Scaife ATLAS

Ajax (112-208)

urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0011.tlg003.perseus-eng2:112-208

Refs	`{'start': {'reference': '112', 'human_reference': 'Line 112'}, 'end': {'reference': '208', 'human_reference': 'Line 208'}}`
Ancestors	`[]`
Children	`[]`

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In all else, Athena, I bid you take your pleasure, but he will pay this penalty and no other.

Athena

Well, then, since it delights you to do so, put your arm to use; spare no portion of your plan.

Ajax

I go to my work. And I give you this commission: be always for me the close-standing ally that you have been for me today!

Exit Ajax.

Athena

Do you see, Odysseus, how great is the strength of the gods? Whom could you have found more prudent than this man,

or better able to do what the situation demanded?

Odysseus

I know of no one, but in his misery I pity him all the same, even though he hates me, because he is yoked beneath a ruinous delusion—I think of my own lot no less than his.

For I see that all we who live are nothing more than phantoms or fleeting shadow.

Athena

Therefore since you witness his fate, see that you yourself never utter an arrogant word against the gods, nor assume any swelling pride, if in the scales of fate you are weightier

than another in strength of hand or in depth of ample wealth. For a day can press down all human things, and a day can raise them up. But the gods embrace men of sense and abhor the evil.

Exit Odysseus and Athena.

134

Enter the Chorus of Salaminian Sailors, followers of Ajax.

Chorus

Son of Telamon, you who hold

your throne on wave-washed Salamis near the open sea, when your fortune is fair, I rejoice with you. But whenever the stroke of Zeus, or the raging rumor of the Danaans with the clamor of their evil tongues attacks you, then I shrink with great fear and shudder in terror,

like the fluttering eye of the winged dove.

Just so with the passing of the night loud tumults oppressed us to our dishonor, telling how you visited the meadow wild with horses and destroyed

the cattle of the Greeks, their spoil, prizes of the spear which had not yet been shared, how you killed them with flashing iron.

Such are the whispered slanders that Odysseus moulds and breathes into the ears of all,

and he wins much belief. For now he tells tales concerning you that easily win belief, and each hearer rejoices with spiteful scorn at your burdens more than he who told.

Point your shaft at a noble spirit,

and you could not miss; but if a man were to speak such things against me, he would win no belief. It is on the powerful that envy creeps. Yet the small without the great are a teetering tower of defence.

For the lowly stand most upright and prosperous when allied with the great, and the great when served by less.

But foolish men cannot learn good precepts in these matters beforehand. It is men of this sort that subject you to tumult, and

we lack the power to repel these charges without you, O King. For when they have escaped your eye, they chatter like flocking birds. But, terrified by a mighty vulture,

perhaps, if you should appear, they would quickly cower without voice in silence.

172

Chorus

Was it Artemis ruler of bulls, Zeus’s daughter, that drove you, O powerful Rumor, O mother of my shame,

drove you against the herds of all our people? Was she exacting retribution, perhaps, for a victory that had paid her no tribute, whether it was because she had been cheated of the glory of captured arms, or because a stag had been slain without gifts for recompense? Or can the bronze-cuirassed Lord of War

have had some cause for anger arising out of an alliance of spears, and taken vengeance for the outrage by contrivance shrouded in night?

182

Chorus

For never of your own heart alone, son of Telamon, would you have gone so far down the sinister path

as to fall upon the flocks. When the gods send madness, it cannot but reach its target, but may Zeus and Phoebus avert the evil rumor of the Greeks!

And if it is the great kings who slander you with their furtive stories,

or if it is he born of the abject line of Sisyphus, do not, my king, do not win me an evil name by keeping your face still hidden in the tent by the sea.

193

Chorus

Come now, up from your seat, wherever you are settled in this long-lived pause from battle

and are making the flame of disaster blaze up to the sky! The violent insolence of your enemies rushes fearlessly about in the breezy glens, while the tongues of all the army cackle out a load of grief.

For me, sorrow stands firmly planted.

201

Enter Tecmessa.

Tecmessa

Mates of the ship of Ajax, offspring of the race that springs from the Erechtheids, the soil’s sons, cries of grief are the portion of us who care from afar for the house of Telamon.

Ajax, our terrible, mighty lord of untamed power, now lies plagued by a turbid storm of disease.

Chorus

And what is the heavy change from the fortune of yesterday which this night has produced?

Tokens

In	1	w	2
all	1	w	5
else	1	w	9
Athena	1	w	16
I	2	w	18
bid	1	w	21
you	1	w	24
take	1	w	28
your	1	w	32
pleasure	1	w	40
but	1	w	44
he	2	w	46
will	1	w	50
pay	1	w	53
this	1	w	57
penalty	1	w	64
and	1	w	67
no	1	w	69
other	1	w	74
Athena	2	w	81
Well	1	w	85
then	3	w	90
since	1	w	96
it	1	w	98
delights	1	w	106
you	3	w	109
to	1	w	111
do	1	w	113
so	1	w	115
put	1	w	119
your	2	w	123
arm	1	w	126
to	2	w	128
use	1	w	131
spare	1	w	137
no	2	w	139
portion	1	w	146
of	1	w	148
your	3	w	152
plan	1	w	156
Ajax	1	w	161
I	3	w	162
go	1	w	164
to	3	w	166
my	1	w	168
work	1	w	172
And	1	w	176
I	4	w	177
give	1	w	181
you	6	w	184
this	2	w	188
commission	1	w	198
be	1	w	201
always	1	w	207
for	1	w	210
me	1	w	212
the	5	w	215
close-standing	1	w	229
ally	1	w	233
that	1	w	237
you	7	w	240
have	1	w	244
been	1	w	248
for	2	w	251
me	2	w	253
today	1	w	258
Exit	1	w	263
Ajax	2	w	267
Athena	3	w	274
Do	1	w	276
you	8	w	279
see	1	w	282
Odysseus	1	w	291
how	1	w	295
great	1	w	300
is	4	w	302
the	7	w	305
strength	1	w	313
of	2	w	315
the	8	w	318
gods	1	w	322
Whom	1	w	327
could	1	w	332
you	9	w	335
have	2	w	339
found	1	w	344
more	1	w	348
prudent	1	w	355
than	1	w	359
this	3	w	363
man	1	w	366
or	6	w	369
better	1	w	375
able	1	w	379
to	5	w	381
do	2	w	383
what	1	w	387
the	9	w	390
situation	1	w	399
demanded	1	w	407
Odysseus	2	w	416
I	5	w	417
know	1	w	421
of	3	w	423
no	4	w	425
one	1	w	428
but	2	w	432
in	3	w	434
his	4	w	437
misery	1	w	443
I	6	w	444
pity	1	w	448
him	1	w	451
all	3	w	454
the	10	w	457
same	1	w	461
even	1	w	466
though	1	w	472
he	12	w	474
hates	1	w	479
me	4	w	481
because	1	w	489
he	13	w	491
is	8	w	493
yoked	1	w	498
beneath	1	w	505
a	35	w	506
ruinous	1	w	513
delusion	1	w	521
I	7	w	523
think	1	w	528
of	4	w	530
my	2	w	532
own	1	w	535
lot	1	w	538
no	6	w	540
less	1	w	544
than	2	w	548
his	5	w	551
For	1	w	555
I	8	w	556
see	2	w	559
that	2	w	563
all	4	w	566
we	1	w	568
who	1	w	571
live	1	w	575
are	2	w	578
nothing	1	w	585
more	2	w	589
than	3	w	593
phantoms	1	w	601
or	9	w	603
fleeting	1	w	611
shadow	1	w	617
Athena	4	w	624
Therefore	1	w	633
since	2	w	638
you	10	w	641
witness	1	w	648
his	6	w	651
fate	1	w	655
see	3	w	659
that	3	w	663
you	11	w	666
yourself	1	w	674
never	1	w	679
utter	1	w	684
an	10	w	686
arrogant	1	w	694
word	1	w	698
against	1	w	705
the	12	w	708
gods	2	w	712
nor	1	w	716
assume	1	w	722
any	1	w	725
swelling	1	w	733
pride	1	w	738
if	1	w	741
in	11	w	743
the	13	w	746
scales	1	w	752
of	5	w	754
fate	2	w	758
you	13	w	761
are	3	w	764
weightier	1	w	773
than	4	w	777
another	1	w	784
in	12	w	786
strength	2	w	794
of	6	w	796
hand	1	w	800
or	13	w	802
in	13	w	804
depth	1	w	809
of	7	w	811
ample	1	w	816
wealth	1	w	822
For	2	w	826
a	61	w	827
day	2	w	830
can	1	w	833
press	1	w	838
down	1	w	842
all	5	w	845
human	1	w	850
things	1	w	856
and	5	w	860
a	67	w	861
day	3	w	864
can	2	w	867
raise	1	w	872
them	1	w	876
up	1	w	878
But	1	w	882
the	16	w	885
gods	3	w	889
embrace	1	w	896
men	1	w	899
of	8	w	901
sense	1	w	906
and	6	w	909
abhor	1	w	914
the	17	w	917
evil	1	w	921
Exit	2	w	926
Odysseus	3	w	934
and	7	w	937
Athena	5	w	943
Enter	1	w	949
the	19	w	952
Chorus	1	w	958
of	9	w	960
Salaminian	1	w	970
Sailors	1	w	977
followers	1	w	987
of	10	w	989
Ajax	3	w	993
Chorus	2	w	1000
Son	1	w	1003
of	11	w	1005
Telamon	1	w	1012
you	14	w	1016
who	2	w	1019
hold	1	w	1023
your	5	w	1027
throne	1	w	1033
on	9	w	1035
wave-washed	1	w	1046
Salamis	1	w	1053
near	1	w	1057
the	20	w	1060
open	1	w	1064
sea	1	w	1067
when	1	w	1072
your	6	w	1076
fortune	1	w	1083
is	13	w	1085
fair	1	w	1089
I	9	w	1091
rejoice	1	w	1098
with	1	w	1102
you	17	w	1105
But	2	w	1109
whenever	1	w	1117
the	21	w	1120
stroke	1	w	1126
of	12	w	1128
Zeus	1	w	1132
or	20	w	1135
the	22	w	1138
raging	1	w	1144
rumor	1	w	1149
of	13	w	1151
the	23	w	1154
Danaans	1	w	1161
with	2	w	1165
the	24	w	1168
clamor	1	w	1174
of	14	w	1176
their	1	w	1181
evil	2	w	1185
tongues	1	w	1192
attacks	1	w	1199
you	18	w	1202
then	7	w	1207
I	10	w	1208
shrink	1	w	1214
with	3	w	1218
great	2	w	1223
fear	1	w	1227
and	8	w	1230
shudder	1	w	1237
in	18	w	1239
terror	1	w	1245
like	1	w	1250
the	27	w	1253
fluttering	1	w	1263
eye	1	w	1266
of	15	w	1268
the	28	w	1271
winged	1	w	1277
dove	1	w	1281
Just	1	w	1286
so	2	w	1288
with	4	w	1292
the	29	w	1295
passing	1	w	1302
of	16	w	1304
the	30	w	1307
night	1	w	1312
loud	1	w	1316
tumults	1	w	1323
oppressed	1	w	1332
us	12	w	1334
to	8	w	1336
our	7	w	1339
dishonor	1	w	1347
telling	1	w	1355
how	2	w	1358
you	19	w	1361
visited	1	w	1368
the	31	w	1371
meadow	1	w	1377
wild	1	w	1381
with	5	w	1385
horses	1	w	1391
and	9	w	1394
destroyed	1	w	1403
the	32	w	1406
cattle	1	w	1412
of	17	w	1414
the	33	w	1417
Greeks	1	w	1423
their	2	w	1429
spoil	1	w	1434
prizes	1	w	1441
of	18	w	1443
the	35	w	1446
spear	1	w	1451
which	1	w	1456
had	2	w	1459
not	3	w	1462
yet	1	w	1465
been	2	w	1469
shared	1	w	1475
how	3	w	1479
you	20	w	1482
killed	1	w	1488
them	2	w	1492
with	6	w	1496
flashing	1	w	1504
iron	1	w	1508
Such	1	w	1513
are	5	w	1516
the	37	w	1519
whispered	1	w	1528
slanders	1	w	1536
that	4	w	1540
Odysseus	4	w	1548
moulds	1	w	1554
and	11	w	1557
breathes	1	w	1565
into	1	w	1569
the	39	w	1572
ears	1	w	1576
of	19	w	1578
all	6	w	1581
and	12	w	1585
he	47	w	1587
wins	1	w	1591
much	1	w	1595
belief	1	w	1601
For	3	w	1605
now	2	w	1608
he	48	w	1610
tells	1	w	1615
tales	1	w	1620
concerning	1	w	1630
you	21	w	1633
that	5	w	1637
easily	1	w	1643
win	3	w	1646
belief	2	w	1652
and	13	w	1656
each	1	w	1660
hearer	1	w	1666
rejoices	1	w	1674
with	7	w	1678
spiteful	1	w	1686
scorn	1	w	1691
at	17	w	1693
your	7	w	1697
burdens	1	w	1704
more	3	w	1708
than	5	w	1712
he	50	w	1714
who	3	w	1717
told	1	w	1721
Point	1	w	1727
your	8	w	1731
shaft	1	w	1736
at	18	w	1738
a	125	w	1739
noble	1	w	1744
spirit	1	w	1750
and	14	w	1754
you	24	w	1757
could	2	w	1762
not	4	w	1765
miss	2	w	1769
but	3	w	1773
if	2	w	1775
a	127	w	1776
man	4	w	1779
were	1	w	1783
to	11	w	1785
speak	1	w	1790
such	1	w	1794
things	2	w	1800
against	2	w	1807
me	8	w	1809
he	51	w	1812
would	1	w	1817
win	4	w	1820
no	15	w	1822
belief	3	w	1828
It	1	w	1831
is	18	w	1833
on	14	w	1835
the	40	w	1838
powerful	1	w	1846
that	6	w	1850
envy	1	w	1854
creeps	1	w	1860
Yet	1	w	1864
the	41	w	1867
small	1	w	1872
without	1	w	1879
the	42	w	1882
great	3	w	1887
are	7	w	1890
a	136	w	1891
teetering	1	w	1900
tower	1	w	1905
of	20	w	1907
defence	1	w	1914
For	4	w	1918
the	43	w	1921
lowly	1	w	1926
stand	2	w	1931
most	1	w	1935
upright	1	w	1942
and	16	w	1945
prosperous	1	w	1955
when	3	w	1959
allied	1	w	1965
with	9	w	1969
the	44	w	1972
great	4	w	1977
and	17	w	1981
the	45	w	1984
great	5	w	1989
when	4	w	1993
served	1	w	1999
by	1	w	2001
less	2	w	2005
But	3	w	2009
foolish	1	w	2016
men	2	w	2019
cannot	1	w	2025
learn	1	w	2030
good	1	w	2034
precepts	1	w	2042
in	33	w	2044
these	1	w	2049
matters	1	w	2056
beforehand	1	w	2066
It	2	w	2069
is	20	w	2071
men	3	w	2074
of	21	w	2076
this	4	w	2080
sort	1	w	2084
that	7	w	2088
subject	1	w	2095
you	25	w	2098
to	13	w	2100
tumult	2	w	2106
and	19	w	2110
we	9	w	2112
lack	1	w	2116
the	47	w	2119
power	2	w	2124
to	14	w	2126
repel	1	w	2131
these	2	w	2136
charges	1	w	2143
without	2	w	2150
you	26	w	2153
O	5	w	2155
King	1	w	2159
For	5	w	2163
when	5	w	2167
they	1	w	2171
have	3	w	2175
escaped	1	w	2182
your	9	w	2186
eye	2	w	2189
they	2	w	2194
chatter	1	w	2201
like	2	w	2205
flocking	1	w	2213
birds	1	w	2218
But	4	w	2222
terrified	1	w	2232
by	2	w	2234
a	154	w	2235
mighty	1	w	2241
vulture	1	w	2248
perhaps	1	w	2256
if	4	w	2259
you	28	w	2262
should	1	w	2268
appear	1	w	2274
they	3	w	2279
would	2	w	2284
quickly	1	w	2291
cower	1	w	2296
without	3	w	2303
voice	1	w	2308
in	36	w	2310
silence	1	w	2317
Chorus	3	w	2324
Was	1	w	2327
it	21	w	2329
Artemis	1	w	2336
ruler	1	w	2341
of	22	w	2343
bulls	1	w	2348
Zeus	2	w	2353
s	154	w	2355
daughter	1	w	2363
that	8	w	2368
drove	1	w	2373
you	29	w	2376
O	6	w	2378
powerful	2	w	2386
Rumor	1	w	2391
O	7	w	2393
mother	1	w	2399
of	23	w	2401
my	3	w	2403
shame	1	w	2408
drove	2	w	2414
you	30	w	2417
against	3	w	2424
the	53	w	2427
herds	1	w	2432
of	24	w	2434
all	9	w	2437
our	11	w	2440
people	1	w	2446
Was	2	w	2450
she	2	w	2453
exacting	1	w	2461
retribution	1	w	2472
perhaps	2	w	2480
for	6	w	2484
a	168	w	2485
victory	1	w	2492
that	9	w	2496
had	3	w	2499
paid	1	w	2503
her	6	w	2506
no	17	w	2508
tribute	1	w	2515
whether	1	w	2523
it	22	w	2525
was	2	w	2528
because	2	w	2535
she	3	w	2538
had	4	w	2541
been	3	w	2545
cheated	1	w	2552
of	25	w	2554
the	55	w	2557
glory	1	w	2562
of	26	w	2564
captured	1	w	2572
arms	1	w	2576
or	38	w	2579
because	3	w	2586
a	179	w	2587
stag	1	w	2591
had	5	w	2594
been	4	w	2598
slain	1	w	2603
without	4	w	2610
gifts	1	w	2615
for	7	w	2618
recompense	1	w	2628
Or	1	w	2631
can	4	w	2634
the	56	w	2637
bronze-cuirassed	1	w	2653
Lord	1	w	2657
of	27	w	2659
War	1	w	2662
have	4	w	2666
had	6	w	2669
some	1	w	2673
cause	4	w	2678
for	8	w	2681
anger	1	w	2686
arising	1	w	2693
out	5	w	2696
of	28	w	2698
an	42	w	2700
alliance	1	w	2708
of	29	w	2710
spears	1	w	2716
and	20	w	2720
taken	1	w	2725
vengeance	1	w	2734
for	9	w	2737
the	57	w	2740
outrage	1	w	2747
by	3	w	2749
contrivance	1	w	2760
shrouded	1	w	2768
in	41	w	2770
night	2	w	2775
Chorus	4	w	2782
For	6	w	2785
never	3	w	2790
of	30	w	2792
your	10	w	2796
own	3	w	2799
heart	1	w	2804
alone	1	w	2809
son	1	w	2813
of	31	w	2815
Telamon	2	w	2822
would	3	w	2828
you	32	w	2831
have	5	w	2835
gone	1	w	2839
so	6	w	2841
far	1	w	2844
down	2	w	2848
the	58	w	2851
sinister	1	w	2859
path	1	w	2863
as	11	w	2865
to	16	w	2867
fall	1	w	2871
upon	1	w	2875
the	59	w	2878
flocks	1	w	2884
When	1	w	2889
the	60	w	2892
gods	4	w	2896
send	1	w	2900
madness	1	w	2907
it	24	w	2910
cannot	2	w	2916
but	6	w	2919
reach	1	w	2924
its	1	w	2927
target	1	w	2933
but	7	w	2937
may	1	w	2940
Zeus	3	w	2944
and	21	w	2947
Phoebus	1	w	2954
avert	1	w	2959
the	61	w	2962
evil	3	w	2966
rumor	2	w	2971
of	32	w	2973
the	62	w	2976
Greeks	2	w	2982
And	2	w	2986
if	6	w	2988
it	26	w	2990
is	25	w	2992
the	63	w	2995
great	6	w	3000
kings	1	w	3005
who	4	w	3008
slander	2	w	3015
you	33	w	3018
with	13	w	3022
their	3	w	3027
furtive	1	w	3034
stories	1	w	3041
or	47	w	3044
if	7	w	3046
it	28	w	3048
is	26	w	3050
he	88	w	3052
born	1	w	3056
of	33	w	3058
the	65	w	3061
abject	1	w	3067
line	1	w	3071
of	34	w	3073
Sisyphus	1	w	3081
do	8	w	3084
not	7	w	3087
my	4	w	3090
king	3	w	3094
do	9	w	3097
not	8	w	3100
win	5	w	3103
me	13	w	3105
an	50	w	3107
evil	4	w	3111
name	1	w	3115
by	4	w	3117
keeping	1	w	3124
your	11	w	3128
face	1	w	3132
still	1	w	3137
hidden	1	w	3143
in	48	w	3145
the	66	w	3148
tent	1	w	3152
by	5	w	3154
the	67	w	3157
sea	2	w	3160
Chorus	5	w	3167
Come	1	w	3171
now	3	w	3174
up	4	w	3177
from	1	w	3181
your	12	w	3185
seat	1	w	3189
wherever	1	w	3198
you	36	w	3201
are	8	w	3204
settled	1	w	3211
in	49	w	3213
this	5	w	3217
long-lived	1	w	3227
pause	1	w	3232
from	2	w	3236
battle	1	w	3242
and	23	w	3245
are	9	w	3248
making	1	w	3254
the	68	w	3257
flame	1	w	3262
of	35	w	3264
disaster	1	w	3272
blaze	1	w	3277
up	5	w	3279
to	18	w	3281
the	69	w	3284
sky	1	w	3287
The	2	w	3291
violent	1	w	3298
insolence	1	w	3307
of	36	w	3309
your	13	w	3313
enemies	1	w	3320
rushes	1	w	3326
fearlessly	1	w	3336
about	1	w	3341
in	52	w	3343
the	70	w	3346
breezy	1	w	3352
glens	1	w	3357
while	1	w	3363
the	71	w	3366
tongues	2	w	3373
of	37	w	3375
all	12	w	3378
the	72	w	3381
army	1	w	3385
cackle	1	w	3391
out	8	w	3394
a	237	w	3395
load	1	w	3399
of	38	w	3401
grief	1	w	3406
For	7	w	3410
me	17	w	3412
sorrow	1	w	3419
stands	1	w	3425
firmly	1	w	3431
planted	1	w	3438
Enter	2	w	3444
Tecmessa	1	w	3452
Tecmessa	2	w	3461
Mates	1	w	3466
of	39	w	3468
the	73	w	3471
ship	1	w	3475
of	40	w	3477
Ajax	4	w	3481
offspring	1	w	3491
of	42	w	3493
the	74	w	3496
race	2	w	3500
that	10	w	3504
springs	1	w	3511
from	3	w	3515
the	75	w	3518
Erechtheids	1	w	3529
the	77	w	3533
soil	1	w	3537
s	233	w	3539
sons	1	w	3543
cries	1	w	3549
of	43	w	3551
grief	2	w	3556
are	10	w	3559
the	78	w	3562
portion	2	w	3569
of	44	w	3571
us	27	w	3573
who	5	w	3576
care	1	w	3580
from	4	w	3584
afar	1	w	3588
for	10	w	3591
the	79	w	3594
house	1	w	3599
of	45	w	3601
Telamon	3	w	3608
Ajax	5	w	3613
our	16	w	3617
terrible	1	w	3625
mighty	2	w	3632
lord	1	w	3636
of	46	w	3638
untamed	1	w	3645
power	4	w	3650
now	4	w	3654
lies	1	w	3658
plagued	1	w	3665
by	6	w	3667
a	255	w	3668
turbid	1	w	3674
storm	1	w	3679
of	47	w	3681
disease	1	w	3688
Chorus	6	w	3695
And	3	w	3698
what	2	w	3702
is	31	w	3704
the	80	w	3707
heavy	1	w	3712
change	1	w	3718
from	5	w	3722
the	81	w	3725
fortune	2	w	3732
of	48	w	3734
yesterday	1	w	3743
which	2	w	3748
this	6	w	3752
night	3	w	3757
has	1	w	3760
produced	1	w	3768