Ajax

Sophocles (c.496–c.406 BC), translated by Theodoridis, G., (contributor-contact-email)

Sophocles’ Ajax, a 5th century BCE Greek tragedy, possibly the earliest of his extant works, follows the narrative of the warrior Ajax during the Trojan War, postdating the Iliad. The drama unfolds with Athena and Odysseus discussing the allocation of Achilles’ armour, a decision that infuriates Ajax as he deems himself the rightful heir. Athena intervenes, tricking Ajax through false visions into slaughtering the Greek spoils of war, comprising cattle and herdsmen, mistakenly perceived by Ajax as his rivals due to Athena’s deception.

When Ajax regains sanity, realising his actions, he is engulfed by shame and resolves to commit suicide, despite the pleas of his concubine Tecmessa. He entrusts his son with his shield before impaling himself on his sword. Ajax’s death ignites conflict over his burial. Menelaus and Agamemnon want to leave the body for scavengers, whilst his half-brother Teucer insists on a proper burial. Odysseus mediates, advocating that even one’s enemies deserve respect in death, leading to Ajax’s eventual funeral rites.

Author Details

Sophocles, born around 497/496 BC in the deme of Hippeios Colonus in Attica, was a pivotal figure in ancient Greek tragedy. Born into a wealthy family, he received a broad education and achieved early artistic success, his work notably outperforming that of the distinguished Aeschylus at the Dionysia in 468 BC. His career spanned more than six decades, during which he wrote over 120 plays, though only seven complete works survive today, namely, “Ajax,” “Antigone,” “Women of Trachis,” “Oedipus Rex,” “Electra,” “Philoctetes,” and “Oedipus at Colonus.”

Sophocles’ theatrical innovations were significant. He introduced a third actor to the stage, a move that diminished the role of the chorus and enhanced character development. As a result, his characters displayed previously uncharted depths and complexity.

His civic roles in Athens were diverse, ranging from leading the paean after the Battle of Salamis in 480 BC to serving under Pericles’ political leadership as one of the Hellenotamiai, the treasurers of Athena. He also served as a general during the Samian War and participated in the introduction of the Asclepius cult to Athens.

He died in the winter of 406/405 BC, having witnessed the heights of Athenian power during the Persian Wars and its decline in the Peloponnesian War. His legacy includes both his literary excellence and the influence he had on the development of drama.

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Theodoridis, G.,

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