Ajax the Lesser

Also known as the Lesser Ajax. Ajax (Aias or Αἴας) was the son of Oïleus (Oileus) king of Locians by his wife Eriopis, or by the nymph Rhene. As a suitor of Helen, he brought forty ships to Troy.

Next to Achilles he was the fleetest runner of the Greeks. While he was smaller in stature than the other Greek leaders and wore only a linen corselet, he surpassed all the Greeks in skill as a lancer.

He was one of the leaders to volunteer to fight in single combat against Hector, and as well to go on nightly forays into the Trojan camp. He often fought side by side with Telamonian Ajax, and together with his larger companion, they were the strongest defenders of the Greek ships.

During the funeral game of Patroclus, Lesser Ajax bitterly complained that Odysseus won the footrace because of divine aid from the goddess Athena.

Ajax brought disaster upon most of the Greeks during the sacking of Troy. Ajax dragged the prophetess Cassandra from the altar of Athena and raped her.

Fearing the goddess' anger, Odysseus demanded that Ajax be immediately stoned for the sacrilege. However, the Greek leaders refrained from killing Ajax since he clung to the statue that he had profaned. As a result of the failure of the Greek leaders to punish Ajax for the sacrilege, Athena's anger was turned against most of the Greeks.

Athena asked the sea-god Poseidon to destroy most of the Greek fleet. Ajax, though he survived the wreck of his own ship, soon drowned after boasting that not even the gods could kill him.