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Ares

AR ees

Αρης

The God of War

Ares

The Son of Zeus and Hera
Ares at War
Ares at Troy
Ares and Aphrodite
Ares in The Iliad (reference)
Ares in The Odyssey (reference)

The Son of Zeus and Hera

Ares is the son of two of the most powerful Olympians, Zeus and Hera. He is the brother of Hebe (goddess of Youth) and the goddess of Childbirth, Eileithyia (Eilithyia). With Aphrodite, he is the father of Harmonia (Harmony), Deimos (Fear) and Phobos (Terror).

Ares was born in the second generation after the Titans and was the perfect example of the third race of mortals known as the Bronze Age. The men of the Bronze Age were considered to be men of Ares ... they lived and died by their bronze weapons and left no heritage other than the memory of their bitter conflicts. The world they inhabited was as bright as the gleam of their weapons and as dark as the blood they spilled. Ares was the incarnation of that warlike ideal and represented not only the act of war but the very spirit of war.

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Ares at War

Ares was sometimes accompanied into battle by Eris (goddess of Discord), Enyo (one of the Gray Sisters) and Hades (lord of the Underworld) ... his coming and going would darken the sky but he was not invincible. Although he was hated and feared, Ares was honored by all great warriors, even Herakles (Heracles). On one occasion, before the Trojan War, Ares’ son Kyknos (Cycnus) was killed by Herakles after Kyknos defiled a sanctuary of Apollon. After Kyknos had been killed by Herakles, Ares raged and swore revenge but Athene (Athena) stood between Ares and Herakles and effortlessly turned Ares’ spear aside to protect Herakles from harm. (Theogony, line 421) (Shield of Herakles)

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Ares at Troy

Ares was clearly on the side of the Trojans when the Achaeans (Achaians) laid siege to the city of Troy. Ares rode into battle with his gold-bridled horses, Flame and Terror, pulling his war chariot. He fought alongside Apollon and Aphrodite (goddess of Love) and, although fierce, he was not unassailable. When Aphrodite was wounded by Diomedes, Ares was sitting on a cloud at the edge of the battlefield ... Apollon waded into the fighting to assist Aphrodite ... Ares gave her his chariot to ride to the safety of Mount Olympos (Olympus) to tend her wounds. When Aphrodite sought the comfort and healing of Dione, the elder goddess reminded the goddess of Love that the Immortals were not immune to hardship and suffering ... Dione told Aphrodite about the time Ares had been captured and bound by the Giants, Ephialtes and Otos (Otus). The two daring brothers imprisoned Ares in a brazen jar for thirteen months until Hermes (messenger of the Immortals) freed the humbled god of War. (Iliad, book 5, lines 355, 385-390)

The Dread-Goddess, Athene (Athena) delighted in the works of Ares but she would fight against him as well as with him. During the siege of Troy, Athene stood against Ares and was victorious on several occasions. Pallas Athene donned the Helm of Death and, after deflecting Ares’ spear, hurled a bolder, knocking Ares senseless ... the din of the battle was eclipsed by Ares’ bellowing ... his savage cry of pain made the sound of nine thousand men. Aphrodite came to Ares’ assistance but, as she was helping Ares from the battlefield, Hera urged Athene to attack Aphrodite ... Athene struck Aphrodite in the breast and knocked her and Ares to the ground ... she stood over them and warned them that the same fate would befall any Immortal who fought with the Trojans. When Ares finally retreated to Mount Olympos his father, Zeus, instructed the immortal healer, Paieon to tend his wounded son and then rebuked Ares by saying, “To me you are most hateful of all gods who hold Olympos.” (Iliad, book 5, lines 841-895)

When the fighting at Troy caused the death of Ares’ son, Askalaphos (Ascalaphus), the god of War was furious ... Hera added to his anger by saying that Zeus had no concern for the sorrow of the Immortals or the death of their children ... she also cautioned Ares that he must not disobey Zeus by entering the battle to avenge the death of Askalaphos. Ares slapped his thighs and ordered his sons, Deimos (Fear) and Phobos (Terror), to harness his horses so that he could leave Mount Olympos and go to the battlefield of Troy ... Athene stopped Ares and took his helmet and shield ... she reminded him that all the Immortals would be punished if he defied Zeus and entered the battle ... she took his mighty spear and made him sit passively as the war at Troy proceeded in accordance with Zeus’ plans.

On several occasions, Ares took on the guise of a mortal man and joined the Trojan army ... when Hector took the armor of Achilles from the dead body of Patroklos (Patroclus), Ares entered Hector’s body and led a fierce charge into the Achaian (Achaean) battle-lines ... the Achaians prudently withdrew in the face of such ferociousness. He also took the guise of a storm-cloud and bellowed from the walls of Troy to remind the Achaeans that the War God was standing against them.

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Ares and Aphrodite

In The Odyssey of Homer (book 8, line 266), the singer, Demodokos (Demodocus), tells the tale of how Aphrodite (goddess of Love) and Ares secretly laid together in the bed of her husband, Lord Hephaistos (Hephaestus), the smith of the gods. Helios (the Sun) secretly observed the lovers and told Hephaistos of Aphrodite’s betrayal. The smith went to work and devised clever fastenings which would ensnare and hold the lovers in an unbreakable trap. The careless lovers fell into the trap and Hephaistos stood before the other Olympians and demanded that his gifts of courtship be returned. Only after Poseidon (lord of the Sea) offered to pay the adulterer’s damages would Hephaistos loose the bonds. After being freed, Aphrodite went to her sacred precinct on the island of Kypros (Cyprus) where she was bathed by the Graces ... Ares went Thraceward. Seeing the two lovers in the indignity of the snare, Apollon asked Hermes how he would feel in such a situation. Hermes answered that he would suffer thrice the number of bonds if only he could share the bed of Aphrodite the Golden. (Odyssey, book 8, line 342)

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Ares is often confused with the Roman god of War, Mars.

Ares in The Iliad

(listed by book and line)

The line numbers listed here correspond fairly well with the Lattimore and Murray/Wyatt translations of The Iliad. Other translations (Fitzgerald, Fagles et al) do not correspond as well but, with a small amount of effort, you should be able to find the reference you need regardless of the translation you use. Lattimore (ISBN 0226469409); A.T. Murray/William F. Wyatt Vol. I & II (ISBN 0674995791 and 0674995805); Robert Fitzgerald (ISBN 0374529051); Robert Fagles (ISBN 0140275363)

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Ares in The Odyssey

(listed by book and line)

The line numbers listed here correspond fairly well with the Lattimore and Murray/Dimock translations of The Odyssey. Other translations (Fitzgerald, Fagles et al) do not correspond as well but, with a small amount of effort, you should be able to find the reference you need regardless of the translation you use. Richmond Lattimore (ISBN 0060931957); A.T. Murray/George E. Dimock Vol. I & II (ISBN 0674995619 and 0674995627); Robert Fitzgerald (ISBN 0374525749); Robert Fagles (ISBN 0140268863)

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