The Ajax. The Plays of Sophocles. Commentaries. J. C. Kamerbeek. English Transl. by H. Schreuder. Revised by A. Parker.

Gutes Ex.; Einband berieben / R�cken beschabt. - Englisch; griechisch. // Ajax (auch Aias oder Rasender Ajax, ist eine Trag�die des antiken griechischen Dichters Sophokles. � Nachdem Achilleus im Trojanischen Krieg gefallen ist, sprechen die Heerf�hrer nicht Aias, der ein vertrauter Kampfgef�te des Gefallenen war, seine Waffen zu, sondern Odysseus. Aias will sich daf�r r�en und die griechischen Heerf�hrer t�ten. Er wird von Athene jedoch mit Wahnsinn geschlagen und t�tet daraufhin einige Herdentiere, die er f�r die Heerf�hrer h�. Als der Wahnsinn schwindet, erkennt er die Schande seiner eigenen Handlung und st�rzt sich in sein Schwert. Das genaue Datum der Erstauff�hrung ist unbekannt. Die Forschung geht von der Mitte des f�nften Jahrhunderts vor Christus aus. Dramaturgie, Stil sowie historische Andeutungen im St�ck machen eine Urauff�hrung im Jahr 449 v. Chr. plausibel. Die Auff�hrung fand aber sicher im Rahmen eines Trag�dien-Agons w�end der st�ischen Dionysien statt. Welche weiteren St�cke Bestandteil der Tetralogie waren und welchen Platz Sophokles belegte, ist nicht �berliefert. // . Sophocles took the subject matter for the Ajax from the Trojan cycle of legends, the source of many of his tragedies . As the Theban Oedipus was closely associated with the Athenians, so Ajax to them was a familiar hero. He was the patron of Salamis, connected with Attica since the days of Solon. He was the eponymous hero of one of Clisthenes' tribes. . were celebrated in his honour on Salamis, and perhaps also in Athens. In the Iliad Ajax appears as one of the greatest Achaean heroes before Troy, the bravest warrior next to Achilles, the bulwark of the Achaeans, and the rescuer of the ships. In the embassy to Achilles he is characterized as a man who is sparing of words; he distinguishes himself in his single combat with Hector, in the battle over the body of Patroclus; the wrestling-match between him and Odysseus remains undecided. The Iliad does not contain any reference to a tragic fate that is to befall him; there is no question of any .towards the gods nor of any enmity towards Odysseus or other heroes. The Odyssey tells us quite another story. . From this we learn that Ajax and Odysseus had competed for the possession of the arms of Achilles; Thetis had set them for a prize, Athena and some Trojan captives acted as judges. We do not, indeed, hear that Ajax, feeling himself to be dishonoured because he did not get the prize, committed suicide, but this may be inferred. His wrath against Odysseus remained irreconcilable, even after his death. Odysseus regrets his victory and considers the issue of events as a fate sent by Zeus. There is no mention whatever of Ajax planning to murder the Achaean chiefs, of a mental affliction which causes him to kill cattle instead of men, or of a dishonest decision made by the judges. Nor do the Iliad and Odyssey mention any relationship between Ajax and Achilles. � (Introd.)