In Greek mythology, Ajax (in ancient Greek Aías Telamốnios), son of Telamon (king of Salamis) and Periboea, is a hero of the Trojan War. He should not be confused with his namesake Ajax son of Oïlée.
In front of Troy
He is nicknamed "Ajax the Great" because of his tall stature, but also to distinguish him from his namesake, known as "Ajax the Little". Priam, seeing him from the top of the ramparts of Troy, describes him as an "Achaean warrior, noble and tall, who exceeds the Argives by his head and his noble shoulders[1]" (Il., III, 226-227 ). He is only surpassed by Achilles in strength and bravery. It is nicknamed "the rampart of the Achaeans". He is not injured in any battle depicted in the Iliad, and he is the only main character on both sides who does not receive any assistance from the gods who take part in the battles.
According to post-Homeric tradition, he is invulnerable. Quintus of Smyrna thus notes in Homer's Suite (I, 564-567):
“The spear . . . does not cut into delicate skin, although it strikes it in full swing. Fate does not want an enemy feature, heavy with sob, to be soaked in its blood on the battlefield. »
His father is one of the Argonauts. He brings with him twelve vessels to Troy. He is the most valiant and the strongest of the Greek heroes, apart from Achilles (II., II, 768-770). During the fights described in the Iliad, he kills ten Trojans, which places him fourth among the Greeks, behind Achilles, Diomedes and Agamemnon.
One of the most important duels of the epic opposes him, in canto VII, to Hector, the Trojan prince:Hector offers the Greeks to designate a champion to face him in single combat. It is Ajax who is drawn and who will face the Priamide. The fight lasts a long time before the two heralds of Zeus stop it, when night is about to fall. Ajax and Hector then agree to declare equal parties:thus, all will be able to say, according to Hector, "Both fought for the quarrel which devours hearts and separated after having formed a friendly agreement[1]" (Il., VII, 301-302). They then exchange gifts, a sword and baldric from Hector, a purple belt from Ajax, and each returns to his camp. The courtesy and chivalrous spirit that animates the meeting of the two champions contrasts with the savagery of the future duel between Achille and Hector.
During Patroclus' funeral games, his prayer to the gods to dispel the fog that had fallen over the battle was quickly granted by Zeus and he competes against Odysseus in wrestling, but the two fail to decide. He also confronts Diomedes in the hoplomachy, and Achilles must stop the fight before Diomedes hurts him.
Death
According to the Odyssey, after the latter's death, with the help of Athena, he recovers Achilles' body from the hands of the Trojans and disputes with Odysseus the honor of receiving his arms. Athena and a group of imprisoned Trojan children (who are asked which of Odysseus or Ajax caused more harm to Troy) guide Agamemnon in his decision. Not having been chosen, his disappointment drove him mad. He rushed out of his tent and found a flock of sheep in the camp he took for the Greek leaders; he exacted his vengeance upon them. Coming to his senses, he killed himself in shame with the sword he had received as a gift from Hector. This is the account of his death given in the Ajax of Sophocles, in the Nemeans of Pindar and in the Metamorphoses of Ovid. According to Pausanias, from his blood springs a red flower, like the death of Hyacinth, which bears on its leaves the initial letters of his name Ai, also an expression of lamentation. His ashes were placed in a golden urn on the promontory at the entrance to the Hellespont.
Ulysses sees him again during his visit to Hades. Ajax, resentful, stays away, and does not respond to Ulysses' friendly exhortation.
Heroic Cult
Like Achilles, he is represented as alive after his death in the White Island, at the mouth of the Danube. Ajax, in post-Homeric legend, is described as the grandson of Aeacus and the great-grandson of Zeus. He is the tutelary hero of the island of Salamis, where he has a temple and an effigy. A festival named Aianteia is celebrated in his honor. At this festival, a bed is made, on which the panoply of the hero is placed. This practice is reminiscent of the Roman use of lectisternium.
The identification of Ajax with the Eacids is mainly due to the Athenians, after the capture of Salamis. On this occasion, Solon is said to have inserted a line in The Iliad, with the purpose of supporting the Athenian claim to the island. Ajax then becomes a hero of Attica. He is worshiped in Athens, where he has a statue in the Market Square. The Aiantis tribe was named in his honor.
Many illustrious Athenians - Cimon, Miltiades, Alcibiades, the historian Thucydides - are said to be descendants of Ajax.