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The funeral rites of his unhappy corpse。
My child； come hither。 Stand near and lay thy hand
As a suppliant on thy father who begat thee。
And kneel imploringly with locks of hair
Held in thy hand…mine； and hers； and last thine…
The suppliant's treasure。 But if any Greek
By violence should tear thee from this corpse；
For that crime from the land may he be cast
Unburied； and his whole race from the root
Cut off； even as I sever this lock。
There； take it； boy； and keep it。 Let none seek
To move thee； but still kneel there and cling fast。
And you； like men； no women； by his side
Stand and defend him till I come again；
When I have dug his grave； though all forbid。
（TEUCER goes out。）
CHORUS （singing）
strophe 1
When will this agony draw to a close？
When will it cease； the last of our years of exile？
Years that bring me labour accurst of hurtling spears；
Woe that hath no respite or end；
But wide…spread over the plains of Troy
Works sorrow and shame for Hellas' sons。
antistrophe 1
Would he had vanished away from the earth；
Rapt to the skies； or sunk to devouring Hades；
He who first revealed to the Greeks the use of arms
Leagued in fierce confederate war！
Ah； toils eternally breeding toils！
Yea； he was the fiend who wrought man's ruin。
strophe 2
The wretch accurst； what were his gifts？
Neither the glad； festival wreath；
Nor the divine； mirth…giving wine…cup；
No music of flutes； soothing and sweet：
Slumber by night； blissful and calm；
None he bequeathed us。
And love's joys； alas！ love did he banish from me。
Here couching alone neglected；
With hair by unceasing dews drenched evermore； we curse
Thy shores； O cruel Ilium。
antistrophe 2
Erewhile against terror by night；
javelin or sword； firm was our trust：
He was our shield； valiant Ajax。
But now a malign demon of fate
Claims him。 Alas！ When； when again
Shall joy befall me？
Oh once more to stand； where on the wooded headland
The ocean is breaking； under
The shadow of Sunium's height； thence could I greet from far
The divine city of Athens。
（TEUCER enters； followed by AGAMEMNON and his retinue。）
TEUCER
In haste I come； for the captain of the host；
Agamemnon； I have seen hurrying hither。
To a perverse tongue now will he give rein。
AGAMEMNON
Is it you； they tell me； have dared to stretch your lips
In savage raillery against us； unpunished？
'Tis you I mean； the captive woman's son。
Verily of well…born mother had you been bred；
Superb had been your boasts and high your strut；
Since you； being nought； have championed one who is nought；
Vowing that no authority is ours
By sea or land to rule the Greeks or you。
Are not these monstrous taunts to hear from slaves？
What was this man whose praise you vaunt so loudly？
Whither went he； or where stood he； where I was not？
Among the Greeks are there no men but he？
In evil hour； it seems； did we proclaim
The contest for Achilles' panoply；
If come what may Teucer is to call us knaves；
And if you never will consent； though worsted；
To accept the award that seemed just to most judges；
But either must keep pelting us with foul words；
Or stab us craftily in your rage at losing。
Where such discords are customary； never
Could any law be stablished and maintained；
If we should thrust the rightful winners by；
And bring the rearmost to the foremost place。
But such wrong must be checked。 'Tis not the big
Broad…shouldered men on whom we most rely；
No； 'tis the wise who are masters everywhere。
An ox； however large of rib； may yet
Be kept straight on the road by a little whip。
And this corrective； I perceive； will soon
Descend on you； unless you acquire some wisdom；
Who； though this man is dead； a mere shade now；
Can wag your insolent lips so freely and boldly。
Come to your senses： think what you are by birth。
Bring hither someone else； a man born free；
Who in your stead may plead your cause before us。
For when you speak； the sense escapes me quite：
I comprehend not your barbarian tongue。
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Would that you both might learn wisdom and temperance。
There is no better counsel I can give you。
TEUCER
Alas！ how soon gratitude to the dead
Proves treacherous and vanishes from men's minds；
If for thee； Ajax； this man has no more
The least word of remembrance； he for whom oft
Toiling in battle thou didst risk thy life。
But all that is forgotten and flung aside。
Thou who but now wast uttering so much folly；
Hast thou no memory left； how in that hour
When； pent within your lines； you were already
No more than men of nought； routed in battle；
He alone stood forth to save you； while the flames
Were blazing round the stern…decks of the ships
Already； and while Hector； leaping high
Across the trench； charged down upon the hulls？
Who checked this ruin？ Was it not he； who nowhere
So much as stood beside thee； so thou sayest？
Would you deny he acted nobly there？
Or when again chosen by lot； unbidden；
Alone in single combat he met Hector？
For no runaway's lot did he cast in；
No lump of clammy earth； but such that first
It should leap lightly from the crested helm？
His were these exploits； and beside him stood
I the slave； the barbarian mother's son。
Wretch； with what face can you fling forth such taunts？
Know you not that of old your father's father
Was Pelops； a barbarian； and a Phrygian？
That your sire Atreus set before his brother
A feast most impious of his own children's flesh？
And from a Cretan mother you were born；
Whom when her father found her with a paramour；
He doomed her for dumb fishes to devour。
Being such； do you reproach me with my lineage？
Telamon is the father who begat me；
Who； as the foremost champion of the Greeks；
Won as his bride my mother； a princes
By birth； Laomedon's daughter： a chosen spoil
She had been given him by Alcmena's son。
Thus of two noble parents nobly born；
How should I shame one of my blood； whom now；
Laid low by such calamity； you would thrust
Unburied forth； and feel no shame to say it？
But of this be sure： wheresoever you may cast him；
Us three also with him will you cast forth。
For it beseems me in his cause to die
In sight of all； rather than for the sake
Of your wife…or your brother's should I say？
Look then not to my interest； but your own。
For if you assail me； you shall soon wish rather
To have been a coward than too bold against me。
（ODYSSEUS enters。）
LEADER
In good time； King Odysseus； hast thou come；
If 'tis thy purpose not to embroil but reconcile。
ODYSSEUS
What is it； friends？ Far off I heard high words
From the Atreidae over this hero's corpse。
AGAMEMNON
Royal Odysseus； but now from this man
We have been listening to most shameful taunts。
ODYSSEUS
How shameful？ I could find excuse for one
Who； when reviled； retorts with bitter words。
AGAMEMNON
Yes； I repaid his vile deeds with reviling。
ODYSSEUS
What has he done thee whereby thou art wronged？
AGAMEMNON
He says he will not leave yon corpse unhonoured
By sepulture； but will bury it in my spite。
ODYSSEUS
May now a friend speak out the truth； yet still
As ever ply his oar in stroke with thine？
AGAMEMNON
Speak： I should be witless else； for thee
Of all the Greeks I count the greatest friend。
ODYSSEUS
Then listen。 For the gods' sake venture not
Thus ruthlessly to cast forth this man unburied：
And in no wise let violence compel thee
To such deep hate that thou shouldst tread down justice。
Once for me too this man was my worst foe；
From that hour when I won Achilles' arms；
Yet； though he was such towards me； I would not so
Repay him with dishonour as to deny
That of all Greeks who came to Troy； no hero
So valiant save Achilles have I seen。
So it is not just thou shouldst dishonour him。
Not him wouldst thou be wronging； but the laws
Of heaven。 It is not righteousness to ou
