Ajax

Ajax is a play by Sophocles, first written in the 5th century BCE. Set during the Trojan War, the drama centres on the great Greek warrior Ajax, famed for his strength and honour, who finds himself humiliated when the armour of the fallen hero Achilles is awarded to Odysseus instead of him. This perceived injustice strikes at the core of Ajax’s identity as a warrior, and his wounded pride begins to spiral into obsession and rage.

Driven by a desire for revenge, Ajax plans violent retribution against the Greek commanders Agamemnon and Menelaus. However, the goddess Athena intervenes, clouding his mind and leading him into a terrible act committed under illusion. When Ajax regains his senses and realises what he has done, the weight of shame and dishonour becomes unbearable. His loyal partner Tecmessa attempts to calm him, while the chorus of Salaminian sailors struggles to understand their leader’s sudden transformation.

The second half of the play shifts from madness to the consequences of honour and loyalty. A fierce debate arises over Ajax’s fate and whether a disgraced hero still deserves respect and burial. Odysseus, once Ajax’s rival, unexpectedly argues for compassion, highlighting Sophocles’ exploration of moral complexity and human dignity. Through its powerful conflict between pride, reason, and mercy, Ajax remains one of the most psychologically intense of Greek tragedies.

Sophocles, one of the great playwrights of classical Athens, is known for his deep characterisation and ethical depth. In Ajax, he presents a tragic portrait of a warrior destroyed not by enemies, but by his own rigid code of honour. The play continues to resonate as a study of pride, mental anguish, and the fragile boundary between heroism and ruin.

This translation by R. C. Trevelyan was first published in 1919.