Passage 2.26.10
θεὸν δὲ Ἀσκληπιὸν νομισθέντα ἐξ ἀρχῆς καὶ οὐκ ἀνὰ χρόνον λαβόντα τὴν φήμην τεκμηρίοις καὶ ἄλλοις εὑρίσκω καὶ Ὁμήρου μαρτυρεῖ μοι τὰ περὶ Μαχάονος ὑπὸ Ἀγαμέμνονος εἰρημένα Ταλθύβιʼ, ὅττι τάχιστα Μαχάονα δεῦρο κάλεσσον φῶτʼ Ἀσκληπιοῦ υἱόν, Hom. Il. 4.193 ὡς ἂν εἰ λέγοι θεοῦ παῖδα ἄνθρωπον.
I find evidence, both from Homer and other arguments, that Asclepius was regarded as a god from the beginning rather than acquiring this reputation gradually over time. Homer bears witness for me by the words that Agamemnon addressed to Talthybius about Machaon: "Immediately call Machaon here, the man who is the son of Asclepius," as though he were addressing a mortal as the child of a god.