Essay: Diomedes in the Iliad

In the Illiad Diomedes establishes himself as one of the strongest leaders and warriors who fought for Greece. Diomedes was the son of Tydeus and Deipyle, who was the daughter of King Adrastus of Argos. Diomedes ruled as the King of Argos for around five years and proved that he was one of the greatest rulers especially at such a young age. One of the reasons that he became such a powerful leader and such a great fighter was his desire to avenge his fathers death. It is these experiences that he has throughout his life that help carry him to become one of the greatest warriors in the Illiad.
Even though Diomedes was one of the youngest he is thought to be one of the most experienced military leaders during the Trojan War. During the war Diomedes had the third largest contingent for the Greek’s, behind Agamemnon and Nestor. Diomedes sailed with eighty long black ships and while leading Argives, the citizens of Argos. He not only led the Argives, he also led the neighboring regions including the people from Tiryns, Hermione, Asine, Troezen, Eionae, Epidaurus, Aegina and Mases. These were all cities south of Argos in the region of Argolis on the Pelopennese peninsula (See imagine below).
In battle Diomedes’ armor and gear were only second behind Achilles. The god Hephaestus made Diomedes’ breastplate. His armor was blessed by Athena, which had the crest of a boar and was golden. This armor was his father’s that was passed down to him when he died. His round shield also carried the image of a boar on it, as well as his father’s sword that had pictures of a lion and boar and a spear that he carried. Nevertheless, Diomedes gear did not make him the warrior that he was known for. Diomedes used his wisdom and life experience to help him become the great warrior.
Diomedes has his moment of glory in book five during his aristeia. This moment shows all of the great attributes that he possessed. These virtues consist of his outstanding fighting skills, bravery, divine protection and advice, carefully planned tactics of war, leadership, humility, and self restraint. On the day of battle, the goddess Athena puts valor into the heart of Diomedes. During battle, Diomedes slays a number of Trojan warriors until Pandarus shoots him with an arrow. Furious, Diomedes prays to Athena for the slaughter of Pandarus. In response Athena offers Diomedes a special vision to distinguish gods from men, but in return asks him to wound Aphrodite if she ever comes to battle. Athena, fearing for her favorite hero, warns him not to engage any other god. Diomedes, now having the ability to distinguish man from god, continues his aristeia killing more Trojans including two sons of King  Priam, Echemmon and Chromius. During the chaos of the battle Aeneas, son of Aphrodite, asks Pandarus to mount his chariot so they may fight Diomedes together. Sthenelus sees these two and warns Diomedes of their approach. Diomedes shows both his might and wisdom at this point because he knows he can face both Aeneas and Pandarus, but Aphrodite may try to save her son. Also, the two horses of Aeneas are decedents from Zeus’s immortal horses. Since Diomedes has to carry out Athena’s order, he sends Sthenelus to steal the horses while he faces both enemies. While approaching Pandarus throws his spear first, and is then killed by Diomedes leaving Aeneas left to fight unarmed. Instead of using a weapon, Diomedes lifts up a huge stone and crushes Aeneas’ hip with it. Aphrodite comes to her sons aid. Remembering what Athena had told him, Diomedes runs after Aphrodite and wounds her arm forcing her to drop Aeneas and flee. The god Apollo comes to the rescue of the Trojan hero. Disregarding Athena’s advice, Diomedes attacks Apollo twice before Apollo warns him no to match himself against immortals. Respecting Apollo, Diomedes withdraws himself from that combat. Although Diomedes failed at killing Aeneas, Sthenelus was successful in stealing the two valuable horses giving Diomedes the second best pair of horses behind Achilles immortal ones.
Diomedes attacking Apollo had its consequences though. Urged by Apollo, the God Ares comes to the battlefield to aid the Trojans. Identifying the god of war, Diomedes orders the Achaean army to withdraw to the ships demonstrating his leadership abilities. Athena, seeing that Ares had arrived on the side of the Trojans, asks Hera to come to the aid of the Achaeans with her. Athena finds Diomedes resting near his horses and mocks him, reminding him of his father Tydeus who frequently disobeyed her advice. Diomedes replied,(Book V)” Goddess, I know you truly and will not hide anything from you. I am following you instructions and retreating for I know that Ares is fighting among the Trojans.” Athena answered,” Diomedes most dear to my heart, do not fear this immortal or any other god for I will protect you.” Athena mounts Diomedes’ chariot with the helmet of Hades on making her invisible even to the gods. With Diomedes as the passenger, Athena drives right at Ares. Ares, not seeing Athena driving the chariot, throws his spear at Diomedes. Athena catches his spear and Diomedes throws his spear guided by Athena at Ares wounding his stomach. This alone proves the greatness of Diomedes because he is now the only human to wound two Olympians in a single day.
Diomedes continues his rampage by killing Axulus and Calesius. Prince Hector of Troys brother Helenus, describes Diomedes fighting skills as,(Book VI)” He fights with fury and fills mens souls with panic. I hold him mightiest of them all.(Book VI)” Later Helenus states,”There is none can vie with him in prowess.” Diomedes effectiveness on the battlefield scared the women of Troy. King Priam’s wife fathered matrons at the temple of Athena in the Acropolis and offered the goddess the largest, fairest robe of Troy, and promised the sacrifice of twelve heifers if Athena could take pity on them and break the spear of Diomedes. Athena of course refused this offering. Other than proving his tremendous fighting abilities, Diomedes shows humility when one brave Trojan by the mane of Glaucus Challenged him to a one on one fight. Impressed by Glaucus’ bravery Diomedes wondered if he were an immortal in disguise. Although Athena told him not to fear any immortals Diomedes responds to Glaucus challenge,(Book VI)” I will not fight any more immortals.” Instead it turns out that Glaucus was a descendent from Bellerophon who was once hosted by Diomedes grandfather, Oeneus, meaning Glaucus must be a friend.
Later in the war, Idaeus of the Trojans comes to the Achaean with a peace negotiation offering to give back all he treasures Paris had stolen plus more. The only thing theTrojans would not return is Helen. While discussing the possibility of accepting the offering in the Achaean council, Diomedes comes forth saying,(Book VII)”Let there be no talking, neither treasure, nor Helen, for even a child may see that the doom of the Trojans is at hand.” Agamemnon agrees with Diomedes statement, respecting his answer.
The next day, Zeus orders all other deities no to interfere with the battle, but he had already made the Trojans stronger so they could drive the Achaeans back from the battlefield. Zeus then thundered aloud from Ida and sent the glare of his lighting upon the Achaeans. Seeing this, the great Achaean warriors such as both Ajaxes, Agamemnon, Idmeneus, and Odysseus took flight. Nestor, afraid for his life, is unable to escape because Paris had wounded one of his horses with an arrow. This incident provides the best example for Diomedes’ remarkable bravery. Diomedes, seeing that Nestor’s life was in danger, shouted for Odysseus’ help. Odysseus ignored Diomedes request and fled. Left alone in the battlefield, Diomedes orders Nestor to take Sthenelus’ place in the chariot. Nestor, now driving the chariot, rides straight after Hector. Diomedes kills Hectors’ chariot driver Eniopeus who is then replaced by Archeptolemus. Zeus sees that both Hector and Archeptolemus are about to be slain by Diomedes so he decides to intervene by taking his mighty thunderbolt and shooting its lightning in front of Diomedes chariot. Nestor advises Diomedes to turn back since no person should try to transgress Zeus’s will. Diomedes does not want to turn back because he does not want Hector returning to Troy telling everyone that Diomedes ran from him. He tries to turn around on three separate occasions and Zeus’s thunderbolt keeps them from fighting all three times.