Character · Individual
son of Oileus
Read-only identity and editorial metadata.
son of Oileus
Descriptive reference · Direct
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Ajax son of Oileus crosses the Achaeans’ trench with the summoned chiefs before meeting beyond it.
“With this he passed the trench, and with him the other chiefs of the Achaeans who had been called to the council. Meriones and the brave son of Nestor went also, for the princes bade them. When they were beyond the trench that was dug round the wall they held their meeting on the open ground”
Ajax son of Oileus moves about on the Achaean walls.
“The two Ajaxes went about everywhere on the walls cheering on the Achaeans”
By the passage’s deictic continuation of their movement on the walls, Ajax son of Oileus remains on the Achaean wall.
“Thus did the two go about shouting and cheering the Achaeans on.”
Ajax son of Oileus is standing along the Achaean wall when Menestheus looks for support.
“he looked along the wall for some chieftain to support his comrades and saw the two Ajaxes, men ever eager for the fray, and Teucer, who had just come from his tent, standing near them”
Ajax son of Oileus is on the Achaean wall when Thootes reaches the two Ajaxes.
“The messenger did as he was told, and set off running along the wall of the Achaeans. When he reached the Ajaxes”
Ajax son of Oileus is at the wall position and is told to stay there.
“Great Ajax son of Telamon heeded the message, and at once spoke to the son of Oileus. ‘Ajax,’ said he, ‘do you two, yourself and brave Lycomedes, stay here”
Ajax son of Oileus is fleet but small and far less great than Telamonian Ajax; he wears a linen breastplate and surpasses all Hellenes and Achaeans in spear use.
“Ajax, the fleet son of Oileus, commanded the Locrians. He was not so great, nor nearly so great, as Ajax the son of Telamon. He was a little man, and his breastplate was made of linen, but in use of the spear he excelled all the Hellenes and the Achaeans. These dwelt in Cynus, Opous, Calliarus, Bessa, Scarphe, fair Augeae, Tarphe, and Thronium about the river Boagrius. With him there came forty ships of the Locrians who dwell beyond Euboea.”
Oilean Ajax arms beside the other Ajax amid a host of foot soldiers.
“the two Ajaxes arming themselves amid a host of footsoldiers”
Andromache says the two Ajaxes have thrice assaulted the wall’s weak point with other foremost Achaeans.
“Thrice have the bravest of them come thither and assailed it, under the two Ajaxes, Idomeneus, the sons of Atreus, and the brave son of Tydeus”
Ajax son of Oileus is among the nine Achaean champions who rise to answer Hector’s challenge.
“forthwith nine men started to their feet. Foremost of all uprose King Agamemnon, and after him brave Diomed the son of Tydeus. Next were the two Ajaxes, men clothed in valour as with a garment, and then Idomeneus, and Meriones his brother in arms. After these Eurypylus son of Euaemon, Thoas the son of Andraemon, and Ulysses also rose”
Oilean Ajax is one of the two Ajaxes who range along the walls, encouraging the Achaeans with fair words and sharply rebuking anyone remiss.
“The two Ajaxes went about everywhere on the walls cheering on the Achaeans, giving fair words to some while they spoke sharply to any one whom they saw to be remiss”
Telamonian Ajax directs Oilean Ajax to remain with Lycomedes and keep the Achaeans fighting their hardest.
“do you two, yourself and brave Lycomedes, stay here and keep the Danaans in heart to fight their hardest”
In Neptune’s disguised exhortation, Ajax son of Oileus is told that the two Ajaxes can save the Achaeans through strength and courage.
“Ajaxes, you two can be the saving of the Achaeans if you will put out all your strength and not let yourselves be daunted.”
Ajax son of Oileus recognizes the disguised god by his feet and knees and feels fiercer battle-lust and bodily eagerness.
“swift Ajax son of Oileus was the first to know who it was that had been speaking with them, and said to Ajax son of Telamon, ‘Ajax, this is one of the gods that dwell on Olympus, who in the likeness of the prophet is bidding us fight hard by our ships. It was not Calchas the seer and diviner of omens; I knew him at once by his feet and knees as he turned away, for the gods are soon recognised. Moreover I feel the lust of battle burn more fiercely within me, while my hands and my feet under me are more eager for the fray.”
Ajax son of Oileus is one of two leaders around whom picked bands gather to await Hector.
“round the two Ajaxes there gathered strong bands of men, of whom not even Mars nor Minerva, marshaller of hosts could make light if they went among them, for they were the picked men of all those who were now awaiting the onset of Hector and the Trojans.”
Ajax son of Oileus helps carry and strip Imbrius, then severs the head and sends it to Hector’s feet in revenge.
“the two brave and impetuous Ajaxes did the like by Imbrius. As two lions snatch a goat from the hounds that have it in their fangs, and bear it through thick brushwood high above the ground in their jaws, thus did the Ajaxes bear aloft the body of Imbrius, and strip it of its armour. Then the son of Oileus severed the head from the neck in revenge for the death of Amphimachus, and sent it whirling over the crowd as though it had been a ball, till it fell in the dust at Hector’s feet.”
Idomeneus names Ajax son of Oileus among central defenders whose fury will challenge Hector.
“the two Ajaxes and Teucer, who is the finest archer of all the Achaeans, and is good also in a hand-to-hand fight. These will give Hector son of Priam enough to do; fight as he may, he will find it hard to vanquish their indomitable fury”
Ajax son of Oileus never leaves Ajax’s side; the two stand shoulder to shoulder like plough oxen.
“Ajax son of Oileus, never for a moment left the side of Ajax, son of Telamon, but as two swart oxen both strain their utmost at the plough which they are drawing in a fallow field, and the sweat steams upwards from about the roots of their horns—nothing but the yoke divides them as they break up the ground till they reach the end of the field—even so did the two Ajaxes stand shoulder to shoulder by one another.”
Ajax son of Oileus springs on Satnius and wounds him in the flank with his spear so that he falls.
“Ajax fleet son of Oileus began by springing on Satnius son of Enops, and wounding him with his spear: a fair naiad nymph had borne him to Enops as he was herding cattle by the banks of the river Satnioeis. The son of Oileus came up to him and struck him in the flank so that he fell”
Ajax son of Oileus kills more than any other because no man can match his speed in pursuit of foes fleeing under Jove-sent panic.
“Ajax son of Oileus killed more than any other, for there was no man so fleet as he to pursue flying foes when Jove had spread panic among them.”
Ajax son of Oileus captures Cleobulus alive in the crush, then kills him with a sword-blow to the neck.
“Ajax son of Oileus sprang on Cleobulus and took him alive as he was entangled in the crush; but he killed him then and there by a sword-blow on the neck.”
Fleet Ajax son of Oileus is first to force through the fighting and run to Menelaus’s aid.
“Fleet Ajax son of Oileus heard him and was first to force his way through the fight and run to help him.”
Ajax son of Oileus is one of the two Ajaxes who force through the crowd and part the furious opposing fighters before sword combat.
“the two Ajaxes forced their way through the crowd when they heard their comrade calling, and parted them for all their fury”
Telamonian Ajax describes Ajax son of Oileus as his namesake partner, one in heart and long accustomed to side-by-side combat, assigned to hold off Hector and the Trojans.
“while we two behind you keep off Hector and the Trojans, one in heart as in name, and long used to fighting side by side with one another.’”
Ajax son of Oileus is one of the two Ajaxes who stand at bay, making the Trojans turn pale and cease pressing around Patroclus.
“when the two Ajaxes faced them and stood at bay, they would turn pale and no man dared press on to fight further about the dead.”
Ajax son of Oileus shares the stout rearguard that stems the Trojan attack like a mountain spur checking a river.
“Behind them the two Ajaxes held stoutly out. As some wooded mountain-spur that stretches across a plain will turn water and check the flow even of a great river, nor is there any stream strong enough to break through it—even so did the two Ajaxes face the Trojans and stem the tide of their fighting”
Evidence records not already represented by a claim.
“Ajax, the fleet son of Oileus”
“the two Ajaxes, servants of Mars”
“Ajax son of Oileus”
“Ajax fleet son of Oileus”
“brother to Ajax”
“Ajax son of Oileus”
“Ajax the son of Oileus”