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In Greek mythology, Automedon , son of Diores, was Achilles' charioteer. In Homer's Iliad, he rides into battle once Patroclus dons Achilles's armor, commanding Achilles' horses Balius and Xanthos. After Patroclus dies, Automedon is driven to the rear of the battle, where he tries to console the bereaved horses.
Zeus finally intervenes, and Automedon resumes driving the chariot, but can not aid the Achaeans until Alcimedon agrees to be his driver. He repels an attempt on his life by Hector, Aeneas, Chromios, and Aretos, killing Aretos and taking his armor in the process. He also appears in the Aeneid at line 477 of Book II, when the Greek forces break into the palace of Priam.
Automedon was an ancient Greek poet known from his poems in the Greek Anthology. Twelve epigrams of his are still extant and he is mentioned by Philippus of Thessalonica in the proem of his anthology Garland of Philippus. He is placed from the 1st century B.C to the 1st century A.D.
The epigrams entitled "ΑΥΤΟΜΕΔΟΝΤΟΣ" ("of Autodemon") are:
- in Book 5: 5.129
- in Book 10: 10.23
- in Book 11: 11.29, 11.46, 11.50, 11.319, 11.324, 11.325, 11.326, 11.346, 11.361 and
- in Book 12: 12.34
11.325
Yesterday I ate tough mutton
and a cabbage ten days old;
I won't say where I went to dinner,
for my host is of a cold
revengeful temper, and he might
invite me back another night.
(Translated by Robin Skelton)
The poems attributed to Automedon may be by different poets. Those in the Anthology appear to be from the period of Nerva or Trajan; Philip's Garland, which mentions Automedon, is probably not later than the reign of Nero. One poem in the Anthology, attributed to Automedon, is ascribed in the Palatine anthology to Theocritus and may be from that period.