Telamon

After Phocus was killed, Telamon and Peleus hid his body in a wood. The murder was discovered, and Aeacus exiled both brothers from Aegina. One account says that Telamon had killed Phocus by hurling a discus at his head during athletic practice. He then went to the court of Cychreus on Salamis.

Cychreus was the son of Poseidon and Salamis, daughter of the river Asopus. He gained the throne after killing a serpent that had ravaged the island. He kept a young serpent of the same breed, but it became destructive and was driven away by Eurylochus, a companion of Odysseus. Demeter received the serpent at Eleusis as one of her attendants. Another account says that Cychreus himself was called Serpent because of his cruelty, and that Eurylochus banished him to Eleusis, where he received a minor office.

Cychreus later died without offspring. Telamon then succeeded him as king of Salamis. A tradition recorded in connection with his accession says that Telamon married Glauce, Cychreus's daughter, before taking the throne. In another account, Telamon married Periboia, daughter of Alcathous, son of Pelops, and Cychreus left his kingdom to him when he died.

Telamon's succession also appears in a tradition about royal succession from abroad. In that version, he came from Aegina, killed the old king, who became an oracular hero, and married the king's daughter. The account presents this as the basis of his rule on Salamis.

Hesione was bound to rocks beside the sea as an offering to the Ketos. The creature had been ravaging the land, and an oracle had declared that Troy would be freed from these troubles only if Laomedon gave his daughter to it. Heracles saw Hesione and promised to save her if Laomedon gave him the mares that Zeus had granted as compensation for the abduction of Ganymedes. Laomedon agreed. Heracles killed the monster and rescued Hesione, but Laomedon later refused to provide the mares.

After Heracles had completed his servitude and recovered his strength, he gathered an army of willing heroes and sailed against Troy with eighteen fifty-oared ships. Oicles remained to guard the ships while Heracles and the other heroes attacked the city. Laomedon led most of his forces against the ships and killed Oicles, but Heracles drove him back and began the siege. Telamon was the first to break through the wall and enter Troy, with Heracles following close behind.

Heracles nearly killed Telamon for entering the city before him, since he did not want another man to be considered better than himself. Telamon began quickly piling up stones, and Heracles saw what he was doing. The city was taken, and Heracles killed Laomedon outside the walls. He also killed all of Laomedon’s sons except Podarces. Podarces saved himself by giving Heracles a golden veil made by Hesione, after which he took the name Priam. Heracles awarded Hesione to Telamon as a war prize, and Telamon received her after the fall of Troy.

Telamon hurled a discus at his brother Phocus’s head while they were exercising together. Phocus had excelled in the games, and Telamon and his brother Peleus had plotted against him. After the killing, Telamon and Peleus carried Phocus’s body away and hid it in a wood. The murder was discovered, so Aeacus exiled both brothers from Aegina.

Telamon went to the court of Cychreus in Salamis. Cychreus was the son of Poseidon and Salamis, daughter of Asopus. He had gained the throne after killing a snake that was devastating the island. Cychreus later died without offspring and left the throne to Telamon.

Telamon then married Periboea, daughter of Alcathous, son of Pelops. Her father was therefore descended from Pelops. Her marriage to Telamon made her queen of Salamis, and she became pregnant. Her son’s birth followed a prayer made by Heracles, who had asked that he should have a male child. After the prayer, an eagle appeared. Telamon named the boy Aias, after the Greek word for eagle. The name is rendered as Ajax in Latinised form.

Ajax grew into the great Salaminian warrior. Telamon later accompanied Heracles on his expedition against Troy and received Hesione as a prize. The account of Ajax’s birth is linked to the eagle’s appearance, since the eagle was taken as a sign that Zeus had heard Heracles’ prayer.