TECMESSA (daughter of Teuthras in Greek mythology)

Tecmessa was woken from rest by the Chorus to hear news about Ajax.⁴ She decided to leave her resting place to search for her husband, acting in fear as she told him what had been done.^4,8 She questioned Ajax about his unsummoned nighttime expedition, admonishing him for why he had set out without warning.⁸ Although she was threatened to reveal the events of the night, she obeyed his command to remain silent and desisted after taking his meaning.⁸ She opened the door to allow the chorus to see Ajax, who had suffered utter disgrace and madness during the night.^2,1 She described seeing butchered victims bathed in blood inside his dwelling, reporting the terrible state of his mind to the chorus.^1,2

Tecmessa experienced distress while Ajax was suffering from his madness.⁹ She begged Ajax to stop speaking in his current manner, but he ordered her to leave and go outside.¹⁰ She asked Ajax to include her in his prayer for death.¹¹ Ajax instructed her to take their child, Eurysaces, away immediately and to shut the doors tightly.¹² She released the child from her care out of fear he would die, arranging for servants to watch over him while he was nearby.¹³ She acted to prevent the child from getting in the way of Ajax’s troubles, calling for a servant to bring the boy to his presence.¹³

Tecmessa entered the scene near the corpse of Ajax, expressing deep misery and wailing upon seeing the body.⁷ She reported that Ajax killed himself with his own hand by falling on a sword planted in the ground.⁷ She covered his body with a shroud to hide his wounds, expressing distress at the sight of his self-inflicted injuries.¹⁴ She lamented his fall from a high status to a low one, stating that he deserved mourning even from his enemies.¹⁴ She mourned Aias's death by falling on his corpse and veiling herself.⁵ She called for Teucer to help prepare the corpse, and he ordered her to keep Ajax inside his tent.^14,4

Left behind in anguish, Tecmessa was told to defend the dead body until Teucer returned.^15,3 She was involved in a supplication ritual where Teucer cut a lock of hair.³ She stated that the current events would not have occurred without the will of the gods, acknowledging the divine hand in her tragedy.¹⁶ She and her son were advancing toward a heavy yoke of slavery.¹⁶ She claimed to have no wealth or homeland remaining except Ajax.⁶ In the end, she exited the scene to bring Ajax’s child to Teucer.¹⁵