History Awesome / TheIliad

* Another slightly less epic duel , that of The Ethiopian king Memnon and Achilles wherein the two battle it out in armor forged by Hephaestus, and Zeus himself makes them tireless and huge so all others can watch them battle like demigods.

* [[OneSceneWonder Automedon's]] charging the Trojan lines and then going head to head with Hector for a brief time, and comes out alive.

* Diomedes goes on a rampage through the Trojan army, killing everyone he comes across, wounding Aphrodite and Ares, forcing the God of War to flee from him. The Trojans fear him more than ACHILLES (though considering the fact that he stayed in his tent for 90% of the poem probably factored into that), the only person who he couldn't defeat was Hector, the greatest Trojan warrior, and that was because Zeus himself sent a thunderbolt to tell Diomedes to not fight him. Even more so when you realize that Diomedes, unlike Achilles, is [[{{BadassNormal}} ''fully mortal'']]. Here is what Helenus, Hector's brother and a seer says about him:

* The first thing Achilles does when he [[AchillesInHisTent gets out of his tent?]] He lets out three war cries, one after another, and ''kills twelve Trojans by doing so'', and ''single-handedly'' push back the ''entire'' Trojan army, including Hector, back to the wall.

* Diomedes goes on a rampage through the Trojan army, killing everyone he comes across, wounding Aphrodite and Ares, forcing the God of War to flee from him. The Trojans fear him more than ACHILLES (though considering the fact that he stayed in his tent for 90% of the poem probably factored into that), the only person who he couldn't defeat was Hector, the greatest Trojan warrior, and that was because Zeus himself sent a thunderbolt to tell Diomedes to not fight him. Even more so when you realize that Diomedes, unlike Achilles, is [[{{BadassNormal}} ''fully mortal'']].
* The first thing Achilles does when he [[AchillesInHisTent gets out of his tent?]] He lets out three war cries, one after another, and ''kills twelve Trojans by doing so''.

* Diomedes goes on a rampage through the trojan army, killing everyone he comes across, wounding Aphrodite and Ares, forcing the God of War to flee from him. He killed multiple Amazon and Trojan Princes, as well as manage to steal holy artifact by sneaking into Troy. The Trojans fear him more than ACHILLES (though considering the fact that he stay in his tent for 90% of the war probably factor into that), the only person who he couldn't defeat was Hector the Greatest Trojan warrior, and that was because Zeus himself sent a thunderbolt to tell Diomedes to not fight him. Even more so when you realize that Diomedes, unlike Achilles, is [[{{BadassNormal}} ''fully mortal'']].

* The only major warrior on both sides to never receive help from the Gods is Agamemnon.

* [[AuthorityEqualsAssKicking Agamemnon!]] Despite what modern morons [[BookDumb think of him,]] in Book 2, he's said to have the:

->Head and eyes of Zeus, chest like Poseidon, waist like Ares.
* In Book 3, even enemy King Priam stares at him from the walls and asks Helen:

->Who is this huge warrior, this Achaean so great and strong? Many others are taller by a head but my eyes have never beheld one so handsome or noble. That man must be a king!
* In Book 7, he's the first to voulnteer to fight Hector after Nestor's speech and along with Diomedes and Big Ajax is one of the three most wished for:

->Father Zeus grant that the lot fall to (Big) Ajax or to the son of Tydeus (Diomedes) or to the king himself of all Mycenae's gold (Agamemnon)
* In Book 11, Agamemnon has his ''aristeia'' or day of glory and is killing Trojans left and right like a [[UnstoppableRage killing machine]], forcing them all to flee, and his day of glory is most similar to Achilles' in style and structure, even HECTOR is told to stay away by Zeus:
* Unlike Achilles, Odysseus, Hector, Diomedes, Aeneas or even Big Ajax, Agamemnon NEVER had help from the Gods to help him in battle.

* Diomedes goes on a rampage through the trojan army, killing everyone he comes across, wounding Aphrodite and Ares, forcing the God of War to flee from him. He killed multiple Amazon and Trojan Princes, as well as manage to steal holy artifact by sneaking into Troy. The Trojans fear him more than ACHILLES (though considering the fact that he stay in his tent for 90% of the war probably factor into that), the only person who he couldn't defeat was Hector the Greatest Trojan warrior, and that was because Zeus himself sent a thunderbolt to tell Diomedes to not figh him. Even more so when you realize that Diomedes, unlike Achilles, is [[{{BadassNormal}} ''fully mortal'']].

In Book 3, even enemy King Priam stares at him from the walls and asks Helen:

In Book 7, he's the first to voulnteer to fight Hector after Nestor's speech and along with Diomedes and Big Ajax is one of the three most wished for:

In Book 11, Agamemnon has his ''aristeia'' or day of glory and is killing Trojans left and right like a [[UnstoppableRage killing machine]], forcing them all to flee, and his day of glory is most similar to Achilles' in style and structure, even HECTOR is told to stay away by Zeus:

->Go swift Iris and take this word unto Hector, so long as he shall see Agamemnon, shepherd of the host, raging amid the foremost fighters, laying waste to ranks of men, so long let him hold back, and bid the rest of the host fight with the foe in the fierce conflict. But when, either wounded by a spear-thrust or smitten by an arrow, Agamemnon shall leap upon his chariot, then will I vouchsafe strength to Hector to slay and slay until he come to the well-benched ships, and the sun sets and sacred darkness cometh on.

And finally in Book 23, when Agamemnon was about to compete for the spear throwing prize in Patroclus' funeral games, even ACHILLES pays him homage and finally admits what a [[BadAss badass]] Agamemnon is:

->Son of Atreus, we know how far you excel us all, and how far you are the best in strength and in casting the spear, nay, take thou this prize and go thy way to the hollow ships; but the spear let us give to the warrior Meriones, if thy heart consenteth thereto: so at least would I have it.

Unlike Achilles, Odysseus, Hector, Diomedes, Aeneas or even Big Ajax, Agamemnon NEVER used the Gods to help him in battle. He was perhaps the best natural warrior of all. Even Achilles admitted as much. And considering that a few decades earlier in the Bronze Age, where a king was chosen ''because'' he was the [[AssKickingEqualsAuthority strongest]] and had to fight any newcomers to the death or get be killed as a sacrifice, Agamemnon seems to be commander-in-chief and high king for a reason.

* Diomedes goes on a rampage through the trojan army, killing everyone he comes across, wounding Aphrodite and Ares, forcing the God of War to flee from him. He killed multiple Amazon and Trojan Princes, as well as manage to steal holy artifact by sneaking into Troy. The Trojans fear him more than ACHILLES (though considering the fact that he stay in his tent for half the war probably factor into that), the only person who he couldn't defeat was Hector the Greatest Trojan warrior, and that was because Zeus himself sent a thunderbolt to tell Diomedes to not figh him. Even more so when you realize that Diomedes, unlike Achilles, is [[{{BadassNormal}} ''fully mortal'']].

** Diomedes' ''aristeia'' is diminished by the fact that he had MASSIVE help from Athena who gave him extra strength and courage, allowed him to see the gods, and fought Ares FOR him!
-->Book V: [1] And now to Tydeus' son, Diomedes, '''Pallas Athene gave might and courage''', that he should prove himself pre-eminent amid all the Argives...[121] So spake he in prayer, and '''Pallas Athene heard him, and made his limbs light, his feet and his hands above'''; and she drew near to his side and spake to him winged words: "Be of good courage now, Diomedes, to fight against the Trojans, '''for in thy breast have I put the might of thy father, the dauntless might''', such as the horseman Tydeus, wielder of the shield, was wont to have. '''And the mist moreover have I taken from thine eyes that afore was upon them, to the end that thou mayest well discern both god and man'''. Wherefore now if any god come hither to make trial of thee, do not thou in any wise fight face to face with any other immortal gods, save only if Aphrodite, daughter of Zeus, shall enter the battle, her do thou smite with a thrust of the sharp bronze...[846] Now when Ares, the bane of mortals, was ware of goodly Diomedes, he let be huge Periphas to lie where he was, even where at the first he had slain him and taken away his life but made straight for Diomedes, tamer of horses. And when they were now come near as they advanced one against the other, Ares first let drive over the yoke and the reins of the horses with his spear of bronze, eager to take away the other's life; but the spear the goddess, flashing-eyed Athene, caught in her hand and thrust above the car to fly its way in vain. Next Diomedes, good at the war-cry, drave at Ares with his spear of bronze, and '''Pallas Athene sped it mightily against his nethermost belly''', where he was girded with his taslets. There did he thrust and smite him, rending the fair flesh, and forth he drew the spear again. Then brazen Ares bellowed loud as nine thousand warriors or ten thousand cry in battle, when they join in the strife of the War-god; and thereat trembling came upon Achaeans alike and Trojans, and fear gat hold of them; so mightily bellowed Ares insatiate of war.

** So even though Diomedes might be mortal, he still has Athena protecting him in battle as she does Odysseus and Achilles. The only major warrior on both sides to never receive help from the Gods ''in battle'' is Agamemnon.

-->Book V: [1] And now to Tydeus' son, Diomedes, '''Pallas Athene gave might and courage''', that he should prove himself pre-eminent amid all the Argives...[121] So spake he in prayer, and '''Pallas Athene heard him, and made his limbs light, his feet and his hands above'''; and she drew near to his side and spake to him winged words: "Be of good courage now, Diomedes, to fight against the Trojans, '''for in thy breast have I put the might of thy father, the dauntless might''', such as the horseman Tydeus, wielder of the shield, was wont to have. '''And the mist moreover have I taken from thine eyes that afore was upon them, to the end that thou mayest well discern both god and man'''. Wherefore now if any god come hither to make trial of thee, do not thou in any wise fight face to face with any other immortal gods, save only if Aphrodite, daughter of Zeus, shall enter the battle, her do thou smite with a thrust of the sharp bronze...[846] Now when Ares, the bane of mortals, was ware of goodly Diomedes, he let be huge Periphas to lie where he was, even where at the first he had slain him and taken away his life but made straight for Diomedes, tamer of horses. And when they were now come near as they advanced one against the other, Ares first let drive over the yoke and the reins of the horses with his spear of bronze, eager to take away the other's life; but the spear the goddess, flashing-eyed Athene, caught in her hand and thrust above the car to fly its way in vain. Next Diomedes, good at the war-cry, drave at Ares with his spear of bronze, and '''Pallas Athene''' sped it mightily against his nethermost belly, where he was girded with his taslets. There did he thrust and smite him, rending the fair flesh, and forth he drew the spear again. Then brazen Ares bellowed loud as nine thousand warriors or ten thousand cry in battle, when they join in the strife of the War-god; and thereat trembling came upon Achaeans alike and Trojans, and fear gat hold of them; so mightily bellowed Ares insatiate of war.

** Diomedes' ''aristeia'' is diminished by the fact that he had MASSIVE help from Athena who gave him extra strength and courage and fought Ares FOR him!
->Book V: [1] And now to Tydeus' son, Diomedes, Pallas Athene gave might and courage, that he should prove himself pre-eminent amid all the Argives...[121] So spake he in prayer, and Pallas Athene heard him, and made his limbs light, his feet and his hands above; and she drew near to his side and spake to him winged words: "Be of good courage now, Diomedes, to fight against the Trojans, for in thy breast have I put the might of thy father, the dauntless might, such as the horseman Tydeus, wielder of the shield, was wont to have. And the mist moreover have I taken from thine eyes that afore was upon them, to the end that thou mayest well discern both god and man. Wherefore now if any god come hither to make trial of thee, do not thou in any wise fight face to face with any other immortal gods, save only if Aphrodite, daughter of Zeus, shall enter the battle, her do thou smite with a thrust of the sharp bronze...[846] Now when Ares, the bane of mortals, was ware of goodly Diomedes, he let be huge Periphas to lie where he was, even where at the first he had slain him and taken away his life but made straight for Diomedes, tamer of horses. And when they were now come near as they advanced one against the other, Ares first let drive over the yoke and the reins of the horses with his spear of bronze, eager to take away the other's life; but the spear the goddess, flashing-eyed Athene, caught in her hand and thrust above the car to fly its way in vain. Next Diomedes, good at the war-cry, drave at Ares with his spear of bronze, and '''Pallas Athene''' sped it mightily against his nethermost belly, where he was girded with his taslets. There did he thrust and smite him, rending the fair flesh, and forth he drew the spear again. Then brazen Ares bellowed loud as nine thousand warriors or ten thousand cry in battle, when they join in the strife of the War-god; and thereat trembling came upon Achaeans alike and Trojans, and fear gat hold of them; so mightily bellowed Ares insatiate of war.

* Helen standing up to Aphrodite. Even if Aphrodite threatens her into submission immediately after, it's nice to see someone in Greek mythology tell a god what a jerk she is.

Unlike Achilles, Odysseus, Hector, Aeneas or even Big Ajax, Agamemnon NEVER used the Gods to help him in battle. He was perhaps the best natural warrior of all (next to Diomedes, who took on the God of War by himself and won). Even Achilles admitted as much. And considering that a few decades earlier in the Bronze Age, where a king was chosen ''because'' he was the [[AssKickingEqualsAuthority strongest]] and had to fight any newcomers to the death or get be killed as a sacrifice, Agamemnon seems to be commander-in-chief and high king for a reason.

* Diomedes goes on a rampage through the trojan army, killing everyone he comes across, wounding Aphrodite and Ares, forcing the God of War to flee from him. He killed multiple Amazon and Trojan Princes, as well as manage to steal holy artifact by sneaking into Troy. The Trojans fear him more than ACHILLES (though considering the fact that he stay in his tent for half the war probably factor into that), the only person who he couldn't defeat was Hector the Greatest Trojan warrior, and it was a stalemate. Even more so when you realize that Diomedes, unlike Achilles, is [[{{BadassNormal}} ''fully mortal'']].

Unlike Achilles, Odysseus, Hector, Aeneas or even Big Ajax, Agamemnon NEVER used the Gods to help him in battle. He was perhaps the best natural warrior of all (next to Diomedes, who took on the God of War by himself and won)! Even Achilles admitted as much! And considering that a few decades earlier in the Bronze Age, where a king was chosen ''because'' he was the [[AssKickingEqualsAuthority strongest]] and had to fight any newcomers to the death or get be killed as a sacrifice, Agamemnon seems to be commander-in-chief and high king for a reason.

Unlike Achilles, Diomedes, Hector, Aeneas or even Big Ajax, Agamemnon NEVER used the Gods to help him in battle. He was perhaps the best natural warrior of all! Even Achilles admitted as much! And considering that a few decades earlier in the Bronze Age, where a king was chosen ''because'' he was the [[AssKickingEqualsAuthority strongest]] and had to fight any newcomers to the death or get be killed as a sacrifice, Agamemnon seems to be commander-in-chief and high king for a reason.

* Diomedes goes on a rampage through the trojan army, killing everyone he comes across, wounding Aphrodite and Ares, forcing the God of War to flee from him. He killed multiple Amazon and Trojan Princes, as well as manage to steal holy artifact by sneaking into Troy. The Trojans fear him more than ACHILLES (though considering the fact that he stay in his tent for half the war probably factor into that), the only person who he couldn't defeat was Hector the Greatest Trojan warrior, and it was a stalemate. Even more so when you realize that Diomedes, unlike Achilles, is ''fully mortal''.

* Diomedes goes on a rampage through the trojan army, killing everyone he comes across, wounding Aphrodite and Ares, forcing the God of War to flee from him. He killed multiple Amazon and Trojan Princes, as well as manage to steal holy artifact by sneaking into Troy. The Trojans fear him more than ACHILLES (though considering the fact that he stay in his tent for half the war probably factor into that), the only person who he couldn't defeat was Hector the Greatest Trojan warrior, and it was a stalemate.

* Agamemnon! Despite what modern morons think of him, in Book 2, he's said to have the "head and eyes of Zeus, chest like Poseidon, waist like Ares;" in Book 3, even enemy king Priam stares at him from the walls and asks Helen who "is this huge warrior, this Achaean so great and strong. Many others are taller by a head but my eyes have never beheld one so handsome or noble. That man must be a king!" In Book 7, he's the first to voulnteer to fight Hector after Nestor's speech and along with Diomedes and Big Ajax is one of the three most wished for: "Father Zeus grant that the lot fall to (Big) Ajax or to the son of Tydeus (Diomedes) or to the king himself of all Mycenae's gold (Agamemnon)" In Book 11, Agamemnon has his ((aristeia)) or day of glory and is killing Trojans left and right, forcing them all to flee, and his day of glory is most similar to Achilles' in style and structure, even HECTOR is told to stay away by Zeus
-> Go swift iris and take this word unto Hector, so long as he shall see Agamemnon, shepherd of the host, raging amid the foremost fighters, laying waste to ranks of men, so long let him hold back, and bid the rest of the host fight with the foe in the fierce conflict. But when, either wounded by a spear-thrust or smitten by an arrow, Agamemnon shall leap upon his chariot, then will I vouchsafe strength to Hector to slay and slay until he come to the well-benched ships, and the sun sets and sacred darkness cometh on." And finally in Book 23, when Agamemnon was about to compete for the spear throwing prize in Patroclus' funeral games, even ACHILLES pays him homage and finally admits what a badass Agamemnon is:
-> Son of Atreus, we know how far you excel us all, and how far you are the best in strength and in casting the spear, nay, take thou this prize and go thy way to the hollow ships; but the spear let us give to the warrior Meriones, if thy heart consenteth thereto: so at least would I have it.
Unlike Achilles, Diomedes, Hector, Aeneas or even Big Ajax, Agamemnon NEVER used the Gods to help him in battle. He was perhaps the best natural warrior of all!

* Agamemnon! Despite what modern morons {{BookDumb think of him}}, in Book 2, he's said to have the "head and eyes of Zeus, chest like Poseidon, waist like Ares;" in Book 3, even enemy king Priam stares at him from the walls and asks Helen who "is this huge warrior, this Achaean so great and strong. Many others are taller by a head but my eyes have never beheld one so handsome or noble. That man must be a king!" In Book 7, he's the first to voulnteer to fight Hector after Nestor's speech and along with Diomedes and Big Ajax is one of the three most wished for: "Father Zeus grant that the lot fall to (Big) Ajax or to the son of Tydeus (Diomedes) or to the king himself of all Mycenae's gold (Agamemnon)" In Book 11, Agamemnon has his ((aristeia)) or day of glory and is killing Trojans left and right, forcing them all to flee, and his day of glory is most similar to Achilles' in style and structure, even HECTOR is told to stay away by Zeus -> Go swift iris and take this word unto Hector, so long as he shall see Agamemnon, shepherd of the host, raging amid the foremost fighters, laying waste to ranks of men, so long let him hold back, and bid the rest of the host fight with the foe in the fierce conflict. But when, either wounded by a spear-thrust or smitten by an arrow, Agamemnon shall leap upon his chariot, then will I vouchsafe strength to Hector to slay and slay until he come to the well-benched ships, and the sun sets and sacred darkness cometh on." And finally in Book 23, when Agamemnon was about to compete for the spear throwing prize in Patroclus' funeral games, even ACHILLES pays him homage and finally admits what a {{BadAss badass}} Agamemnon is: -> Son of Atreus, we know how far you excel us all, and how far you are the best in strength and in casting the spear, nay, take thou this prize and go thy way to the hollow ships; but the spear let us give to the warrior Meriones, if thy heart consenteth thereto: so at least would I have it. Unlike Achilles, Diomedes, Hector, Aeneas or even Big Ajax, Agamemnon NEVER used the Gods to help him in battle. He was perhaps the best natural warrior of all!

* Hector fighting Achilles. The best-known duel in all of Western literature.

* Diomedes goes on a rampage through the trojan army, killing everyone he comes across and even wounding Ares, forcing the God of War to flee from him

* Helen standing up to Aphrodite. Even if Aphrodite threatens her into submission immediately after, it's nice to see someone in Greek mythology tell a god what a jerk she is.

* Diomedes goes on a rampage through the trojan army, killing everyone he comes across and even wounding Ares, forcing the God of War to flee from him

* Menelaus, who is described as being the weakest warrior of the Greek kings and yet pulls off some of the most courageous actions.