Sir Richard C. Jebb, Commentary on Sophocles: Ajax

πράγη, deeds: cp. 21.

The “ἐκκύκλημα” is now pushed on through the central door. It was a small stage, but large enough to allow of Ajax being shown surrounded by some of the slaughtered animals. The word “πράγη” in 347, and the language of vv. 351 ff., show that the carnage was represented. The other plays in which Soph <*>es has used the eccyclema are the Antigone (1294, where see n.), and the Electra (1464 f., n.).

Ajax, sitting among his victims, and meditating his own destruction, was the subject of a famous picture by Timomachus of Byzantium. Philostratus (Vit. Apoll. 2. 22 § 5) thus describes it: “τὸν Αἴαντα τὸν Τιμομάχου..ἀπεκτονότα τἀν τῇ Τροίᾳ βουκόλια καθῆσθαι ἀπειρηκότα” [cp. v. 325 “ἥσυχος θακεῖ”], “βουλὴν ποιούμενον καὶ” “ἑαυτὸν διαφθεῖραι”. The picture was at Cyzicus in 70 B.C. ( Cic. In Verr. 2. 4. 60), but was afterwards bought by Julius Caesar for the Temple of Venus Genetrix in Rome ( N. H. 7. 38 § 126). See Introduction § 20.