Eksodos
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.
1330
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
1335
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
1340
in doing him harm, not even if you hate him.
1345
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.
1350
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.
1355
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?
1360
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.
1365
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.
