last night Against us, if he did commit these crimes. Were in the dark for sure, and were confused, (10) And so I volunteered to gure it out. We found our ocks and herds all slaughtered, all, A massacre, the guards of the ocks with them All butchered by some hand. And so, this Ajax Bears the brunt of blame from everyone. (15) ATHENA These deeds were done by Ajax, whom you seek.

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ODYSSEUS But what ill thought thus made him raise his hand? ATHENA His heavy rage at the armor of Achilles. ODYSSEUS But whyd he fall upon the ocks? ATHENA He thought He stained his hand with soldiers blood, you see. (20) ODYSSEUS He plotted all this rage against the Argives? ATHENA If Id been careless, hed have done the deed. ODYSSEUS What daring so emboldened him? ATHENA The night Emboldened him to carry out his plans. ODYSSEUS And did he do it? How far did he get? (25) ATHENA He made it to the gates of your commanders. ODYSSEUS But howd he check his erce, bloodthirsty hand? ATHENA I hemmed him off and cast some blinding thoughts, Dreams of insatiate joy there at his eyes. I turned him towards the ocks and herds of cattle. (30) He fell upon the beasts with many horns, He whirled about and chopped them down in rage. Now I Will show to you his all-too-clear disease, To tell all Argives after you have seen. (35) But stay, be bold! Dont fear this man, this wreck. You there, I call for you to come on out,

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Who binds those captive hands with chains. ODYSSEUS Athena, What are you doing? No, dont call him out! ATHENA Dont be a coward. Stand there, and shut up. (40) ODYSSEUS No, by the gods, let it sufce that he Remain inside. ATHENA And why? Is he not just A man? ODYSSEUS He was and is my enemy. ATHENA But laughing at your enemies, is it not The sweetest laughter? ODYSSEUS Let him stay inside. (45) ATHENA Do you fear to feast your eyes upon this madman? ODYSSEUS I would not be afraid if he were sane. ATHENA But he wont see you even though youre near. ODYSSEUS How, if he still sees with his own eyes? ATHENA Ill darken his eyelids and blind his sight. (50) ODYSSEUS When god does all, it happens as it should. ATHENA

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Be quiet, good - just as you were before. Oh, Ajax, you, I call you yet again! Why pay your ally, me, so little heed? Unit 3: Madness AJAX O hail, Athena, hail, O child of Zeus, How well youve stood by me - Ill wreathe your head With golden spoils as thanks for this rich hunt. ATHENA You speak so beautifully, but tell me this: Did Argive blood help stain your swords point well? (5) AJAX Im proud to say it - Ill not deny its so. ATHENA And did you raise your hand against the kings? AJAX Assuredly, theyll never slight me again. ATHENA So if I catch your drift, the men are dead? AJAX Now let those fallen bastards steal my armor! (10) ATHENA Thats great, but what about Odysseus? Where does he stand? Did he escape your blade? AJAX That cursed beast - you ask me where he is? ATHENA I ask about your enemy, Odysseus. AJAX Hes there, but I dont want him dead just yet. (15) ATHENA Whats rst? What more is there for you to gain?

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AJAX Ill tie him to the tent pole rst out front ATHENA What evils next in store against the man? AJAX A bloodied, torn, whipped back before he dies. ATHENA Dont torture the wretch so. AJAX Ill grant you other (20) Things to make you happy, but this man Will pay with death - no other price will do. ATHENA Well then, if there is pleasure in this act, Do it, delay not what is in your mind. AJAX Im off to work. (25) ATHENA Now you see How great the gods power is, Odysseus? Was ever there a man more careful, sage, Better in valiant deed than Ajax here? AJAX I know none. But I nevertheless feel pity (30) For the wretch, although he was my rival, Since hes been yoked to this unhappy lot. I see that we who live are nothing more Than phantoms or a eeting shadow. ATHENA Then Because youve seen such things, dont ever speak (35) A haughty word against the gods. Dont walk Too proudly, even though you have more might Or wealth than someone else, for one short day Destroys and resurrects all humanly Affairs. The gods dote on the wise, but hate (40) The evil.

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Unit 4: Rumor [MUSIC: Slander] CHORUS As now the night begins to wane, Disgracing rumor ies all about Because of one who hasnt the courage to face you His slander gives me cause to fear, His lies turn my heart inside out Without a soul as noble who can replace you And all believe though theyve not seen And they laugh And your pain has givn them cause for joy, Letting the blood ow like some votive calf But in the end hell get his due For whod believe a man of no worth? And you cant teach a fool how to think more clearly We cant defend against his words Without you here to lead the charge Else he would cower and tremble and fear me And all believe though theyve not seen, Only heard Who would subject you to such a fate, To bear the burden of his slandering word? So come and help us, come to our aid, Up from that place where ever you sit While this heaven-reaching ame forever burns Their arrogance goes on and on, But as for me, I will seek The vindication for which my heart ever yearns Until I learn the truth Unit 5: Fury TEKMESSA O friends to Ajax, we have cause for lament, those who care for the son of Telamon. Now our terrible, fearsome Ajax in a dirty frock lies in agony. CHORUS What heavy burden does this night receive from the day?

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TEKMESSA How can I say what cannot be said? This suffering that (5) youll learn of rivals death. Our Ajax by night has lost his honor, snatched away by maddening frenzy. You can see inside the tent his victims, slaughtered by his hand, bathed in blood, his rage-driven sacrices. But now that he is in his right mind, he has a new kind of grief. For seeing strife at home and (10) knowing no one caused it but yourself offers you nothing but great agony. CHORUS But if its stopped, Id think youd be quite lucky. For when the pain has stopped, the talk is less. TEKMESSA Which would you choose if you were given the choice: (15) To grieve your friends and so have joy yourself Or join with them, be faced with all their pain? CHORUS The double grief seems worse to me by far. TEKMESSA Were in distress though we are not struck mad. CHORUS What are you saying? I dont understand. (20) TEKMESSA That man, when still plunged deep into his madness, Took pleasure in the pains that held him captive And grieved us who were sane when he came near. Now that he breathes and his disease is gone, Hes driven wholly by his wretched pain, (25) And so are we, no less now than before. Is not this single grief now double more? CHORUS Thats true. But Im afraid some god-dealt blow Will come. For how is he not calmer now That he has stopped than when he was beset? (30) TEKMESSA You ought to know the way things really are. CHORUS But what caused all this trouble - whered it start? Tell us who share in grief about his troubles.

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TEKMESSA Youll hear the entire story, my dear friends. The nights events are re-enacted with Tekmessa and the Chorus as players under the following. In the darkest depths of night, when all the torches (35) No longer burned, he took his double-edged Sword and he set out on some fruitless task. Afraid, I said, Ajax, what do you need? Why set you out when no ones called at all, No heralds summons, no blast from the horn? (40) The entire armys fast asleep. But he Curtly retorted things hes always said: Woman, silence most bets your kind. He stopped me cold; then he set out alone. I cannot tell what happened then out there, (45) But he came back within, bringing with him Bound bulls, dogs, herdsmen, and the well-eeced ock. He laid some on the ground and slaughtered them. Others he hewed in half, hacking their sides Apart. He lifted two white-footed rams: (50) He lopped the head and tongue of one clean off And tossed them down. The other, made to stand, He tied to a pillar, and he struck it with A whizzing double whip, abusing it With awful words no human ever taught. (55) He slit the throats of some, and more he made To stand and chopped in half, and even more He tortured, treating ocks like living men. Finally he darted through the gates And spluttered words at shadows, some against (60) The Atreidai, some about Odysseus, Cackling that hes repaid their arrogance. Then darting back inside the house he stood Just barely coming to his senses there With time, and when he saw his home so full (65) Of ruin, he beat his head and screamed - amongst The wreckage of the corpses thus he sat Clutching at hair with nail and hand so tight. He sat voiceless for quite a while, but then He threatened me with awful words if I (70) Would not reveal what baneful thing had happened. Friends, I feared that which had just been done, And so I told him everything I knew. Straightway he cried out agonizing wails,

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That I have never heard from him before. (75) He always said that such laments bet Only a wretch and one weighed down in his soul. But then his wails all ceased - and rather, he Groaned low, like bulls who roar deep, heavily. And now he lies in his terrible mischance. (80) No food, no drink, he sits amongst the beasts Slain by the iron, fallen in silence there, And clearly he is set upon some harm. Unit 6: Aftermath AJAX You see me, once bold, stouthearted, untrembling in battles against the enemy, clever with my hands amongst fearless beasts? Now Im a laughingstock. Aiai - who ever could have thought that this, My given name, would sort so well with these (5) Misfortunes? For my lot now is grieving twice. My father from Idaean land once came, Who earned the most alluring gifts of the army. He came home bringing with him all his glory. And I, his son, came to that selfsame place (10) In Troy with no less strength, and all the deeds I did with my own hand were no less great. But now I die dishonored by the Argives. And now the unconquerable and erce-eyed goddess Of Zeus has tripped me up, who raised my hand (15) Against them - she hurled at me a plague of madness, So that in beasts Id bloody these, my hands. [MUSIC: This Cannot Be Borne] What should I do with my terrible fate, I who've found nothing other than hate, Enmity none but the gods could abate, Where should I go? Should I cross the sea, leave all this mess behind? But look at my face and what will you nd? An overthrown coward, a lot that's unkind No, I can't What kind of face will I show to my father Whose glory was found beyond all renown How could he look on a wretch like me A laughingstock

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One not to praise but to mock To take his scorn No, this cannot be borne Should I storm the walls, take the foe on alone And die in battle, win fame of my own But no, if I lose, they'll sit higher on the throne That's not the way But then what can I do to show The courage that I by my birthright can know? Death's waited for me all these days Who am I not to obey? [MUSIC: My Safety] TEKMESSA Theres no worse pain than the evils of chance Times advance Fortunes romance For my father, once wealthy and noble and brave, Got a daughter who now is a slave But I couldnt be richer than when Im with you To say otherwise Id be remiss And your home is my refuge from all that can harm So my prayer alone is this Think of me, think of him, Think of all those wholl suffer Without you to help us through Dont let us be enslaved, Dragged off by another Who wont be as kind as you Think of your father in his baneful old age And your mother getting on in years How she prayed every day for your safe return Dont give life to all of her fears For you are my safety, my rock, My harbor, my home, my key and the lock Though you have your mind set on the worst I beg of you, think of me rst Unit 7: Time

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AJAX The long and innite time begets all things Unseen and hides them when theyve been revealed. Its what you can expect - theyre snatched away, My terrible oath and stubborn states of mind. For I, who once overcame such awful trials - (5) My sword was forged thus - grow soft in the mouth, And for a womans sake. But I take pity To leave her widowed, my child an orphan. Ill go to the baths and meadows by the sea So that by washing my delement off (10) I might escape the crushing wrath of the goddess. And when I go and nd some untrod land, Ill hide my sword, most terrible of weapons, And bury it so no one then can see it. Let night and Hade