Diomedes (God-Fighter)
heroThe king of Argos who fought at Troy with such ferocity that he wounded both Aphrodite and Ares — becoming one of the only mortals to injure gods.
The Myth
Diomedes was the king of Argos and the youngest of the Greek commanders at Troy, yet in combat he was second only to Achilles. His aristeia in Iliad Book 5 is the most extraordinary battlefield performance in the epic: with Athena's divine aid, he rampaged across the Trojan lines, killing champions including Pandaros. When Aphrodite intervened to save her son Aeneas, Diomedes charged the goddess herself, wounding her hand with his spear — she fled to Olympus weeping, and Zeus told her to stay away from battle. Undeterred, Diomedes then attacked Ares, the god of war himself, again with Athena's guidance, driving his spear into the god's belly. Ares roared with the voice of ten thousand warriors and retreated to Olympus. Diomedes also participated in the night raid (Doloneia), captured the horses of Rhesus, and volunteered for every dangerous mission. Unlike most Greek heroes, he returned home safely and ruled Argos in peace.
Explore Further
Achilles
heroThe greatest warrior in the Greek army at Troy, nearly invulnerable thanks to being dipped in the...
Aeneas
heroAeneas was a Trojan prince, son of Aphrodite, who survived Troy's fall and became the ancestor of...
Diomedes
heroDiomedes was the only mortal in the Iliad to wound two Olympian gods in a single day.
Rhesus
heroThracian king who brought white horses to Troy and was killed in his sleep by Odysseus and Diomedes...
Aphrodite
godGoddess of love and beauty, born from the sea foam. Aphrodite's power to inspire desire was so...
Ares
godGod of the brutal, savage side of war. Unlike Athena's strategic warfare, Ares represented the raw...
Ares (War God)
godThe god of the savage violence of battle — feared, hated, and necessary, embodying the bloodlust...
Athena
godGoddess of wisdom and strategic warfare, born fully armored from the head of Zeus. Patron deity of...
Athena Promachos
godAn epithet of Athena meaning "the Champion" or "who fights in front," represented by a colossal...
Diomedes (Aristeia)
conceptThe extended battle sequence in Iliad Books 5-6 where Diomedes wounds both Aphrodite and Ares, the...
Doloneia
conceptThe night raid in Iliad Book 10 where Odysseus and Diomedes infiltrate the Trojan camp and...
Achilles (Wrath)
heroThe swift-footed son of Peleus and Thetis whose wrath drives the Iliad and whose choice between...