Character: Diomedes Flashcards
What does Richard Jenkyns argue Diomedes to represent ?
Pure warrior glory at its most uncomplicated
- wound Aphrodite and Ares
- keeps his nerve in book 9
How do we see Diomedes to be a good orator ?
Book 9
- he keeps his nerve after Agamemnon is deeply despondent after the failure of the embassy, Diomedes takes the position of a leader
- Diomedes proposes the men to rest and have food before a hard days fighting
- ‘the leaders all shouted their approval’
- Greek heroic code also encompass the ability to speak and to evoke a response in Diomedes’ case to restore faith into the campaign
- Moroever, as his superior and elder by taking the position of Agamemnon in addressing the army he demonstrates how is skill goes beyond his young age
- cementing himself as a strong hero of off the battlefield
How is Diomedes described by others to be a good orator ?
book 9
- After Agamemnon suggests a humiliating end to the Greek campaign Diomedes rebuked his suggestion
- Nestor commends Diomedes and describes him in debate as having ‘no rival of your age’
- commended by those around him for his powerful skills as an orator which is conventionally heroic
- Nestor is his elder and regarded as incredibly wise so to be commended in such a way in front of all the Greek leaders reinforced his timé
What do the Trojans say about Diomedes ?
Book 6
- Helenus speaks to Aeneas and Hector on the plan to evoke Athene to keep Diomedes away
- Helenus describes Diomedes saying that ‘we were never so terrified even of Achilles’ and that ‘not a man can hold him’
- The Trojan army fear him to the extent that is even more formidable and terrifying than Achilles
- The Trojans commending him and reinforcing his Kleos adds to his status as the embodiment of the ‘great warrior’
- It’s clear Homer wants us as too understand that Diomedes is a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield and is the most formidable fighter
How does Diomedes display his skill as a warrior ?
book 5
- Firstly Diomedes is given an aresteia by Homer which is reserved for glorious and skilled warriors in battle: obvious Homer is encouraging us to envisage a powerful warrior
- he kills the Trojan hero Pandarus
- Moreover
- Diomedeses ferocity continues as he wounds two gods Ares and Aphrodite making him the only mortal in the entire poem to wound any god
- Diomedes is not limited to engaging in combat with mortals but also the gods themselves and his wounding of both gives the overwhelming impression of an incredibly powerful warrior
How is Diomedes supported by the gods ?
What does she grant, explain why this is important
How does she appear
book 5
- Diomedes has close support from the goddess Athene who first
- gifts him superhuman strength and burning armour
- She later grants him the power to discern gods on the battlefield and an increased sense of determination
- Conventionally gods would only support hero’s or champion and clearly he is regarded by Athene to be a worthy mortal of such support
- Further to this the goddess does not appear disguised before him which adds another element of closeness to the relationship as its typical for gods to disguise themselves when engaging with mortals
How can Diomedes seen to be overly reckless ?
Book 10
- Diomedes gets carried away when attacking the unsuspecting Thracians being warned by Odysseus but ignoring his whistle
- he wanders what glory or war prizes he can claim from the attack
- Athene warns him that he is going to far and may alert the rest of the Trojan and jeopardise the mission
book 5
- he gets carried away and attacks Apollo who is tending to Aphrodite which breaches the agreement made with Athena earlier in the book
- as a young hero although he embodies the warrior glory this also comes with the negative of his youthful aggressive which at times leads him to become clouded in his judgement
