- This article is about a hero of the trojan war, king Diomedes of Argo, who stole horses from Thrace. The Mares of Diomedes were stolen by a hero of Argo (Herakles), from a different Diomedes, who was king of Thrace.
In Greek mythology, Diomêdês ("god-like cunning") was the son of Tydeus and Deipyle and a favored hero of Athena. He was one of the Epigonoi and later became King of Argos, succeeding his grandfather, Adrastus. He fought with the Greeks in the Trojan War and was one of their greatest warriors. Along with Sthenelus, he led the Argive armies. He had a horse named Lampos. One of his companions, a brother-in-arms, was named Euryalos.
Diomedes almost killed Aeneas in battle but Aphrodite, Aeneas' mother, saved him. Diomedes wounded Aphrodite and she dropped her son, fleeing to Mt. Olympus. Aeneas was then enveloped in a cloud by Apollo, who took him to Pergamos, a sacred spot in Troy. Artemis healed Aeneas there.
Later in the war, Diomedes fought with Hector and saw Ares, the war-god, fighting on the Trojans' side. Diomedes called for his soldiers to fall back slowly. Hera, Ares' mother, saw Ares' interference and asked Zeus, Ares' father, for permission to drive Ares away from the battlefield. Hera encouraged Diomedes to attack Ares and he threw his spear at the god. Athena drove the spear into Ares' body and he bellowed in pain and fled to Mt. Olympus, forcing the Trojans to fall back.
Diomedes and Odysseus later stole the Palladium (and King Rhesus' horses) and took it to Argos. Diomedes also killed Merops' two sons.
When the Trojan War was over, Diomedes returned home. His wife, Aegiale had been unfaithful to him and Diomedes left for Italy, where he founded the cities of Brindisium and Arpus Hippium.
At some point, Diomedes restored Oeneus to the throne of Calydon after his brother's (Agrius) sons had overthrown him.
|
