Origins of Ares Shunned by his fellow gods and even his own father Zeus as one of the most hateful Olympians, Ares constantly yearned to serve alongside the Gods of Light who ruled from atop Mount Olympus. During the Trojan War, in which the Mycenaean Greeks attacked the city of Troy in Asia Minor during the th century BC, Ares initially fought on behalf of the Trojans; battling the Greek warrior Diomedes, he was repelled by Athena, who had guided Diomedes sword. Ares later joined the battle and stood alongside the Greek warrior Achilles, serving as the demigods patron lord of war ever since. With the rise of Christianity in the Roman Empire during the 4th century AD, Zeus allowed the worship of the Olympians to die out, forbidding Ares to act as the patron god of warriors and causing dissatisfaction with Zeus rule over the centuries. At some point the ancient goddess Nox posed as Venus, seducing Ares and then bearing his children, Deimos and Phobos. Originally, Ares skill was limited to the use of all implements of war used in the time of ancient Greece and Rome, such as javelins, axes, swords, and flails. Over the years, however, Ares has mastered all forms of weaponry, both modern and ancient. Ares personal arsenal consists of swords and axes from Ancient Greece, Celtic spears, Roman helmets, Middle Eastern scimitars, Arthurian swords, a Native American axe, and various firearms. While on Earth, Ares uses a High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle for transportation. Ares Ares is the son of Zues and Hera. Ares is the son of Hera. Hera is the mother of Ares. Hera is Ares mother. Ares is the son of Zues. Zues is Ares father. Zues is the father of Ares. Ares is the brother to Eris. Ares is father to Deimos and Phodes. Ares is the god of war. Ares is called the god of war. Ares is known as the god of war. The god of war is Ares. The name of the god of war is Ares. Ares is Known to be imortal, fearless, determind, and decisive. Ares did have many weekness to, he was bloodthirsty, and could never back down form a fight of any sort. Ares was known to hold a spear at all times. Stories Ares was interested in Aphrodite, who was already married to Ares brother, Hephaistos. Ares was messing around with Aphrodite when they were interupted by Helios, the god of the sun. Helios spied on Ares and Aphrodite enjoy themselves and reported the event to Hephaistos. Hephaistos set up a net to catch Ares and Aphrodite in the act. This net trapped the two lovers with no where to go. Hephaistos, though, was not finished. Hephaistos told all of the gods and goddesss to come and see the two perpetrators trapped in the net. Most of the Gods came but not the Goddesses. As Ares and Aprhodite sat in the trap the Gods who were looking at them were making jokes about how they would like to trade places with Ares. Two giants, Otus and Ephialtes, threw Ares into chains and put him in a bronze urn, where he remained for thirteen months. 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. In this one suspects a festival of licence which is unleashed in the thirteenth month. Ares remained screaming and howling in the urn until Hermes rescued him and Artemis tricked the two giants into slaying eachother. Attendants Deimos and Phobos were Ares children with Aphrodite and were the spirit of terror and fear. The sister of Ares was Enyo, goddess of bloodshed and violence. The presence of Ares was accompanied by Kydoimos, the daemon of the din of battle, as well as the Makhai, the Hysminai, Polemos a minor spirit of war; probably an epithet of Ares, as he had no specific dominion, and Polemos daughter, Alala, goddess or personification of the Greek warcry, whose name Ares used as his own warcry. Ares was the great Olympian god of war, battlelust, civil order and manly courage. In Greek art he was depicted as either a mature, bearded warrior dressed in battle arms, or a nude beardless youth with helm and spear. Because of Ares' lack of distinctive attributes he is often difficult to identify in classical art. Some of the more famous myths featuring the god include: His adulterous affair with Aphrodite in which the pair were trapped in a net laid by her husband Hephaistos; The slaying of Adonis, his rival for the love of Aphrodite, in the guise of a boar; The transformation of Kadmos of Thebes and his wife Harmonia into serpents; The murder of Hallirhothios to avenge his daughters rape and his subsequent trial in the court of the Areiopagos; The arrest of Sisyphos, an impious man who kidnapped the god Death; The battle of Heracles and Kyknos in which the god intervened in support of his son; His support of the Amazones, warrior daughters of the god; His capture by the Aloadai giants who imprisoned him in a bronze jar; The Trojan War in which he was wounded by Diomedes in battle with the help of Athena. Ares, the god of war and one of the great Olympian gods of the Greeks. He is represented as the son of Zeus and Hera. The character of Ares in Greek mythology will be best understood if we compare it with that of other divinities who are likewise in some way connected with war. Athena represents thoughtfulness and wisdom in the affairs of war, and protects men and their habitations during its ravages. Ares, on the other hand, is nothing but the personification of bold force and strength, and not so much the god of war as of its tumult, confusion, and horrors. Ares' sister Eris calls forth war, Zeus directs its course, but Ares loves war for its own sake, and delights in the din and roar of battles, in the slaughter of men, and the destruction of towns. He is not even influenced by partyspirit, but sometimes assists the one and sometimes the other side, just as his inclination may dictate ; whence Zeus calls him alloposallos. The destructive hand of this god was even believed to be active in the ravages made by plagues and epidemics. This savage and sanguinary character of Ares makes him hated by the other gods and his own parents. In the Iliad, he appears surrounded by the personifications of all the fearful phenomena and effects of war; but in the Odyssey his character is somewhat softened down. It was contrary to the spirit which animated the Greeks to represent a being like Ares, with all his overwhelming physical strength, as always victorious; and when he comes in contact with higher powers, he is usually conquered. Ares was wounded by Diomedes, who was assisted by Athena, and in his fall he roared like nine or ten thousand other warriors together. When the gods began to take an active part in the war of the mortals, Athena opposed Ares, and threw him on the ground by hurling at him a mighty stone; and when he lay stretched on the earth, his huge body covered the space of seven plethra. The gigantic Aloadae had likewise conquered and chained him, and had kept him a prisoner for thirteen months, until he was delivered by Hermes. In the contest of Typhon against Zeus, Ares was obliged, together with the other gods, to flee to Egypt, where he metamorphosed himself into a fish. Ares was also conquered by Heracles, with whom he fought on account of his son Cycnus, and obliged to return to Olympus. In numerous other contests, however, Ares was victorious. Ares, a fierce and gigantic, but withal handsome god loved and was beloved by Aphrodite : Ares interfered on her behalf with Zeus, and lent her his warchariot. When Aphrodite loved Adonis, Ares in his jealonsy metamorphosed himself into a bear, and killed his rival. According to a late tradition, Ares slew Halirrhotius, the son of Poseidon, when he was on the point of violating Alcippe, the daughter of Ares. Hereupon Poseidon accused Ares in the Areiopagus, where the Olympian gods were assembled in court. Ares was acquitted, and this event was believed to have given rise to the name Areiopagus. The warlike character of the tribes of Thrace led to the belief, that the Ares' residence was in that country, and here and in Scythia were the principal seats of his worship. In Scythia Ares was worshipped in the form of a sword, to which not only horses and other cattle, but men also were sacrificed. Respecting the worship of an Egyptian divinity called Ares. Ares was further worshipped in Colchis, where the golden fleece was suspended on an oaktree in a grove sacred to him. From thence the Dioscuri were believed to have brought to Laconia the ancient statue of Ares which was preserved in the temple of Ares Thareitas, on the road from Sparta to Therapnae. The island near the coast of Colchis, in which the Stymphalian birds were believed to have dwelt, and which is called the island of Ares, Aretias, Aria, or Chalceritis, was likewise sacred to him. In Greece itself the worship of Ares was not very general. At Athens Ares had a temple containing a statue made by Alcamenes; at Geronthrae in Laconia he had a temple with a grove, where an annual festival was celebrated, during which no woman was allowed to approach the temple. Ares was also worshipped near Tegea, and in the town, at Olympia, near Thebes, and at Sparta, where there was an ancient statue, representing the god in chains, to indicate that the martial spirit and victory were never to leave the city of Sparta. At Sparta human sacrifices were offered to Ares. The temples of this god were usually built outside the towns, probably to suggest the idea that he was to prevent enemies from approaching them. All the stories about Ares and his worship in the countries north of Greece seem to indicate that his worship was introduced in the latter country from Thrace; and the whole character of the god, as described by the most ancient poets of Greece, seems to have been thought little suited to be represented in works of art : in fact, we hear of no artistic representation of Ares previous to the time of Alcamenes, who appears to have created the ideal of Ares. There are few Greek monuments now extant with representations of the god; he appears principally on coins, reliefs, and gems. The Romans identified their god Mars with the Greek Ares. Hera commanded Ares to force the lands of Greece to reject the pregnant Leto in her wanderings, driving her from land to land her search for a place to give birth to the twins Apollon and Leto. Hera murmured terrible against all childbearing women that bare children to Zeus, but especially against Leto, for that she only was to bear to Zeus a son dearer even than Ares. Wherefore also she herself kept watch within the sky, angered in her heart greatly and beyond telling, and she prevented Leto who was holden in the pangs of childbirth. Hera had two lookouts to keep watch upon the earth. The space of the continents did bold Ares watch, sitting armed on the high top of Thrakian Haimos, and his horses were stalled by the sevenchambered cave of Boreas. The other kept watch over the farflung islands, even Iris seated on Mimas, whither she had sped. There they sat and threatened all the cities which Leto approached and prevented them from receiving her. She then fled to the river Peneios in Thessalia seeking refuge. Peneios answered her: `Hera hath largely threatened me. Behold what manner of watcher keeps vigil on the mountain top, who would lightly drag me forth from the depths. I will endure for thy sake. Here am I! What needeth more Do thou but call upon Eileithyia. He spake and stayed his great stream. Ares was about to lift the peaks of Pangaion in western Thrake from their base and hurl them in his eddying waters and hide his streams. From on high Ares made a din as of thunder and smote his shield with the point of his spear, and it rang with a warlike noise. And the hills of Ossa trembled and the plain of Krannon, and the windswept skirts of Pindos, and all Thessalia danced for fear: such echoing din rang from his shield. And even as when the mount Aitna smoulders with fire and all its secret depths are shaken as the giant under earth, even BriAres, shifts to his other shoulder, and with the tongs of Hephaistos roar furnaces and handiwork withal; and firewrought basins and tripods ring terribly as the fall one upon the other: such in that hour was the rattle of the fairrounded shield. But Peneios retired not back, but abode his ground, steadfast even as before, and stayed his swifteddying streams, until the daughter of Koios called to him : `Save thyself, farewell! Save thyself; do not for my sake suffer evil for this thy compassion; thy favour shall be rewarded. Ares and his mortal halfbrother Heracles were repeatedly engaged in conflict. Two of the twelve labours of Heracles involved the children of Ares: one was to fetch the maneating mAres of King Diomedes of Bistonia in Thrake, the other was to fetch the belt of the Amazon Queen Antiope. He slew both in the course of completing his errands. Heracles addresses Kyknos, the son of Ares : Even before now, I claim, Ares has at one time had experience of my spear, upon that time when, above sandy Pylos, he stood up against me, raging hard in fury for battle, and three times, under the stabling of my spear on his shield, he was knocked down upon the ground, and the fourth time, I thrust with all my rage at his thigh and split a great hole in his his body, and headlong into the dust he tumbled then, under my spearing. Ares might have been disgraced among the gods, if he had gone down under the hands of Heracles. During the War of the Seven Against Thebes, Menoikeus, one of the Spartoi, local descendants of the god Ares, sacrificed himself to the god to secure the city against conquest. At the onset of the War of the Seven Against Thebes: When the Thebans consulted Teiresias, he told them that they would win the battle if Kreon’s son Menoikeus were to offer himself as a victim to Ares. When he heard this, Menoikeus took his life in front of the gates. Oedipus received his father’s kingdom, and Jocasta his mother as wife, unwittingly, and begat on her, meanwhile barrenness of crops and want fell on Thebes because of the crimes of Oedipus, and Tiresias, questioned as to why Thebes was so harassed, replied that if anyone from the Dracon’s blood survived and died for his country, he would free Thebes from the plague. Then Menoeceus threw himself from the walls. When the army of the Seven Against Thebes was attacking Thebes, and the Thebans were despairing of their royal family, Tiresias, son of Everes, a prophet, foretold hat if anyone of the Dracon’s descendants [the Spartoi] should perish, the town would be freed from that disaster. Menoeceus, realizing that he alone of the citizens could bring safety, threw himself from the wall; the Thebans won the victory. After the sack of Troy Diomedes was cast upon on the Libyan coast where Lykos was king, whose custom it was to sacrifice strangers to his father Ares. So says Juba in the third book of his Libyan History. Kyknos, son of Ares, lived in the pass of Thessalia and beheaded strangers who came along in order to build a temple to Phobos, son of Ares from the skulls. The god Dionysos led his armies in battle against the Kingdom of the Indians. Hera despatched Ares to support the Indians in the struggle, for she was still full of wrath for Dionysos. Like the rest of the gods, Ares was invited to the wedding of Peleus and Thetis. It was there that Eris cast the golden apple of discord amongst the goddesses, the first incident in a series of events which led to the Trojan War. At the bidding of Zeus, Ganymede poured the wine at the wedding of Peleus and Thetis, and all the race of gods hasted to do honour to the whitearmed bride, own sister of Amphitrite: Zeus from Olympusand Poseidon from the sea, nd iron Ares, even as, helmetless nor lifting warlike spear, he comes into the house of Hephaistos, in such wise without breastplate and without whetted sword danced smilingly. At the outset of the Trojan War the gods seperated into proGreek and proTrojan factions. Ares, was indifferent, and at first promised his mother Hera and sister Athena that he would side with the Greeks in the War. However, Aphrodite convinced him to break his alliance and join her in support of the Trojans. Athena declared: Violent Ares, that thing of fury, evilwrought, that doublefaced liar who even now protested to Hera and me, promising that he would fight against the Trojans and stand by the Argives. Now, all promises forgotten, Ares stands by the Trojans. Athena wounds Ares and accuses him: You are paying atonement to your mother’s furies since she is angry and wishes you ill, because you abandoned the Akhaians, and have given your aid to the insolent Trojans. The Iliad of Homer begins with the mustering of the Trojan army, newly bolstered by troops sent by her allies in Anatolia in Thrake. The Greeks had returned to besiege Troy itself, after having laid waste to the countryside and the lesser towns of the Troad. As soon as the fighting commenced, the gods descended onto the battlefield in support of their favourites. Ares led the Trojans, but was wounded by Diomedes and Athena, and driven from the battlefield. The cry of the Trojans went up through the wide army as Troy and its allies engage the Greeks in the battle. Since there was no speech nor language common to all of them but their talk was mixed, who were called there from many far places. Ares drove these on, and the Akhaians greyeyed Athena, and Deimos drove them, and Phobos, and Eris whose wrath is relentless, she the sister and companion of murderous Ares. Now as the highhearted Trojans watched the two Trojan sons of Ares, one running away, and one cut down by the side of his chariot by the Greeks, the anger in all of them was stirred. But greyeyed Athena took violent Ares by the hand, and in words she spoke to him: `Ares, Ares, manslaughtering, bloodstained, stormer of strong walls, shall we not leave the Trojans and Akhaians to struggle after whatever way Zeus father grants glory to either while we two give ground together and avoid Zeus’ anger. So she spoke, and led violent Ares out of the fighting and afterwards caused him to sit down by the sands of Skamandros while the Danaans bent the Trojans back. Aphrodite was wounded by the hero Diomedes in the Trojan War whilst trying to rescue her son Aeneas. The goddess departed in pain, hurt badly, and Iris windfooted took her by the hand and led her away from the battle, her lovely skin blooddarkened, wounded and suffering. There to the left of the fighting she found Ares the violent where Athena had left him, sitting, his spear leaned into the mist, and his swift horses. Dropping on one knee before her beloved brother in deep supplication she asked for his goldbridled horses: `Beloved brother, rescue me and give me your horses so I may come to Olympuswhere is the place of the immortals. I am in too much pain from the wound of a mortal’s spearstroke, Tydeus’ son, who would fight now even against Zeus the father. So she spoke, and Ares gave her the goldbridled horses, and, still grieved in the inward heart, she mounted the chariot and beside her entering Iris gathered the reins up and whipped them into a run, and they winged their way unreluctant. Now as they came to sheer Olympos, the place of the immortals, there swift Iris the windfooted reined in her horses and slipped them from the yoke and threw fodder immortal before them. Phoibos Apollon, also an ally of the Trojans, rescued Aeneas from battle after Aphrodites failed attempt, spoke now to violent Ares: `Ares, Ares, manslaughtering, bloodstained, stormer of strong walls, is there no way you can go and hold back this man from the fighting, Tydeus’ son, who would now do battle against Zeus father Even now he stabbed in her hand by the wrist the lady of Kypros, Aphrodite, and again, like more than a man, charged even against me. So he spoke, and himself alighted on the peak of Pergamos while stark Ares went down to stir the ranks of the Trojans, in the likeness of the lord of the Thrakians, swiftfooted Akamas, and urged onward the godsupported children of Priamos: ‘O you children of Priamos, the king whom the gods love, how long will you allow the Akhaians to go on killing your people until they fight beside the strong builded gates a man lies fallen whom we honoured as we honour Hektor the brilliant, Aineias, who is son of great Ankhises. Come then, let us rescue our good companion from the carnage.’ So he spoke, and stirred the sprits and the strength in each man. The Trojans drove the strength of their hands straight on, as violent Ares defending the Trojans mantled in dark night the battle and passed everywhere, since he was carrying out the commandments of Phoibos Apollon, him of the golden sword, who had bidden him wake the heart in the Trojans as he saw that Pallas Athena was gone now, she who stood to defend the Danaans. Their fighting work which, the silverbow god, Apollo woke, and manslaughtering Ares, and Eris, whose wrath is relentless. Menelaos strode out among the champions, helmed in bright bronze, shaking his spear, and the fury of Ares drove him onward, minded that he might go down under the hands of Trojan Aineias. Hektor, the Trojan prince drove on against the Greeks crying aloud, and with him followed the Trojan battalions in their strength; and Ares led them with the goddess Enyo, she carrying with her the turmoil of shameless hatred while Ares made play in his hands with spear gigantic and ranged now in front of Hektor and now behind him. Diomedes of the great war cry shivered as he saw him [for Athena had given him the ability to see gods and gave back, and spoke to his people: ‘Friends, although we know the wonder of glorious Hektor to be a fighter with the spear and a bold man of battle, yet there goes ever some god beside him, who beasts of destruction, and now, in the likeness of a man mortal, Ares goes with him. Come then, keeping your faces turned to the Trojans, give ground backward, nor be we eager to fight in strength with divinities. The Argives under the strength of Ares and bronzearmoured Hektor did not ever turn their backs and make for their black ships nor yet stand up to them in fighting, but always backward gave way, as they saw how Ares went with the Trojans. Who then was the first and who the last that they slaughtered, Hektor, Priamos’ son, and Ares the brazen Godlike Teuthras first, and next Orestes, driver of Horses, Trekhos the spearman of Aitolia and Oinomaos, Helenos son of Oiops and Oresbios of the shining guard. Now as the goddess Hera of the white armed on Olympusperceived how the Argives were perishing in the strong encounter, immediately she spoke to Pallas Athena her winged words: `For shame, now, Atrytone, daughter of Zeus of the aegis: nothing then meant the word we promised to Menelaos, to go home after sacking the strongwalled city of Ilion, if we are to let cursed Ares be so furious. Come then, let us rather think of our own stark courage. The two goddesses then departed for Troy to assist the Greeks. They passed Zeus who was seated on the peak of Olympusand Hera stopping her horses, spoke to Zeus, high son of Kronos, and asked him a question: `Father Zeus, are you not angry with Ares for his violent acts, for killing so many and such good Akhaian warriors for no reason, and out of due order, to grieve me And meanwhile Aphrodite and Apollo of the silver bow take their ease and their pleasure having let loose this maniac who knows nothing of justice. Father Zeus, would you be angry with me if I were to smite Ares with painful strokes and drive him out of the fighting. Then in turn the father of gods and men made answer: ‘Go to it then, and set against him the spoiler Athena, who beyond all others is the one to visit harsh pains upon him.’ So he spoke, nor did the goddess of the white arms, Hera, disobey, but lashed on the horses descending to the battlefield of Troy. Athena appeared to Diomedes and urged him on: `Now beside you also I stand and ever watch over you, and urge you to fight confidently with the Trojans‘. Then in answer Diomedes spoke to her: `Daughter of Zeus who holds the aegis, goddess, I know you, and therefore will speak confidently to you, and hide nothing. It is no poorspirited fear nor shrinking that holds me. Rather I remember the orders you yourself gave me when you would not let me fight in the face of the blessed immortals the rest of them, except only if Aphrodite, Zeus’ daughter, went into the fighting, I might stab her with the sharp bronze. Therefore now have I myself given way, and I ordered the rest of the Argives all to be gathered in this place beside me, since I see that this who is lord of the fighting is Ares’. Then in turn the goddess greyeyed Athena answered him: `Son of Tydeus, you who delight my heart, Diomedes, no longer be thus afraid of Ares, nor of any other immortal; such a helper shall I be standing beside you. Come then, first against Ares steer your singlefoot horses, and strike him from close. Be not afraid of violent Ares, that thing of fury, evilwrought, that doublefaced liar who even now protested to Hera and me, promising that he would fight against the Trojans and stand by the Argives. Now, all promises forgotten, he stands by the Trojans'. So speaking she pushed Sthenelos, the charioteer of Diomedes to the ground from the chariot, driving him back with her hand, and he leapt away from it lightly, and she herself, a goddess in anger, stepped in to the chariot beside brilliant Diomedes, and the oaken axle groaned aloud under the weight, carrying the dread goddess and a great man. Pallas Athena then took up the whip and the reins, steering first of all straight on against Ares the single foot horses. Ares was in the act of striping gigantic Periphas, shining son of Okheios, far the best of the men of Aitolia. Bloodstained Ares was in the act of stripping him. But Athena put on the helm of Death, that stark Ares might not discern her. Now as manslaughtering Ares caught sight of Diomedes the brilliant, he let gigantic Periphas lie in the place where he had first cut him down and taken the life away from him, and made straight against Diomedes, breaker of horses. Now as they in their advance had come close together, Ares lunged first over the yoke and the reins of his horses with the bronze spear, furious to take the life from him. But the goddess greyeyed Athena in her hand catching the spear pushed it away from the car, so he missed and stabled vainly. After him Diomedes of the great war cry drove forward with the bronze spear; and Pallas Athena, leaning in on it, drove it into the depth of the belly where the war belt girt him. Picking this place she stabbed and driving it deep in the air flesh wrenched the spear out again. Then Ares the brazen bellowed with a sound as great as nine thousand men make, or ten thousand, when they cry as they carry in to the fighting the fury of the war god. And a shivering seized hold alike on Akhaians and Trojans in their feet at the bellowing of battleinsatiate Ares. As when out of the thunderhead the air shows darkening after a day’s heat when the storm wind uprises, thus to Tydeus’ son Diomedes Ares the brazen showed as he went up with the clouds into the wide heaven. Lightly he came to the gods’ citadel, headlong Olympos, and sat down beside Kronian Zeus, grieving in his spirit, and showed him the immortal blood dripping from the spear cut. So in sorrow for himself he addressed him in winged words: `Father Zeus, are you not angry looking on these acts of violence We who are gods forever have to endure the most horrible hurts, by each other’s hatred, as we try to give favour to mortals. It is your fault we fight, since you brought forth this maniac daughter accursed, whose mind is fixed forever on unjust action. For all the rest, as many as are gods on Olympos, are obedient to you, and we all have rendered ourselves submissive. Yet you say nothing and you do nothing to check this girl, letting her go free, since yourself you begot this child of perdition. See now, the son of Tydeus, Diomedes the haughty, she has egged on to lash out in fury against the immortal gods. First he stabbed Aphrodite in the arm by the wrist, then like something more than human he swept on even against me. But my swift feet took me out of the way. Otherwise I should long be lying there in pain among the stark dead men, or go living without strength because of the strokes of the bronze spear. Then looking at him darkly Zeus who gathers the clouds spoke to him: `Do not sit beside me and whine, you doublefaced liar. To me you are the most hateful of all the gods who hold Olympus. Forever quarrelling is dear to your heart, wars and battles. Truly the anger of Hera your mother is grown out of all hand nor gives ground; and try as I may I am broken by her arguments, and it is by her impulse, I think, you are suffering all this. And yet I will not long endure to see you in pain, since you are my child, and it was to me that your mother bore you. But were you born of some other god and proved so ruinous long since you would have been dropped beneath the gods of the bright sky. So he spoke, and told Paieon to heal him; and scattering medicines to still pain upon him Paieon rendered him well again, since he was not made to be one of the mortals. As when the juice of a fig in white milk rapidly fixes that which was fluid before and curdles quickly for one who stirs it; in such speed as this he healed violent Ares; and Hebe washed him clean and put delicate clothing upon him. And rejoicing in the glory of his strength he sat down beside Kronion. Meanwhile, the two went back again to the house of great Zeus, Hera of Argos, with Athena who stands by her people, after they stopped the murderous work of manslaughtering Ares. Homer, Iliad . Zeus had promised Thetis that he would give glory to the Trojans until her son Achilles had been mollified by the Greek leader Agamemnon. In accordance with this, he commanded the gods to withdraw from the battlefield. However in the fighting which ensued, Ares son Askalaphos was slain. Ares would have rushed down to the battlefield to avenge him, but was restrained by Athena. Deiphobos of Troy made a cast with the shining spear and struck down with the spear the War God’s son Askalaphos, so that the powerful spear was driven through his shoulder, and he dropping in the dust clawed the ground with his fingers. But Ares the huge and bellowing had yet heard nothing of how his son had fallen there in the strong encounter but he, sheltered under the golden clouds on utmost Olympos, was sitting, held fast by command of Zeus, where the rest of the immortal gods were sitting still, in restraint from the battle. Hera spoke before all the gods on Olympusin vexation: "I think already a sorrow has been wrought against Ares. His son has been killed in the fighting, deArest of all men to him, Askalaphos, whom stark Ares calls his own son". So she spoke. Then Ares struck against both his big thighs with the flats of his hands, and spoke a word of anger and sorrow: `Now, you who have your homes on Olympos, you must not blame me for going among the ships of the Akhaians, and avenging my son’s slaughter, even though it be my fate to be struck by Zeus’ thunderbolt, and sprawl in the blood and dust by the dead men.’ So he spoke, and ordered Phobos and Deimos to harness his horses, and himself got into his shining armour. And there might have been wrought another anger, and bitterness from Zeus, still greater, more wearisome among the immortals, had not Athena, in her fear for the sake of all the gods, sprung up and out through the forecourt, left her chair where she was sitting, and taken the helmet off from his head, the shield from his shoulders, and snatched out of his heavy hand the bronze spear, and fixed it apart, and then in speech reasoned with violent Ares: `Madman, mazed of your wits, this is ruin; Your ears can listen still to reality, but your mind is gone and your discipline; Do you not hear what the goddess Hera of the white arms tells us, and she coming back even now from Zeus of OlympusDo you wish, after running the course of many misfortunes yourself, still to come back to Olympusunder compulsion though reluctant, and plant seed of great sorrow among the rest of us Since he will at once leave the Akhaians and the highhearted Trojans, and come back to batter us on Olympusand will catch up as they come the guilty one and the guiltless. Therefore I ask of you to give up your anger for your son. By now some other, better of his strength and hands than your son was, has been killed, or will soon be killed; and it is a hard thing to rescue all the generation and seed of all mortals. So she spoke, and seated on a chair violent Ares. After the death of Patroklos, Achilles was agreed to reconcile himself with Agamemnon and rejoin the war. Zeus then allowed the gods to return to Troy. The divine factions immediately broke out into open conflict, in which Aphrodite and Ares were felled by Athena. So spoke the son of Kronos and woke the incessant battle, and the gods went down to enter the fighting. Ares of the shining helm went over to the Trojans, and with him Phoibos of the unshorn hair, and the lady of arrows Artemis, and smiling Aphrodite, Leto andXanthos ... After the Olympians merged in the men’s company strong Eris (Hatred), defender of peoples, burst out, and Athena bellowed. The two factions of gods then engaged each other in open conflict: Upon the other gods descended the wearisome burden of hatred, and the wind of their fury blew from division, and they collided with a grand crash, the broad earth echoing and the huge sky sounded as with trumpets. Zeus heard it from where he sat on Olympos, and was amused in his deep heart for pleasure, as he watched the gods’ collision in conflict. Thereafter they stood not long apart from each other, for Ares began it, the shieldstabber, and rose up against Athena with the brazen spear in his hand, and spoke a word of revilement: `Why once more, you dogfly, have you stirred up trouble among the gods with the blast of your blown fury, and the pride of your heart driving you Do you not remember how you set on Diomedes, Tydeus’ son, to spear me, and yourself laying hold of the farseen pike pushed it straight into me and tore my skin in its beauty. So no I am minded to pay you back for all you have done to me. He spoke, and stabbed against the ghastly aegis with fluttering straps, which gives way not even before the bolt of Zeus’ lightning. There blooddripping Ares made his stab with the long spear, but Athena giving back caught up in her heavy hand a stone that lay in the plain, black and rugged and huge, one which men of a former time had set there as boundary mark of the cornfield. With this she hit furious Ares in the neck, and unstrung him. He spread over seven acres in his fall, and his hair dragged in the dust, and his armour clashed. But Pallas Athena laughing stood above him and spoke to him in the winged words of triumph: `‘You child; you did not think even this time how much stronger I can claim I am than you, when you match your fury against me. Therefore you are paying atonement to your mother’s furies since she is angry and wishes you ill, because you abandoned the Akhaians, and have given your aid to the insolent Trojans. She spoke, and turned the shining of her eyes away. But taking Ares by the hand the daughter of Zeus Aphrodite, led him away, groaning always, his strength scarce gathered back into him. But now, as the goddess of the white arms, Hera, noticed her immediately she spoke to Pallas Athena her winged words: `For shame now, Atrytone, daughter of Zeus of the aegis. Here again is this dogfly leading murderous Ares out of the fighting and through the confusion. Quick, go after her. She spoke, and Athena swept in pursuit, heart full of gladness, and caught up with her and drove a blow at her breasts with her ponderous hand, so that her knees went slack and the heart inside her. Those two both lay sprawled on the generous earth. But Athena stood above them and spoke to them in winged words of triumph: `Now may all who bring their aid to the Trojans be in such case as these, when they do battle with the armoured Argives, as daring and as unfortunate, as now Aphrodite came companion in arms to Ares ,and faced my fury. So we should long ago have rested after our fighting once having utterly stormed the strongfounded city of Ilion. She spoke, and the goddess of the white arms, Hera, smiled on her. After the death of Hektor, Prince of Troy, a new Trojan ally arrived to join the battle the Amazon Penthesileia, daughter of Ares. To the gods great sorrow, she was swiftly slain by Achilles. After the death of Achilles, his son Neoptolemos took his place as the leading warrior of the Greeks, and routed the Trojans. Ares descended from heaven and drove the Trojans back into battle. Now had the Trojans fled within their gates from Neoptolemos son of Achilles but murderous Ares came, unmarked of other Gods, down from the heavens, eager to help the warrior sons of Troy. Swiftly he came to Troy: loud rang the earth beneath the feet of that wild team. Into the battles heart tossing his massy spear, he came; with a shout he cheered the Trojans on to face the foe. They heard, and marvelled at that wondrous cry, not seeing the Gods immortal form, nor steeds, veiled in dense mist. But the wise prophetsoul of Helenos knew the voice divine that leapt unto the Trojans ears, they knew not whence, and with glad heart to the fleeing host he cried: `O cravens, wherefore fear Achilles son, though neer so brave He is mortal even as we; his strength is not as Ares strength, who is come a very present help in our sore need. That was his shout farpealing, bidding us fight on against the Argives. Let your hearts be strong, O friends: let courage fill your breasts. No mightier battlehelper can draw nigh to Troy than he. Who is of more avail for war than Ares, when he aideth men hardfighting Lo, to our help he cometh now! On to the fight! Cast to the winds your fears! They fled no more, they faced the Argive men, spurred by the chiding of their shepherdlord; so turned the sons of Troy again to war, casting away their fear. Man leapt on man valiantly fighting; loud their armour clashed smitten with swords, with lances, and with darts. Spears plunged into mens flesh: dread Ares drank his fill of blood: struck down fell man on man, as Greek and Trojan fought. In level poise the battlebalance hung, the awful scales of battle hang level: all Trojan hearts beat high, and firm stood they in trust on aweless Ares might, while the Greeks trusted in Achilles son. Ever they slew and slew: stalked through the midst deadly Enyo, her shoulders and her hands bloodsplashed, while fearful sweat streamed from her limbs. Revelling in equal fight, she aided none, lest Thetis or the Wargods wrath be stirred. So man to man dealt death; and joyed the Fates and Doom, and fell Eris in her maddened glee shouted aloud, and Ares terribly shouted in answer, and with courage thrilled the Trojans, and with panic fear the Greeks, and shook their reeling squadrons. But one man he scared not, even Achilles son, Neoptolemos; he abode, and fought undaunted, slaying foes on foes. Stern Achilles glorious scion joyed over the slain, and recked not of the God who spurred the Trojans on: man after man tasted his vengeance of their charging host. Even as a giant mountainpeak withstands onrushing hurricaneblasts, so he abode unquailing. Ares at his eager mood grew wroth, and would have cast his veil of cloud away, and met him face to face in fight, but now Athena from Olympusswooped to forestmantled Ida. Quaked the earth and Xanthos murmuring streams; so mightily she shook them: terrorstricken were the souls of all the Nymphai, adread for Priams town. From her immortal armour flashed around the hovering lightnings; fearful serpents breathed fire from her shield invincible; the crest of her great helmet swept the clouds. And now she was at point to close in sudden fight with Ares; but the mighty will of Zeus daunted them both, from high heaven thundering his terrors. Ares drew back from the war, for manifest to him was Zeuss wrath. To wintry Thrake he passed; his haughty heart reeked no more of the Trojans. In the plain of Troy no more stayed Pallas; she was gone to hallowed Athens. But the armies still strove in the deadly fray; and fainted now the Trojans prowess; but all battlefain the Argives pressed on these as they gave ground. Quintus Smyrnaeus, Fall of Troy. In the final battles of Troy, Ares drove Aeneas to repel a Greek attack on the gates of Troy led by Neoptolemos. The Greeks finally constructed the Wooden Horse as a ruse to capture the city. However the divine allies of Troy, perceiving hte plan, descended upon Troy to destroy it. Athena engaged Ares in battle and the pair fought until Zeus intervened, commanding all the gods to withdraw from Troy and let the city fall. When imperious Zeus far from the Gods had gone to Okeanoss streams and Tethys caves and the Greeks were constructing the Wooden Horse, strife rose between the Immortals: heart with heart was set at variance. Riding on the blasts of winds, from heaven to earth they swooped: the air crashed round them. Lighting down by Xanthos stream arrayed they stood against each other, these for the Akhaians, for the Trojans those; and all their souls were thrilled with lust of war: there gathered too the Lords of the wide Sea. These in their wrath were eager to destroy the Horse of Guile and all the ships, and those fair Ilion. But allcontriving Fate held them therefrom, and turned their hearts to strife against each other. Ares to the fray rose first, and on Athena rushed. Thereat fell each on other: clashed around their limbs the golden arms celestial as they charged. Round them the wide sea thundered, the dark earth quaked neath immortal feet. Rang from them all farpealing battleshouts; that awful cry rolled up to the broadarching heaven, and down even to Hades fathomless abyss: trembled the Titanes there in depth of gloom. Idas long ridges sighed, sobbed clamorous streams of everflowing rivers, groaned ravines farfurrowed, Argive ships, and Priams towers. Yet men feared not, for naught they knew of all that strife, by Heavens decree. Then her high peaks the Gods hands wrenched from Idas crest, and hurled against each other: but like crumbling sands shivered they fell round those invincible limbs, shattered to small dust. But the mind of Zeus, at the utmost verge of earth, was ware of all: straight left he Okeanoss stream, and to wide heaven ascended, charioted upon the winds, the East, the North, the Westwind, and the South in the shape of horses: for Iris rainbowplumed led neath the yoke of his eternal ear that stormy team, the car which Time the immortal framed for him of adamant with neverwearying hands. So came he to Olympusgiant ridge. His wrath shook all the firmament, as crashed from east to west his thunders; lightnings gleamed, as thick and fast his thunderbolts poured to earth, and flamed the limitless welkin. Terror fell upon the hearts of those Immortals: quaked the limbs of all ay, deathless though they were! Then Themis, trembling for them, swift as thought leapt down through clouds, and came with speed to them for in the strife she only had no part and stood between the fighters, and she cried: `Forbear the conflict! O, when Zeus is wroth, it ill beseems that everlasting Gods should fight for mens sake, creatures of a day: else shall ye be all suddenly destroyed; for Zeus will tear up all the hills, and hurl upon you: sons nor daughters will he spare, but bury neath one ruin of shattered earth all. No escape shall ye find thence to light, in horror of darkness prisoned evermore. Dreading Zeus menace gave they heed to her, from strife refrained, and cast away their wrath, and were made one in peace and amity. Some heavenward soared, some plunged into the sea, on earth stayed some. Ares, the only son of Zeus and Hera. His sister Eris, the goddess of strife, is his constant companion, but he is also attended by his sons Deimos and Phobos, as well as Enyo, an old war-goddess. When Ares was wounded even as an immortal he would run back to his father, Zeus and was healed. Zeus did not like him much, probably because is brother Hephaestus was born to Hera with out Zeus. Antiope, the daughter of Ares and queen of the Amazons, and sister of Hippolyta. She was carried of by Theseus and by him became the mother of Hippolytus. Ares, the Greek god of war, is tall and handsome, but vain and cruel. When Ares heard battle he put on his gleaming helmet,and leapt into his war chariot. With his sword, he rushed into the thick of battle, unconcerned who won or lost as long as blood was shed. A vicious crowd followed at him, carrying with them Pain, Panic, Famine and Oblivion. Ares was mainly worshipped in Thracia, a region known for its fierce people And a Spartan god of war. Ares seemed to have no other interest than war, except for the fling with his brothers wife. It may be a human instinct to go to war, but if was expressed, the species would be extinct by now. For the ancient to make sense of this paradox, a single minded god such as Ares was needed. Ares was interested, in the goddess Aphrodite. Besides the fact that the lovely goddess was already married to the god Hephaistos, his brother. A tale in the Odyssey of Homer about how this couples romantic rendezvous came to an abrupt, and comic, end. Ares and Aphrodite were dallying together when their interlude was rudely interrupted. You see, the god of the sun, Helios, from whom little, if anything, could be kept secret, spied the pair in enjoying each other one day. Helios promptly reported the incident to Hephaistos, who was understandably angry. Hephaistos contrived to catch the couple "in the act", and so he fashioned a net to snare the illicit lovers. At the appropriate time, this net was sprung, and trapped Ares and Aphrodite locked in very private embrace. But Hephaistos was not yet satisfied with his revenge, for 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 and witnessed the sight. Some commented on the beauty of Aphrodite, others remarked that they would eagerly trade places with Ares, and they all laughed except for Ares, who was out of sorts, and Aphrodite, who, if goddesses can blush like maidens, surely did so. Ares was the god of war. Ares was known for his thirst for battle and blood. Athena was a goddess of war, but preferred peace if possible. She would support war when it was over issues of justice. Ares, on the other hand, was not concerned with justice. He loved the thrill of battle. Ares lived among the people of Thrace, who were known for their constant wars and battles between tribes. Ares was seen often accompanied by four other deities. The four deities were Diemos, the personification of fear; Enyo, goddess of battle; Eris, the personification of discord; and Phobos, the personification of terror. Ares, along with his companions, escalated the ferocity of battle. Even though he was strong and a great warrior, Ares lacked cunning, strategy, and moral decency. In several battles, Areas was forced off the battlefields by humans who wanted to make peace. He was not well liked either by humans or by the gods. Even Ares' mother and father disliked him. Ares was the god of war, or more precisely of warlike frenzy. Though an immortal deity, he was bested by Heracles in battle and was almost killed when stuffed into a jar by two giants. When another hero wounded him during the Trojan War, he received scant sympathy from his father Zeus. In appearance, Ares was handsome and cruel. Ares is often depicted carrying a bloodstained spear. Ares' throne on Mount Olympus was said to be covered in human skin. The son of Zeus and Hera, Ares embodied, not just the act, but also the spirit of War. Disliked by most Olympians but loved by Aphrodite, Ares was a god of action and determination. When he was fighting on the side of the Trojans he was wounded by Pallas Athena. Athena donned the helm of Death and, after deflecting his spear, hurled a bolder, knocking Ares senseless. Ares had to be assisted from the field of battle by Aphrodite. When Ares retreated to Mount Olympus his father, Zeus, said before commanding Paieon to heal his wounded son, "To me you are most hateful of all gods who hold Olympos". Ares was sometimes accompanied into battle by his sister, Eris; Goddess of Discord, and Hades; Lord of the Dead. Ares was the father of Deimos and Phobos, among others. His son Kyknos was killed by Heracles but Ares was unable to avenge the death because Zeus would not permit his least favorite son, Ares, to harm Heracles, his favorite son. Although hated and feared, Ares was honored by all great warriors, even Heracles. Ares rode into battle on the side of the Trojans with his horses, Flame and Terror, pulling his war chariot. He swooped down to help Aphrodite defend her son Aineias and saved him from sure death at the hands of the Achaians. While Ares protected Aineias with his shield, Aphrodite made her escape to Mount Olympusto tend her wounds. Ares is most often confused with the Roman god, Mars. Agamemnon addresses the Argives and calls them ‘henchmen of Ares’. Agamemnon tells his solders that they should put their equipment in order so that they may fight in the division of hateful Ares. The Argives made individual prayers to various Immortals so that they might escape death and the grind of Ares. Nestor says that he and Agamemnon should go to the soldiers and stir the fierce War God. Agamemnon appeared to have the eyes and head of Zeus, the girth of Ares and the chest of Poseidon. Ascalaphus and Ialmenus are the children of Ares. Strong Ares secretly lays with the modest maiden, Astyoche. The commander of the soldiers from the island of Euboea, Elephenor, was a scion of Ares. The commander of the soldiers from Dulichium and the Echinae islands, Meges, was a man like Ares. The co-commander of the Cretans, Meriones, was a match for the Lord of Battles. The aging Licymnius, scion of Ares, was killed by his nephew, Tlepolemus. Podarces, scion of Ares, took command of the soldiers from Phylace and Pyrasus after Protesilaus was the first Achaean killed at Troy. Leonteus, scion of Ares, helped Peirithous drive the beast men from Mount Pelion. Hippothous and Pylaeus, scions of Ares, were commanders of the Pelasgians. Helen wove a tapestry that depicted the Trojans enduring the struggles of the War God at the hands of the Achaeans. One of Priam’s advisors, Hicetaon, was a scion of Ares. Eris the goddess of discord was the sister and companion of Ares. Athena took Ares by the hand and addressed him as ‘man-slaughtering, blood stained Ares’. Athena leads Ares out of the battle. Diomedes says he will glut Ares with the blood of the son of Lycaon. Iris leads the wounded Aphrodite to Ares and his chariot. The wounded Aphrodite calls Ares her ‘beloved brother’ and begs for the use of his chariot. Ares gives the wounded Aphrodite his chariot. Dione comforts the wounded Aphrodite and tells her of how Ares was bound for three months by Ephialtes and Otus. Dione tells the wounded Aphrodite how Hermes rescued Ares from Ephialtes and Otus. Hermes frees Ares from Ephialtes and Otus. Zeus tells the wounded Aphrodite to leave warfare to Athena and Ares. Apollon speaks to Ares about Diomedes. Apollon calls Ares ‘man-slaughtering and blood stained’. Ares assumes the guise of Acamas and stirs the Trojans to battle. Ares enters in the battle on the side of the Trojans at the request of Apollon. Aeneas returned from the fighting unwounded because Apollon, Ares and Eris were fighting with the Trojans. Eris is the Goddess of Discord. Menelaus fought with the fury of Ares. Pylaimenes, equal of Ares, is killed in battle. Ares and Enyo lead the Trojans into battle. Ares proceeded Hector into battle with his gigantic spear. Ares assumes the guise of a mortal man and protects Hector in the fight. Ares and Hector drove the Akhaians back. The Akhaians retreated when they saw Ares leading the Trojans. Hector and Ares, the brazen, slaughter the Akhaians. Hera berates Athena for allowing the cursed Ares to drive back the Akhaians. Hera asks Zeus if he is angry at Ares for the slaughter of so many Akhaians. Diomedes addresses Athena and says he has retreated and gathered his soldiers about him because lord Ares is leading the Trojans in battle. Athena tells Diomedes not to fear Ares because she will stand beside him. Athena tells Diomedes to steer his chariot towards Ares. Athena tells Diomedes not to fear Ares. Athena rides against Ares. Ares is taking the armor from the body of Periphas when Athena attacks him. Athena put on the Helm of Death so that blood stained Ares could not see her coming. Ares sees Diomedes and charges at him. When Athena wounded Ares, he bellowed like nine thousand men. The Trojans and Akhaians shivered in fear when they heard Ares bellow in pain. The wounded Ares darkened the sky as he left the battlefield and rose into the heavens. Ares speaks to Zeus and says that Athena is unjust. Zeus explains that the anger of Hera is the cause of Ares’ suffering. Paieon quickly heals Ares’ wounds. Ares is washed by Hebe and given clean clothing. Hera and Athena return to the house of Zeus satisfied that they had stopped the murderous Ares from slaughtering the Akhaians. Nestor addresses the Danaans and calls them ‘henchmen of Ares’. Ares killed Isandros the son of Bellerophontes. Lycurgus killed Areithous and took the armor which Ares had given him. Aias strides like Ares, gigantic in his armor. Nestor calls for a pause in the fighting so that they might gather the fallen bodies that the fierce War God has scattered on the banks of the river Scamander. Idomeneus, Agamemnon and the two Aiantes, henchmen of Ares, gave ground; the Aiantes are Telamonian Aias and Lesser Aias. Hector had the eyes of a Gorgon or murderous Ares as he maneuvered his chariot. The Trojans rest for the night because dawn will awaken the bitter War God. Ascalaphus and Ialmenus, sons of Ares. The two Aiantes, henchmen of Ares, were willing to go with Diomedes into the Trojan camp as spies; the Aiantes are Telamonian Aias and Lesser Aias. Hector was a man like the murderous War God as he drove the Trojans into battle. Achilles emerged from his shelter like the War God. Leonteus is compared to the God of Battles. Leonteus, scion of Ares, killed Hippomachus. The War God could find no fault with the battalions of the Akhaians. Meriones, a match for the rapid War God, armed himself for battle. Meriones and Idomeneus are like Ares and Phobos. Meriones, a match for the running War God led the way. Alcinous was beaten down by Poseidon, stabbed by Idomeneus and then Ares took his life away. Aeneas and Idomeneus are like the War God. Deiphobos killed Askalaphos, the son of Ares. Ares sat on Mount Olympus at the command of Zeus and did not know of the death of his son, Ascalaphus. Poseidon encourages Agamemnon and tells him that the gods are not angry with him; Poseidon then departs across the battlefield issuing a cry like nine or ten thousand warriors as they closed with the War God. Hera reminds Ares that his son, Ascalaphus, has been killed and that Zeus sits apart from the other Immortals with no concern for their sorrow. Ares’ son, Ascalaphus, is dead. Ares strikes his thighs in anger at the news of the death of his son, Ascalaphus, and addresses the other Immortals. After being cautioned by Hera, Ares speaks to the gods and says that they must not blame him for going into the battle in defiance of Zeus’ orders. Ares orders Deimos and Phobos to harness his horses as he prepAres to leave Mount Olympus. Athena stops Ares and takes his shield and helmet. Athena takes Ares’ spear and tries to reason with him. Athena speaks to Ares and warns him that all the gods will be punished if he enters the battle at Troy in defiance of Zeus’ command. Athena made violent Ares sit on a chair. Hector fought with the fury of Ares even though the god was not beside him. When the Trojans reached the ships, Aias encouraged the Danaans to be the henchmen of Ares and fight harder. Patroclus prays to Zeus before he goes into the grind of the War God. Polydamas tells Hector and Aeneas that brazen Ares has killed Zeus’ son, Sarpedon. Patroclus charged at the Trojans with the force of the running War God. Menelaus was pushed back by Hector who was a match for the running War God. When Hector put on the armor of Achilles, Ares entered his body and filled him with fighting strength. Ares nor Athena could have scorned the terrible fight for the body of Patroclus and the armor of Achilles. Aias says that he and Lesser Aias have stood fast in the face of the bitter War God and will protect Menelaus as he retreats with the body of Patroclus. Thetis tells her son, Achilles, not to go into the grind of the War God until she returns. The light emitted by the shining helmet of Achilles was like a signal flare that is used to call men to help defend their neighbors homes in the hateful division of Ares with his new armor. The fighting at Troy has been the wrath of the War God. Hector tells his soldiers that, in the morning, they will awaken the bitter God of War and attack the Achaeans. Hector encourages his soldiers by reminding them that the War God is impartial and has killed the killer. Ares and Athena led the Trojans into battle. The wounded Odysseus and Diomedes, men of Ares, limped because of their wounds. Agamemnon addresses the Danaans and calls them ‘henchmen of Ares’. Agamemnon urges Achilles to wait before he undertakes the work of the War God. When the Immortals entered the battlefield, Ares and Apollo went to fight on the side of the Trojans. The Trojans trembled at the sight of Achilles because he looked like the War God. Ares took the guise of a storm-cloud and bellowed from the walls of Troy. Achilles was anxious to face Hektor (Hector) and spill his blood to Ares. Poseidon speaks to Hera and says that he will enter the battle if Ares or Apollon stands against Achilles. Ares and Apollon watch the battle. Hicetaon was a scion of Ares. Achilles urged the Achaeans to help him fight the mass of Trojan soldiers because not even Ares or Athena could fight their way through such a throng. Ares enters the battle against Athena. Ares speaks to Athena and calls her a ‘dog-fly’. Ares stabs at Athena. Ares is hit on the neck Athena with a large stone. Athena speaks to Ares after she has wounded him and says that the wound was his punishment for siding with the Trojans. Aphrodite led Ares from the battlefield after Athena wounded him. Hera urges Athena to go after Aphrodite for helping Ares. Athena hits Aphrodite in the breast and knocks her and Ares to the ground and tells them that the same fate will befall any Immortal who sides with the Trojans. Athena tells Ares and Aphrodite that they have faced her fury. Achilles tells Hector that one of them must give blood to Ares. Leonteus, scion of Ares, participated in the funeral games of Patroclos. Priam laments that Ares has killed Hector and his other sons. Alkimos, scion of Ares, is present when Priam begs Achilles for the body of Hector. Priam laments that violent Ares has killed most of his fifty sons. The Roman god Mars, with whom Ares was identified, was the father of Romulus and Remus, the mythological founders of Rome. Mars was more important to the Romans than his Greek counterpart, Ares. Mars was also more dignified than Ares. The son of Zues and Hera, he turned out to be a swaggering bully boy and yobbo God. Ares had the hots for Aphrodite and even after being caught in a net by Hephestus in full flagrante delicto this did not diminish his adulterous activities. The only thing Ares enjoyed more than Aphrodite was war. Ares loved battles and violence. Never mind which side he was on, so long as there was plenty of blood. Ares bloodthirsty sons Deimos and Phobos are in constant attendence, and if all is peaceful, it doesnt take long for his sister ERIS to knock up a little strife. He was not very popular with most of the other Gods. He sided mostly with the Trojans in the Big Bust Up, and was wounded by a mortal with a little help from Athena who blatted him with a rock, and he fled howling back to Olympus. Heracles sent Ares packing with an arrow in the thigh after killing one of his obnoxious offspring, and the Aloadae held him captive in a bronze jar for over a year because they could. His mortal sons were so vile Heracles killed two, Diomedes and Cicnus, and Apollo put paid to another, Phlegyas. Talking of Heracles, he also dealt with the iron feathered Stymphalin birds which Ares kept as pets. When the Romans recast Ares, he was identified with Mars, the Blood Red Planet of War. It was only then that he got any respect.