# Diomedes — Troilus and Cressida character guide

> Diomedes in Troilus and Cressida by William Shakespeare.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Sir Diomed, noble Diomed, Diomedes Fair Lady Cressid, Diomedes Lady, Diomedes Ay, Diomedes Troilus, Diomedes Nay, Good Diomed

**First appearance:** 0005-act-i-scene-iii

## Snapshot

A blunt, effective Greek soldier, Diomedes is the man sent to collect Cressida — and the one who coolly takes what Troilus thought was his.

## Who they are

Diomedes enters the play as an errand-runner with a soldier's impatience, escorting Cressida from Troy to the Greek camp and treating her, at first, as cargo. His courtship is transactional and unsentimental — he demands a token, refuses to be paltered with, and wears her sleeve on his helm the next day — and his bluntness exposes how quickly affection converts into possession. He matters because he is the instrument of the play's central betrayal: not a villain, just a practical man who asks for what he wants and gets it, making Troilus' idealistic love look like a story Diomedes never bothered to read.

## Relationships

### [Troilus](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/troilus_and_cressida_se/characters/troilus)

_rivalry_

Diomedes is Troilus's direct romantic rival and enemy, winning Cressida's affections and clashing with Troilus in battle.

### [Troilus](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/troilus_and_cressida_se/characters/troilus)

_rivalry_

Diomedes is Troilus's direct romantic rival and enemy, winning Cressida's affections and clashing with Troilus in battle.

## In the story

### [Scene III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/troilus_and_cressida_se/chapters/act-iii-scene-iii)

Tasked with carrying out the exchange of Antenor for Cressida.

### [Scene I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/troilus_and_cressida_se/chapters/act-iv-scene-i)

The Greek envoy; exchanges courteous threats with Aeneas and harshly criticizes Helen's role in the war.

### [Scene III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/troilus_and_cressida_se/chapters/act-iv-scene-iii)

The Greek to whom Cressida is to be delivered; present as the exchange approaches.

### [Scene IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/troilus_and_cressida_se/chapters/act-iv-scene-iv)

Arrives to escort Cressida to the Greek camp; exchanges sharp words with Troilus over her treatment.

### [Scene V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/troilus_and_cressida_se/chapters/act-iv-scene-v)

Announces the end of the combat between Hector and Ajax; later feasts with Calchas and Cressida.

### [Scene I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/troilus_and_cressida_se/chapters/act-v-scene-i)

Leaves the gathering to go to Calchas' tent, followed by Troilus and Ulysses.

### [Scene II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/troilus_and_cressida_se/chapters/act-v-scene-ii)

Receives the sleeve from Cressida and plans to wear it on his helm.

### [Scene IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/troilus_and_cressida_se/chapters/act-v-scene-iv)

Wears Troilus's sleeve in his helm and fights Troilus.

### [Scene V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/troilus_and_cressida_se/chapters/act-v-scene-v)

Sends Troilus's horse to Cressida as a token of his victory and service.

### [Scene VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/troilus_and_cressida_se/chapters/act-v-scene-vi)

Seeks to correct Troilus and claims him as his prize.

### [Scene IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/troilus_and_cressida_se/chapters/act-v-scene-ix)

Confirms the rumor that Hector has been slain by Achilles.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/troilus_and_cressida_se/characters/diomedes
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/troilus_and_cressida_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/troilus_and_cressida_se/characters