Diomedes and Athena attacking Ares by John Flaxman
Diomedes and Athena attacking Ares
Engraved by Tommaso Piroli from
Flaxman’s 1793 drawings. British Museum, London.
- Engraved by Tommaso Piroli from John Flaxman’s acclaimed 1793 illustrations and preserved at the British Museum, this striking outline print depicts a climactic clash from Book 5 of Homer's Iliad. The composition centers on the mortal hero Diomedes, who, empowered and guided by Athena, thrusts his spear into the violent war god Ares. Athena, rendered invisible to divine eyes by wearing the helmet of Hades, drives the chariot forward into the fray while the fallen Aetolian warrior Periphas lies slain upon the ground. Flaxman’s minimalist Neoclassical line work strips away ornamental distraction, focusing entirely on the dynamic tension, structural clarity, and dramatic momentum of the moment when a mortal hero, backed by divine wisdom, successfully strikes down the brute force of war itself.
- Symbolically and spiritually, the work serves as a powerful allegory on the triumph of calculated intellect over unbridled violence. Ares represents chaotic rage, bloodlust, and the destructive madness of conflict, whereas Athena embodies tactical wisdom, disciplined courage, and divine order. Spiritually, the scene illustrates the ancient Greek belief that mortal strength (arete) achieves its ultimate potential only when aligned with divine guidance; Diomedes' victory is not merely a feat of human power, but a manifestation of Athena's strategic will acting through a worthy vessel. Furthermore, Athena wearing Hades' helmet signifies the hidden, invisible workings of fate and higher wisdom in mortal affairs, offering a profound reflection on how divine providence and moral discipline can subdue raw, irrational force.
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