THE AJAX OF SOPHOCLES (By ihe same jiuthor. The Foolishness of Solomon 3S. 6d. Lui ^'us ON Death 2S. 6d. . The erodamozels 2S. . The New Parsifal 3s. 6d. The Bride of Dionysus 3s. 6d. Sisyphus Polyphemus . 78. 6d. The Birth of Parsival 3S. 6d. Cecilia Gonzaga. 2s. 6d. Mallow and Asphodel 2s. 6d. THE AJAX OF SOPHOCLES TRANSLATED BY TREVELYAN R. C. LONDON: GEORGE ALLEN & UNWIN LTD. RUSKIN HOUSE 40 MUSEUM STREET, W.C.i s A V r b \ 1 ; First published in 1919. All rights reserved. & A- TO G. D. DRAMATIS PERSONS Athena. Obysskus. AlAS. Chorus of Salaminians. Tkcmessa, concubine of Aias. Messenger. Teucer, half-brother of Aias. Menelaus. Agamemnon. NOTE In translating the choric parts of the play, the aim has been to reproduce as closely as possible the metrical pattern and phrasing of the original, in such a way that one musical setting would fit both the Greek and the English words. THE AJAX OF SOPHOCLES Dawn. Before the tent ofAias. ATHENA Son of Laertes, ever do I behold thee Scheming to snatch some vantage o'er thy foes. And now among the tents that guard the ships Of Aias, camped at the army's outmost verge, Long have I watched thee hunting in his trail, And scanning his fresh prints, to learn if now He be within or forth. Skilled in the chase Thou seemest, as a keen-nosed Spartan hound. For the man but now has passed within, his face And slaughterous hands streaming with sweat and blood. No further need for thee to peer about Inside these doors. But say what eager quest Is thine, that I who know may give thee light. ODYSSEUS Voice of Athena, dearest of Gods to me, How clearly, though thou be invisible. Do I hear thy call, and seize it with my soul. As when a bronze-mouthed Tyrrhene trumpet sounds ! Rightly thou judgest that on a foe's trail. Broad-shielded Aias, I range to and fro. Him, and no other, I have long been tracking. This very night against us he has wrought A deed incredible, if in truth 'tis he. 7 For we know nothing sure, but drift in doubt. Gladly I assumed the burden of this task. For not long since we found that our whole spoil Had been destroyed, both herds and flocks, slaughtered By some man's hand, their guardians dead beside them. Now 'tis on him that all men lay this guilts And a scout who had seen him swiftly bounding Across the plain alone with reeking sword. Informed me and bore witness. I forthwith, Darting in hot chase, now pick out his tracks. But now, bewildered, know not whose they are. Timely thou comest. As in past days, so In days to come I am guided by thy hand. ATHENA I know it, Odysseus : so on the path betimes A sentinel friendly to thy chase I came. ODYSSEUS Dear mistress, do I labour to good purpose .? ATHENA Know 'twas by yonder man these deeds were wrought. ODYSSEUS And why did he so brandish a frenzied hand ? ATHENA In grievous wrath for Achilles' panoply. ODYSSEUS Why then upon the flocks did he make this onslaught ? ATHENA Your blood he deemed it was that stained his hand. ODYSSEUS Was this outrage designed against the Greeks ? ATHENA He had achieved it too, but for my vigilance. 8 ODYSSEUS What bold scheme could inspire such reckless daring ? ATHENA By night he meant to steal on you alone. ODYSSEUS Did he come near us ? Did he reach his goal ? ATHENA He stood already at the two chiefs' doors. ODYSSEUS What then withheld his eager hand from bloodshed ? ATHENA 'Twas I restrained him, casting on his eyes O'ermastering notions of that baneful ecstasy, That turned his rage on flocks and mingled droves Of booty yet unshared, guarded by herdsmen. Then plunging amid the thronging horns he slew. Smiting on all sides ; and one while he fancied The Atreidae were the captives he was slaughtering, Now 'twas some other chief on whom he fell. And I, while thus he raved in maniac throes, Urged him on, drove him into the baleful toils. Thereafter, when he had wearied of such labours. He bound with thongs such oxen as yet lived. With all the sheep, and drove them to his tents, As though his spoil were men, not horned cattle. Now lashed together in the hut he tortures them. But to thee too will I expose this madness, That seeing thou mayst proclaim it to all the Greeks. Boldly await him here, nor apprehend Mischance ; for I will turn aside his eyes. Foiling his vision lest he see thy face. Hearken, thou who art pinioning with cords The wrists of captives hither, I bid thee, come. ; Thou, Aias, hear me come to thy tent's door. : 9 ODYSSEUS What dost thou, Athena ? Do not summon him forth. ATHENA Abide in silence. Earn not the name of coward. ODYSSEUS. Nay, by the Gods, let him remain within. ATHENA What dost thou dread ? Was he not once a man ? ODYSSEUS Yes, and to me a foeman, and still is. ATHENA To mock foes, is not that the sweetest mockery ? ODYSSEUS I am content he should remain indoors. ATHENA To look upon a madman art thou afeard ? ODYSSEUS Had he been sane, no fear had made me shrink. ATHENA Even now he shall not see thee, near as thou art. ODYSSEUS How so, if still with the same eyes he sees ? ATHENA His orbs will I make dark, though vision is theirs. ODYSSEUS Well, all is possible, when 'tis a god contrives. ATHENA Stand then silent, abiding as thou art. ODYSSEUS Stay I must yet I fain would be far hence. ; 10