Diomedes
Greek hero of the Trojan War and founder of Italian cities.
Diomedes, a Greek mythological hero, fought in the Trojan War. Son of Tydeus and Deipyle, he became King of Argos after his maternal grandfather Adrastus. Following the war, he supposedly established at least ten Italian cities, and both Italy and Greece later worshipped him as a god.
Quick Facts
- Siblings
- Comaetho
- Consort
- Aegiale
- Abode
- Argos
- Deity of
- King of Argos
- Member of
- the Achaeans
- Parents
- Tydeus and Deipyle
- Other names
- Diomede
Facts from the source article.
Early myths
Diomedes was on his father's side an Aetolian and on his mother's an Argive. His father Tydeus, son of Oeneus king of Calydon, was exiled for killing relatives and found refuge at Argos, where King Adrastus gave him his daughter Deipyle as wife. They had a daughter Comaetho and a son Diomedes. At the same time the banished Theban prince Polynices arrived in Argos; Adrastus gave him his daughter Argia and later agreed to restore him to Thebes. An expedition of seven leaders, including Tydeus, Polynices and Adrastus, marched against Thebes; these were the Seven against Thebes. According to the Iliad, Diomedes was a small child of nursing age when his father died. The expedition failed: all seven Argive champions except Adrastus were killed. Tydeus, Athena's favorite warrior, was dying when the goddess intended to offer him immortality but withdrew it in disgust after he ate the brains of his enemy. At the funeral of the fallen champions, their sons—including Diomedes—vowed to avenge their fathers. These sons, known as the Epigoni, launched a second expedition against Thebes ten years later under Alcmaeon, strengthened by contingents from Messenia, Arcadia, Corinth, and Megara.
Trojan War
Diomedes entered the Trojan War with a fleet of 80 ships, third only to Agamemnon and Nestor. Sthenelus and Euryalus, both former Epigoni, fought under his command; Sthenelus drove his chariot and was probably his closest friend. Diomedes led troops from Argos, Tiryns, Troezen and other cities. When the Achaeans attacked Teuthrania, Diomedes fought alongside Sthenelus and Palamedes, killing Haimus, a son of Ares. He also led the attack on the city of Cycnus, capturing Glauce (also called Laodice), Cycnus's daughter, and either killed or took captive Cycnus's two sons. Though the youngest Achaean king, Diomedes is considered the most experienced leader, having fought in the war of the Epigoni. Second only to Achilles, he is regarded as the mightiest and most skilled Achaean warrior. He vanquished Aeneas, the second-best Trojan warrior, and could have struck him down. He and Odysseus were the only Achaean heroes who participated in covert operations. Diomedes received the most direct divine help and protection; Athena was his favorite goddess and even drove his chariot. He was the only hero besides Heracles to attack Olympian gods, wounding Ares and Aphrodite. He was granted divine vision to identify immortals.
After the Trojan War
During the sack of Troy, the Lesser Ajax raped Cassandra, who clung to Athena's statue. Odysseus tried to persuade the Achaean leaders to stone Ajax, but they disagreed because Ajax himself clung to the same statue. The failure to punish Ajax earned Athena's wrath. Athena caused a quarrel between Agamemnon and Menelaus about the voyage from Troy. Diomedes and Nestor decided to leave immediately and took their armies safely home, arriving in Argos four days after departure. Diomedes is one of the few Achaean commanders to return safely, his safe nostos implying divine favor. The Palamedes affair haunted several leaders. Palamedes's brother Oeax went to Argos and falsely reported that Diomedes was bringing a preferred woman. Others say Aegialia herself took a lover, Cometes, persuaded by Palamedes's father Nauplius. Still others say Aphrodite, never forgetting Diomedes's spear wound, helped Aegialia obtain many lovers. In any case, Aegialia, helped by the Argives, prevented Diomedes from entering the city; if he entered, he took sanctuary at Hera's altar and fled by night. Cometes briefly became king of Argos in Diomedes's absence but was quickly replaced by Cyanippus, son of Aegialeus.
Death
Strabo lists four traditions about Diomedes's life in Italy. One says he was making a canal to the sea at Urium when summoned home to Argos, where he died. The second says he stayed at Urium until the end of his life. The third says he disappeared on the uninhabited island Diomedea in the Adriatic, where shearwaters who were formerly his companions live, implying deification. The fourth, from the Heneti, says he stayed in their country and had a mysterious apotheosis. One legend says on his death the albatrosses sang; others say his companions were turned into birds. The family name Diomedeidae and genus name Diomedea for great albatrosses originate from him. Another story says a shipwreck stranded his men on an Adriatic island; Diomedes was killed by Aeneas, and his men turned into birds living beside a shrine to their fallen king. On San Nicola Island of the Tremiti Archipelago is a Hellenic period tomb called Diomedes's Tomb. According to post-Homeric stories, Athena gave Diomedes immortality. Pindar mentions his deification in Nemean X. A scholiast says he married Hermione, daughter of Menelaus and Helen, and lives with the Dioscuri as an immortal god. He was worshipped under various names in Italy, with statues at Argyripa, Metapontum, Thurii, and a temple called The Timavo at the Adriatic.
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