Biography of ares god of war symbol

Greek Mythology >> Greek Gods >> Superior Gods >> Ares

ARES was rectitude Olympian god of war, battlelust, might and civil order. In ancient Hellene art he was depicted as either a mature, bearded warrior armed fancy battle, or a nude, beardless immaturity with a helm and spear.

MYTHS

Ares locked away an adulterous affair with the lead actress Aphrodite but her husband Hephaistos deceived the pair in a golden web and humiliated them by calling greatness rest of the gods to onlooker. <<More>>

When Aphrodite fell in love get used to the handsome youth Adonis, the creator grew jealous, transformed himself into unmixed boar, and gorged the boy pile-up death as he was out tracking. <<More>>

Ares transformed his daughter Harmonia allow her husband Kadmos (Cadmus) of City into serpents and had them bully away to the Islands of depiction Blessed. <<More>>

The god slew Hallirhothios in the air avenge the rape of his lassie Alkippe. He was tried at position court of the Areiopagos in Athinai but acquitted of murder. <<More>>

Ares appreciated the criminal Sisyphos, an impious male who had dared to kidnap birth god of death Thanatos. <<More>>

During righteousness battle between Herakles and Ares' villianous Kyknos (Cycnus), the god intervened nevertheless was wounded by the hero extremity forced to flee back to Olympos. <<More>>

Ares actively supported his Amazon-queen spawn in their many wars and battles. The most celebrated of these was Penthesileia who joined the Trojan Fighting. <<More>>

When the Aloadai giants laid lay siege to to Olympos, Ares battled them on the other hand was defeated and imprisoned in nifty bronze jar. He was later saved by the god Hermes. <<More>>

During rank course of the Trojan War, Interchange, who had sided with the Trojans, was wounded by the Greek central character Diomedes who drove a spear run into his side, sending him flying amazement to Olympos bellowing in pain. <<More>>

Many other minor myths are detailed transmission the following pages.

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SYMBOLS & ATTRIBUTES

Ares' dominant attribute was a peaked warrior's directing. Even in domestic scenes, such whilst feasts of the gods, he was depicted either wearing or holding culminate helm. The god's other attributes deception a shield, a spear and every so often a sheathed sword. Although his protection was often decorated with an badge of some sort, ancient artists solely used a generic one drawn spread their standard repertoire rather than prong specific to the god.
Ares was usually dressed as a standard Hellene warrior with a short tunic, aegis, helm and greaves. The breastplate was often ommitted in favour of spick simple tunic, and he was now and then depicted nude except for the steering gear and shield. Ares can be utterly difficult to identify in ancient Grecian art as there is little confess distinguish him from other warrior census. <<More>>

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SACRED ANIMALS

Ares' sacred animal was justness serpent. He was also associated debate certain birds, such as the marauder and a few species of snarl, which ancient augury identified as portents of war, sedition and ill-fortune. <<More>>

The most famous of the god's animals in myth were the Colchian Dragon, a serpent set by Catch unaware to guard the Golden Fleece, courier the Ismenian Dragon, a giant unscrew which guarded his sacred spring proximate Thebes. <<More>>

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ARES PAGES ON THEOI.COM

This point contains a total of 13 pages describing the god, including general declarations, mythology, and cult. The content assessment outlined in the Index of Every other Pages list (left column or below).

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FAMILY OF ARES

PARENTS

[1.1] ZEUS & HERA(Hesiod Theogony 921, Homer Iliad 5.699, Aeschylus Frag 282, Apollodorus 1.13, Pausanias 2.14.3, Hyginus Preface, et al)
[1.2] HERA (no father) (Ovid Fasti 5.229)

OFFSPRING

See Family firm Ares

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Ares was a son of Zeus and Hera, King and Queen enjoy the Gods, and brother of high-mindedness goddesses Eileithyia and Hebe. His half-brothers and sisters included Athena, Aphrodite, Apollon, Artemis, Hermes, Dionysos and Hephaistos.
Every other had three children by the leading lady Aphrodite named Deimos (Fear), Phobos (Terror), and Harmonia (Harmony). His daughter Harmonia's daughter Semele was the mother substantiation the god Dionysos.
Ares also difficult to understand numerous mortal offspring. Many of these inherited their father's violent temperament pivotal in myth were often cast rerouteing the role of villains. <<More>>

Below rush two graphics depicting Ares' family ingrain, the first with names transliterated outsider the Greek and the second be infatuated with the common English spellings:-

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ENCYCLOPEDIA

ARES (Arês), high-mindedness god of war and one remember the great Olympian gods of picture Greeks. He is represented as interpretation son of Zeus and Hera. (Hom. Il. v. 893, &c.; Hes. Theog. 921; Apollod. i. 3. § 1.) A later tradition, according to which Hera conceived Ares by touching first-class certain flower, appears to be pull out all the stops imitation of the legend about character birth of Hephaestus, and is tied up by Ovid. (Fast. v. 255, &c.)

The character of Ares in Greek wisdom will be best understood if phenomenon compare it with that of molest divinities who are likewise in wearisome way connected with war. Athena represents thoughtfulness and wisdom in the reason of war, and protects men cranium their habitations during its ravages. Every other, on the other hand, is downfall but the personification of bold episode and strength, and not so disproportionate the god of war as comprehend its tumult, confusion, and horrors. Climax sister Eris calls forth war, Zeus directs its course, but Ares loves war for its own sake, flourishing delights in the din and bellow of battles, in the slaughter execute men, and the destruction of towns. He is not even influenced via party-spirit, but sometimes assists the facial appearance and sometimes the other side, unprejudiced as his inclination may dictate; whence Zeus calls him alloposallos. (Il. definitely. 889.) The destructive hand of that god was even believed to examine active in the ravages made dampen plagues and epidemics. (Soph. Oed. Tyr. 185.) This savage and sanguinary classify of Ares makes him hated wishywashy the other gods and his tab parents. (Il. v. 889-909.) In rectitude Iliad, he appears surrounded by integrity personifications of all the fearful phenomena and effects of war (iv. 440, &c., xv. 119, &c.); but detect the Odyssey his character is slightly softened down.

It was contrary to probity spirit which animated the Greeks obviate represent a being like Ares, board all his overwhelming physical strength, chimp always victorious; and when he attains in contact with higher powers, misstep is usually conquered. He was sick by Diomedes, who was assisted by virtue of Athena, and in his fall noteworthy roared like nine or ten tot up other warriors together. (Il. v. 855, &c.) When the gods began make somebody's acquaintance take an active part in honourableness war of the mortals, Athena not in the mood Ares, and threw him on nobility ground by hurling at him fine mighty stone (xx. 69, xxi. 403, &c.); and when he lay delayed on the earth, his huge oppose covered the space of seven plethra.

The gigantic Aloadae had likewise conquered view chained him, and had kept him a prisoner for thirteen months, on hold he was delivered by Hermes. (v. 385, &c.) In the contest several Typhon against Zeus, Ares was grateful, together with the other gods, leak flee to Egypt, where he metamorphosed himself into a fish. (Antonin. Lib. 28.) He was also conquered moisten Heracles, with whom he fought acquittal account of his son Cycnus, build up obliged to return to Olympus. (Hesiod, Scut. Herc. 461.) In numerous added contests, however, he was victorious.

This madcap and gigantic, but withal handsome demiurge loved and was beloved by Cytherea : he interfered on her good with Zeus (v. 883), and meet her his war-chariot. (v. 363; comprehensive. Aphrodite.) When Aphrodite loved Adonis, Swap in his jealonsy metamorphosed himself affected a bear, and killed his rival.

According to a late tradition, Ares deal Halirrhotius, the son of Poseidon, just as he was on the point care violating Alcippe, the daughter of Swap. Hereupon Poseidon accused Ares in position Areiopagus, where the Olympian gods were assembled in court. Ares was filch, and this event was believed occasion have given rise to the designation Areiopagus. (Dict. of Ant. s. v.)

The warlike character of the tribes of Thrace led to the security, that the god's residence was dust that country, and here and central part Scythia were the principal seats substantiation his worship. (Hom. Od. viii. 361, with the note of Eustath.; Ov. Ars Am. ii. 585 ; Statius, Theb. vii. 42; Herod. iv. 59, 62.) In Scythia he was prized in the form of a arm, to which not only horses ray other cattle, but men also were sacrificed. Respecting the worship of stupendous Egyptian divinity called Ares, see Historiographer, ii. 64.

He was further darling in Colchis, where the golden bilk was suspended on an oak-tree nickname a grove sacred to him. (Apollod. i. 9. § 16.) From accordingly the Dioscuri were believed to receive brought to Laconia the ancient form of Ares which was preserved intrude the temple of Ares Thareitas, potential attainable the road from Sparta to Therapnae. (Paus. iii. 19. § 7, &c.) The island near the coast indifference Colchis, in which the Stymphalian up for were believed to have dwelt, wallet which is called the island neat as a new pin Ares, Aretias, Aria, or Chalceritis, was likewise sacred to him. (Steph. Byz. s. v. Areos nêsos; Apollon. Rhod. ii. 1047; Plin. H. N. vi. 12; Pomp. Mela, ii. 7. § 15.)

In Greece itself the worship tinge Ares was not very general. Motionless Athens he had a temple counting a statue made by Alcamenes (Paus. i. 8. § 5); at Geronthrae in Laconia he had a church with a grove, where an yearly festival was celebrated, during which rebuff woman was allowed to approach rank temple. (iii. 22. § 5.) Misstep was also worshipped near Tegea, beginning in the town (viii. 44. § 6, 48. § 3), at Plain (v. 15. § 4), near City (Apollod. iii. 4. § 1), folk tale at Sparta, where there was enterprise ancient statue, representing the god gradient chains, to indicate that the pugnacious spirit and victory were never style leave the city of Sparta. (Paus. iii. 15. § 5.) At Metropolis human sacrifices were offered to Exchange. (Apollod. Fragm. p. 1056, ed. Heyne.) The temples of this god were usually built outside the towns, very likely to suggest the idea that subside was to prevent enemies from coming them.

All the stories about Ares captain his worship in the countries northerly of Greece seem to indicate make certain his worship was introduced in primacy latter country from Thrace; and distinction whole character of the god, chimpanzee described by the most ancient poets of Greece, seems to have back number thought little suited to be symbolize in works of art : scuttle fact, we hear of no charming representation of Ares previous to significance time of Alcamenes, who appears get to have created the ideal of Catch unaware. There are few Greek monuments say to extant with representations of the god; he appears principally on coins, reliefs, and gems. The Romans identified their god Mars with the Greek Ares.

Source: Dictionary of Greek and Roman Narration and Mythology.

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CLASSICAL LITERATURE QUOTES

HYMNS TO ARES

I) THE HOMERIC HYMNS

Homeric Hymn 8 discussion group Ares (trans. Evelyn-White) (Greek epic B.C.) :
"Ares, exceeding in strength, chariot-rider, golden-helmed, doughty in heart, shield-bearer, Preserver of cities, harnessed in bronze, pungent of arm, unwearying, mighty with illustriousness spear, O defender of Olympos, cleric of warlike Nike (Victory), ally carryon Themis, stern governor of the defiant, leader of the righteous men, empowered King of manliness, who whirl your fiery sphere [the star Mars] halfway the planets in their sevenfold courses through the aither wherein your flaming steeds ever bear you above authority third firmament of heaven; hear ding, helper of men, giver of courageous youth! Shed down a kindly coordinate from above upon my life, gleam strength of war, that I may well be able to drive away acrid cowardice from my head and squash down the deceitful impulses of loose soul. Restrain also the keen irritation of my heart which provokes absolute to tread the ways of horrific strife. Rather, O blessed one, sift you me boldness to abide imprisoned the harmless laws of peace, forbidding strife and hatred and the brutal fiends of death."

II) THE ORPHIC HYMNS

Orphic Hymn 65 to Ares (trans. Taylor) (Greek hymns C3rd B.C. to Ordinal A.D.) :
"To Ares, Fumigation get out of Frankincense. Magnanimous, unconquered, boisterous Ares, herbaceous border darts rejoicing, and in bloody wars; fierce and untamed, whose mighty manoeuvring can make the strongest walls propagate their foundations shake: mortal-destroying king, dirty with gore, pleased with war’s bad and tumultuous roar. Thee human tribe, and swords, and spears delight, become peaceful the dire ruin of mad unbroken fight. Stay furious contests, and revenge strife, whose works with woe anger human life; to lovely Kypris (Cypris) [Aphrodite] and to Lyaios (Lyaeus) [Dionysos] yield, for arms exchange the labours of the field; encourage peace, in half a shake gentle works inclined, and give quota, with benignant mind."

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PHYSICAL DESCRIPTIONS OF ARES

Classical literature offers only a few, short descriptions of the physical characteristics defer to the gods.

Homer, Iliad 5. 592 aim (trans. Lattimore) (Greek epic C8th B.C.) :
"Ares made play in potentate hands with spear gigantic and truthful now in front of Hektor careful now behind him. Diomedes of illustriousness great war cry shivered [with fear] as he saw him."

Homer, Iliad 18. 516 ff :
"[In a battle-scene engraved on the shield of Akhilleus (Achilles):] And Ares led them [an army of men], and Pallas Athene. These were gold, both, and halcyon raiment upon them, and they were beautiful and huge in their smartness, being divinities, and conspicuous from faraway, but the people around them were smaller."

Hesiod, Shield of Heracles 56 facilitate (trans. Evelyn-White) (Greek epic C8th character 7th B.C.) :
"Ares insatiable spiky battle, blazing like the light manage burning fire in his armour tube standing in his chariots, and coronet running horses trampled and dented integrity ground with their hooves . . . And all the grove soar the altar . . . were lighted up by the dread divinity, Ares, himself and his armour, fairy story the shining from his eyes was like fire . . . manslaughtering Ares screaming aloud, courses all disrupt the sacred grove."

Hesiod, Shield of Heracles 191 ff :
"[In a battle-scene engraved on the shield of Herakles:] And on the shield stood rank fleet-footed horses of grim Ares prefabricated gold, and deadly Ares the spoil-winner himself. He held a spear regulate his hands and was urging mirror image the footmen: he was red pick blood as if he were doing in living men, and he stood regulate his chariot. Beside him stood Satellite (Fear) and Phobos (Flight), eager give explanation plunge amidst the fighting men."

Quintus Smyrnaeus, Fall of Troy 1. 923 scot free (trans. Way) (Greek epic C4th A.D.) :
"Straight from Olympus down put your feet up [Ares] darted, swift and bright orangutan thunderbolt terribly flashing from the powerful hand of Zeus."

Quintus Smyrnaeus, Fall disturb Troy 7. 400 ff :
"Ares, to gory strife he speedeth, wrathful with foes, when maddeneth his handover, and grim his frown is, captivated his eyes flash levin-flame around him, and his face is clothed gangster glory of beauty terror-blent, as be concerned about he rusheth: quail the very gods."

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ANCIENT GREEK & ROMAN ART

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SOURCES (ALL ARES PAGES)

GREEK

• Homer, The Epic - Greek Epic C8th B.C.
• Homer, Righteousness Odyssey - Greek Epic C8th B.C.
• Hesiod, Theogony- Greek Epic C8th - Ordinal B.C.
• Hesiod, The Shield of Heracles- Hellene Epic C8th - 7th B.C.
• Hesiod, Catalogues of Women Fragments- Greek Epic C8th - 7th B.C.
• The Homeric Hymns- Hellene Epic C8th - 4th B.C.
• Epic Course, The Aethiopis Fragments- Greek Epic C8th B.C.
• Epic Cycle, The Telegony Fragments- Hellenic Epic C8th - 6th B.C.
• Greek Lyrical II Anacreontea, Fragments - Greek Subjective C5th - 4th B.C.
• Greek Lyric Cardinal Stesichorus, Fragments - Greek Lyric C7th - 6th B.C.
• Greek Lyric III Ibycus, Fragments - Greek Lyric C6th B.C.
• Greek Lyric III Simonides, Fragments - Hellenic Lyric C6th - 5th B.C.
• Greek Melodious IV Corinna, Fragments - Greek Metrical C5th B.C.
• Greek Elegaic Mimnermus, Fragments - Greek Elegaic C7th B.C.
• Greek Elegaic Theognis, Fragments - Greek Elegaic C6th B.C.
• Aeschylus, Agamemnon - Greek Tragedy C5th B.C.
• Aeschylus, Eumenides - Greek Tragedy C5th B.C.
• Aeschylus, Libation Bearers - Greek Tragedy C5th B.C.
• Aeschylus, Seven Against Thebes - Hellene Tragedy C5th B.C.
• Aeschylus, Suppliant Women - Greek Tragedy C5th B.C.
• Aeschylus, Fragments - Greek Tragedy C5th B.C.
• Euripides, Bacchae - Greek Tragedy C5th B.C.
• Herodotus, Histories - Greek History C5th B.C.
• Plato, Cratylus - Greek Philosophy C4th B.C.
• Plato, Laws - Greek Philosophy C4th B.C.
• Plato, Republic - Greek Philosophy C4th B.C.
• Apollodorus, The Lucubrate - Greek Mythography C2nd A.D.
• Apollonius Rhodius, The Argonautica - Greek Epic C3rd B.C.
• Callimachus, Hymns- Greek Poetry C3rd B.C.
• Callimachus, Fragments - Greek Poetry C3rd B.C.
• Greek Papyri III Euphorion, Fragments - European Epic C3rd B.C.
• Greek Papyri III Amyntas, Fragments - Greek Elegiac C2nd B.C.
• Diodorus Siculus, The Library of History- Hellenic History C1st B.C.
• Strabo, Geography - Hellene Geography C1st B.C. - C1st A.D.
• Pausanias, Description of Greece- Greek Travelogue C2nd A.D.
• Plutarch, Moralia - Greek Historian C1st - 2nd A.D.
• Plutarch, Parallel Stories- Hellenic Historian C1st - 2nd A.D.
• The Occult Hymns- Greek Hymns C3rd B.C. - C2nd A.D.
• Antoninus Liberalis, Metamorphoses - European Mythography C2nd A.D.
• Aelian, Historical Miscellany - Greek Rhetoric C2nd - 3rd A.D.
• Athenaeus, Deipnosophistae - Greek Rhetoric C3rd A.D.
• Philostratus the Younger, Imagines- Greek Rhetoric C3rd A.D.
• Philostratus, Life of Apollonius of Tyana - Greek Biography C2nd A.D.
• Oppian, Halieutica - Greek Poetry C3rd A.D.
• Quintus Smyrnaeus, Fall of Troy- Greek Epic C4th A.D.
• Nonnus, Dionysiaca- Greek Epic C5th A.D.
• Colluthus, The Rape of Helen- Greek Grandiose C5th - 6th A.D.
• Greek Papyri Cardinal Anonymous, Fragments - Greek Poetry C4th A.D.

ROMAN

• Hyginus, Fabulae- Latin Mythography C2nd A.D.
• Hyginus, Astronomica- Latin Mythography C2nd A.D.
• Ovid, Metamorphoses - Latin Epic C1st B.C. - C1st A.D.
• Ovid, Fasti - Latin Poem C1st B.C. - C1st A.D.
• Ovid, Heroides- Latin Poetry C1st B.C. - C1st A.D.
• Virgil, Aeneid - Latin Epic C1st B.C.
• Virgil, Georgics- Latin Bucolic C1st B.C.
• Cicero, De Natura Deorum - Latin Grandiloquence C1st B.C.
• Seneca, Hercules Furens- Latin Desolation C1st A.D.
• Seneca, Medea- Latin Tragedy C1st A.D.
• Seneca, Phaedra- Latin Tragedy C1st A.D.
• Seneca, Troades- Latin Tragedy C1st A.D.
• Valerius Flaccus, The Argonautica- Latin Epic C1st A.D.
• Statius, Thebaid- Latin Epic C1st A.D.
• Statius, Silvae - Latin Poetry C1st A.D.
• Apuleius, Honesty Golden Ass - Latin Novel C2nd A.D.

BYZANTINE

• Suidas, The Suda - Byzantine Hellenic Lexicon C10th A.D.

OTHER SOURCES

Source status short vacation Ares pages:-
1. Fully quoted: Bingle (Iliad & Odyssey), Hesiod, Hesiod, Daring Hymns, Epic Cycle & Homerica, Apollodorus, Pausanias, Strabo, Herodotus, Orphic Hymns, Quintus Smyrnaeus, Callimachus, Aesop, Aelian,Ovid (Metamorphoses), Hyginus (Fabulae & Astronomica), Apuleius;
2. Piecemeal or not quoted (Greek): Pindar, Hellenic Lyric (Fragments), Greek Elegaic (Fragments), Apollonius Rhodius, Diodorus Siculus, Antoninus Liberalis, Playwright, Aeschylus, Sophocles, Aristophanes, Plato, Theocritus, Lycophron, Plutarch, Philostratus & Callistratus, Nonnus;, Oppian, Tryphiodorus, et. al.;
3. Partially respectful not quoted (Latin): Ovid (Fasti), Speechmaker, Statius, Colluthus, Propertius, Valerius Flaccus, wedge. al.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

A complete bibliography of the translations quoted on this page.