Æacus was a son of Jupiter by Ægina, daughter of the river god, Asopus, and, like the Cyclopeans, he was particularly expert in the matter of walls. He was as well a very just and pious individual or myth, who was frequently called upon to hold the scales of justice, not only as between mortals, but also immortals. He was born on the Island of Ægina, the temporary residence of his mother, after whom it was named. At the time of his birth the island was uninhabited. This very unpleasant condition of isolation for the mother and son was quickly remedied by Jupiter, who changed the ants that abounded there into men, placing Æacus over them as king. Æacus always kept on the very best of terms with the gods, propitiating them in many ways, and at last becoming a great favorite with them. Indeed, so strong was his influence in celestial circles that at one time when Greece was afflicted with a drought, in consequence of a murder that had been committed, the Delphic oracle declared that the only person who could help the situation at all was Æacus. He was accordingly appealed to and persuaded to petition the gods for relief. The result was that his petition was favorably answered. Æacus thereupon erected a temple to Zeus Panhellenius on Mount Panhellenion to show his gratitude, and possibly to keep himself in that position where he might trespass upon the good-nature of his heavenly friends again at some future time, should there be necessity. Æacus surrounded his island with high walls to protect his people against pirates. It is probable that these walls attracted the admiration of Apollo and Neptune, and prompted them to retain the professional services of their builder to assist them in erecting the walls of Troy. But here it was that Æacus failed, for as one diamond can only be accurately judged when placed in comparison with another diamond, so Æacus, however successful he may have been as a wall-builder by himself, was outclassed when he came into competition with the occult knowledge of Apollo and Neptune. The story is that when the Trojan walls were completed, three dragons appeared and rushed upon them to test their strength. The two dragons which attacked those parts of the walls built by the celestial associates of Æacus had their heads broken for their pains, but the one which flew at the mortal’s share of the work made a hole in the wall which let it into the city. Apollo at once prophesied that Troy would eventually fall through the hands of the Æacids, which prophecy, of course, proved true. Whether this failure had anything to do with the future of Æacus or not, it would be difficult to say, but the fact is that after his death he became one of the three judges in Hades, with special jurisdiction over the Europeans, which necessarily insured his being overworked until the end of time.