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May they cut off； even as they see me here。
Come； O ye swift avenging Erinyes；
Spare not； touch with affliction the whole host。
And thou； whose chariot mounts up the steep sky；
Thou Sun； when on the land where I was born
Thou shalt look down； check thy gold…spangled rein；
And announce my disasters and my doom
To my aged sire and her who nurtured me。
She； woful woman； when she hears these tidings
Will wail out a loud dirge through all the town。
But I waste labour with this idle moan。
The act must now be done； and that with speed。
O Death； Death； come now and look upon me。…
No； 'tis there I shall meet and speak to thee。
But thee； bright daylight which I now behold；
And Helios in his chariot I accost
For this last time of all； and then no more。
O sunlight！ O thou hallowed soil； my own
Salamis； stablished seat of my sire's hearth；
And famous Athens； with thy kindred race；
And you； ye springs and streams； and Trojan plains；
Farewell； all ye who have sustained my life。
This is the last word Ajax speaks to you。
All else in Hades to the dead will I say。
（He falls on his sword。 His body lies partially concealed by the
underbrush。 SEMI…CHORUS 1 enters。）
SEMI…CHORUS 1 （chanting）
'Tis toil on toil； and toil again。
Where！ where！
Where have not my footsteps been？
And still no place reveals the secret of my search。
But hark！
There again I hear a sound。
（SEMI…CHORUS 2 enters。）
SEMI…CHORUS 2 （chanting）
'Tis we； the ship…companions of your voyage。
SEMI…CHORUS 1 （chanting）
Well how now？
SEMI…CHORUS 2 （chanting）
We have searched the whole coast westward from the ship。
SEMI…CHORUS 1 （chanting）
You have found nought？
SEMI…CHORUS 2 （chanting）
A deal of toil； but nothing more to see。
SEMI…CHORUS 1 （chanting）
Neither has he been found along the path
That leads from the eastern glances of the sun。
CHORUS （singing）
strophe
From whom； oh from whom？ what hard son of the waves；
Plying his weary task without thought of sleep；
Or what Olympian nymph of hill or stream that flows
Down to the Bosporus' shore；
Might I have tidings of my lord
Wandering somewhere seen
Fierce of mood？ Grievous it is
When I have toiled so long； and ranged far and wide
Thus to fail； thus to have sought in vain。
Still the afflicted hero nowhere may I find。
（TECMESSA enters and discovers the body。）
TECMESSA
Alas； woe； woe！
CHORUS （chanting）
Whose cry was it that broke from yonder copse？
TECMESSA
Alas； woe is me！
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
It is the hapless spear…won bride I see；
Tecmessa； steeped in that wail's agony。
TECMESSA
I am lost； destroyed； made desolate； my friends。
LEADER
What is it？ Speak。
TECMESSA
Ajax； our master； newly slaughtered lies
Yonder； a hidden sword sheathed in his body。
CHORUS （chanting）
Woe for my lost hopes of home！
Woe's me； thou hast slain me； my king；
Me thy shipmate； hapless man！
Woful…souled woman too！
TECMESSA
Since thus it is with him； 'tis mine to wail。
LEADER
By whose hand has he wrought this luckless deed？
TECMESSA
By his own hand； 'tis evident。 This sword
Whereon he fell； planted in earth； convicts him。
CHORUS （chanting）
Woe for my blind folly！ Lone in thy blood thou liest； from
friends'
help afar。
And I the wholly witless； the all unwary；
Forbore to watch thee。 Where； where
Lieth the fatally named； intractable Ajax？
TECMESSA
None must behold him。 I will shroud him wholly
In this enfolding mantle； for no man
Who loved him could endure to see him thus
Through nostrils and through red gash spouting up
The darkened blood from his self…stricken wound。
Ah me； what shall I do？ What friend shall lift thee？
Where is Teucer？ Timely indeed would he now come；
To compose duly his slain brother's corpse。
O hapless Ajax； who wast once so great；
Now even thy foes might dare to mourn thy fall。
CHORUS （chanting）
antistrophe
'Twas fate's will； alas； 'twas fate then for thou
Stubborn of soul at length to work out a dark
Doom of ineffable miseries。 Such the dire
Fury of passionate hate
I heard thee utter fierce of mood
Railing at Atreus' sons
Night by night； day by day。
Verily then it was the sequence of woes
First began； when as the prize of worth
Fatally was proclaimed the golden panoply。
TECMESSA
Alas； woe； woe！
CHORUS （chanting）
A loyal grief pierces thy heart； I know。
TECMESSA
Alas； woe； woe！
CHORUS （chanting）
Woman； I marvel not that thou shouldst wail
And wail again； reft of a friend so dear。
TECMESSA
'Tis thine to surmise； mine to feel； too surely。
CHORUS （chanting）
'Tis even so。
TECMESSA
Ah； my child； to what bondage are we come；
Seeing what cruel taskmasters will be ours。
CHORUS （chanting）
Ah me； at what dost thou hint？
What ruthless； unspeakable wrong
From the Atreidae fearest thou？
But may heaven avert that woe！
TECMESSA
Ne'er had it come to this save by heaven's will。
CHORUS （chanting）
Yes； too great to be borne this heaven…sent burden。
TECMESSA
Yet such the woe which the dread child of Zeus；
Pallas； has gendered for Odysseus' sake。
CHORUS （chanting）
Doubtless the much…enduring hero in his dark spy's soul exults
mockingly；
And laughs with mighty laughter at these agonies
Of a frenzied spirit。 Shame！ Shame！
Sharers in glee at the tale are the royal Atreidae。
TECMESSA
Well； let them mock and glory in his ruin。
Perchance； though while he lived they wished not for him；
They yet shall wail him dead； when the spear fails them。
Men of ill judgment oft ignore the good
That lies within their hands； till they have lost it。
More to their grief he died than to their joy；
And to his own content。 All his desire
He now has won； that death for which he longed。
Why then should they deride him？ 'Tis the gods
Must answer for his death； not these men； no。
Then let Odysseus mock him with empty taunts。
Ajax is no more with them； but has gone；
Leaving to me despair and lamentation。
TEUCER （from without）
Alas； woe； woe！
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Keep silence！ Is it Teucer's voice I hear
Lifting a dirge over this tragic sight？
（TEUCER enters。）
TEUCER
O brother Ajax； to mine eyes most dear；
Can it be thou hast fared as rumour tells？
LEADER
Yes； he is dead； Teucer： of that be sure。
TEUCER
Alas； how then can I endure my fate！
LEADER
Since thus it is。。。
TEUCER
O wretched； wretched me！
LEADER
Thou hast cause to moan。
TEUCER
O swift and cruel woe！
LEADER
Too cruel； Teucer！
TEUCER
Woe is me！ But say…
His child…where shall I find him？ Tell me where。
LEADER
Alone within the tent。
TEUCER （to TECMESSA）
Then with all speed
Go； bring him thither； lest some foe should snatch him
Like a whelp from a lioness bereaved。
Away！ See it done quickly！ All men are wont
To insult over the dead； once they lie low。
（TECMESSA departs。）
LEADER
Yes； Teucer； while he lived； did he not charge thee
To guard his son from harm； as now thou dost？
TEUCER
O sight most grievous to me of all sights
That ever I have looked on with my eyes！
And hatefullest of all paths to my soul
This path that now has led me to thy side；
O dearest Ajax； when I heard thy fate；
While seeking thee I tracked thy footsteps out。
For a swift rumour； as from some god； ran
Through the Greek host that thou wast dead and gone。
While yet far off I heard it； and groaned deep
In anguish； now I see； and my life dies。
Ay me！
Uncover。 Let me behold woe's very worst。
（The cover is lifted from the body。）
O ghastly sight！ victim of ruthless courage！
What miseries hast thou dying sown for me！
Whither； among what people； shall I go；
Who in thy troubles failed to give thee succour？
Oh doubtless Telamon； thy sire and mine；
With kind and gracious face is like to greet me；
Returned without thee： how else？…he who is wont
