The aristeia of a warrior is defined simply as that warrior's greatest battle, the battle in which he reaches his peak as a fighter and hero. Athena and Hera then return to the Olympian palace, and the battle between the Achaians and the Trojans continues to rage, but now there are no gods fighting on either side. Zeus tells him that because of his quarrelsome and cruel nature, he has no love for him, but because he is a god, his wound will heal. With a bellow of pain and fury, Ares leaves the field and heads for Olympos.įinding Zeus, Ares complains about the harsh treatment he has received, but the god of war gets no sympathy from Zeus. Diomedes gallops into combat, encounters Ares, and drives a spear into his belly. She advises him to have no fear of Ares or any other god. On the plains before Troy, Hera gives fresh strength to the Achaians while Athena brings the now-wounded Diomedes back to the fray. Hera and Athena then fly to the aid of the Achaians, after gaining permission from Zeus to bring Ares under control. As the bloody battle progresses, however, the strong and brutal influence of Ares is felt, and the Achaians gradually begin to withdraw toward their camp. But the Achaians, led by Diomedes and other Achaian heroes, are able to hold their ground. With his aid, Hektor and the Trojan army again attempt to advance. Meanwhile, Apollo carries Aeneas off to safety in the temple at Pergamos.Īres, the savage god of war, enters the Trojan ranks and helps Hektor rally his forces. Zeus is angry at this turn of events and orders Aphrodite to stay off the battlefield in the future because warfare is not the same as love, her usual sphere of interest. With tears streaming down her face, Aphrodite flees in terror to Olympos and seeks solace from Dione, her mother. Enraged at Aphrodite's interference, Diomedes pursues her and wounds her in the hand.

Diomedes takes the splendid horses of Aeneas as a war prize and is about to finish off Aeneas himself when Aphrodite comes down to protect her son. He kills many Trojans, including Pandaros, and then he wounds Aeneas, the son of the goddess Aphrodite. She warns him, however, not to fight against any of the gods - with the exception of Aphrodite.ĭiomedes returns to the front line and drives the Trojans back before him. She answers him by giving him additional courage, plus the privilege of being able to distinguish gods from men. When Pandaros (who wounded Menelaos) wounds Diomedes, the valiant Achaian soldier appeals to Athena for aid. During this particular day's fighting, the outstanding warrior is Diomedes, whom the goddess Athena has inspired with exceptional courage and skill. The battle continues with great fury, and both armies perform many acts of valor.

The iliad sparknotes