ATHENA
Till thou hast done what, gained what further vantage?
AIAS
Till bound fast to a pillar beneath my roof—
ATHENA
What evil wilt thou inflict on the poor wretch?
AIAS
His back the scourge must crimson ere he dies.
ATHENA
Nay, do not torture so the wretched man.
AIAS
Athena, in all else will I do thy will;
But his shall be no other doom than this.
ATHENA
Thou then, since thy delight is to act thus,
Smite, spare not, abate nought of thy intent.
AIAS
To my work I return: and thus I charge thee,
As now, so always fight thou upon my side.
[Exit Aias.]
ATHENA
Seest thou, Odysseus, how great the strength of gods?
Whom couldst thou find more prudent than this man,
Or whom in act more valiant, when need called?
ODYSSEUS
I know none nobler; and I pity him
In his misery, albeit he is my foe,
Since he is yoked fast to an evil doom.
My own lot I regard no less than his.
For I see well, nought else are we but mere
Phantoms, all we that live, mere fleeting shadows.
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