[499]
The Locrian Ajax, under the curse of Athena, was shipwrecked (see Virg. Aen.1. 40-45) on some rocks called
“Γυραί” (the form of the adjective is “Γυραίη” inf. 507) meaning
‘rounded,’ cp. Hom. Od.19.
246.Eustath. and Hesych. place these rocks near the Cyclad
Myconos. But Quintus Smyrn., Post Homeric. 14. 569, puts them, more
correctly, off Caphereus, the S. E. promontory of Euboea: “
εὖτέ μιν εἰσενόησεν [σξ. ποσειδον] ἐφαπτόμενον
χερὶ πέτρης
Γυραίης, καί οἱ μέγα χώσατο, σὺν δ᾽ ἐτίναξε
πόντον ὁμοῦ καὶ γαῖαν ἀπείριτον: ἀμφὶ δὲ πάντη
κρημνοὶ ὑπεκλονέοντο Καφηρέος
”. Compare also Eur. Troad.88. foll.,
where Poseidon promises, in accordance with Athena's
request—“ταράξω πέλαγος Αἰγαίας
ἁλός”,
“Σκῦρός τε Λῆμνός θ᾽ αἱ Καφήρειοί τ᾽ ἄκραι”
“πολλῶν θανόντων σώμαθ᾽ ἕξουσιν νεκρῶν”, and Virg. Aen.11. 260‘ultorque Caphereus.’