Ares by Jimmy Stevenson
Ares is the Greek god of war. He is the son of Zeus and Hera, of which there are few. He is not one of the more popular of the twelve main gods of Olympus. There are no known temples built in his honor. He is not honored by god or man in Greek society and is the outcast of the gods.
Ares was born of Zeus to Hera. Neither parent liked their son, for he had a reputation for being a coward, even though he was the god of war. He was not nearly as strong as Athena, who could best him in combat. He had a wild temper and bloodlust, and was not thought of as a strategic battle god. He was thought more of as an impulsive and wicked god by the Greeks who would shudder to hear his name. He was never called upon to do a kind deed for anyone, because no one would expect him to respond. Nothing good has ever come to humans from Ares, and he is not even thanked for battle victories. He is personified as the wraith of war, not the overall act of it. Athena seems to get all the credit for the triumphs of war as Ares get credit for the strife.
Ares is very tall and very handsome. He is so beautiful to look upon that Aphrodite, while married to Hephaestus, would call upon him as a lover. This took place for a long time and Aphrodite bore Eros to Ares. Eros was very much the male counterpart to Aphrodite, giving lust and romance to humans. Also born to these two were Phobos and Deimos, who were the twin gods of panic and fear respectively. They would always accompany him into batte.
Ares was also seen as a coward by gods and humans alike. He was beaten in battle more than once, by more than one person. The goddess Athena could easily best him in combat. It was customary for Ares to run back to Zeus to be healed after a defeat which disgusted Zeus. He was also beaten by Herakles in one on one combat. Even though he is thought of as the fiercest and meanest of the gods, he is by no means the strongest or bravest of the gods.
Ares was not a well liked god of the Greek. He was vicious and cowardly. He brought pain and suffering along with him to a battle along with misery and strife. He was not even liked by his own parents for his role on Olympus. Humans would tremble at the name of Ares and hope they never saw him face to face. Ares is the Greek god of war, and his presence is not wanted by anyone.
Ares by Blake Sloan
Ares, the Greek god of war, was the legitimate child of Hera and Zeus. Despite his legitimacy and his good looks, Ares was not well liked by either of his parents, nor was he liked among other gods or mortal men. His unpopularity was a result of his love of war and bloodshed for its own sake. Ares was aggressive, and personified the brute nature of war. Although Ares was fierce and warlike, he was not invincible, even among mortal men. Homer gives a negative description of the god, calling him a coward, but other poets had a more unbiased opinion.
Worship of Ares was thought to have started in Thrace, and was not extensive in ancient Greece. Where it existed it lacked moral and social significance. However, he was worshipped by the bronze age men (men who sprung from ash-trees, terrible and strong, and lamented violence). Ares was an ancestral deity of Thebes.
As stated before, Ares was the legitimate child of Zeus and Hera. His siblings include Hephaestus and Eris. Ares didn’t have a wife, but he did have an ongoing affair with Aphrodite, wife of Hephaestus. They had three children: Phobus, Deimos and Eros. Phobus and Deimos (panic and fear) would accompany Ares into battle along with his uncle, Hades, his sister Eris (Goddess of Discord), and her son Strife. Ares battled on the side of the Trojans with his horses, Flame and Terror, pulling his was chariot.
Ares is identified with the Roman God of war, Mars, is sometimes identified with the Norse God of war Tyr. However, Tyr and Mars were both better liked in their cultures than Ares was in Greek mythology. Ares’ symbol is the spear, and the main object he is known for is his bronze shield.
In the Homeric hymn, homer seems to mock Ares by portraying him as strong, brave, determined, and just. The hymn reads, “Shed down a kindly ray from above upon my life, and strength of war, that I may be able to drive away bitter cowardice from my head and crush down the deceitful impulses of my soul.” However, in the Iliad, Homer clearly portrays him in a negative light, as weak and cowardly. He is portrayed as a Greek God of whom most mortals were afraid.
Ares' main page
Comparison of Ares and Tyr (Norse)
