This is a play by Sophocles. It is in GB Volume 5. The newsletter post is here.
Notes
Page 1: Lines 1 - 69:
- The play opens with a scene outside Ajax’s tent in the Greek camp near Troy. Ulysses (Odysseus) is examining footprints, and Athena appears above him.
- Athena complements him for his keen observation. Ulysses recognizes Athena and thanks her.
- He says the cattle they had captured as spoils of war were found slaughtered and many suspect Ajax.
- Athena confirms that Ajax indeed killed the cattle thinking that they were Greek leaders. He had set out to kill the chiefs but Athena caused him to hallucinate.
Ulysses: “thine is the hand that ever guides my course—as in the past, so for the days to come.”
Page 2: Lines 69 - 181:
- Athena calls Ajax out of his tent. She assures Ulysses that Ajax will not be able to see him.
- Ajax emerges, still delusional, believing he has captured and killed the Greek leaders. He thinks he has Ulysses still captured in his tent and is planning to torture him.
- After Ajax goes back Ulysses expresses pity for Ajax, reflecting on the fragility of human life.
- Athena warns against arrogance and says “the wise of heart are loved of the gods”.
- The Chorus (Ajax’s friends) enters expressing concern for Ajax since they heard the rumor about Ajax killing the cattle. They criticize those who spread malicious gossip since they don’t believe the rumor. They also say that if Ajax did something, it might have been the work of the gods - Artemis or Ares (Lord of War).
Athena: “For a day can humble all human things, and a day can lift them up; but the wise of heart are loved of the gods, and the evil are abhorred.”
Page 3: Lines 182 - 313:
- The Chorus asks Ajax to come out and clear the issue of the rumor saying that he would not have done the deed on his own account.
- Tecmessa enters addressing the Chorus as ‘Mariners of Ajax’. So, they are the sailors who sailed with Ajax. The Chorus addresses her as ‘spear-won bride’. So, she is Ajax’s concubine who he probably took up during the war.
- She confirms that Ajax has indeed gone mad and gives details about how he killed cattle and the guards in the night. The Chorus gets scared and contemplates whether they should flee for they might be killed by stoning or in other ways.
- She says that Ajax has regained his sanity but is in deep distress over what he had done.
Tecmessa: “To look on self-wrought woes, when no other hath had a hand therein—this lays sharp pangs to the soul.”
Page 4: Lines 314 - 441:
- Tecmessa continues to talk about Ajax’s despair and they hear Ajax’ cry from the tent calling for Teucer.
- They go in and find Ajax sitting among the slaughtered animals. He sees them and talks to them about his sad state and shame.
- He expresses his desire to die and his anger towards Ulysses and the Greek leaders. He says his past achievements are meaningless. He feels that he has not lived up to his father Telamon.
Chorus: “cure not ill by ill, nor in- crease the anguish of the doom.”
Page 5: Lines 442 - 555:
- Ajax continues to lament, feels cheated of honor, blames Athena and thinks what he should do next.
- Tecmessa pleads with Ajax not to abandon her and their son, who might have a dreadful fate if Ajax dies. She says Ajax had sacked their country and killed her parents and has no where to go.
- Ajax asks to see his son Eurysaces. When he comes, Ajax reflects on his son’s innocence and hopes for a bright future for him.
Ajax: “‘Tis base for a man to crave the full term of life, who finds no varying in his woes. What joy is there in day following day—now pushing us forward, now drawing us back, on the verge—of death?”
Page 6: Lines 555 - 681:
- Ajax tells his son that Teucer will take care of him. He says his shield should go to his son and the rest of his armor should be buried with him.
- He asks Tecmessa to go inside with the kid and then goes inside and comes out with a sword.
- He says he wants to go to the shore to purify himself and bury the sword, which was a gift from Hector. But though Hector gave it in good faith, Ajax now feels it brought him bad luck.
- He says he will yield to the gods and revere and submit to the Atreidae since they are the rules.
Ajax: “For since my hand took this gift from Hector, my worst foe, to this hour I have had no good from the Greeks.”
Page 7: Lines 681 - 800:
- After Ajax goes to the shore to purify himself, the Chorus is happy with the change of his mindset.
- A messenger arrives saying that Teucer is being threatened by the Greeks calling him ” kinsman of the maniac, of the plotter against the host”.
- The messenger tells them that Calchas the prophet told Teucer to make sure to keep Ajax inside his tent. Otherwise there might be risk to his life.
- The Chorus says it is already too late since Ajax left his tent. Tecmessa is alarmed by this news.
Calchas: “lives that have waxed too proud, and avail for good no more, are struck down by heavy misfortunes from the gods.”
Page 8: Lines 801 - 923:
- Tecmessa frantically asks people to go in search of Ajax.
- Meanwhile Ajax is on the seashore, planting Hector’s sword on the ground. He calls on Zeus and Hermes to give him a quick death, asks the Furies for revenge against the Atreidae,
- After bidding farewell to Salamis, Athens and Troy, he falls on his sword and dies.
- The Chorus is still looking for Ajax. They hear Tecmessa crying out and when the reach they find Ajax head and Tecmessa explains that he committed suicide.
Ajax: “I call also on Hermes, guide to the nether world, that he lay me softly asleep, without a struggle, at one quick bound,”
This was a shocking sudden turn of events. I flipped the pages to see if the play was over!
Page 9: Lines 924 - 1038:
- The Chorus and Tecmessa lament Ajax’s fate. Tecmessa says the Greek leaders will regret losing Ajax.
- Teucer arrives and asks about Ajax. When he is told of the death, he seeks to see the body. When he sees the body, he laments his death. He wonders how he will go back and face Telamon.
Tecmessa: “Ill- judging men know not the good that was in their hands, till they have lost it.”
Page 10: Lines 1038 - 1140:
- Menelaus enters and forbids the burial of Ajax’s body. He says Ajax was a traitor who attempted to kill the Greek leaders. He says if there is license to insult and act at will, that State will always fail. He says if anyone tries to bury Ajax, they will also need a grave.
- Teucer questions Menelaus’ authority. He says he came as Sparta’s king and not their king.
- They get into a heated argument.
Menelaus: “where there is licence to insult and act at will, doubt not that such a State, though favouring gales have sped her, some day, at last, sinks into the depths.”
Page 11: Lines 1141 - 1262:
- Menelaus & Teucer continue their argument with each not giving in. Finally Menelaus leaves.
- Tecmessa and Eurysaces (Ajax’s son) enter and Teucer tells Eurysaces to stay next to his father as a suppliant. He asks everyone else to guard the body while he goes to prepare the grave.
- He tells Tecmessa and the Chorus to guard the body while he goes to prepare the grave. After he leaves, the Chorus laments the long years of war and hardship at Troy.
- Teucer returns and Agamemnon comes there after that. He criticizes Teucer of arrogance and calls him son of a captive woman. He threatens Teucer with punishment if he buries Ajax.
Agamemnon: “‘Tis not the burly, broad-shouldered men that are surest at need; no, ‘tis the wise who prevail in every field. A large-ribbed ox is yet kept straight on the road by a small whip.”
Page 12: Lines 1262 - 1363:
- Teucer reminds Agamemnon of Ajax’s heroic deeds during the war, that Ajax had saved them when their ships were burning and had single handedly fought Hector.
- Teucer says though his mother was captive, she was a queen before. Both his parents were noble but Agamenon’s were not. He also talks about Atreus’ horrific deed of feeding his brother after killing his children. Teucer vows to die fighting if the burial is not allowed.
- Ulysses enters and Agamemnon explains the situation to him saying Ajax is a traitor who tried to kill them. Ulysses argues that denying burial, especially to a brave man like Ajax, would not be the right thing. He says Ajax’ worth weighs far more than his enmity.
Ulysses: “When a brave man is dead, ‘tis not right to do him scathe no, not even if thou hate him.”
Page 13: Lines 1364 - 1421:
- Agamemnon reluctantly agrees to allow Ajax’s burial. Ulysses offers to help. Teucer praises Ulysses’ support but politely declines his offer.
- Teucer gives instructions to the burial and they get started with the procedure.
Chorus: “Many things shall mortals learn by seeing; but, before he sees, no man may read the future, or his fate.”