Ajax: every role by lines, words, and stage time

Sophocles, translated by Francis Storr. 11 speaking roles, 10,909 words, about 78 minutes of speech.

The Offbook team

Oct 8, 2026

Ajax has the most to say in Ajax: about 297 lines and 2,282 words, 20.9% of the play. Sophocles’ tragedy follows the warrior Ajax after he loses Achilles’ armor to Odysseus and his rage turns to madness. Ajax has the most words, about a fifth, with the Chorus close behind. Teucer and Tecmessa each hold about a sixth, and Teucer leads the long struggle over Ajax’s burial.

Speaking roles: 11
Scenes: Continuous
Words: 10,909
Speech time: 78 min

Every role, largest first

Role	Lines	Words	Share	Minutes	Scenes
Ajax	297	2,282	20.9%	16.3	1
Chorus	317	2,141	19.6%	15.3	1
Teucer	231	1,811	16.6%	12.9	1
Tecmessa	219	1,722	15.8%	12.3	1
Odysseus	86	690	6.3%	4.9	1
Athena	76	620	5.7%	4.4	1
Menelaus	66	551	5.1%	3.9	1
Messenger	67	519	4.8%	3.7	1
Agamemnon	62	498	4.6%	3.6	1
Semi-Chorus 1	8	53	0.5%	0.4	1
Semi-Chorus 2	3	22	0.2%	0.2	1

The longest speeches

Speech	Words	Lines
Ajax: “Ay me! Whoe’er had thought how well my name”	443	56
Chorus: “Son of Telamon, thou whose isle,”	442	71
Ajax: “The slayer standeth where his stroke is sure—”	419	52
Teucer: “Out on man’s gratitude! how soon it fades,”	416	53
Ajax: “Time in its slow, illimitable course”	401	50
Teucer: “O saddest sight of all I ever saw,”	393	48
Tecmessa: “Hear then the story of our common woe.”	389	49
Ajax: “Lift him, O lift him to my arms; no dread,”	342	40
Menelaus: “Hear then. We thought to bring from Salamis”	341	41
Tecmessa: “Ah, my lord Ajax, heavier lot is none”	333	40

Questions actors ask

Who has the most lines in Ajax?

Ajax, with about 297 lines and 2,282 words, 20.9% of everything spoken in the play. Chorus is next, with about 317 lines (19.6%).

How long is Ajax?

The full text has 10,909 spoken words, about 78 minutes at 140 words a minute before pauses, scene changes, and cuts. Most productions cut the text, so running times vary.

How many speaking roles are in Ajax?

11 named roles speak in this edition, in one continuous text with no scene breaks. 2 of them have less than 2% of the words, which is why small parts are often doubled.