Farewell to Hector and Andromache. Hector quickly brought rich gifts to the goddess and was already hurrying back to the battlefield, but his beloved wife Andromache met him at the very gates and said: “Oh, my Hector! Courage will kill you! I will remain a widow, and without you it is better for me not to live in the world! You are everything to me - father, brother and husband. Have pity on me and our little son, don’t take more soldiers out into the field, stay in the city!”
Hector answered her: “And I myself know that the day will come, Troy, my king-father, all the people will perish. But your fate saddens me even more, beloved Andromache! Some Greek will take you captive, and in a foreign land they will point their fingers at you and say: “Here is the wife of Hector, who was the most glorious of the Trojan heroes!” It will be hard to hear such words. Better to kill me before this happens! No one will descend into the kingdom of gloomy Hades against the dictates of fate, neither the brave nor the coward will escape their fate. It would be a great shame for me to remain in Troy and not participate in the battle! Go, take care of household chores, but we, men, will take care of the military!” Hector put on his helmet and went out of the city gates.
Combat between Hector and Ajax. Hector returned to the Trojans, they perked up, seeing their leader again on the field, and rushed at the Greeks with renewed vigor. So strong was their onslaught that the Achaeans began to slowly retreat to the ships. Athena saw this and rushed to the aid of the Greeks. But on the way she met Apollo, and they agreed to stop the battle for one day, to give the heroes a break. They inspired Hector with the idea to challenge the most glorious of the Greek heroes to single combat. Hector immediately stopped the battle, as did Agamemnon. Tired fighters sat down on the ground, Hector stepped forward and challenged. The Greeks conferred for a long time on who to accept him, many were eager to measure their strength with a glorious hero; they decided to cast lots so that the will of the gods would determine who would join the battle. The lot fell on the mighty Ajax.
Ajax came out to the place of the duel, huge, powerful, formidable, he was like Ares himself! He carried in front of him a shield bound with copper, as big as a tower, and brandished a heavy spear. Even Hector, who had not known fear before, became timid! But he did not refuse the duel, he was the first to throw his spear at the enemy: it stuck into Ajax's shield, but did not break through it. Ajax threw a spear: it pierced Hector's shield through and through, but the Trojan hero jumped aside and thereby escaped certain death. The heroes pulled out their spears and again collided; Hector's spear bent from powerful blows, he then grabbed a huge stone and threw it at Ajax: the copper that covered him rattled, but the Greek only laughed and threw an even larger stone at Hector. Hector fell to the ground, but Apollo immediately helped him up. The heroes grabbed their swords and, probably, would have cut each other to pieces, but then the heralds entered the field and proclaimed: “You are great warriors, and Zeus loves both of you equally! End your fight - night is coming and you need rest!
Truce. The heroes lowered their weapons, and Hector said: “Truly, Ajax, you are a great warrior! We may still meet with you in battle, but today, in memory of our duel, we will honor each other with gifts. Let people say: "They fought, burning with enmity, parted like friends." Having said this, Hector handed Ajax his formidable sword, adorned with silver, and Ajax handed him a precious purple belt.
The Greeks and the Trojans concluded a truce with each other for a day to bury the dead, and dispersed. All the next day they picked up the fallen on the field and performed funeral rites over them, knowing that the next day there would be even more of them.
IN Greek mythology the name of two participants in the Trojan War; both fought near Troy as applicants for the hand of Helen. In the Iliad, they often act hand in hand: in the battle for the wall surrounding the Achaean camp (XII 265-370), in the defense of ships (XIII 46-82, 126 following), in the battle for the body of Patroclus (XVII 531 following. , 668 next, 718-753) and are compared with two mighty lions or bulls (XIII 197-205; 701-708).
Ajax Oilid, son of Oileus and Eriopis (Eriope), king of Locris, leader of the militia (40 people) from Locris (Central Greece). A skilled javelin thrower and an excellent runner, second only to Achilles in speed. His warriors are renowned as archers and slingers. This, so-called. “smaller Ajax” or “small Ajax” is not so powerful and not so tall compared to Ajax Telamonides (Nom. Il. II 527 - 535). He is known for his violent and brash temper. So, during the capture of Troy, he committed violence against Cassandra, who sought protection at the altar of Athena (Apollod. epit. V 22; Verg. Aen. II 403 - 406). On the advice of Odysseus, the Achaeans were going to stone Ajax for this sacrilege (Paus. X 31, 2), but he took refuge at the altar of the same Athena. However, when the fleet returned from Troy, the angry goddess broke the Achaean ships (including the ship of Ajax by throwing a thunderbolt at it) by a storm near the Cyclades. Ajax escaped and, clinging to a rock, boasted that he was alive against the will of the gods. Then Poseidon split the rock with a trident, Ajax fell into the sea and died. His body was buried by Thetis on the island of Mykonos, near Delos (Apollod. epit. VI, 6; Hyg. Fab. 116). The sacrilege of Ajax, by the decision of the oracle, was expiated by the inhabitants of Locris for a thousand years, sending two virgins to Troy every year, who served in the temple of Athena, never leaving it. According to Apollodorus (epit. VI 20) and Polybius (XII 5), this custom ceased after the Phocian War (4th century BC).
Ajax Telamonides, descended from Zeus and the nymph Aegina. He is the grandson of Aeacus, the son of Telamon and Periboea, the cousin of Achilles. His name is associated with a myth in which Hercules appears as a friend of the Salamis king Telamon. During a visit to the island of Salamis, Hercules prays to Zeus to grant Telamon a valiant son; when Zeus, in agreement with the request of Hercules, sends an eagle in the form of a banner, Hercules advises Telamon to name his future son by his name (from the Greek eagle; Apollod. III 12 7). Ajax is the king of Salamis, who brought 12 ships under Troy (Nom. Il. II 557-558). Under Troy, Ajax became famous as a hero second only to Achilles in prowess. He is huge in growth (the so-called "big Ajax"), formidable, powerful, armed with a huge seven-skinned shield covered with copper (VII 206 - 223). Ajax acts in battle as the god Ares himself (VII 208), strides firmly, shaking his powerful spear. He throws a huge stone at Hector and pierces the enemy's shield with it (VII 268-270). When Ajax appears, carrying his shield like a tower, the Trojans scatter in fear (XI 485 -4J7), and he continues to smash the enemies, raging on the plain (XI 496 following). When Patroclus is killed and there is a struggle for his body, Ajax covers the defeated with his shield (XVII 132 - 139), and then helps the Achaeans to carry away the body of Patroclus from the battlefield, repelling the Trojans together with Ajax Oilid (XVII 718-753). In the battle of the ships, Ajax confronts Hector (XV 500-514). Protecting the ship and fire, he kills 12 men in hand-to-hand combat (XV 730 - 745). After the death of Achilles, Ajax selflessly protects his body from the Trojans (Apollod. epit. V 4) and therefore considers himself entitled to inherit the armor of the murdered hero. However, the armor is awarded (with the Trojans or allies of the Achaeans acting as judges) to Odysseus, and the offended Ajax decides to kill the Achaean leaders at night. But Athena, saving the Achaeans, sends madness on him and herds of cattle become victims of the sword of Ajax. When reason returns to Ajax, he cannot survive the disgrace he has brought upon himself and, having deceived the vigilance of his wife Tekmessa and associates, commits suicide in despair. The body of Ajax, by the decision of Agamemnon, was not set on fire, and Cape Reteus became his grave (Apollod. epit. V 6). Ajax cannot forget the insult inflicted on him by Odysseus even in Hades, where he responds to the friendly speeches of Odysseus with gloomy silence, preserving an unbending and stubborn spirit in the realm of the dead (Nom. Od. XI 541 - 565). The fate of Ajax, his madness and death are dedicated to the tragedy of Sophocles "Ajax" and the trilogy of Aeschylus "Argument about weapons" that has not come down to us.
Ajax Telamonides was revered as a hero. On the agora in the city of Salamis was the temple of Ajax (Paus. I 35, 3). Before the battle at Salamis, according to Herodotus, the Greeks brought prayers to the gods and called for help from Ajax and his father Telamon (VIII 64). The festival of ayantia in honor of Ajax was celebrated with great solemnity in Attica and Salamis. The proximity of Ajax to Athens is emphasized in the Iliad, which says that Ajax placed his ships next to the ships of the Athenians (Nom. Il. II 558).
Ajax Oilid and Ajax Telamonides are very ancient mythological images. These are unbridled and proud heroes, going not only against the will of people, but also against the will of the gods. It is likely that originally both Ajaxes were one holistic mythological image, which later underwent a certain modification, appearing in the form of two heroes very close in spirit and differing rather in external features (Ajax large and Ajax small, cf. Dioscuri, Gemini myths). Maybe Locris is ancient homeland heroic archetype, and Salamis is secondary and appeared in myth through Telamon. The name Telamon has a common noun (Greek belt or baldric for a shield and sword), and Ajax Telamonides acts as the owner of the famous shield held by strong straps. The frequent joint performance of both Ajaxes in the Iliad also allows us to make an assumption about the originally single image of Ajax.
In ancient art, Ajax Oilid is depicted mainly on coins from Locris, where he appears in the guise of a heavily armed warrior, in vase painting (the scene of violence against Cassandra), and on frescoes. The myth of Ajax and Cassandra served as the subject of paintings by P. P. Rubens and others.
Ajax Telamonides is one of the most popular characters. Various plots of the myth are embodied in the vase painting: “a dispute over the armor of Achilles”, “Ajax’s suicide”, “Ajax’s fights with Hector and other Trojans”, “Ajax’s participation in the battle for the body of Achilles”, etc. In the European fine arts- "The Kingdom of Flora" by N. Poussin, the statue "Ajax" by A. Kakov and others.
Characters and cult objects of Greek mythology. 2012
See also interpretations, synonyms, meanings of the word and what is AJAX in Russian in dictionaries, encyclopedias and reference books:
- AJAX
(?????, Aiax). The name of Ajax was carried by two heroes - Ajax the Great and Ajax the Small. 1) Ajax the Great was the son of Telamon, king... - AJAX
Ayant (????, genus case - ???????), in Greek mythology, the name of two participants in the Trojan War; both fought near Troy as applicants ... - AJAX in the Dictionary-Reference Who's Who in the Ancient World:
(Eant) 1) Greek hero, grandson of Aeacus, son of Telamon in Periboea, cousin of Achilles, king of Salamis, who brought twelve ships to Troy. … - AJAX in the Literary Encyclopedia:
(the hero of the tragedy of Sophocles "Ajax" (the exact date of staging is unknown, but the tragedy is considered one of the earliest, and the estimated dating can be given ... - AJAX in the Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Euphron:
(Greek AiaV) - the name of two Greek heroes who participated in the siege of Troy - One of them, nicknamed Locrians or the Younger, was ... - AJAX in the Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron:
(Greek ????) ? the name of two Greek heroes who participated in the siege of Troy. ? One of them, called the Locrian, or the Younger, was ... - AJAX in the dictionary of Synonyms of the Russian language.
- AJAX in the Dictionary of the Russian Language Lopatin:
A`jax, -a: two`a ... - AJAX in the Complete Spelling Dictionary of the Russian Language:
Ajax, -a: two ... - AJAX in the Spelling Dictionary:
a`jax, -a: dv`a ... - AJAX SMALL
(Ajax "fast-footed") - the king of the Locrians and their leader near Troy. Son of King Oilea of Locris. Half brother of Medont. He was small in stature... - AJAX LARGE in the Dictionary-Reference Myths of Ancient Greece:
son of Telamon, brother of Teucer, grandson of Aeacus, nephew of Peleus. The strongest hero after Achilles (his cousin) is near Troy. Carried out… - BYZANTINE ANTIC in the Dictionary of Fine Art Terms:
- works of early Byzantine art (IV-VII centuries), made in the antique style. An example is silver dishes depicting scenes from ancient mythology ... - TELAMON in the Dictionary-Reference Myths of Ancient Greece:
- King of the island of Salamis, hero. According to the ancient version, the son of Aktey and Glauca, the daughter of the Salami king Kihrei. According to later myths... - PALAMED in the Dictionary-Reference Myths of Ancient Greece:
- Euboean hero, participant in the Trojan War, son of the king Fr. Euboea Nauplia and Clymene (daughter of Catreus). Inventor of the alphabet, numbers, coins, counting... - ARGONAUTS V Concise Dictionary mythology and antiquities:
(Argonautae, ???????????). Heroes who went on the ship Argo to Colchis for the Golden Fleece under the leadership of Jason. The reasons for this trip were as follows: ... - TROJAN WAR in the Directory of Characters and Cult Objects of Greek Mythology:
One of the central events in Greek mythology. Ancient sources explain the emergence of the Trojan War by the will of Zeus, who wished to either "reduce the burden of the earth" ... - TELAMON in the Directory of Characters and Cult Objects of Greek Mythology:
In Greek mythology, the Salaminian hero, the father of Ajax. According to the ancient version, the son of Aktey and Glauca, the daughter of the Salami king Kihrei. According to more…
Ajax the Great (Aeacus Telamond)
Ajax the Great - as simple a mortal as?
For several articles in a row, I have been sorting out the genealogy of Greek heroes in the hope of finding out whether they were descendants of the gods. This topic is interesting to me for many reasons. In particular, I want to understand if:
“Agree, it’s interesting that the Greeks not only revered heroes, but partially deified them. Why? It turns out that they had no idea that normal a common person capable of feats, right? That only those who carry a particle of God in themselves actually perform feats? But what about mere mortals? They, it turns out, do not possess such a particle of God?"
There would be no study of the genealogy of Odysseus and Ajax if it were not for one of my readers, who literally pushed me to these Greek heroes.
So, who is Ajax the Great and what is his origin? Does he carry a particle of God in himself or not? Let's try to figure it out. Take a look...
First you need to figure out whether Ajax is Great hero. Of course, the word "Great" already gives a significant credit of trust, but you still need to know who Ajax was. Short note from Wikipedia:
Son of Telamon, king of Salamis, and Peribeia (or Eribea). Cousin of Achilles. While visiting Telamon, Hercules prayed for the birth of a child, and Zeus sent an eagle, from which he received the name Eant. According to one version, his body was invulnerable, because once Hercules wrapped him in his lion skin, But vulnerable spot had an armpit.
With 12 ships, Eant Telamonides marched against Troy and is by Homer the bravest and most beautiful of the Greeks after Achilles. He fought with Hector, gave him a belt for which they dragged his body, received a sword as a gift. Killed Hippodames and Chromius. In the Iliad, he killed 14 Trojans. In total, according to Gigin, he killed 28 warriors. At the funerary games in honor of Patroclus, he won in wrestling, at the games in honor of Achilles - in throwing the discus. Or at the Achilles games he competed in wrestling. According to Sophocles, Eant had a son, Eurysaces, who was born during the war from the captive Tekmessa.
I think that after the above words, the question of the heroism of Ajax the Great can be considered resolved. Hero and dot. What is the reason for the greatness of this Greek hero? I think it will be useful to note that Ajax is still not a mere mortal, but "son of Telamon, king of Salamis, and Periboea (or Eribei). Cousin of Achilles." That is, it is already clear that the courage that Homer admires is closely connected with the family of Ajax, to which Achilles also belongs.
Now take a look at the following chains linking Ajax to Olympus:
- Ajax the Great -> Telamon (king of the island of Salamis) -> Endeida -> Chiron (centaur) -> Filira (Oceanid) -> Ocean (the beginning of all things)
- Ajax the Great -> Telamon (king of the island of Salamis) -> Endeida -> Chiron (centaur) -> Kronos (Titan)
- Ajax the Great -> Telamon (king of the island of Salamis) -> Aeacus -> Zeus
What does it get? It turns out that Ajax was not a mere mortal either! And it comes from the gods... I think that research on this topic is enough to make sure of the divine origin of the heroes of ancient Greece. Perhaps, among the huge number of heroes that we have not considered, a hero of "human origin" will still appear, I will be very happy about this. However, research so far suggests otherwise.
On this topic of studying the genealogies of ancient Greek heroes, I propose to close and move on to a discussion of related topics on heroic topics.
(or Eribei). Cousin of Achilles. While visiting Telamon, Hercules offered a prayer for the birth of a child, and Zeus sent eagle, from which he received the name Eant [How?] . According to one version, his body was invulnerable, because once Hercules wrapped him in his lion skin, but the armpit was a weak point.
Judgment and death
After the death of Achilles, he argued for the right to own his weapons with Odysseus. Either the judges were Trojans, or the Achaeans overheard the conversation of the Trojans. Athena advised Odysseus how to respond. Due to Athena's anger, Agamemnon and Menelaus refused him and handed over the weapons to Odysseus. Eant fell into madness. Under the influence of Athena, he killed a herd of rams that belonged to the Achaeans, mistaking them for the leaders of the Achaeans. He committed suicide with the sword he received from Hector, invoking the wrath of Erinyes on the Atrids. There are many versions of Eant's death.
Subsequent tradition
Transformed into a hyacinth-like flower. The only one who died near Troy was buried in a coffin. His grave is in Retey (Roytey). Sanctuary of Eantus at Rhaetia, where his tomb and statue are. When Odysseus was shipwrecked, Achilles' weapons were thrown on the tomb of Eantus. In the next life, his soul chose the life of a lion.
The tragic death of a hero was a favorite subject of ancient authors. It is known that Aeschylus also depicted her, but only the tragedy of Sophocles "Ajax" has come down to us.
The epitaphs of Eant were written by Asclepiades and Antipater.
In a figurative sense, "two Ajaxes" are inseparable friends.
see also
Sources
- Myths of the peoples of the world. M., 1991-92. In 2 vols. T.1. pp.146-147; Lübker F. A Real Dictionary of Classical Antiquities. M., 2001. In 3 volumes. T.1. p.29
- Hygin. Myths 97
- Hesiod. Great Eoi, fr.250 M.-U.; Pindar. Isthmian Songs VI 53
- Aeschylus. Thracian women, fr.83 Radt; Pindar; Notes by M. L. Gasparov in the book. Aeschylus. Tragedy. M., 1989. S. 298; Lycophron. Alexandra 457
- Hesiod. List of women, fr.204 M.-U.; Pseudo Apollodorus. Mythological Library III 10, 8 onwards; Hygin. Myths 81
- Homer. Iliad II 557; Pseudo Apollodorus. Mythological Library E III 11; Hygin. Myths 97
- Hygin. Myths 112
- Hygin. Myths 113
- Hygin. Myths 114
- Hygin. Myths 273
- Pseudo Apollodorus. Mythological Library E V 5
- Quint Smirnsky. After Homer IV 246-302
- Lesh. Small Iliad, fr.2, 32 Bernabe; Pindar. Nemean Songs VIII 27; Ovid. Metamorphosis XIII 1-385
- Homer. Odyssey XI 547
- Lesh. Minor Iliad, French 2 Bernabe
- Hygin. Myths 107
- Lesh. Little Iliad, synopsis; Sophocles. Eant 21-27
- Arktin. Ethiopian, fr.3 Evelyn-White
- Sophocles. Eant 658-664; Hygin. Myths 107; Quint Smirnsky. After Homer V 557-562
- Sophocles. Eant 836-866
- Sophocles. Drama. M., 1990. S.460-461
- Ovid. Metamorphoses XIII 386-398
- Lesh. Iliad Minor, French 4 Evelyn-White
- Pseudo Apollodorus. Mythological Library E V 7; Dion. Trojan speech 128
- Strabo. Geography XIII 1, 30 (p. 595)
- Pausanias. Description of Hellas I 35, 4
- Plato. State X 620b
- Pausanias. Description of Hellas II 29, 4
- Plato. Alcibiades I 121a
- Herodotus. History V 66
- Diodorus Siculus. Historical Library XVII 17, 3
- Asklepiades. Epigram 29 Page; Antipater of Sidon. Epigram 7 Paige
- Aristotle. Rhetoric II 23
- Polemon, fr.95 Preller, see Achilles Tatius. Leucippe and Cleitophon III 20
- Grigorevsky, "Ajax, the hero of the Greek. poetry" ("Phil. Zap.", 1867, No. 5, 6 and 1868, No. 2).
- Homer. Iliad: M., 1984. Translation from ancient Greek. N. Gnedich.
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An excerpt characterizing Ajax the Great
And since the French Revolution, the old, insufficiently great group has been destroyed; old habits and traditions are destroyed; step by step, a group of new dimensions, new habits and traditions are worked out, and that person is being prepared who must stand at the head of the future movement and bear all the responsibility of those who have to be accomplished.A man without convictions, without habits, without traditions, without a name, not even a Frenchman, by the most strange accidents, it seems, moves between all the parties that excite France and, without sticking to any of them, is brought to a conspicuous place.
The ignorance of his comrades, the weakness and insignificance of opponents, the sincerity of lies and the brilliant and self-confident narrow-mindedness of this man put him at the head of the army. The brilliant composition of the soldiers of the Italian army, the unwillingness to fight opponents, childish audacity and self-confidence gain him military glory. An innumerable number of so-called accidents accompanies him everywhere. The disfavor into which he falls with the rulers of France serves him well. His attempts to change the path destined for him fail: he is not accepted for service in Russia, and his assignment to Turkey fails. During the wars in Italy, he is several times on the verge of death and each time he is saved in an unexpected way. Russian troops, the very ones that can destroy his glory, for various diplomatic reasons, do not enter Europe as long as he is there.
On his return from Italy, he finds the government in Paris in the process of decay, in which people who fall into this government are inevitably erased and destroyed. And by itself for him is a way out of this dangerous situation, consisting in a senseless, causeless expedition to Africa. Again, the same so-called accidents accompany him. Impregnable Malta surrenders without a shot being fired; the most careless orders are crowned with success. The enemy fleet, which will not let a single boat through after, lets the whole army through. In Africa, a whole series of atrocities is committed against almost unarmed inhabitants. And the people who commit these atrocities, and especially their leader, assure themselves that this is wonderful, that this is glory, that this is similar to Caesar and Alexander the Great, and that this is good.
That ideal of glory and greatness, which consists in not only considering nothing bad for oneself, but taking pride in every one of one's crimes, attributing to it an incomprehensible supernatural significance - this ideal, which should guide this person and people associated with him, is being developed in the open space in Africa. Everything he does, he succeeds. The plague doesn't get to him. The cruelty of killing prisoners is not blamed on him. His childishly careless, causeless and ignoble departure from Africa, from comrades in trouble, is credited to him, and again the enemy fleet misses him twice. While he, already completely intoxicated by the happy crimes he had committed, and ready for his role, came to Paris without any purpose, that disintegration of the republican government, which could have ruined him a year ago, has now reached extreme and the presence of him, fresh from the parties of man, can now only exalt him.
He has no plan; he is afraid of everything; but the parties seize upon him and demand his participation.
He alone, with his ideal of glory and greatness worked out in Italy and Egypt, with his madness of self-adoration, with his audacity of crimes, with his sincerity of lies, he alone can justify what has to be done.
He is needed for the place that awaits him, and therefore, almost independently of his will and despite his indecision, in spite of the lack of a plan, in spite of all the mistakes that he makes, he is drawn into a conspiracy aimed at seizing power, and the conspiracy is crowned with success. .
He is pushed into the meeting of the rulers. Frightened, he wants to run, believing himself dead; pretends to faint; says meaningless things that should have ruined him. But the rulers of France, formerly sharp-witted and proud, now, feeling that their role has been played, are even more embarrassed than he is, they do not say the words that they should have spoken in order to retain power and destroy him.
Accident, millions of accidents give him power, and all people, as if by agreement, contribute to the establishment of this power. Accidents make the characters of the then rulers of France subordinate to him; accidents make the character of Paul I, recognizing his authority; chance makes a conspiracy against him, not only not harming him, but asserting his power. Chance sends Enghiensky into his hands and inadvertently forces him to kill, thus, stronger than all other means, convincing the crowd that he has the right, since he has the power. What happens by chance is that he exerts all his strength on an expedition to England, which, obviously, would destroy him, and never fulfills this intention, but inadvertently attacks Mack with the Austrians, who surrender without a fight. Chance and genius give him victory at Austerlitz, and by chance all people, not only the French, but all of Europe, with the exception of England, which will not take part in the events that are about to take place, all people, despite the former horror and disgust for his crimes, now they recognize him for his power, the name that he gave himself, and his ideal of greatness and glory, which seems to everyone to be something beautiful and reasonable.
After the death of Achilles, his golden armor, forged by the god Hephaestus, remained. Thetis ordered to give them to the one who distinguished himself the most, protecting the body of Achilles.
Therefore, either Ajax or Odysseus had to receive them. Between them, a dispute over armor flared up. But how was this dispute resolved? Both heroes were worthy of the award. Finally, they decided that the captured Trojans should be judges in this dispute. And here Pallas Athena helped her favorite Odysseus. With its help, Agamemnon and Menelaus replaced the lot of Ajax, and even incorrectly counted the votes of the Trojans, and Odysseus received the armor. The mighty Ajax was saddened. He went to his tent, thinking to take revenge on the sons of Atreus and Odysseus.
At night, when the whole camp of the Greeks was immersed in a deep sleep, he went out of his tent with a sword in his hands, intending to kill Agamemnon and Menelaus. But the goddess Pallas Athena struck Ajax with madness. For a long time the goddess was angry with him for what he rejected, hoping for his strength, the help of the gods. Mad Ajax rushed to the herd of bulls, in the darkness began to kill them, thinking that he was killing the Greeks. The rest of the bulls he drove into his tent, imagining that he was driving the prisoners. Ajax terribly tortured the bulls in his tent. He rejoiced in their suffering and death. After all, for him in his madness, these were not bulls, but the sons of Atreus. Finally, little by little, the mind of Ajax began to clear up. Great was his horror when he saw that his entire tent was filled with dead animals. Horrified, he asks Ajax to explain to him what happened. When they told him everything, inexpressible grief took possession of the heart of the great hero. He decided by his death to atone for the shame that befell him. Having entrusted his son Eurysacs with the protection of his brother Teucer and the soldiers who came with him from Salamis, he retired to the seashore, taking with him a sword that he had once received as a gift from Hector, saying that he was going to pray to the gods to have mercy on him, but he is his sword wants to dedicate Hades and the goddess of the Night.
In the camp of the Greeks, a rumor spread about what Ajax had done. They found the bulls and sheep he had killed, and the corpses of the shepherds. Odysseus, on the trail of blood, found out that Ajax had done all this. Agamemnon and Menelaus were terribly angry and decided to take revenge on Ajax.
Meanwhile, a messenger came from Teucer. He told Ajax's friends to protect the great hero, as he was in danger of death, but that death threatened him only on that day, when the day passed safely, then nothing would threaten Ajax. Soon Teucer himself arrived in the camp. Learning that his brother had gone to the seashore, he ran to look for him. He was afraid that a misfortune had happened to Ajax. And indeed, he did not find his brother already alive. On the seashore, Teucer found only the corpse of Ajax: he threw himself on his sword. Thus perished the most powerful hero of the Greeks after Achilles.
Menelaus and Agamemnon did not want to allow Teucer to bury his brother's corpse. An open enmity could have arisen between Teucr and the sons of Atreus, an internecine battle would have begun in the camp of the Greeks, if Odysseus had not intervened in the matter. He persuaded Agamemnon to allow Teucer to bury the great Ajax, who had rendered so many great services to the Greeks. A new burial mound rose next to the mound of Achilles: under this mound rested the ashes of the mighty son of Telamon, Ajax.
