Ajax’s Silent Wrath

52“The other ghosts of those who lay in death
Stood sorrowing by, and each one told his griefs;
But that of Ajax, son of Telamon,
Kept far aloof, displeased that I had won
The victory contending at the fleet
Which should possess the arms of Peleus’ son.
His goddess-mother laid them as a prize
Before us, and the captive sons of Troy
And Athena were the umpires to award
The victory. And now how much I wish
I had not conquered in a strife like that,
Since for that cause the dark earth has received
The hero Ajax, who in nobleness
Of form and greatness of exploits excelled
All other Greeks, except the blameless son
Of Peleus. Then I spoke in soothing words: —

53“ ‘O Ajax, son of blameless Telamon!
Will you not even in death forget the wrath
Caused by the strife for those accursed arms?
The gods have made them fatal to the Greeks,
For you, the bulwark of our host, did fall,
And we lamented you as bitterly
When you were dead as we had mourned the son
Of Peleus. Nor was any man to blame;
It was Zeus who held in vehement hate
The army of the warlike Greeks, and laid
This doom upon you. Now, O king, draw near,
And hear our voice and words, and check, I pray,
The anger rising in your generous breast.’

54“I spoke; he answered not, but moved away
To Erebus, among the other souls
Of the departed. Yet would I have had
Speech of him, angry as he was, or else
Have spoken to him further, but my wish
Was strong to see yet others of the dead.