Chorus Lord Odysseus, you arrive at the right time, if mediation, not division, is your purpose in coming.
Odysseus What is the trouble, friends? From far off I heard shouting from the Atreidae over this brave man’s corpse.
Agamemnon Is it not because we, Lord Odysseus, have long had to hear the worst, most shameful language from this man?
Odysseus How so? I can pardon a man a retaliatory barrage of abuse if another has insulted him.
Agamemnon I insulted him, since his conduct toward me was of the same stripe.
Odysseus And what did he do that harmed you?
Agamemnon He declares that he will not leave this corpse without due burial, but will entomb it in spite of me.
Odysseus Then may a friend speak the truth, and still remain your helpmate no less than before?
Agamemnon Speak. Otherwise I would be less than sane, since I count you my greatest friend among all the Greeks.
Odysseus Listen, then. In the name of the gods, do not let yourself so ruthlessly cast this man out unburied. Do not in any way let the violence of your hatred overcome you so much that you trample justice under foot. To me, too, this man was once the most hostile enemy in the army from the day on which I beat him for possession of Achilles’ arms. Yet for all that he was hostile towards me, I would not dishonor him in return or refuse to admit that in all our Greek force at Troy he was, in my view, the best and bravest, excepting Achilles. It would not be just, then, that he should be dishonored by you. It is not he, but the laws given by the gods that you would damage. When a good man is dead, there is no justice in doing him harm, not even if you hate him.
Agamemnon You, Odysseus—do you champion him against me in this battle?
Odysseus I do, though I did hate him, when it was honorable for me to hate.
Agamemnon But should you not also trample him now that he is dead?
Odysseus Do not take delight, son of Atreus, in that superiority which brings no honor.
Agamemnon Reverence, I tell you, is not easily practiced by the autocrat.
Odysseus But it is easy to grant dispensations to friends when they advise well.
Agamemnon A good man should listen to those in charge.
Odysseus Stop! Your power is victorious when you surrender to your friends.
Agamemnon Remember to what sort of man you show this kindness!
Odysseus The man was once my enemy, yes, but he was also noble.
Agamemnon Why do you do this? Why do you so respect an enemy’s corpse?
Odysseus I yield to his excellence much more than his hostility.
Agamemnon Men who act as you do are the unstable sort in humankind.
Odysseus Quite the majority of men, I assure you, are friendly at one time, and bitter at another.
Agamemnon So then, are these the type of friends that you recommend we make?
Odysseus It is not my habit to recommend an inflexible spirit.
Agamemnon You will make us appear to be cowards today.
Odysseus On the contrary, we will be men of justice in the eyes of all the Greeks.
Agamemnon Then do you truly urge me to allow the burying of the dead?
Odysseus Yes, for I too shall come to that necessity.
Agamemnon How true it is that in all things alike each man works for himself!
Odysseus And for whom should I work more than for myself?
Agamemnon It must be called your doing then, not mine.
Odysseus However you do it, in all respects you will at least prove beneficent.
Agamemnon In any case, be quite certain that to you I would grant a larger favor than this. To that man, however, as on earth, so below I give my hatred. But you can do what you will.
Chorus Whoever denies, Odysseus, that you were born wise in judgment is a total fool since you have shown it just now.
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