Francisci Porti Cretensis... In omnes Sophoclis tragoedias prolegomena, ut vulgo vocantur

The persons who act are these:
Minerva. Ulysses. Ajax.
Chorus of Salaminians. Tecmessa. Messenger.
Hemichorion half-chorus. Teucer. Agamemnon.
Menelaus.

Minerva acts the prologue, who teaches Ulysses who was the author of the slaughter. And rightly is Minerva introduced to indicate the author of the slaughter: for since the matter had been perpetrated in the dead of night with witnesses removed, no one could know it. Therefore, it was the task of a God to indicate this very thing.

"Always, O son" opening line of the play in Greek: "Aiei men, o pai"—the chief praise of the beginning is that it is delotikon tou pragmatos indicative of the matter, so that it teaches what the matter is about. Therefore, Minerva teaches which persons are acting, in what place, and about what matter. The persons are Minerva and Ulysses. The place is the tent of Ajax. The matter concerns Ajax as the author of the slaughter. Minerva praises the vigilance of Ulysses, who never ceases to explore the attempts of the enemy and to anticipate their plans, which is a sign of wisdom, namely for the sake of avoiding misfortune. Minerva favors Ulysses kata to eikos according to the probable/fitting. For Homer introduces her as the patroness of Ulysses.

A symmetrical, floral-patterned printer's ornament centered on the page.