Symbols
Animal: Dog
Bird: Vulture
Others: spear, shield, chariot
Bird: Vulture
Others: spear, shield, chariot
Family
Parents: Zeus and Hera
Siblings: Hebe and Hephaestus
Consorts: Aphrodite and various others
The more prominently known children of Ares and Aphrodite include Eros, Anteros, Phobos, Deimos, Harmonia and Adrestia
Siblings: Hebe and Hephaestus
Consorts: Aphrodite and various others
The more prominently known children of Ares and Aphrodite include Eros, Anteros, Phobos, Deimos, Harmonia and Adrestia
Stories
Hephaestus catches Aphrodite and Ares.
1) Ares' secret mistress was Aphrodite. The Sun-god Helios once spied Ares and Aphrodite enjoying each other secretly in the hall of Hephaestus, her husband. He reported the incident to Hephaestus. Contriving to catch the illicit couple in the act, Hephaestus fashioned a finely-knitted and nearly invisible net with which to snare them. At the appropriate time, this net was sprung, and trapped Ares and Aphrodite locked in very private embrace.
2) Upon one occasion, Ares incurred the anger of Poseidon by slaying his son Halirrhothius, who had raped a daughter of the war-god. For this deed, Poseidon summoned Ares to appear before the tribunal of the Olympic gods, which was held upon a hill in Athens but Ares was acquitted. This event is supposed to have given rise to the name Areopagus (or Hill of Ares), which afterward became famous as the site of a court of justice.
3) Ares was said as having no fixed allegiances, rewarding courage on both sides: he promised Athena and Hera that he would fight on the side of the Achaeans but Aphrodite persuaded Ares to side with the Trojans. During the war, Diomedes (a hero in Greek mythology known for his participation in the Trojan War) saw Ares fighting on the Trojans' side and called for his soldiers to fall back slowly. Athena, Ares's half-sister, saw his interference and asked Zeus for permission to drive Ares away from the battlefield, which Zeus granted. Hera and Athena then encouraged Diomedes to attack Ares. He thrust his spear at Ares, with Athena driving it home, and Ares' cries made Achaeans and Trojans alike tremble. Ares soon fled to Mt. Olympus, forcing the Trojans to fall back.
2) Upon one occasion, Ares incurred the anger of Poseidon by slaying his son Halirrhothius, who had raped a daughter of the war-god. For this deed, Poseidon summoned Ares to appear before the tribunal of the Olympic gods, which was held upon a hill in Athens but Ares was acquitted. This event is supposed to have given rise to the name Areopagus (or Hill of Ares), which afterward became famous as the site of a court of justice.
3) Ares was said as having no fixed allegiances, rewarding courage on both sides: he promised Athena and Hera that he would fight on the side of the Achaeans but Aphrodite persuaded Ares to side with the Trojans. During the war, Diomedes (a hero in Greek mythology known for his participation in the Trojan War) saw Ares fighting on the Trojans' side and called for his soldiers to fall back slowly. Athena, Ares's half-sister, saw his interference and asked Zeus for permission to drive Ares away from the battlefield, which Zeus granted. Hera and Athena then encouraged Diomedes to attack Ares. He thrust his spear at Ares, with Athena driving it home, and Ares' cries made Achaeans and Trojans alike tremble. Ares soon fled to Mt. Olympus, forcing the Trojans to fall back.
Counterparts
The counterpart of Ares among the Roman gods is Mars, who as a father of the Roman people was given a more important and dignified place inancient Roman religion as a guardian deity.