Aiax
（
Αἴας).
1.
Son of Telamon, king of Salamis, and grandson of Aeacus. Homer calls him Aiax the
Telamonian, Aiax the Great, or simply Aiax, whereas the other Aiax, son of Oïleus,
is always distinguished from the former by some epithet. He sailed against Troy in twelve
ships, and
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Aiax. (Aeginetan Marbles.)
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is represented in the
Iliad as second only to Achilles in
bravery. In the contest for the armour of Achilles he was conquered by Odysseus, and this,
says Homer, was the cause of his death. Later poets relate that his defeat by Odysseus threw
him into a state of madness; that he rushed from his tent and slaughtered the sheep of the
Greek army, fancying they were his enemies; and that at length he put an end to his own life.
From his blood there sprang up a purple flower bearing the letters
Ai
(
Αἰ) on its leaves, which were at once the initials of his
name and expressive of a sigh. Homer does not mention his mistress Tecmessa.
2.
Son of Oïleus, king of the Locrians, also called the lesser Aiax, sailed against
Troy in forty ships. He is described as small of stature, but skilled in throwing the spear,
and, next to Achilles, the most swiftfooted among the Greeks. On his return from Troy his
vessel was wrecked; he himself safely reached a rock through the assistance of Poseidon; but,
as he boasted that he would escape in defiance of the immortals, Poseidon split the rock with
his trident, and Aiax was swallowed up by the sea. This is the account of Homer. Others tell
us that the anger of Athené was excited against him because on the night of the
capture of Troy he violated Cassandra in the temple of the goddess (Lycophron, 360 with
schol.).
