Aithiopis VII – Strife of Ajax and Odysseus
According to Proclus’ summary the “Aithiopis”, the lost epic attributed to the poet Arctinus of Miletus (around 8th century BC), featured important events in the last year of the war. The poem picks up the story again where the Iliad leaves off, describing how the Amazon Penthesileia and the Ethiopian prince Memnon arrived to fight as allies of the Trojans. It also described the death of Achilles and the quarrel between Odysseus and Ajax over his armor.
The hydria body is decorated with images showing the strife of Ajax and Odysseus over the arms of Achilles. Between the combatants is Agamemnon to right looking to left, bearded, with a chlamys over his arms, interposing to separate them. On the left is Ajax to right, nude, bearded, with drawn sword in right hand, sheath in left, confronting Odysseus, who is nude and beardless, and holds sword in left hand, sheath in right. Each of them is seized round the waist by a nude male figure, who prevents them from attacking one another. On the right is a bearded male figure to left with drapery round his loins, who has seized Odysseus by the left arm to prevent his using his sword; on the left, behind Ajax, is a beardless male figure wearing a fillet and chlamys, who has seized his right wrist for the same purpose.
CARC / CAVI @ www.beazley.ox.ac.uk
Source: Museum WEB Notice # 1843,1103.2
Black-figured hydria
Height 50,8 cm
Attributed to The Leagros Group
Ca. 580 BC
From Vulci, Viterbo
London, The British Museum, Vase B327
Aithiopis VII – Strife of Ajax and Odysseus
According to Proclus’ summary the “Aithiopis”, the lost epic attributed to the poet Arctinus of Miletus (around 8th century BC), featured important events in the last year of the war. The poem picks up the story again where the Iliad leaves off, describing how the Amazon Penthesileia and the Ethiopian prince Memnon arrived to fight as allies of the Trojans. It also described the death of Achilles and the quarrel between Odysseus and Ajax over his armor.
The hydria body is decorated with images showing the strife of Ajax and Odysseus over the arms of Achilles. Between the combatants is Agamemnon to right looking to left, bearded, with a chlamys over his arms, interposing to separate them. On the left is Ajax to right, nude, bearded, with drawn sword in right hand, sheath in left, confronting Odysseus, who is nude and beardless, and holds sword in left hand, sheath in right. Each of them is seized round the waist by a nude male figure, who prevents them from attacking one another. On the right is a bearded male figure to left with drapery round his loins, who has seized Odysseus by the left arm to prevent his using his sword; on the left, behind Ajax, is a beardless male figure wearing a fillet and chlamys, who has seized his right wrist for the same purpose.
CARC / CAVI @ www.beazley.ox.ac.uk
Source: Museum WEB Notice # 1843,1103.2
Black-figured hydria
Height 50,8 cm
Attributed to The Leagros Group
Ca. 580 BC
From Vulci, Viterbo
London, The British Museum, Vase B327