Ajax (Madness)
heroAjax the Great's descent into madness and suicide after losing the contest for Achilles's armor to Odysseus.
The Myth
The best warrior left alive went mad, slaughtered a flock of sheep thinking they were Greek generals, and killed himself in shame. After Achilles died, his divine armor was awarded by vote to Odysseus over Ajax. Athena drove Ajax insane, and he attacked a herd of livestock, believing he was slaughtering Agamemnon, Menelaus, and Odysseus. When sanity returned and he saw what he had done — tied to a pillar, surrounded by dead sheep — he fell on his sword. Sophocles's Ajax is built around this moment of recognition. Even Odysseus, who won the armor, wept and argued that Ajax deserved honorable burial. From his blood grew a hyacinth flower inscribed with the letters AI — a cry of grief.
Parents
Telamon, Eriboea
Symbols
Fun Fact
Sophocles's Ajax is the oldest surviving complete Greek tragedy that focuses on a single character's mental breakdown.
Explore Further
Ajax the Great
heroAjax son of Telamon was the tallest and strongest of the Greek warriors at Troy, a tower of a man...
Achilles
heroThe greatest warrior in the Greek army at Troy, nearly invulnerable thanks to being dipped in the...
Ajax the Lesser
heroAjax son of Oileus was a fast, fierce, impious warrior whose assault on Cassandra in Athena's...
Odysseus (Trickster)
heroOdysseus was the most cunning of all Greek heroes — the man of polytropos (many turns), whose...
Telamon
heroKing of Salamis, Argonaut, companion of Heracles, and father of Ajax the Great and Teucer.
Ajax (Shield)
conceptAjax's shield was a massive tower shield of seven ox-hides layered with bronze — the largest...
Agamemnon
heroAgamemnon led the Greek coalition against Troy but was murdered upon return by his wife...
Menelaus
heroMenelaus was the king of Sparta whose stolen wife Helen was the cause of the Trojan War — yet he...
Odysseus
heroThe cleverest of the Greek heroes, whose ten-year journey home from Troy is one of the greatest...
Amphilochus
heroSeer and hero who founded oracle sites across the eastern Mediterranean after the Trojan War.
Cassandra
heroA Trojan princess blessed with prophecy by Apollo but cursed so that no one would ever believe her...
Cassandra (Curse)
heroTrojan prophetess cursed by Apollo to always speak true prophecies that no one would ever believe.