著者

小林 薫

出版者

日本西洋古典学会

雑誌

西洋古典學研究 (ISSN:04479114)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.49, pp.62-73, 2001-03-05

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It is generally agreed that the agon scene between Teucer and the Atreidai over the burial of Ajax in the latter half of Sophocles' Ajax ruins the tragic pathos which is subtly developed in the course of the dramatic action up to the point of the suicide scene Among three topics disputed in the debate-evaluation of Ajax' conduct, legitimacy of the Atreidai's generalship, and Teucer's birth (status)-the last is most frequently alleged to be responsible for the drama's incongruity as having no relevance at all to the question of burial Reexammation of this controversy, however, reveals that it not only holds an appropriate place in the debate but also relates the agon scene to the earlier part of the drama First, the issue of birth is effectively introduced in the agon to highlight the fundamental difference of the opponents of the debate in the moral principles, thus aptly pertaining to the dramatic context The dispute over evaluation of Teucer's birth makes strikingly clear the contrast between the two sides, the Atreidai demanding that all Greeks should be under their supreme authority and no hubris should ever be tolerated, and Teucer, on the other hand, claiming that every warrior is equal and is subject to none but himself Secondly, the dispute over Teucer's birth relates the latter half of the drama to the first by calling into question the objective clarity of 'nobility of birth' To the scornful reproach of his antagonists that he is a barbaros, a slave born of a captive, a non-hoplite, thus having no claim to privileges of free men, Teucer makes strong objections insisting that he prides himself upon his nobility originating from royal-both Greek and Trojan-parents as well as in outstanding performance as an archer, and that the Atreidai too have barbaric elements in their allegedly noble birth This argument of Teucer seriously undermines the Atreidai's assumptions concerning nobility of birth by posing two questions first, by what standard is nobility evaluated, and second, to what extent is nobility of character determined by nobility of birth ? Furthermore, Teucer's protest against the Atreidai's abusive attack on his birth reveals, in spite of himself, the problematic nature of his brother's belief in nobility, which is thoroughly presented in his discourses in the earlier part of the drama Ajax's obsessive preoccupation with his noble birth, inherited from Telamon and to be inherited by Eurysakes, as well as self-chosen death as its proof is put into question ironically in attempt to redeem the honor of his brother Understanding the agon scene in this manner allows us to interpret the scenes to follow as well Odysseus' intervention as an arbiter can be seen as an enactment of possible alternative to nobility by which Ajax abides determinedly to the death, Eurysakes' participation in the rite of burial as problematic presentation of consanguinity of the father and the son It is incontestable, therefore, that the issue of Teucer's birth plays an indispensable role to grant coherent unity to the drama