For anyone wondering, this song is based on the ancient Greek tragedy "Ajax". Ajax was one of the Greek heroes during the legendary Trojan War. Most of the real action happens before the play (the Greek audience would have been familiar with the background): Ajax is angry with Agamemnon, the Greek leader, because he favored Odysseus over Ajax in a contest. Ajax plans to kill Odysseus and Agamemnon, but the goddess Athena, who has a special affection for Odysseus, drives Ajax temporarily mad; Ajax thinks that a herd of pigs are Ajax and Odysseus and their man, and drives them into his tent to kill them.
As the play opens, Ajax is inside his tent, killing the pigs ("red red, red everywhere/ bright red all along the thin canvas wall"). Odysseus is outside; Athena makes fun of Ajax in his madness ("saw the purple sky/ making jokes about my condition") and invites Odysseus to do the same; he demurs, noting that the same could happen to him.
When Ajax comes to his senses, he is humiliated by what has happened to him, has a little talk with his wife, and wanders off to kill himself.
Heh, shewouldnt, funny.
For anyone wondering, this song is based on the ancient Greek tragedy "Ajax". Ajax was one of the Greek heroes during the legendary Trojan War. Most of the real action happens before the play (the Greek audience would have been familiar with the background): Ajax is angry with Agamemnon, the Greek leader, because he favored Odysseus over Ajax in a contest. Ajax plans to kill Odysseus and Agamemnon, but the goddess Athena, who has a special affection for Odysseus, drives Ajax temporarily mad; Ajax thinks that a herd of pigs are Ajax and Odysseus and their man, and drives them into his tent to kill them.
As the play opens, Ajax is inside his tent, killing the pigs ("red red, red everywhere/ bright red all along the thin canvas wall"). Odysseus is outside; Athena makes fun of Ajax in his madness ("saw the purple sky/ making jokes about my condition") and invites Odysseus to do the same; he demurs, noting that the same could happen to him.
When Ajax comes to his senses, he is humiliated by what has happened to him, has a little talk with his wife, and wanders off to kill himself.