The sun rose over the dusty plains of the Troad, casting long shadows from the walls of Ilium across a landscape already scarred by years of conflict. This day, however, was destined to belong to one man: Diomedes, the son of Tydeus, King of Argos. While the elder heroes like Agamemnon and the swift-footed Achilles often dominated the narrative of the war, the goddess Athena had chosen this moment to kindle a fire in Diomedes’ heart that would outshine the brightest stars. She bestowed upon him a strength that surpassed human limits and, perhaps more dangerously, she drew the veil from his eyes. No longer would he see only the sweat and blood of mortal men; he would see the shimmering, terrifying forms of the Olympians as they manipulated the tides of battle from within the fray.
Athena’s instructions were clear but narrow: Diomedes was to avoid conflict with most of the gods, but if Aphrodite, the daughter of Zeus, should dare to enter the battle, he was permitted—even encouraged—to strike her with his bronze spear. Empowered by this divine sight, Diomedes waded into the Trojan ranks like a lion among sheep. He first encountered Pandarus, the famed archer who had previously broken a truce by wounding Menelaus. Pandarus, confident in his skill, let fly an arrow that struck Diomedes’ corselet, but the hero, bolstered by Athena’s favor, did not fall. Instead, with the help of his loyal charioteer Sthenelus, Diomedes retaliated. He cast his spear with such force and divine guidance that it struck Pandarus in the face, ending the archer's life instantly.
Seeing his comrade fall, Aeneas, the son of Aphrodite and the Trojan hero Anchises, leaped from his chariot to protect Pandarus’ body. Diomedes did not hesitate. He reached down and hoisted a massive stone—one so heavy that two men of a later age could hardly lift it—and hurled it at Aeneas. The stone crushed Aeneas’ hip, and the hero fell to his knees, his vision swimming in darkness. Death would surely have claimed him then had his mother, Aphrodite, not been watching. She flew down from the heights of the sky, her immortal robes billowing, and threw her white arms around her son. She shielded him with a fold of her radiant garment to protect him from the shower of Greek spears.
But Diomedes saw her. Through the dust and the chaos, he recognized the goddess of love, not as a terrifying deity of war, but as a 'weakling' goddess, as Athena had described her. He pursued her through the press of soldiers, his bronze spear leveled. With a sudden lunge, he thrust the weapon forward, the sharp point piercing the skin of her delicate wrist. From the wound flowed ichor, the clear, divine blood that runs through the veins of the immortals who eat no bread and drink no wine. Aphrodite cried out in pain and dropped her son. Aeneas was caught by the god Apollo, who whisked him away in a dark cloud, but Aphrodite, trembling and in shock, fled the battlefield.
Guided by Iris, the messenger of the gods, Aphrodite found Ares sitting on the left of the battle, his spear resting on a cloud. She begged for his golden-bridled horses to take her to Olympus. Once home, she collapsed into the lap of her mother, Dione. While Dione comforted her and healed the wound with a touch, Aphrodite lamented the audacity of the Greeks, claiming they were now fighting even the gods. On the plains below, Diomedes’ boldness had not yet reached its peak. Despite Apollo’s warning to 'think and step back,' Diomedes made three attempts to strike even Apollo as the god tried to protect Aeneas. On the fourth attempt, Apollo roared with a voice like thunder, warning the mortal that the race of gods and men are never equal. Diomedes finally gave way, recognizing the limit of his hubris against the god of the sun.
However, the war god Ares, stirred by Apollo, now entered the battle in the guise of a Thracian leader to rally the Trojans. With Ares leading the charge alongside Hector, the Greeks began to retreat. Diomedes, seeing the god of slaughter himself, shuddered and ordered his men to fall back slowly. Athena, seeing her champion intimidated, descended once more. She appeared to Diomedes, mocking him for not living up to the reputation of his father, Tydeus. Diomedes defended himself, noting that he was simply following her earlier command to avoid the gods, except for Aphrodite. Athena laughed and jumped into his chariot, displacing Sthenelus. The axle of the chariot groaned under the weight of the goddess and the hero.
Now invisible thanks to the Helmet of Hades, Athena guided Diomedes directly toward Ares. The god of war, seeing Diomedes approach and not perceiving the goddess, thought he saw an easy kill. Ares lunged with his bronze spear, aiming to take Diomedes' life, but Athena reached out and diverted the spear’s point away from the chariot. Seizing the opening, Diomedes thrust his own spear forward. Athena threw her weight behind the blow, driving the bronze deep into Ares’ lower belly. When the spear was withdrawn, Ares let out a scream so loud it sounded like the roar of ten thousand men in combat. The Greeks and Trojans alike trembled with fear at the sound.