Diomedes

Diomedes or Diomede is a hero in Greek mythology, known for his participation in the Trojan War. He was born to Tydeus and Deipyle and later became King of Argos, succeeding his maternal grandfather, Adrastus. In Homer's Iliad Diomedes is regarded alongside Ajax the Great and Agamemnon, after Achilles, as one of the best warriors of all the Achaeans in prowess (which is especially made clear in Book 7 of the Iliad when Ajax the Greater, Diomedes, and Agamemnon are the most wished for by the Achaeans to fight Hector out of nine volunteers, who included Odysseus and Ajax the Lesser). Subsequently, Diomedes founded ten or more Italian cities and, after his death, was worshipped as a divine being under various names in both Italy and Greece. Description In the account of Dares the Phrygian, Diomedes was illustrated as ". . .stocky, brave, dignified, and austere. He was loud at the war-cry, hot-tempered, impatient, and daring." Early myths Diomedes was, on his father's side, an Aetolian, and on his mother's an Argive. His father, Tydeus, was himself of royal blood, being the son of Oeneus, the king of Calydon. He had been exiled from his homeland for killing his relatives, either his cousins or his paternal uncles. In any case, Tydeus was exiled, and he found refuge at Argos, where the king, Adrastus, offered him hospitality, even giving him his daughter, Deipyle, to be his wife. The two were happily married and had two children together—a daughter, Comaetho, and a son, Diomedes.