Chapter 49 49

To commemorate Achilles, the Greeks held a grand funeral game.First wrestling.The two heroes, Ajax and Diomedes, participated in the contest, and they were evenly matched, and the winner was dead.Secondly, boxing competitions were held, and then running, archery, discus throwing, long jump, and chariot competitions were held.The competition is intense and exciting.The winners each received a prize. Thetis was going to give her son's armor and arms as a prize to the meritorious hero.Wearing a black veil, she said to the Dannea people with infinite grief: "Now, please come forward, the bravest Greek hero, the hero who rescued my son's body, and I would like to reward him with the weapons used by my son." .These are gifts from the gods, and the gods themselves love these precious gifts."

Immediately there sprang two heroes from the ranks: Odysseus, son of Laertes, and Ajax, son of Telamon.Ajax reached for the weapon, and called Idomeneus, Nestor, and Agamemnon to witness for him.Odysseus likewise called them to his testimony, for they were the wisest and most respected men in the whole army.Nestor drew the other two witnesses aside, and said in embarrassment: "If two heroes should fight against each other for the weapon of Achilles, then we will face a great disaster! Whoever is among them will be punished." If you are left cold, you will withdraw from the battlefield, and we will suffer losses, and the consequences will be disastrous. Therefore, you still follow my advice: there are many Trojan prisoners in our camp, or let them be arbitrators, and settle Ajax and Ojah. Dispute of Decius. Because they have no preference for anyone, and will not take sides!"

Both nodded in favor of his suggestion.They selected a few noble and upright Trojans among the captives as judges. Ajax came out first. "Which monster has captivated your eyes, Odysseus," he cried angrily, "you dare to quarrel with me? You compare yourself with me as a dog compares with a lion. Don't you forget, How reluctantly you left your family before the expedition to Troy, if you hadn't come at all! And you were the one who advised us to abandon poor Philoctetes on the isle of Lemnos Palamedes is stronger and smarter than you, but you framed him with personal vendetta and put him to death. Now, you have forgotten my life-saving grace to you, and you have forgotten that you are in the battlefield when you cannot escape. I saved you. When fighting over Achilles' body, wasn't it me who brought back the body and the weapons? You don't have the strength to lift these weapons, let alone his body! Get your head back Go on, I am not only stronger than you, but I also come from a nobler background than you, and I am also related to Achilles!" The more Ajax said, the more excited he became.But Odysseus sneered and replied: "Ajax, why do you talk so much nonsense? You call me timid and weak, but you don't know that wisdom is the real powerful force. It is wisdom and cleverness that teach sailors to wear and taught man to tame wild beasts, lions and leopards, and to make horses and oxen serve men. Therefore, whether in distress or in a meeting, a man of wit is always more valuable than a fool of strength. Omedes thought I was wiser than anyone else, so he insisted on my participation in the expedition. Yes, it was because of my wisdom that the son of Peleus was persuaded to go to Troy. And now we Arguing for his arms. If the Dane'a really want a new hero, believe me, Ajax, it's not by your big arms, nor by the trickery of anyone in the army. but I won him by my eloquent words. Besides, the gods have endowed me with strength as well as wisdom. I was fleeing when you said you rescued me from my enemies. This is not true. On the contrary, I often rush towards the enemy and kill all the enemies who dare to resist me, while you stand far away, like a crop, only paying attention to your own safety!"

The two people quarreled violently for a long time in this way, and they refused to give in to each other.Finally, the Trojans who acted as judges were moved by Odysseus's words, and unanimously agreed to award the splendid weapon of Peleus' son to Odysseus. When Ajax heard the verdict, he was instantly furious, his blood boiled in his veins, and every muscle in his body trembled.He stood there dumbly like a stone pillar, looking down at the ground.At last, with good words of advice from his friends, he was dragged back to the warship. Night fell over the sea.Ajax sat in the tent, neither eating nor drinking nor sleeping.Finally, he puts on his armor and holds a sharp sword, thinking whether to chop Odysseus to pieces, burn the warship, or kill all the Greeks.

At this time, Athena, who protects Odysseus and opposes Ajax, drives him mad, otherwise, he must choose one of the three to act. Ajax was so distressed that he couldn't control himself. He ran out of the barracks and rushed into the sheep.The goddess blinded his eyes, making him think it was the Greek army.The shepherd saw a madman rushing across, and immediately hid in the bushes beside the Scamander River.Ajax brandished his sharp sword among the flocks, slashing left and right, and at the same time he said mockingly: "You pigs and dogs, go to death! You will never testify for an unfair referee again! And you ’” he went on, “you crooked wretch hiding in a corner, have taken Achilles’ weapon from me, and now it will do you no good. A piece of armor can What do you do for a coward?" As he spoke, he grabbed a large sheep, dragged it to the barracks, tied it to the doorpost, and whipped it with all his strength with his whip.

At this time, Athena came up behind him, stroked his head, and suddenly he woke up from his madness.The poor hero saw that he was standing before a ram that had been beaten to pieces, and he understood at once, and his hands dropped limply, and the whip slipped from his hands.He collapsed on the ground exhausted, knowing that a god was mad at him and driving him mad.When he finally stood up from the ground, he couldn't move, just stood there numbly.Finally he sighed and said: "My God, why do the living gods hate me so much? Why do they insult me ​​like this, and love the cunning Odysseus? Now I stand here with sheep's blood on my hands." Blood, this will become the laughing stock of the entire army, and will be ridiculed by the enemy!"

The princess Tecmesa, whom he had taken captive from Phlicia and who had become his wife, was looking for him in the camp with her young child.Tecmesa was very gentle and considerate to her husband, and she saw her husband sullen, but she didn't know why, because he refused to answer her questions.After he left the barracks, she followed him out with a sense of foreboding.Later, when she saw what her husband was doing among the sheep, she hurried back to the barracks and found him standing there with a face full of shame.Desperate, he called out the names of his brother Teucer and his son Eurysax, and begged for a heroic death.Tecmessa clasped his knees and begged him not to leave her a prisoner for the enemy.She reminded him of his old father and his mother at Salamis, and, putting her son in his arms, told him what a terrible fate it would be for him if he lost his father before he was a teenager.

Ajax hugged the child very touched, kissed him, and said: "Son, I hope you are like your father, but not as unhappy as your father. May you be happier and become a real person. My brother Teucer I will bring you up. Now, my entourage will send you to my parents in Salamis, and they will take care of you, and you will surely enjoy the joy of childhood there." Then he handed the child to the servant , and leaving a will to his half-brother to take care of his wife Tecmesa, he broke free from her embrace, drew the sword he had taken from Hector, and stuck it in the The ground of the barracks.Then, he raised his hands to the sky and prayed: "Zeus, father of all gods, I beg you to do me a good deed: After I die, let my brother Teucer come to my side immediately, so that the enemy will not die." Snatch me to the dogs. I beg you too, Nemesis, let the son of Atreus die as badly as mine! Come, be merciless, take revenge as you please! And you , Sun God, you fly across the bright sky, when your golden chariot passes over my hometown of Salamis, please wait a moment, tell my old father and poor mother about my unfortunate fate Goodbye, holy sunshine! Goodbye, Salamis! Goodbye, the wilderness of my hometown! Goodbye, the city of Athens and the mountains and rivers of my hometown! Goodbye, the vast wilderness of Troy, where I have lived for many years and experienced Years of fierce fighting! Death, please come, please give me a sympathetic look!" As he said, he drew his sword and fell to the ground.

When the Danaeites heard the news that Ajax had committed suicide by suicide, they ran in droves, threw themselves on the ground and wept bitterly, and took up the earth and sprinkled it on their heads in infinite sorrow.His brother Teucer remembered his father's instructions, and he was not allowed to return from Troy without Ajax. Now he is also going to commit suicide. Fortunately, his friends took the sword from him in time, otherwise and went with Ajax.Teucer fell on his brother's body and wept bitterly.After a while, regaining his composure, he turned his head to see the desperate Tecmessa sitting stiffly beside the dead man, holding in his arms the child that the servants had given her.

Teucer stepped forward to comfort her, promising her that he would protect her and raise her children like a father.He ordered mother and child to be sent back to Salamis, but he remained in the camp, fearing that his father Telamon would be angry with him. Next, he prepared to bury the body of his dear brother.But Menelaus came out to stop him. "His behavior is worse than our enemy, the Trojans! A man who commits suicide is not worthy of a grand burial." Agamemnon also supported the brothers' opinions, and scolded Teclos as the son of a slave in a fierce dispute .Teucer reminded them not to forget the credit of Ajax, who saved the whole army when the Trojans set fire to the ship, and he said that the Greeks should thank Ajax.However, none of these explanations could convince those present. "You should understand," he cried, "that by treating this dead hero badly, you have insulted his wife Tecmesa, his son, and his brothers! Have you ever thought that your actions would Do you gain the honor of the world and the protection of the gods?"

In the midst of the dispute came the cunning Odysseus, who asked Agamemnon: "Can you allow a loyal friend to speak the truth?" "Please tell me!" Agamemnon looked at him in amazement, "Indeed, I regard you as the most loyal friend in the army!" "Well, then, listen to me," said Odysseus, "for the sake of the gods, don't keep him from being buried! You don't want to make a difference because power is in your hands! Think, If you insult a hero like this, you are not treating him badly, but you are trampling on the laws of the gods and against the will of the gods!" When the son of Atreus heard this, he was astonished and speechless.Finally Agamemnon asked loudly: "Odysseus, are you willing to go against my will for this man? Don't you think that you are pleading for him now, but he is your sworn enemy?" "He is indeed is my enemy," replied Odysseus, "I hated him while he was alive. Now that he is dead, we should mourn the loss of a noble hero. At this time, I cannot and will not Make him your own enemy again. I agree to bury him and help his brother in this sacred duty." Teucer had gone away in disgust when he saw Odysseus approaching, but when he heard what he said, he hurried up and stretched out his hands in understanding. "Noble hero," he cried, "you are his worst enemy, and you are the only one who speaks for him! But still I don't want you to touch his body, because his soul will not be reconciled to you. I am glad to have your help, and you can help me in other ways, because there are still many things waiting to be done!" After speaking, he pointed to Tekmesa who was always sad and silently sitting by the side.Odysseus turned and walked towards her, and said firmly to her: "No one shall possess you and make you his slave. As long as Teucer and I live, you and your children will be safe." , as if Ajax was still alive beside you." The sons of Atreus were ashamed to hear this, and dared not object any more.The huge body of Ajax was lifted by several men, and they carried him to the ship to wash away the mud and blood from him.Finally, he was cremated on a huge pyre.