— Ch. 1 · Origins And Early Mythology —
Diomedes.
~6 min read · Ch. 1 of 7
A young boy named Diomedes stood four years old when his father Tydeus died in the battle against Thebes. His grandfather Oeneus ruled Calydon, but Tydeus had been exiled for killing relatives before finding refuge at Argos. King Adrastus gave Tydeus hospitality and married him to his daughter Deipyle. They produced two children: a daughter named Comaetho and the son who would become the hero of this story. When Tydeus fell in the Seven against Thebes expedition, Athena withdrew her gift of immortality because he ate the brains of an enemy. Ten years later, the sons of the fallen champions gathered as the Epigoni to avenge their fathers. Alcmaeon led the group that stormed Thebes and tore down its walls. Diomedes returned home to find King Adrastus dead from grief over the loss of his own son Aegialeus. As the last male descendant of Adrastus, Diomedes ascended to the throne of Argos. He secured his rule by marrying Aegialia, the daughter of the deceased king. During his five-year reign, Diomedes brought wealth and stability to Argos while maintaining influence over Calydonian politics.
Aristeia In The Iliad
In Book V of Homer's epic, Athena placed valour into the heart of her champion warrior. She made fire flare from his shield and helmet as he began to slay Trojan warriors including Phegeus and Pandarus. When Pandarus wounded Diomedes with an arrow, she offered him special vision to distinguish gods from men. Her instructions commanded him to wound Aphrodite if she entered battle but warned him not to engage any other god. Diomedes killed Astynous, Hypeiron, Abas, Polyidus, Xanthus, Thoon, Echemmon, and Chromius before facing Aeneas. He crushed Aeneas' hip with a huge stone after the Trojan prince's mother fled in terror. Apollo rescued Aeneas and sent the wounded goddess back to Olympus. Disregarding advice, Diomedes attacked Apollo three times until the god warned him against matching himself with immortals. Later, Hera and Athena drove straight at Ares in a chariot. Diomedes threw his spear guided by Athena to wound the god of war in the stomach. This act made him the only human to injure two Olympians in a single day. In Book VI, Hector described Diomedes as mightiest of all because his rage filled men's souls with panic.