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    Ajax
    Ajax
    Ajax
    Ebook56 pages42 minutes

    Ajax

    By Sophocles

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    About this ebook

    Ajax is enraged because Achilles' armor was awarded to Odysseus, rather than to him. He vows to kill the Greek leaders who disgraced him. Before he can enact his extraordinary revenge, though, he is tricked by the goddess Athena into believing that the sheep and cattle that were taken by the Achaeans as spoil are the Greek leaders. He slaughters some of them, and takes the others back to his home to torture, including a ram which he believes to be his main rival, Odysseus.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherInteractive Media
    Release dateOct 15, 2015
    ISBN9781910833957
    Ajax
    Author

    Sophocles

    Sophocles is one of three ancient Greek tragedians whose plays have survived. His first plays were written later than or contemporary with those of Aeschylus, and earlier than or contemporary with those of Euripides.

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      Book preview

      Ajax - Sophocles

      Sophocles

      Sophocles

      Ajax

      LONDON ∙ NEW YORK ∙ TORONTO ∙ SAO PAULO ∙ MOSCOW

      PARIS ∙ MADRID ∙ BERLIN ∙ ROME ∙ MEXICO CITY ∙ MUMBAI ∙ SEOUL ∙ DOHA

      TOKYO ∙ SYDNEY ∙ CAPE TOWN ∙ AUCKLAND ∙ BEIJING

      New Edition

      Published by Sovereign Classic

      www.sovereignclassic.net

      This Edition

      First published in 2015

      Copyright © 2015 Sovereign Classic

      Contents

      DRAMATIS PERSONAE

      AJAX

      DRAMATIS PERSONAE

      ATHENA

      ODYSSEUS

      AJAX

      CHORUS OF SALAMINIANS

      TECMESSA, concubine of AJAX

      MESSENGER

      TEUCER, half-brother of AJAX

      MENELAUS

      AGAMEMNON

      Mute Persons

      EURYSACES, child of AJAX and TECMESSA

      Attendants, Heralds, etc.

      AJAX

      Before the tent of AJAX in the Greek camp at Troy. It is dawn. ODYSSEUS is discovered examining the ground before the tent. ATHENA appears from above.

      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 Ajax, 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 Ajax, 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.

      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 guilt:

      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.

      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

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