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After fierce tempest calm will ever lull
The moaning sea； and Sleep； that masters all；
Binds life awhile； yet loosens soon the bond。
And who am I that I should not learn wisdom？
Of all men I； whom proof hath taught of late
How so far only should we hate our foes
As though we soon might love them； and so far
Do a friend service； as to one most like
Some day to prove our foe； since oftenest men
In friendship but a faithless haven find。
Thus well am I resolved。 （To TECMESSA） Thou； woman； pass
Within； and pray the gods that all things so
May be accomplished as my heart desires。
And you； friends； heed my wishes as she doth；
And when he comes； bid Teucer he must guard
My rights at need； and withal stand your friend。
For now I go whither I needs must pass。
Do as I bid。 Soon haply you shall hear；
With me； for all this misery； 'tis most well。
（AJAX departs。 TECMESSA goes into the tent。）
CHORUS （singing）
strophe
I thrill with rapture； flutter on wings of ecstasy。
Io； Io； Pan； Pan！
O Pan； Pan！ from the stony ridge；
Snow…bestrewn of Cyllene's height
Appear roving across the waters；
O dance…ordering king of gods；
That thou mayst join me in flinging free
Fancy measures of Nysa and of Cnossus。
Yea for the dance I now am eager。
And over the far Icarian billows come； O king Apollo；
From Delos in haste； come thou；
Thy kindly power here in our midst revealing。
antistrophe
Ares hath lifted horror and anguish from our eyes。
Io； Io！ Now again；
Now； O Zeus； can the bright and blithe
Glory of happier days return
To our swift…voyaging ships； for now
Hath Ajax wholly forgot his grief；
And all rites due to the gods he now
Fain would meetly perform with loyal worship。
Mighty is time to dwindle all things。
Nought would I call too strange for belief； when Ajax thus beyond
hope
Hath learnt to repent his proud feuds；
And lay aside anger against the Atreidae。
（A MESSENGER enters。）
MESSENGER
My friends； these tiding I would tell you first：
Teucer is present； from the Mysian heights
But now returned； and in the central camp
By all the Greeks at once is being reviled。
As he drew near they knew him from afar；
Then gathering around him one and all
With taunts assailed him from this side and that；
Calling him kinsman of that maniac；
That plotter against the host； saying that nought
Should save him； stoned and mangled he must die。
And so they had come to such a pitch that swords
Plucked from their sheaths stood naked in men's hands。
Yet when the strife ran highest； it was stayed
By words from the elders and so reconciled。
But where is Ajax？ I must speak with him。
He whom it most concerns must be told all。
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
He is not within； but has just now gone forth
With a new purpose yoked to a new mood。
MESSENGER
Alas！ Alas！
Then too late on this errand was I sped
By him who sent me； or I have proved too slow。
LEADER
What urgent need has been neglected here？
MESSENGER
Teucer forbade that Ajax should go forth
Outside his hut； till he himself should come。
LEADER
Well； he is gone。 To wisest purpose now
His mind is turned； to appease heaven's wrath。
MESSENGER
These words of thine are filled with utter folly；
If there was truth in Calchas' prophecy。
LEADER
What prophecy？ And what know you of this thing？
MESSENGER
Thus much I know； for by chance I was present。
Leaving the circle of consulting chiefs
Where sat the Atreidae； Calchas went aside；
And with kind purpose grasping Teucer's hand
Enjoined him that by every artifice
He should restrain Ajax within his tents
This whole day； and not leave him to himself；
If he wished ever to behold him alive。
For on this day alone； such were his words；
Would the wrath of divine Athena vex him。
For the overweening and unprofitable
Fall crushed by heaven…sent calamities
（So the seer spoke）； whene'er one born a man
Has conceived thoughts too high for man's estate：
And this man； when he first set forth from home；
Showed himself foolish； when his father spoke to him
Wisely： 〃My son； seek victory by the spear；
But seek it always with the help of heaven。〃
Then boastfully and witlessly he answered：
〃Father； with heaven's help a mere man of nought
Might win victory： but I； albeit without
Their aid； trust to achieve a victor's glory。〃
Such was his proud vaunt。 Then a second time
Answering divine Athena； when she urged him
To turn a slaughterous hand upon his foes；
He gave voice to this dire； blasphemous boast：
〃Goddess； stand thou beside the other Greeks。
Where I am stationed； no foe shall break through。〃
By such words and such thoughts too great for man
Did he provoke Athena's pitiless wrath。
But if he lives through this one day； perchance；
Should heaven be willing； we may save him yet。
So spoke the seer； and Teucer from his seat
No sooner risen； sent me with this mandate
For you to observe。 But if we have been forestalled；
That man lives not； or Calchas is no prophet。
LEADER （calling）
Woful Tecmessa； woman born to sorrow；
Come forth and hear this man who tells of a peril
That grazes us too close for our mind's ease。
（TECMESSA enters from the tent。）
TECMESSA
Why alas do you break my rest again
After brief respite from relentless woes？
LEADER
Give hearing to this messenger； who brings
Tidings that grieve me of how Ajax fares。
TECMESSA
Ah me； what sayest thou； man？ Are we undone？
MESSENGER
I know not of thy fortune； but for Ajax；
If he be gone abroad； my mind misgives。
TECMESSA
Yes； he is gone。 I am racked to know thy meaning。
MESSENGER
Teucer commands you to keep him within doors；
And not to let him leave his tent alone。
TECMESSA
And where is Teucer； and why speaks he thus？
MESSENGER
He has but now returned； and he forebodes
That this going…forth will prove fatal to Ajax。
TECMESSA
Woe's me； alas！ From whom has he learned this？
MESSENGER
From the seer； Thestor's son； this very day；
Which is fraught either with his death or life。
TECMESSA
Ah me； my friends； avert this threatening doom
Speed some of you to hasten Teucer hither：
Others go search the bays； some west； some east；
And track my lord's ill…omened going…forth。
Yes； now I know I have been deceived by him；
And from his former favour quite cast out。
Alas； child； what shall I do？ Sit still I must not：
But far as I have strength I too will go。
Let us start quickly…'tis no time for loitering；
If we would save one who is in haste to die。
LEADER
I am ready； as not words alone shall prove；
But speed of act and foot to make words good。
（The CHORUS； TECMESSA and MESSENGER go out。 The scene
changes to a lonely place by the sea…shore。 Bushes and under…
brush are in the background。 AJAX enters alone。）
AJAX
The slayer stands so that his edge may cleave
Most surely （if there be leisure for such thought）；
Being the gift of Hector； of all friends
Most unloved； and most hateful to my sight。
Then it is planted in Troy's hostile soil；
New…sharpened on the iron…biting whet。
And heedfully have I planted it； that so
With a swift death it prove to me most kind。
Thus have I made all ready。 Next be thou
The first； O Zeus； to aid me； as is right。
It is no mighty boon that I shall crave。
Send some announcer of the evil news
To Teucer； that he first may lift me up；
When I have fallen upon this reeking sword；
Lest ere he come some enemy should espy me
And cast me forth to dogs and birds a prey。
This； O Zeus； I entreat thee； and likewise call
On Hermes； guide to the underworld； to lay me
Asleep without a struggle； at one swift bound；
When I have thrust my heart through with this sword。
Next I call on those maidens ever…living
And ever watchful of all human miseries；
The dread swift…striding Erinyes； that they mark
How by the Atreidae I have been destroyed：
And these vile men by a vile doom utterly
May they cut off； even as they see me here。
Come； O ye swift avenging Erinyes；
Sp
