The strife ended, having run to its furthest point, by the reconciliation of words of the elder men.
§733ἀλλʼ ἡμὶν Αἴας ποῦ ʼστιν, ὡς φράσω τάδε;
But where is Ajax for us, so that I may tell him this?
§734τοῖς κυρίοις γὰρ πάντα χρὴ δηλοῦν λόγον.
For to the masters one must make known the whole story.
He is not inside, but has just gone, having yoked new plans to new ways of life.
§737ἰοὺ ἰού.
Alas, alas!
Then did he who sent me on this journey send me too slow, or have I myself appeared slow?
§740τί δʼ ἐστὶ χρείας τῆσδʼ ὑπεσπανισμένον;
And what is lacking in this urgent need?
Teucer forbade the man from inside the tent to go outside, until he himself should happen to be present.
But he has gone, indeed, having turned to a more profitable thought, so that he may be reconciled with the gods from their anger.
These words are full of great folly, if indeed Calchas prophesies anything with good sense.
§747ποῖον;
What kind of thing?
τί δʼ εἰδὼς τοῦδε πράγματος πέρι;
And what does he know about this matter?
§748τοσοῦτον οἶδα καὶ παρὼν ἐτύγχανον.
I know this much, and I happened to be present.
§749ἐκ γὰρ συνέδρου καὶ τυραννικοῦ κύκλου §750Κάλχας μεταστὰς οἶος Ἀτρειδῶν δίχα, §751ἐς χεῖρα Τεύκρου δεξιὰν φιλοφρόνως §752θεὶς εἶπε κἀπέσκηψε παντοίᾳ τέχνῃ §753εἶρξαι κατʼ ἦμαρ τοὐμφανὲς τὸ νῦν τόδε §754Αἴανθʼ ὑπὸ σκηναῖσι μηδʼ ἀφέντʼ ἐᾶν, §755εἰ ζῶντʼ ἐκεῖνον εἰσιδεῖν θέλοι ποτέ.
For from the council and royal circle, Calchas, departing alone apart from the Atreidae, placed his hand kindly in the right hand of Teucer, spoke and commanded by every means to keep Ajax within his tents during this current manifest day today, and not to let him go free, if he should ever wish to see him alive.
For during this day alone still, the wrath of divine Athena will pursue him, as he said in speech.
§758τὰ γὰρ περισσὰ κἀνόητα σώματα §759πίπτειν βαρείαις πρὸς θεῶν δυσπραξίαις §760ἔφασχʼ ὁ μάντις, ὅστις ἀνθρώπου φύσιν §761βλαστὼν ἔπειτα μὴ κατʼ ἄνθρωπον φρονῇ.
For oversized and foolish bodies fall into heavy misfortunes from the gods, said the seer, whoever, having been born with a human nature, then does not think according to a human.
And he, starting out straight from home, was found foolish when his father spoke well.
§764ὃ μὲν γὰρ αὐτὸν ἐννέπει, τέκνον, δορὶ §765βούλου κρατεῖν μέν, σὺν θεῷ δʼ ἀεὶ κρατεῖν. §766ὃ δʼ ὑψικόμπως κἀφρόνως ἠμείψατο, §767πάτερ, θεοῖς μὲν κἂν ὁ μηδὲν ὢν ὁμοῦ §768κράτος κατακτήσαιτʼ· ἐγὼ δὲ καὶ δίχα §769κείνων πέποιθα τοῦτʼ ἐπισπάσειν κλέος. §770τοσόνδʼ ἐκόμπει μῦθον.
For the one tells him, "My child, with the spear wish to conquer, but always to conquer with a god's help." But he proudly and foolishly answered, "Father, even one who is nothing might win victory together with gods; but I, even without them, trust that I shall win this glory." So great a boast did he utter.
εἶτα δεύτερον §771δίας Ἀθάνας, ἡνίκʼ ὀτρύνουσά νιν §772ηὐδᾶτʼ ἐπʼ ἐχθροῖς χεῖρα φοινίαν τρέπειν, §773τότʼ ἀντιφωνεῖ δεινὸν ἄρρητόν τʼ ἔπος· §774ἄνασσα, τοῖς ἄλλοισιν Ἀργείων πέλας §775ἵστω, καθʼ ἡμᾶς δʼ οὔποτʼ ἐκρήξει μάχη. §776τοιοῖσδέ τοι λόγοισιν ἀστεργῆ θεᾶς §777ἐκτήσατʼ ὀργήν, οὐ κατʼ ἄνθρωπον φρονῶν.
Then secondly, of divine Athena, when, urging him on, she bade him turn his bloody hand upon the enemies, then he answered with a terrible and unspeakable word, "Queen, stand near the other Argives, but where we are, the battle will never break through." By such words, indeed, did he acquire the unlovely wrath of the goddess, not thinking according to a human.
But if indeed he is alive on this day, perhaps we might become his saviors with a god's help.
§780τοσαῦθʼ ὁ μάντις εἶφʼ· ὃ δʼ εὐθὺς ἐξ ἕδρας §781πέμπει με σοὶ φέροντα τάσδʼ ἐπιστολὰς §782Τεῦκρος φυλάσσειν.
So much the seer said; and Teucer straightway from his seat sends me to you, bringing these instructions to keep him.
εἰ δʼ ἀπεστερήμεθα, §783οὐκ ἔστιν ἁνὴρ κεῖνος, εἰ Κάλχας σοφός.
But if we are deprived of this, that man is no more, if Calchas is wise.
O unhappy Tecmessa, offspring of ill-fated parents, come and see what words this man speaks.
§786ξυρεῖ γὰρ ἐν χρῷ τοῦτο μὴ χαίρειν τινά.
For this grazes close to the skin, so that no one may rejoice.
Why do you rouse me again, wretched one, who had just ceased from wearing evils, from my seat?
Listen to this man, how he has come bringing news of Ajax's plight, at which I have grieved.
§791οἴμοι, τί φής, ὤνθρωπε;
Ah me, what do you say, man?
μῶν ὀλώλαμεν;
Are we undone?
I do not know your plight, but as for Ajax's, that, if indeed he is outdoors, I have no confidence about it.
§794καὶ μὴν θυραῖος, ὥστε μʼ ὠδίνειν τί φής.
Indeed he is outdoors, so that I am in pain as to what you say.
Teucer sends urgent command to keep him sheltered in his tent, and not to let him go out alone.
§797ποῦ δʼ ἐστὶ Τεῦκρος, κἀπὶ τῷ λέγει τάδε;
But where is Teucer, and on what ground does he say this?
He is just now arrived; and this going out of Ajax, he expects will bring destruction.
§800οἴμοι τάλαινα, τοῦ ποτʼ ἀνθρώπων μαθών;
Ah me, wretched! From whom of men did he learn this?
From the seer, son of Thestor, during the day of today, which brings death or life to him.
§803οἲ ʼγώ, φίλοι, πρόστητʼ ἀναγκαίας τύχης, §804καὶ σπεύσαθʼ οἳ μὲν Τεῦκρον ἐν τάχει μολεῖν, §805οἳ δʼ ἑσπέρους ἀγκῶνας, οἳ δʼ ἀντηλίους §806ζητεῖτʼ ἰόντες τἀνδρὸς ἔξοδον κακήν.
Ah me! Friends, protect me from this compelling fate, and hasten, some of you to make Teucer come quickly, others to the western bays, others to the eastern go and search for the man's ill-fated departure.
For indeed I know that I have been deceived by the man and cast out from his former favor.
§809οἴμοι, τί δράσω, τέκνον;
Ah me! What shall I do, child?
οὐχ ἱδρυτέον.
I must not sit still.
§810ἀλλʼ εἶμι κἀγὼ κεῖσʼ ὅποιπερ ἂν σθένω.
But I too will go there, wherever I have strength.
Let us go, let us make haste, it is not the peak moment for sitting, wishing to save a man who is hastening to die.
§813χωρεῖν ἑτοῖμος, κοὐ λόγῳ δείξω μόνον.
I am ready to go, and I will show it not in word alone.