“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 Pallas 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 hath 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 spake in soothing words:—
“ ‘O Ajax, son of blameless Telamon! Wilt thou 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 thou, the bulwark of our host, didst fall, And we lamented thee as bitterly When thou wert dead as we had mourned the son Of Peleus. Nor was any man to blame; ’Twas Jupiter who held in vehement hate The army of the warlike Greeks, and laid This doom upon thee. Now, O king, draw near, And hear our voice and words, and check, I pray, The anger rising in thy generous breast.’
“I spake; 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.
“Then I beheld the illustrious son of Jove, Minos, a golden sceptre in his hand, Sitting to judge the dead, who round the king Pleaded their causes. There they stood or sat In Pluto’s halls—a pile with ample gates.
“And next I saw the huge Orion drive, Across the meadows green with asphodel, The savage beast whom he had slain; he bore The brazen mace, which no man’s power could break.