| “ | You mortals say that war never changes. While I would like to agree with you on some points, I vehemently disagree on others. All wars are fought with a goal in mind. And though that goal may vary in methods, it is the climax that is a constant. The total humiliation of one side. Regardless of what side you are on, war is an ever-evolving beast. It is mindless, constantly growing new limbs and organs to better itself. And I wouldn't have it any other way. | „ |
| ~ Ares |
Ares, also known as Mars, is the Greek god of war and violence. He is one of the Twelve Olympians, and the son of Zeus and Hera. In Greek literature, he often represents the physical or violent and untamed aspect of war, in contrast to the armored Athena, whose functions as a goddess of intelligence include military strategy and generalship.
Overview[]
An association with Ares endows places and objects with a savage, dangerous, or militarized quality. His value as a war god is placed in doubt: during the Trojan War, Ares was on the losing side, while Athena, often depicted in Greek art as holding Nike in her hand, favored the triumphant Greeks.
The Romans liked Mars better than the Greeks liked Ares; the Greeks were ambivalent toward Ares: although he embodied the physical valor necessary for success in war, he was a dangerous force, "overwhelming, insatiable in battle, destructive, and man-slaughtering." His twin sons Phobos and Deimos and his lover, or sister, Enyo accompanied him on his war chariot. In the Iliad, his father Zeus tells him that he is the god most hateful to him. He had no cities where he was worshiped. The Greeks said vaguely that he came from Thrace, home of a fierce people in the northeast of Greece.
His bird was the vulture, and the dog his animal.
Appearance[]
Despite his rugged and war-like demeanor, Ares was known to be one of the more astonishingly handsome deities in the Olympian pantheon which is the reason why mortal women were attracted to him, especially Aphrodite.
Ares' main attribute was a peaked warrior's helm. Even in domestic scenes, such as feasts of the gods, he was depicted either wearing or holding his helm. The god's other attributes included a shield, a spear and sometimes a sheathed sword.
Although his shield was often decorated with an emblem of some sort, ancient artists simply used a generic one drawn from their standard repertoire rather than something specific to the god. Ares was usually dressed as a standard Greek warrior with a short tunic, breastplate, helm and grieves.
History[]
Origins[]
Ares was born as the son of Zeus and Hera. His early life on Olympus is unknown but he was appointed as a member of the Twelve Olympians. Despite his upbringing on Olympus, Ares was not favored in the eyes of his father or his mother which resulted in him having parental issues. According to Hermes, Ares vented out his frustration during times of war and battle among the mortals for the way his parents viewed him and it was there that he became the dreaded god of war. Eventually, Ares learned to disregard his parents' views on him, simply treating them with discreet disdain and find pleasure and comfort during war or with the likes of Enyo who became a close companion of warfare.
Aphrodite[]
The Sun-god Helios once spied Ares and Aphrodite having sex secretly in the hall of Hephaestus, her husband. He reported the incident to Hephaestus. Contriving to catch the illicit couple in the act, Hephaestus fashioned a finely-knitted and nearly invisible net with which to snare them. At the appropriate time, this net was sprung, and trapped Ares and Aphrodite locked in very private embrace.
But Hephaestus was not satisfied with his revenge, so he invited the Olympian gods and goddesses to view the unfortunate pair. For the sake of modesty, the goddesses demurred, but the male gods went to witness the sight. Some commented on the beauty of Aphrodite, others remarked that they would eagerly trade places with Ares, but all who were present mocked the two. Once the couple was released, the embarrassed Ares returned to his homeland, Thrace, and Aphrodite went to Paphos.
Despite the humiliation, Ares and Aphrodite continued with their love affair especially since now Aphrodite was divorced from Hephaestus. And from their union, Aphrodite gave birth to twin sons named Phobos ("fear") and Deimos ("terror") who grew to become his attendants in war. He even sired deities acquainted with love and harmony such as Eros, Anteros, and Harmonia.
Ares' Abduction[]
In one archaic myth, related only in the Iliad by the goddess Dione to her daughter Aphrodite, two chthonic giants, the Aloadae, named Otus and Ephialtes, threw Ares into chains and put him in a bronze urn, where he remained for thirteen months, a lunar year. "And that would have been the end of Ares and his appetite for war, if the beautiful Eriboea, the young giants' stepmother, had not told Hermes what they had done," she related. "In this one suspects a festival of licence which is unleashed in the thirteenth month." Ares was held screaming and howling in the urn until Hermes rescued him, and Artemis tricked the Aloadae into slaying each other.
Trojan War[]
Ares is shown during the Trojan War as having no fixed allegiances, rewarding courage on both sides: he promised Athena and Hera that he would fight on the side of the Achaeans, but Aphrodite persuaded Ares to side with the Trojans. During the war, Diomedes fought with Hector and saw Ares fighting on the Trojans' side. Diomedes called for his soldiers to fall back slowly.
Athena, Ares's sister, saw his interference and asked Zeus, his father, for permission to drive Ares away from the battlefield, which Zeus granted. Hera and Athena encouraged Diomedes to attack Ares by having Diomedes thrust with his spear at Ares, with Athena driving it home, and Ares's cries made Achaeans and Trojans alike tremble. Ares fled to Mount Olympus, forcing the Trojans to fall back.
When Hera mentioned to Zeus that Ares's son, Ascalaphus, was killed, Ares overheard and wanted to join the fight on the side of the Achaeans, disregarding Zeus's order that no Olympic god should enter the battle, but Athena stopped him. Later, when Zeus allowed the gods to fight in the war again, Ares was the first to act, attacking Athena to avenge himself for his previous injury. Athena overpowered him by striking Ares with a boulder.
Personality[]
As the god of war and bloodshed, Ares was a sadistic individual, embracing violence and seeing destruction as ranging from beautiful to highly amusing. He was a bold and highly fierce warrior in all aspects of his view on life. He was incredibly bloodthirsty and values the bloodshed of his enemies that he spreads and enjoys battling for the sake of the thrill of the battle itself, and was thrilled by others following the same philosophy, though interestingly Ares never stood for needless bloodshed.
Despite being a bloodthirsty and dangerous god, Ares was actually a sympathetic father, as he tried to be to his children what Zeus had not been for him, and was both loving and fiercely protective of them. Ares went so far as to kill Poseidon's son Alirrothios for trying to rape his daughter Alkippe. His sons Phobos (fear) and Deimos (terror), took it upon themselves to make their father proud by sewing chaos whenever possible, acts which were greatly appreciated by Ares. Even though he embodied war he was never a villainous character.
Despite his rugged traits, Ares is also very honorable, unlike most of the other Olympians, and proved to be an understanding and receptive individual as he held no qualms towards Thor for defeating him and even enjoyed his defeat. Similarly to Thor, Ares refused to fight an opponent that is disabled, injured from some other fight, or are ill. Surprisingly, unlike Zeus and Poseidon, Ares also never forced himself on any of his sexual partners nor did he find the need to use trickery to sleep with them.