The myth of Diomedes, or sectarian zeal and its issues
Here’s the myth or fable, as philosopher Francis Bacon relays it in Wisdom of the Ancients. I’ll divide his account into four parts, for ease of explanation.
1. Diomed acquired great glory and honour at the Trojan war, and was highly favoured by Pallas, who encouraged and excited him by no means to spare Venus, if he should casually meet her in fight. He followed the advice with too much eagerness and intrepidity, and accordingly wounded that goddess in her hand.
2. This presumptuous action remained unpunished for a time, and when the war was ended he returned with great glory and renown to his own country, where, finding himself embroiled with domestic affairs, he retired into Italy. Here also at first he was well received, and nobly entertained by King Daunus, who, besides other gifts and honours, erected statues for him over all his dominions.
3. But upon the first calamity that afflicted the people after the stranger’s arrival, Daunus immediately reflected that he entertained a devoted person in his palace, an enemy to the gods, and one who had sacrilegiously wounded a goddess with his sword, whom it was impious but to touch. To expiate, therefore, his country’s guilt, he, without regard to the laws of hospitality, which were less regarded by him than the laws of religion, directly slew his…
