5.) An aristeia can be defined as a hero’s best battle. Diomedes, a Greek warrior, is fueled by power from Athena. He is about to engage in one on one combat with Glaucus, a Trojan. The odds are in his favor, since he has the aid of Athena. Then, Diomedes’ curiosity takes over, and he asks his opponent who he is and where he is from. At first, Glaucus thinks that it shouldn’t matter where he is from, but he eventually answers with his family’s backstory, saying, “Hippolochus survived, from him I came/The honoured author of my birth and name,” (Pope 254). As a result, Diomedes realizes that Diomedes’ grandfather, Oeneus, hosted Glaucus’ grandfather, Bellerophon. This hosting links the two families together, so Diomedes and Glaucus can …show more content…
Glaucus and Diomedes are complete polar opposites. One is the Lycian prince, an ally of Troy, and the other is a famous Greek warrior. They are both reputable members of their armies, so the reader expects a brutal fight to the death, with one person triumphing over the other. This is the most predictable path of the story. However, the unpredictability of this scene is part of its beauty. Glaucus’ speech about his origins can come off as unnecessary at first. It may seem like just another story that gets lost in the complexity of the Trojan War, but it has much more substance than that. Homer wants to show how the unlikeliest of friends can be connected. Homer adds, “Enough of Greeks shall dye thy spear with gore/ But thou and Diomed be foes no more,” (Pope 284). This couplet is especially meaningful because it shows the newfound friendship to its fullest extent. The image of other Greeks fighting, with their weapons piercing the bodies of Trojans and blood leaking from the wound, is quite stunning. That could have been Diomedes and Glaucus, if it was not for their mutual affinities due to their grandfathers’ relationship. The contrast between a bloody battle and a loving embrace is deep, so the moment is even more heartening when it is compared to what it potentially could have