Monday, 5 March 2012

Ajax or Aias

Ajax was a Greek hero, kinda obviously because this is about ancient Greek myths, and why would i put a baker in if he was not a hero? Anyway, Ajax was not a baker. His father was named Telamon and his mother Periboea. He was king of Salamis.
 He has an important role on Homers Iliad and the 'Epic Cycle', a series of poems about the Trojan War. To tell him apart from Ajax, son of Oileus, otherwise known as Ajax the lesser, he was called Telamonian Ajax, Greater Ajax or Ajax the Great. In something called Etruscan mythology, his name is Aivas Tlamunus.
 Ajax was the eldest son of Telamon, who's father was Aeacus. Ajax is the grandson of Zeus. Many Athenians, including Cimon, and a historian Thucydides traced their descent from Ajax.
 In the Iliad, he is placed of high stature, huge build and the strongest of all the Achaens. He was also trained by the centaur Chiron, who had also trained his father, but anyway, Ajax was trained at the same time as his cousin Achilles. Homer described him as fearless, strong and powerful, but he also had a very high level of combat intelligence.
 He is also seen as the second most valuable member of Agamemnon's army, as well as Diomedes. Though he's not seen as cunning as Nestor, Diomedes, Idomeneus or Odysseus, but he's more powerful and just as intelligent. He is commander of a large army, wielding a huge shield made of seven cow hides and using a layer of bronze. Notably, he is not wounded in any of the described battles written in the Iliad. Also, he is the only main character on either side who does not receive personal help from the gods who take part in the battle.
 Like the vast majority of Greek leaders, Ajax is alive as the battle in the Iliad come to a close. When Achilles, his cousin, is killed by Paris, he is one of those to help fight of the Trojans to get the body back. He and Odysseus both claim to Achilles armour.  Ajax argues that he should have it, because of his strength and the fighting he has done for the Greeks, including saving ships, chasing people off with  a boulder and such alike.B But Odysseus proves more eloquent, and the council give him the armour. Ajax become enraged and falls upon his own sword, "conquered by his own sorrow.

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