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Delahoyde & Hughes
Orpheus
AJAX
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Ajax may be the earliest surviving play from Sophocles, perhaps
from the 440s b.c.e. It begins with Athena asking Odysseus why he's
tracking down Ajax. Odyseeus explains that he's the prime suspect in a
massive livestock butchering. Athena explains in turn that Ajax, enraged
by the awarding of Achilles' armor to Odysseus, harbored vengeful
thoughts about the Greek commanders, especially Menelaus and Agamemnon,
as well as Odysseus himself. Further addled by the goddess, he thought
the animals were these new enemies of his and murdered them. In his
madness, some he has taken into his tent and bound for torment and
whippings. Athena wants Odysseus to see the sight: "to laugh at your
enemies -- / What sweeter laughter can there be than that?" (10). She
calls out Ajax and lets his madness continue. Odysseus pities Ajax's
wretchedness.
A Chorus of Salaminian sailors holds forth on the plight of being famous.
Tecmessa, Ajax's significant other, has witnessed Ajax's madness and his
"awful curses / As no man, but some demon, must have taught him" (16).
Now come back to his senses, he is overcome with anguish, groaning and
shrieking and refusing food: "My name is Ajax: / Agony is its meaning"
(23). He feels hated by the gods; he is hated by the Greeks (24), so he
wonders if he should go out in a blaze of glory against Troy. But that
would make his enemies happy.
Tecmessa tries to comfort and reason with Ajax. He spends a short time
with his son Eurysaces, then leaves. After a choral interlude, a
messenger reports that Ajax's brother Teucer landed and was jeered at by
the Greeks. Ajax's valor is recalled, as when he dismissed Athena from
helping him in fighting. Teucer sends word that Ajax must be kept under
cover in his tent, but Ajax has already run off, and all are worried. The
Chorus divides into "semichoruses" and the search for Ajax is on.
Ajax appears near the seashore and has the sword Hector gave him as "a
token of guest friendship" (38). He apostrophizes his last words and
falls on the sword. The semichoruses arrive, but it is Tecmessa who finds
the dead Ajax and covers him with her mantle. Teucer grieves and has been
designated to raise Eurysaces. Menelaus arrives and is nasty about Ajax,
but Teucer chews him out and it seems the vote regarding Achilles' armor
was in fact manipulated somehow. Teucer performs a hair-cutting ceremony
with Eurysaces. He has a hostile exchange with Agamemnon about their
respective families. Odysseus reasons with Agamemnon about allowing the
burial of Ajax, and Agamemnon relents. Teucer praises Odysseus: "How
greatly you deceived my expectations" (61). The Chorus ends with
platitudes.
Powell, Barry. Classical Myth. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 2001.
Sophocles. Ajax. Trans. John Moore. Sophocles II. Ed. David Grene and Richmond Lattimore. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1957. 1-62.