Le Héros qui a Irrité les Dieux - Ajax le Locrien ( Ajax le Petit ) - Mythologie Grecque

Greek mythology is full of emblematic heroes who played a decisive role in the battles and epic adventures of Antiquity. Some have been eclipsed by the charms of other heroes. This is the case of Ajax the Locrian, also known as Ajax the Little. Although he is not as famous as his homonym Ajax the Great, the hero of Salamis, Ajax the Locrian, played a key role in the Trojan War. Ajax the Locrian was the son of Oileus, king of Locris. According to some versions, his mother was Heriopis, a girl from the Azopus River. He was a talented and fast warrior, known for his dexterity and agility in combat. Ajax the Locrian was one of the heroes of the Trojan War, fighting on the side of the Achaeans. At the head of a contingent of 40 ships made up of warriors from Locris, he joined the Greek forces led by Agamemnon, king of Mycenae. During the war, Ajax the Locrian was one of the bravest and most talented warriors on the Greek side. He bravely engaged himself in several battles, showing great courage and great skill in handling spears and shields. He was responsible for the death of Trojan heroes, including Simoesius, son of King Priam. Despite his heroic acts in combat, Ajax the Locrian remains in memory for an infamous act. During the sack of Troy, he raped Cassandra, daughter of King Priam, inside the temple of Athena. This act provoked the anger of the goddess, who asked Zeus to punish the profaner of his temple. Zeus sent a huge storm that completely destroyed the squadron commanded by the warrior of Locris. But Ajax, against all odds, survived the shipwreck. He swam to a rock floating on the water. But the arrogant warrior defied the gods, claiming that even the gods could not prevent him from returning home. This blasphemy made Poseidon furious. The god destroyed the rock with his trident, causing the fall of Ajax into the waters and his drowning. This is how the life of the insensitive hero who had defied the gods came to an end.