Eurysakes

Also known as: Eurysakès · Family: Greeks · Role: child of Aias and Tecmessa · First appears: Sophocles, Aias — Scene 1

Eurysakes is the child of Aias and Tecmessa. In Scene 1, he appears with both parents but does not speak. In Scene 3, Aias gives him the unpierceable seven-hided shield, telling him to hold and wield it, then entrusts him to Teucer as his guardian and commands that he be taken home to Telamon and Eriboea.

In Scene 4, Tecmessa leaves with Eurysakes to search for and save Aias before he dies. In Scene 6, Teucer brings him with Tecmessa to tend Aias’s burial, directs him to “Kneel and embrace the author of thy life,” and orders him to guard his father’s corpse. Teucer is also named Eurysakes’ brother of the blood, while Telamon and Eriboea are his elder kin.

Relationship record

Life events

• Aias transfers his unpierceable shield to Eurysakes.(Sophocles, Aias — Scene 3)
  • With: Aias
  • “But thou, named of the shield, Eurysakes, hold mine, the unpierceable Seven-hided buckler, and by the well stitched thong Grasp firm and wield it mightily.”
• Aias entrusts Eurysakes to Teucer and commands him to take the boy to Telamon and Eriboea.(Sophocles, Aias — Scene 3)
  • With: Aias Teucer Telamon Eriboea
  • “I leave in Teucer. He'll not fail, though now He follow far the chase upon his foes. My trusty warriors, people of the sea, Be this your charge, no less,--and bear to him My clear commandment, that he take this boy Home to my fatherland, and make him known To Telamon, and Eriboea too, My mother.”
• Tecmessa leaves with Eurysakes to search for and save Aias before he dies.(Sophocles, Aias — Scene 4)
  • With: Tecmessa Aias
  • “Child, what shall I do? [Looking at EURYSAKES We must not stay. I too will fare along, go far as I have power. Come, let us go. Bestir ye! 'Tis no moment to sit still, If we would save him who now speeds to die.”
• Teucer brings Tecmessa and Eurysakes to tend Aias's burial and orders Eurysakes to guard the corpse.(Sophocles, Aias — Scene 6)
  • With: Teucer Tecmessa Aias
  • “Lo! where the hero's housemate and his child, Hitting the moment's need, appear at hand, To tend the burial of the ill fated dead.”
• Teucer directs Eurysakes to embrace Aias and guard his father's corpse.(Sophocles, Aias — Scene 6)
  • With: Teucer Aias
  • “Come, child, take thou thy station close beside: Kneel and embrace the author of thy life”

Sophocles, Aias — Scene 1

• parent: Aias “EURYSAKÈS, the child of Aias and Tecmessa, appears, but does not speak.”
• parent: Tecmessa “EURYSAKÈS, the child of Aias and Tecmessa, appears, but does not speak.”

Sophocles, Aias — Scene 2

• parent: Aias (Aias calls Eurysakes 'Boy, boy!'; the father-child relation is inferred from the scene.) “AIAS (within). Woe's me, me, me! TEC. More cause anon! Hear ye not Aias there, How sharp the cry that shrills from him? AI. Woe! Woe! CH. Madly it sounds--Or springs it of deep grief For proofs of madness harrowing to his eye? AI. Boy, boy! TEC. What means he? Oh, Eurysakes! He cries on thee. Where art thou? O my heart!”
• parent: Tecmessa (Tecmessa's recognition of Eurysakes as the boy Aias calls for supports her being his mother.) “AI. Boy, boy! TEC. What means he? Oh, Eurysakes! He cries on thee. Where art thou? O my heart!”

Sophocles, Aias — Scene 3

• parent: Aias (Aias explicitly identifies Eurysakes as his son.) “If rightly he be fathered of my blood.”
• guardian: Teucer (Aias entrusts Teucer with guarding Eurysakes.) “So stout a warder to protect thy life / I leave in Teucer.”
• elder kin: Telamon (Aias identifies Eurysakes as his son and directs Teucer to present him to Telamon.) “Home to my fatherland, and make him known To Telamon, and Eriboea too, My mother.”
• elder kin: Eriboea (Aias identifies Eurysakes as his son and names Eriboea as his mother.) “Home to my fatherland, and make him known To Telamon, and Eriboea too, My mother.”

Sophocles, Aias — Scene 4

• parent: Aias (Eurysakes is identified as Tecmessa's orphan in the context of Aias's impending death.) “weakened by this woman, whom to leave / A widow with her orphan to my foes, / Dulls me with pity.”

Sophocles, Aias — Scene 6

• parent: Aias “Lo! where the hero's housemate and his child, Hitting the moment's need, appear at hand, To tend the burial of the ill fated dead. Come, child, take thou thy station close beside: Kneel and embrace the author of thy life,”
• elder kin: Teucer “Thus royally descended and thus brave, Shall I renounce the brother of my blood, Or suffer thee to thrust him in his woes Far from all burial, shameless that thou art? Be sure that, if ye cast him forth, ye'll cast Three bodies more beside him in one spot;”

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Extracted from the original text of Greek Tragedy. Made with Rho MD.