§1088αἴθων ὑβριστής, νῦν δʼ ἐγὼ μέγʼ αὖ φρονῶ.
Menelaus: He was a fierce, insolent man, but now I in turn think big.
And I tell you beforehand not to bury this man, so that by burying him you may not yourself fall into a grave.
Leader: Menelaus, do not set up wise maxims and then yourself become insolent toward the dead.
§1093οὐκ ἄν ποτʼ, ἄνδρες, ἄνδρα θαυμάσαιμʼ ἔτι, §1094ὃς μηδὲν ὢν γοναῖσιν εἶθʼ ἁμαρτάνει, §1095ὅθʼ οἱ δοκοῦντες εὐγενεῖς πεφυκέναι §1096τοιαῦθʼ ἁμαρτάνουσιν ἐν λόγοις ἔπη.
Teucer: I would never, friends, wonder at a man again, who being of no account by birth then errs, when those who are thought to be well-born err in such words in their speeches.
Come, speak again from the beginning: do you say you brought this man here to the Achaeans as an ally whom you had taken?
§1099οὐκ αὐτὸς ἐξέπλευσεν ὡς αὑτοῦ κρατῶν;
Did he not sail out himself as his own master?
§1100ποῦ σὺ στρατηγεῖς τοῦδε;
Where are you general over him?
ποῦ δὲ σοὶ λεὼν §1101ἔξεστʼ ἀνάσσειν ὧν ὅδʼ ἡγεῖτʼ οἴκοθεν;
And where is it permitted for you to rule the people whom he led from home?
§1102Σπάρτης ἀνάσσων ἦλθες, οὐχ ἡμῶν κρατῶν· §1103οὐδʼ ἔσθʼ ὅπου σοὶ τόνδε κοσμῆσαι πλέον §1104ἀρχῆς ἔκειτο θεσμὸς ἢ καὶ τῷδε σέ.
You came as ruler of Sparta, not as master of us; nor was there any place where a law of authority was laid down for you to discipline this man more than also for him to discipline you.
You sailed here as a subordinate of others, not as general of the whole, so as to ever lead Ajax.
§1107ἀλλʼ ὧνπερ ἄρχεις ἄρχε, καὶ τὰ σέμνʼ ἔπη §1108κόλαζʼ ἐκείνους· τόνδε δʼ, εἴτε μὴ σὺ φὴς §1109εἴθʼ ἅτερος στρατηγός, ἐς ταφὰς ἐγὼ §1110θήσω δικαίως, οὐ τὸ σὸν δείσας στόμα.
But rule those whom you do rule, and with your solemn words punish them; but this man, whether you say no, or the other general does, I shall bury justly, not fearing your mouth.
§1111οὐ γάρ τι τῆς σῆς οὕνεκʼ ἐστρατεύσατο §1112γυναικός, ὥσπερ οἱ πόνου πολλοῦ πλέῳ, §1113ἀλλʼ οὕνεχʼ ὅρκων οἷσιν ἦν ἐνώμοτος, §1114σοῦ δʼ οὐδέν· οὐ γὰρ ἠξίου τοὺς μηδένας.
For he did not go on the expedition at all for the sake of your wife, like those full of much toil, but for the sake of the oaths by which he was bound, and not at all for yours; for he did not value nonentities.
§1115πρὸς ταῦτα πλείους δεῦρο κήρυκας λαβὼν §1116καὶ τὸν στρατηγὸν ἧκε· τοῦ δὲ σοῦ ψόφου §1117οὐκ ἂν στραφείην, ἕως ἂν ᾖς οἷός περ εἶ.
Therefore take more heralds here and come with the general; but at your noise I would not turn, as long as you are such as you are.
Leader: Nor again do I like such a tongue in misfortunes; for harsh words, even if they are doubly just, sting.
§1120ὁ τοξότης ἔοικεν οὐ σμικρὸν φρονεῖν.
Menelaus: The archer seems to think not a little.
§1121οὐ γὰρ βάναυσον τὴν τέχνην ἐκτησάμην.
Teucer: For the art I acquired is not a vulgar one.
§1122μέγʼ ἄν τι κομπάσειας, ἀσπίδʼ εἰ λάβοις.
Menelaus: You would boast greatly if you got a shield.
§1123κἂν ψιλὸς ἀρκέσαιμι σοί γʼ ὡπλισμένῳ.
Teucer: Even light-armed I would be enough for you, though armed.
§1124ἡ γλῶσσά σου τὸν θυμὸν ὡς δεινὸν τρέφει.
Menelaus: Your tongue feeds your anger, how terribly!
§1125ξὺν τῷ δικαίῳ γὰρ μέγʼ ἔξεστιν φρονεῖν.
Teucer: For with justice one may think big.
§1126δίκαια γὰρ τόνδʼ εὐτυχεῖν κτείναντά με;
Menelaus: For is it just that this man fares well, who killed me?
§1127κτείναντα;
Teucer: Killed you?
δεινόν γʼ εἶπας, εἰ καὶ ζῇς θανών.
You say a strange thing indeed, if you are alive though dead.
§1128θεὸς γὰρ ἐκσῴζει με, τῷδε δʼ οἴχομαι.
Menelaus: For a god saved me, but as far as this man is concerned, I am dead.
§1129μή νυν ἀτίμα θεούς, θεοῖς σεσωμένος.
Teucer: Do not then dishonor the gods, being saved by the gods.
§1130ἐγὼ γὰρ ἂν ψέξαιμι δαιμόνων νόμους;
Menelaus: For would I find fault with the laws of the gods?
§1131εἰ τοὺς θανόντας οὐκ ἐᾷς θάπτειν παρών.
Teucer: If you being present do not allow to bury the dead.
§1132τούς γʼ αὐτὸς αὑτοῦ πολεμίους· οὐ γὰρ καλόν.
Menelaus: My own enemies, at least; for it is not noble.
§1133ἦ σοὶ γὰρ Αἴας πολέμιος προύστη ποτέ;
Teucer: For did Ajax ever stand against you as an enemy?
§1134μισοῦντʼ ἐμίσει· καὶ σὺ τοῦτʼ ἠπίστασο.
Menelaus: Hating me he hated; and you knew this.
§1135κλέπτης γὰρ αὐτοῦ ψηφοποιὸς ηὑρέθης.
Teucer: Yes, for you were found to be a thief of the votes for him.
§1136ἐν τοῖς δικασταῖς, κοὐκ ἐμοί, τόδʼ ἐσφάλη.
Menelaus: This failure lay with the judges, and not with me.
§1137πόλλʼ ἂν κακῶς λάθρᾳ σὺ κλέψειας κακά.
Teucer: Many evils you could steal secretly and basely.
§1138τοῦτʼ εἰς ἀνίαν τοὔπος ἔρχεται τινί.
Menelaus: This word is going to bring pain to someone.
§1139οὐ μᾶλλον, ὡς ἔοικεν, ἢ λυπήσομεν.
Teucer: No more, as it seems, than we shall pain you.
§1140ἕν σοι φράσω· τόνδʼ ἐστὶν οὐχὶ θαπτέον.
Menelaus: One thing I shall tell you: this man must not be buried.
§1141σὺ δʼ ἀντακούσῃ τοῦτον ὡς τεθάψεται.
Teucer: And you shall hear in turn that he will be buried.
§1142ἤδη ποτʼ εἶδον ἄνδρʼ ἐγὼ γλώσσῃ θρασὺν §1143ναύτας ἐφορμήσαντα χειμῶνος τὸ πλεῖν, §1144ᾧ φθέγμʼ ἂν οὐκ ἂν ηὗρες, ἡνίκʼ ἐν κακῷ §1145χειμῶνος εἴχετʼ, ἀλλʼ ὑφʼ εἵματος κρυφεὶς §1146πατεῖν παρεῖχε τῷ θέλοντι ναυτίλων.
Menelaus: I once saw a man bold in tongue, who urged sailors to sail in a storm, in whom you would not have found a voice when he was caught in the evil of the storm, but hidden under his cloak he let himself be trampled on by any of the sailors who wished.
§1147οὕτω δὲ καὶ σὲ καὶ τὸ σὸν λάβρον στόμα §1148σμικροῦ νέφους τάχʼ ἄν τις ἐκπνεύσας μέγας §1149χειμὼν κατασβέσειε τὴν πολλὴν βοήν.
And so also to you and your furious mouth, a great storm, having blown out from a small cloud, might soon quench your loud shouting.
Teucer: And I indeed have seen a man full of folly, who insulted his neighbors in their misfortunes.
§1152κᾆτʼ αὐτὸν εἰσιδών τις ἐμφερὴς ἐμοὶ §1153ὀργήν θʼ ὁμοῖος εἶπε τοιοῦτον λόγον, §1154ὤνθρωπε, μὴ δρᾶ τοὺς τεθνηκότας κακῶς· §1155εἰ γὰρ ποήσεις, ἴσθι πημανούμενος. §1156τοιαῦτʼ ἄνολβον ἄνδρʼ ἐνουθέτει παρών.
And then someone like me in appearance, and similar in temper, seeing him, said such a word: 'O man, do not do evil to the dead; for if you do, know that you will suffer.' Such things he warned the wretched man, being present.
And indeed I see him, and he is, as it seems to me, no one else than you.
μῶν ᾐνιξάμην;
Have I spoken in riddles?
Menelaus: I am going; for indeed it is shameful, if anyone should find out, to punish with words when it is possible to use force.
§1161ἄφερπέ νυν.
Teucer: Go then.
κἀμοὶ γὰρ αἴσχιστον κλύειν §1162ἀνδρὸς ματαίου φλαῦρʼ ἔπη μυθουμένου.
For to me also it is most shameful to listen to a foolish man speaking worthless words.
§1163ἔσται μεγάλης ἔριδός τις ἀγών.
Leader: There will be a contest of great strife.