Diomedes depicts a story as exciting as the sculpture: Diomedes and Odysseus return to the Greek camp after having stolen the Athena Palladium from Troy. Odysseus, fearing Diomedes will claim the honors alone, tries to draw his sword but Diomedes sees it glimmering in the moonlight. Diomedes quickly pulls his own sword and forces Odysseus to precede him while Diomedes still carries the wooden trophy in his left hand. The sculpture has lost his legs, arms, and the palladium but Diomedes forever looks sideways to keep an eye on Odysseus and his sheath is empty, as his sword is held for security in his (now lost) right hand.
This 2nd century AD marble copy in the Glyptothek in Munich is from the Greek bronze original sculpted by Kresilas around 440 BC.