Diomedes

Diomedes is a figure in Greek mythology, a renowned hero and king of Argos during the Trojan War. He is the son of Tydeus and Deipyle, and one of the principal Achaean commanders alongside Agamemnon, Odysseus, and Nestor.

In Homer's Iliad, Diomedes is portrayed as among the bravest of the Greek warriors. Endowed with strength and battlefield skill and aided by the goddess Athena, he achieves a notable aristeia in Book 5, striking down several Trojan combatants, wounding Pandarus to stop a renewed attack, and wounding Aeneas; Aphrodite is briefly wounded when she intervenes on Aeneas' behalf.

A notable episode concerns a meeting with Glaucus, in which the two discover their grandfathers were hosts of each other; to honor the bond, they exchange armor and swear an alliance, illustrating the code of xenia.

After the fall of Troy, Diomedes returns home to Argos and becomes king of Argos and the surrounding territories. In later mythography, his reputation as a skilled and courageous warrior persists, and his exploits contribute to the enduring image of the exemplary Greek hero in ancient literature.