The great warrior, Achilles, has been killed in battle. The man who now can be considered the greatest warrior, Ajax, should be given Achilles’ armour (which was created by the god Hephaestus and is completely invulnerable) but the armour is instead awarded by the two kings, Agamemnon and Menelaos, to Odysseus (although not without the help of his protector, the goddess Athena). Ajax is enraged and vows to kill the Greek leaders who had disgraced him this way, but before he can act upon his rage, Athena steps in and possesses Ajax. She tricks him into believing that the sheep and cattle that were taken by the Greeks as spoils of war are actually the Greek leaders. He slaughters and mutilates some of them, and takes the others back to his home to torture, including a ram which he believes to be his main rival, Odysseus. When Ajax finally comes to his senses, he is shocked and appalled by what he has done and decides to commit suicide. …show more content…
He pretends that he is moved by her speech, gives his son his shield and says that he is going out to purify himself and to bury the sword given to him by Hector. Teucer, Ajax’s half-brother, arrives. He has learned from the prophet, Kalchas, that Ajax should not be allowed to leave his tent until the end of the day or he will die. Ajax’s wife , along with the soldiers, set out to find Ajax but are too late. Ajax had indeed buried the sword but had left the blade sticking out of the ground, and thrown himself on it to end his life and shame. Before his suicide, Ajax calls for vengeance against the sons of Atreus (Menelaus and Agamemnon) and the whole Greek army. Tecmessa arrives at his body first, shortly followed by Teucer who orders that Ajax’s son be brought to him so that he will be safe from