Ares, known in latin term as Mars

• Aeschylus
• Apollodorus
• Apollonius Rhodius
• Claudian
• Diodorus Siculus
• Hesiod
• Homer
• Homeric hymns
• Hyginus
• Ovid
• Pausanias

AESCHYLUS, FRAGMENTS, translated by H. W. SMYTH

Sisyphos dratetês, Sisyphus the Runaway, is named only in the Medicean Catalogue; Sisyphos petrokylistês, Sisyphus the Stone-Roller, is mentioned twice in grammarians; elsewhere the form of citation is simply Sisyphos. The first-named drama was satyric; its theme, the escape from Hades of the crafty Corinthian king. According to the fabulous story told by Pherecydes (Frag. 78 in Müller, Fragmenta Historicum Graecorum, i. p. 91) Sisyphus made known to Asopus that it was Zeus who had carried off his daughter Aegina; in punishment for which offence the god sent Death against the babbler; but Sisyphus bound Death fast, so that men ceased to die, until Ares came to the rescue, released Death, and gave Sisyphus into his power. Before he died, however, Sisyphus directed his wife Merope to omit his funeral rites, so that Hades, being deprived of his customary offerings, was persuaded by the cunning trickster to let him go back to life in order to complain of his wife’s neglect. But, once in the upper world, he refused to return, and had to be fetched back by Hermes. – The Satyrs forming the Chorus were probably represented as initiates if the play was a parody of the Dionysiac-Orphic mysteries. (Sisyphus the Stone-Roller is one of the six dramas mentioned by the ancients in connexion with the charge of impiety brought against the poet.) Sisyphos petrokylistês is probably identical with the Sisyphos drapetês (at least Frag. 127 savours of a satyr-play); and the conclusion of the single drama may have been the famous punishment inflicted on the “craftiest of men” (cp. l 593).

APOLLODORUS, LIBRARY, Book 1, translated by J. G. FRAZER

[1.3.1] Now Zeus wedded Hera and begat Hebe, Ilithyia, and Ares...

[1.4.4] But for him Poseidon had made ready a house under the earth constructed by Hephaestus. And Dawn fell in love with Orion and carried him off and brought him to Delos; for Aphrodite caused Dawn to be perpetually in love, because she had bedded with Ares.

[1.7.4] ...And Ephialtes wooed Hera, and Otus wooed Artemis; moreover they put Ares in bonds. However, Hermes rescued Ares by stealth, and Artemis killed the Aloads in Naxos by a ruse.

[1.7.7] ...Calydon and Aeolia, daughter of Amythaon, had daughters, Epicaste and Protogenia, who had Oxylus by Ares. And Agenor, son of Pleuron, married Epicaste, daughter of Calydon, and begat Porthaon and Demonice, who had Evenus, Molus, Pylus, and Thestius by Ares.

[1.8.2] Althaea had also a son Meleager, by Oeneus, though they say that he was begotten by Ares...Now the men who assembled to hunt the boar were these :-- Meleager, son of Oeneus; Dryas, son of Ares; t...

[1.9.16] ...No sooner did Pelias hear that than he bade him go in quest of the fleece. Now it was at Colchis in a grove of Ares, hanging on an oak and guarded by a sleepless dragon...Ascalaphus and Ialmenus, sons of Ares

APOLLODORUS, LIBRARY, Book 2, translated by J. G. FRAZER

[2.5.8] The eighth labour he enjoined on him was to bring the mares of Diomedes the Thracian to Mycenae. Now this Diomedes was a son of Ares and Cyrene, and he was king of the Bistones, a very warlike Thracian people, and he owned man-eating mares.

[2.5.9] ...Now Hippolyte had the belt of Ares in token of her superiority to all the rest. Hercules was sent to fetch this belt because Admete, daughter of Eurystheus, desired to get it...

[2.5.11] ...So journeying he(Heracles) came to the river Echedorus. And Cycnus, son of Ares and Pyrene, challenged him to single combat. Ares championed the cause of Cycnus and marshalled the combat, but a thunderbolt was hurled between the two and parted the combatants.

[2.7.7] ...And as he passed by Itonus he was challenged to single combat by Cycnus a son of Ares and Pelopia; and closing with him Hercules slew him also.

APOLLODORUS, LIBRARY, Book 3, translated by J. G. FRAZER

[3.4.1] ...And after traversing Boeotia, it sank down where is now the city of Thebes. Wishing to sacrifice the cow to Athena, he sent some of his companions to draw water from the spring of Ares. But a dragon, which some said was the offspring of Ares, guarded the spring and destroyed most of those that were sent. In his indignation Cadmus killed the dragon, and by the advice of Athena sowed its teeth...

[3.4.2] But Cadmus, to atone for the slaughter, served Ares for an eternal year; and the year was then equivalent to eight years of our reckoning. After his servitude Athena procured for him the kingdom, and Zeus gave him to wife Harmonia, daughter of Aphrodite and Ares.

[3.5.5] ...Both of them(Lycus and Nycteus) had fled (from Euboea) because they had killed Phlegyas, son of Ares and Dotis the Boeotian...

[3.9.2] ...And by Melanion, or Ares, Atalanta had a son Parthenopaeus, who went to the war against Thebes.

[3.10.8] ...Ascalaphus and Ialmenus, sons of Ares(Greek Heroes in Trojan war)...

[3.14.2] Cecrops married Agraulus, daughter of Actaeus, and had a son Erysichthon, who departed this life childless; and Cecrops had daughters, Agraulus, Herse, and Pandrosus. Agraulus had a daughter Alcippe by Ares. In attempting to violate Alcippe, Halirrhothius, son of Poseidon and a nymph Euryte, was detected and killed by Ares. Impeached by Poseidon, Ares was tried in the Areopagus before the twelve gods, and was acquitted.

[3.14.8] ...But war having broken out with Labdacus on a question of boundaries, he called in the help of Tereus, son of Ares...

APOLLONIUS RHODIUS, ARGONAUTICA, Book 2, translated by R. C. SEATON

[404] "...Guide your ship to the mouth of that river and ye shall behold the towers of Cytaean Aeetes and the shady grove of Ares, where a dragon, a monster terrible to behold, ever glares around, keeping watch over the fleece that is spread upon the top of an oak; neither by day nor by night does sweet sleep subdue his restless eyes."

[966] Here once when Melanippe, daughter of Ares, had, gone forth, the hero Heracles caught her by ambuscade and Hippolyte gave him her glistening girdle as her sister's ransom, and he sent away his captive unharmed.

[987] And they would have tarried there and have closed in battle with the Amazons, and would have fought not without bloodshed for the Amazons were not gentle foes and regarded not justice, those dwellers on the Doeantian plain; but grievous insolence and the works of Ares were all their care; for by race they were the daughters of Ares and the nymph Harmonia, who bare to Ares war-loving maids, wedded to him in the glens of the Acmonian wood had not the breezes of Argestes come again from Zeus; and with the wind they left the rounded beach, where the Themiscyreian Amazons were arming for war.

[1015] Next they reached the sacred mount and the land where the Mossynoeci dwell amid high mountains in wooden huts, from which that people take their name. And strange are their customs and laws. Whatever it is right to do openly before the people or in the market place, all this they do in their homes, but whatever acts we perform at home, these they perform out of doors in the midst of the streets, without blame. And among them is no reverence for the marriage-bed, but, like swine that feed in herds, no whit abashed in others' presence, on the earth they lie with the women. Their king sits in the loftiest hut and dispenses upright judgments to the multitude, poor wretch! For if haply he err at all in his decrees, for that day they keep him shut up in starvation. They passed them by and cleft their way with oars over against the island of Ares all day long; for at dusk the light breeze left them. At last they spied above them, hurtling through the air, one of the birds of Ares which haunt that isle. It shook its wings down over the ship as she sped on and sent against her a keen feather, and it fell on the left shoulder of goodly Oileus, and he dropped his oar from his hands at the sudden blow, and his comrades marvelled at the sight of the winged bolt...

[1262] And on their left hand they had lofty Caucasus and the Cytaean city of Aea, and on the other side the plain of Ares and the sacred grove of that god, where the serpent was keeping watch and ward over the fleece as it hung on the leafy branches of an oak.

APOLLONIUS RHODIUS, ARGONAUTICA, Book 3, translated by R. C. SEATON

[320] "Aeetes, that ship forthwith stormy blasts tore asunder, and ourselves, crouching on the beams, a wave drove on to the beach of the isle of Enyalius in the murky night; and some god preserved us. For even the birds of Ares that haunted the desert isle beforetime, not even them did we find..."

[1173] But at daybreak they sent two men to go to Aeetes and ask for the seed, first Telamon himself, dear to Ares, and with him Aethalides, Hermes' famous son. So they went and made no vain journey; but when they came, lordly Aeetes gave them for the contest the fell teeth of the Aonian dragon which Cadmus found in Ogygian Thebes when he came seeking for Europa and there slew the -- warder of the spring of Ares...And Agenor's son, Cadmus, sowed them on the Aonian plains and founded an earthborn people of all who were left from the spear when Ares did the reaping...

[1225] Then Aeetes arrayed his breast in the stiff corslet which Ares gave him when he had slain Phlegraean Mimas with his own hands...

[1353] By now the earthborn men were springing up over all the field; and the plot of Ares, the death-dealer, bristled with sturdy shields and double-pointed spears and shining helmets; and the gleam reached Olympus from beneath, flashing through the air.

CLAUDIAN, GIGANTOMACHIA, translated by M. PLATNAUER

[73] On all sides a horrid din resounds and only the air divides the rival armies. First impetuous Mars urges against the horrid band his Thracian steeds that oft have driven in rout Getae or Geloni. Brighter than flame shines his golden shield, high towers the crest of his gleaming helmet. Dashing into the fray he first encounters Pelorus and transfixes him with his sword, where about the groin the two-bodied serpent unites with his own giant form, and thus with one blow puts an end to three lives. Exulting in his victory he drives his chariot over the dying giant’s limbs till the wheels ran red with blood. Mimas ran forward to avenge his brother. He had torn Lemnos and with it Vulcan’s fiery house from out the foaming main, and was on the point of hurling it when Mars’ javelin prevented him, scattering the brain from his shattered skull. What was giant in him died, but the serpent legs still lived, and, hissing vengeance, sought to attack the victor after Mimas’ death.

DIODORUS SICULUS, LIBRARY OF HISTORY, Book 4, translated by C. H. OLDFATHER

[4.21.1] After Heracles had passed through the lands of the Ligurians and of the Tyrrhenians he came to the river Tiber and pitched his camp at the site where Rome now stands. But this city was founded many generations afterwards by Romulus, the son of Ares...

[4.37.4] ...He now returned to Trachis, and upon being challenged to combat by Cycnus, the son of Ares, he slew the man

[4.48.1] Medea, we are told, led the way for the Argonauts to the sacred precinct of Ares, which was seventy stades distant from the city which was called Sybaris and contained the palace of the rulers of the Colchi.

[4.73.1] ...The account runs like this: In the city of Pisa in the Peloponnesus Ares lay with Harpinê, the daughter of Asopus, and begat Oenomaüs.

DIODORUS SICULUS, LIBRARY OF HISTORY, Book 5, translated by C. H. OLDFATHER

[5.48.5] ...And after this Cadmus, the son of Agenor, came in the course of his quest for Europê to the Samothracians, and after participating in the initiation he married Harmonia, who was the sister of Iasion and not, as the Greeks recount in their mythologies, the daughter of Ares.

[5.72.5] To Zeus also were born, they say, the goddesses Aphroditê and the Graces, Eileithyia and her helper Artemis, the Hours, as they are called, Eunomia and Dikê and Eirenê, and Athena and the Muses, and the gods Hephaestus and Ares and Apollo, and Hermes and Dionysus and Heracles.

[5.74.4] Ares, the myths record, was the first to make a suit of armour, to fit out soldiers with arms, and to introduce the battle’s fury of contest, slaying himself those who were disobedient to the gods.

HESIOD, THEOGONY, translated by H. G. EVELYN-WHITE

[921] Lastly, he made Hera his blooming wife: and she was joined in love with the king of gods and men, and brought forth Hebe and Ares and Eileithyia.

[933] Also Cytherea bare to Ares the shield-piercer Panic and Fear, terrible gods who drive in disorder the close ranks of men in numbing war, with the help of Ares, sacker of towns: and Harmonia whom high-spirited Cadmus made his wife.

HESIOD, WORKS AND DAYS, translated by H. G. EVELYN-WHITE

[143] Zeus the Father made a third generation of mortal men, a brazen race, sprung from ash-trees [meliai]; and it was in no way equal to the silver age, but was terrible and strong. They loved the lamentable works of Ares and deeds of violence; they ate no bread, but were hard of heart like adamant, fearful men. Great was their strength and unconquerable the arms which grew from their shoulders on their strong limbs. They loved the lamentable works of Ares and deeds of violence; they ate no bread, but were hard of heart like adamant, fearful men. Great was their strength and unconquerable the arms which grew from their shoulders on their strong limbs. Their armour was of bronze, and their houses of bronze, and of bronze were their implements: there was no black iron. These were destroyed by their own hands and passed to the dank house of chill Hades, and left no name: terrible though they were, black Death seized them, and they left the bright light of the sun.

HOMER, THE ILIAD, Book 2, translated by IAN JOHNSTON

[555] Among them powerful Agamemnon roamed, eyes and head like Zeus, who loves the thunder, waist like Ares, god of war, chest like Poseidon.

[589] Men from Aspledon and Minyan Orchomenus were led by Ascalaphus and Ialmenus, Ares' sons. Astyoche bore them in Actor's house, Azeus' son, to mighty Ares. She, a modest virgin, went upstairs, where the god lay with her in secret. These men brought with them a fleet of thirty ships.

HOMER, THE ILIAD, Book 4, translated by IAN JOHNSTON

[505] As for the Trojans, they were like thousands of ewes standing in a rich man's farm, bleating constantly, waiting for someone to come and collect white milk, as they hear lambs call. Just like that, the din rose up throughout the widespread Trojan force. They shared no words— they had no common language, but mixtures of tongues, with men from many lands. Ares urged the Trojans on, while bright-eyed Athena kept rousing the Achaeans. With them came Terror, Fear, and tireless Strife, sister and companion of man-destroying Ares

HOMER, THE ILIAD, Book 5, translated by IAN JOHNSTON

[32] Then Athena, eyes glittering, took her brother, headstrong Ares, by the hand, and said to him: “Ares, Ares, insatiable man-killer, destroyer of cities, why don't we leave Trojans and Achaeans to fight it out? Father Zeus will make one group victorious. Let's withdraw, avoiding Zeus' anger.” With these words, she led headstrong Ares from the battle, then sat him down by Scamander river bank.

[416] Diomedes spoke. Aphrodite left in agony, distressed and fearful. Wind-swift Iris came to her, led her off, out of the crowd, moaning in pain, her fair skin stained with blood. She came across fierce Ares, seated on the left flank of the fight, his spear and his fast horses resting on a cloud. Falling on her knees, she implored her dear brother, pleading hard for his golden-bridled horses: “Dear brother, save me. Give me your horses, so I may go back up to Mount Olympus, the immortals' home. My wound pains me a lot. A mortal man inflicted this wound on me, Tydeus' son, who'd now fight Father Zeus himself.” At this, Ares gave her his golden-bridled horses. She climbed up in the chariot, her fond heart suffering. Getting in beside her, Iris picked up the reins, then lashed the horses forward. They flew on willingly. At once they reached the gods' home, steep Olympus. There wind-swift Iris stopped the horses, untied them from the chariot, and gave them heavenly fodder.

[449] Dione, queen among the goddesses, replied: “Be brave, my child, hold on, though you're in pain. Many of us living on Olympus have been hurt by men in our attempts to bring harsh troubles on each other. Ares suffered, too, when mighty Otus and Ephialtes, children of Aloëus, tied him up in powerful manacles, then kept him prisoner in a brass jar for thirteen months. Ares would've died there, with all his war-lust, if their step-mother, fair Eëriboea, had not told Hermes. He stole Ares secretly. Ares was exhausted. That harsh imprisonment was breaking him...“

[538] Phoebus Apollo then called to foolhardy Ares: “Ares, Ares, you bloodstained man-killer, can't you return to Diomedes and remove him from the battle? Right now, he'd stand and fight with Father Zeus himself. First, he wounded Aphrodite on the wrist, fighting at close quarters. Then he flung himself, like some god, at me.” After saying this, Apollo took a seat high up on Pergamus. Murderous Ares went in among the Trojan ranks, inspiring the troops. In the shape of Acamas, Thracian leader, he yelled at Priam's royal sons: “You sons of Priam, that god-nurtured king, why are you still allowing the Achaeans to keep slaughtering your troops? Are you waiting until they fight by the well-built city gates? There lies great-hearted Anchises' son, Aeneas, whom we honour as we do prince Hector. Come, let's save our brave comrade from the battle roar.” Ares' words gave each man courage and blood-zest for war.

[599] Headstrong Ares assisted Trojans in the battle, concealing them in darkness, roaming everywhere, carrying out his orders from Phoebus Apollo, god with the golden sword, who'd told him to arouse the Trojans' spirits when he saw Pallas Athena leave the fighting, for she was helping the Danaans.

[694] Hector saw this from the lines. He ran against them, shouting wildly, with strong Trojan soldiers in support. Leading these men came Ares along with fearful Strife, bringing war's pitiless and murderous confusion. Ares worked with a huge spear in his hands, moving round, sometimes behind Hector, sometimes in front of him. When Diomedes, skilled in war cries, noticed Ares, he shuddered—just a man crossing a large plain stops at a raging river rushing to the sea, looks helplessly at swirling foam, and moves away— so Tydeus' son backed off then, saying to his men: “My friends, we're so amazed prince Hector is such a spearman, so courageous, warlike. But he's always got some god beside him, to ward off destruction. Right now, it's Ares he's has with him, looking like a mortal man. Stay turned towards the Trojans, but fall back. Don't try to fight it out with gods.”

[805] Argives weren't driven back to their black ships by Ares or by bronze-armed Hector. Nor did they wheel about to battle Trojans face to face. They kept moving back, once they realized Ares was with the Trojans. Among the Argives, who were the first and last men killed by Hector, son of Priam, and brazen Ares? They were godlike Teuthras, Orestes the charioteer, Trechus, an Aetolian spearman, Oenomaus, Helenus, son of Oenops, and Oresbius, with his glittering belt, a man who lived in Hyle and kept himself preoccupied with wealth along the shores of lake Cephisia. Beside him lived even more Boeotians, owners of rich lands.

[863] Hera, white-armed goddess, reined in the horses, then spoke to Zeus, most high son of Cronos: “Father Zeus, aren't you angry with Ares for killing off those warriors? He's wiped out so many Achaean men, good ones, too, and so rashly. It's not right. It pains me. Meanwhile, Aphrodite and Apollo, with his silver bow, are enjoying themselves, happy about this madman they've unleashed, who has no sense of what's appropriate. Father Zeus, would I annoy you very much if I hurt Ares and chased him from this fight?” Cloud gatherer Zeus smiled and then said in reply: “All right, then, do that. But set Athena, goddess of the battle spoils, against him. For she's the one who's most accustomed to inflicting nasty pains on Ares.” White-armed goddess Hera agreed with what Zeus said.

[962] Pallas Athena took up the reins and whip. First, she led the sure-footed horses against Ares. He was removing armour from huge Periphas, Ochesius' fine son, by far the best of the Aetolians. Blood-stained Ares was stripping him of all his weapons. Then Athena put Hades' helmet on her head, so she was invisible to mighty Ares. But man-killing Ares did see Diomedes. He let the body of huge Periphas lie there, where he'd first killed him and ripped out his spirit. He strode straight up to horse-taming Diomedes. When the two came to close quarters and faced each other, Ares thrust his bronze spear first, over the yoke and horses' reins, eager to take Diomedes' life. Athena, bright-eyed goddess, hands gripping the reins, shoved the spear aside, so its thrust was harmless, above the chariot. Diomedes, skilled in war cries, then made the second thrust with his bronze spear. Pallas Athena guided the weapon right to Ares' gut, the lower part where his waist band went around him. Diomedes wounded Ares, piercing his fair skin, then pulled back on his spear. Brazen Ares roared as loud as the screams of nine or ten thousand men when they clash in war. Fear seized Achaeans—Trojans, too. They shuddered. That's how strong that cry sounded as it came from Ares, insatiable for war. Just as a dark mist moves upward from the clouds, when in hot weather a strong wind arises, so brazen Ares looked to Tydeus' son, Diomedes, as the god at once soared up into the clouds, ascending to wide heaven. Ares, in a rush, went to the gods' home, steep Olympus, sat by Zeus, distressed at heart. He showed Zeus where he'd been wounded, dripping with immortal blood, then made his complaint.

[996] His words had wings. “Father Zeus, aren't you incensed at this barbarity? We gods are always suffering dreadfully at each other's hands, when we bring men help. We all lay the blame for this on you. For you gave birth to that insane young girl, your destructive daughter, always busy with some nastiness. All the other gods, all those on Mount Olympus, do what you say. And each of us is subject to your will. But you never punish her in word or deed. You do nothing, because you gave birth to her yourself, to Athena, your vicious daughter. Just now she urged proud Diomedes, son of Tydeus, to charge insanely against deathless gods. First he attacked Aphrodite and struck her on the wrist. Then he charged me, even me, like a god. But my quick feet took me away. If not, I'd be in lasting pain with the fearful dead, or have barely lived, wounded by bronze spears.” Scowling at him, cloud-gatherer Zeus replied: “You hypocrite, don't sit there whining at me. Among the gods who live on Mount Olympus, you're the one I hate the most. For you love war, constant strife and battle. Your mother, Hera, has an implacable, unyielding spirit. It's hard for me to control how she reacts to what I say. You're suffering because of her, through her conniving, that's what I think. But I'll leave you in pain no longer. You're my child—your mother and I made you. But if you'd been born from any other god, by now you'd be lower than the sons of Ouranos—you're so destructive.” Zeus spoke. He instructed Paeëon to heal Ares. Paeëon cured him by spreading pain-killing herbs, for Ares wasn't born to die. Just as fig juice added quickly to white milk clots it at once, as it's stirred, that's how fast headstrong Ares healed. Hebe washed him and clothed him in fine garments.

HOMER, THE ILIAD, Book 6, translated by IAN JOHNSTON

[260] Ares, insatiable in war, killed his son Isander, while he was fighting the famous Solymi.

HOMER, THE ILIAD, Book 7, translated by IAN JOHNSTON

[171] Lycurgus anticipated Areithous' blow and struck him first a spear thrust in the belly. He fell down, dropping to the ground upon his back. Lycurgus then stripped off the armour which brazen Ares had given Areithous. Lycurgus himself wore it in later fights.

[447] At dawn Idaios went out to the hollow ships. There he found Danaans, companions of Ares, assembled by the stern of Agamemnon's ship.

HOMER, THE ILIAD, Book 13, translated by IAN JOHNSTON

[610] As Idomeneus retreated step by step, Deïphobus tried to hit him with a shining spear— he'd always hated Idomeneus—but he missed, hitting Ascalaphus instead, a son of Ares. The heavy spear passed straight through his shoulder. He collapsed in the dust, hands clawing at the ground. Loud-voiced mighty Ares was not yet aware his own son had fallen in the killing zone. He sat on the highest part of Mount Olympus, under golden clouds, confined by Zeus' will, along with the rest of the immortal gods, forbidden to participate in warfare.

HOMER, THE ILIAD, Book 15, translated by IAN JOHNSTON

[120] Then she sat down. In Zeus' palace gods were angry. Hera's lips smiled, but above her dark eyebrows her forehead frowned. Irritated with them all, Hera then burst out: “What fools we are to get incensed at Zeus so stupidly! We're still keen to get close to him, so we can hold him back with words or force. But he sits there, all by himself, without a care, without a worry, claiming he's supreme among immortal gods, manifestly so, for strength and power. So you just accept whatever trouble he sends each of you. In fact, I think bad trouble has now come to Ares—in that fight his son's been killed, his favourite man, Ascalaphus, whom Ares, mighty war god, acknowledges as his.” Once Hera finished, Ares struck his sturdy thighs with the flat of his hands and, in his grief, burst out: “Don't blame me, you dwellers on Olympus, if I go down now to Achaean ships, to avenge my son's slaughter, even if it's my fate to be struck by Zeus' lighting, to lie there with the dead in blood and dust.” Ares finished. Then he told Terror and Flight to yoke up his horses, while he dressed himself in his glittering armour. Now, at that moment, feelings between Zeus and other immortal gods could have become much harsher, more incensed, if Athena, fearing what might happen to the gods, hadn't jumped from the throne where she'd been sitting, rushed out the door, seized Ares' helmet from his head, grabbed the shield from off his shoulders and the spear out of his mighty fist, and thrown them to one side.

[153] Then with these words Athena went at raging Ares: “You idiot! Have you lost your mind, gone mad? Do those ears of yours hear anything at all? Where's your common sense or your discretion Did not you get what Hera said just now, the white-armed goddess who's come straight from Zeus? Do you want a belly full of trouble, forced to come back to Olympus, though in pain, sowing seeds of danger for the rest of us? For Zeus will abandon men immediately— those proud Trojans and Achaeans—and come here, to Olympus, then start to go at us. He'll lay his hands on each one of us in turn, guilty or innocent. So I'm telling you— set aside that anger for your son. Better men with stronger hands than his have already been destroyed and will be. It's hard to keep the families and children safe for everyone.” Athena finished. Then she made angry Ares sit down on his throne.

HOMER, THE ILIAD, Book 16, translated by IAN JOHNSTON

[360] Sarpedon, leader of Lycian spearmen,lies dead, the man who protected Lycia with his judgment and his power slaughtered by Ares on the bronze spear of Patroclus.

HOMER, THE ILIAD, Book 18, translated by IAN JOHNSTON

[635] But those under siege who disagreed were arming for a secret ambush. Their dear wives and children stood up on the walls as a defence, along with those too old to fight. The rest were leaving, led on by Pallas Athena and Ares, both made of gold, dressed in golden clothes, large, beautiful, and armed—as is suitable for gods.

HOMER, THE ILIAD, Book 20, translated by IAN JOHNSTON

[47] Ares with the shining helmet joined the Trojans, taking with him long-haired Phoebus, archer Artemis, Leto, Xanthus, and laughter-loving Aphrodite.

[56] But once Olympians mingled in the crowds of soldiers, then mighty Strife, who stirs men up in battle, went into action, while Athena kept on shouting, sometimes standing by the ditch they'd dug beyond the wall, sometimes yelling out beside the roaring sea shore. On the other side, like a black whirlwind, Ares kept shouting out his piercing orders to the Trojans, sometimes from the city heights, sometimes as he raced along the banks of Simois to Callicolone.

[71] Under the earth, the king of the dead, Aidoneus, was terrified. He leapt up from his throne afraid and shouting, frightened that Earthshaker Poseidon would split up the earth above him and reveal to gods and men the dark and dreadful habitations of the dead, which even gods detest, so massive was the shock when gods collided in that war, with Poseidon matched against Apollo with his feathered arrows, glittery eyed Athena going against a mighty god, Ares Enyalius, and Hera against Artemis, with her golden arrows, goddess of the noisy hunt, sister of Apollo, god who shoots from far away.

[175] With these words, the dark-haired god Poseidon led the way to the remnants of the wall of godlike Hercules, the high rampart Pallas Athena and the Trojans had built for him, so he could protect himself and escape that monster from the sea, when it forced him to move in from the shore. Poseidon sat there, beside the other gods, wrapping a concealing cloud around their shoulders. The other group of gods sat on the crest of Callicolone, around you, archer Phoebus, and Ares, who destroys whole cities. So these gods sat there on either side, making plans, both groups holding back from fighting painful war.

HOMER, THE ILIAD, Book 21, translated by IAN JOHNSTON

[469] They no longer stood aloof. Shield-breaker Ares started it, attacking Athena first with his bronze spear, taunting her: “You dog fly, why is it you're once again inciting gods to fight each other, heart prompted by your own foolhardiness? Don't you recall the moment you provoked Diomedes, Tydeus' son, to wound me? We all saw it—you grabbed his spear yourself and drove it at me, scratching my fair skin. Well, now I think you'll pay for all you've done.” Saying this, Ares struck Athena's tasseled aegis, that fearful aegis which not even Zeus' lightning can overcome. Bloodstained Ares' long spear struck it. Drawing back, Athena picked up in her strong hand a large, black, jagged rock, lying there on the plain. In earlier ages men had set it there to indicate the boundary of a field. With this rock Athena struck raging Ares in the neck. His legs collapsed. Ares fell. Stretched out he covered seven hundred feet. His hair was dirtied with the dust. His armour rang.

[490] Pallas Athena laughed, then cried in boastful triumph—her words had wings: “You fool, still so ignorant of how much stronger I can claim to be than you, when you seek to match my power. This is the way you'll answer now in full your mother's vengeful rage. She's angry, planning nasty things for you, since you left Achaeans to support the arrogant Trojans.” With these words, she turned her glittering eyes away. Zeus' daughter Aphrodite then took Ares and led him off by hand, as he kept groaning—he found it difficult to get his spirit back.

HOMER, THE ODYSSEY, Book 8, translated by IAN JOHNSTON

[340] The minstrel struck the opening chords to his sweet song— how Ares loved the fair-crowned Aphrodite, how in Hephaestus' house they first had sex in secret, and how Ares gave her many gifts, while he disgraced the bed of lord Hephaestus. But sun god Helios observed them making love and came at once to tell Hephaestus. Once he'd heard the unwelcome news, Hephaestus went into his forge, pondering some nasty scheme deep in his heart. He set up his massive anvil on its block, then forged a net no one could break or loosen, so they'd have to stay immobile where they were. When, in his rage, he'd made that snare for Ares, he went into the room which housed his marriage bed, anchored the netting all around the bed posts, and then hung loops of it from roof beams high above, fine as spiders' webs, impossible to see, even for a blessed god—that's how skillfully he made that net. Once he'd organized the snare around the bed, he announced a trip to Lemnos, that well-built citadel, his favourite place by far of all the lands on earth.

[361] Ares of the Golden Reins, who maintained a constant watch, saw Hephaestus, the celebrated master artisan, leaving home, and went running over to Hephaestus' house, eager to have sex with fair-crowned Aphrodite. She'd just left the presence of her father Zeus, mighty son of Cronos, and was sitting down. Ares charged inside the house, clutched her hand, then spoke, saying these words to her: “Come, my love, let's get into bed—make love together. Hephaestus is not home. No doubt he's gone to visit Lemnos and the Sintians, those men who speak like such barbarians.”

[374] Ares spoke. To Aphrodite having sex with him seemed quite delightful. So they went off to bed and lay down there together. But then the crafty net made by Hephaestus' ingenuity fell round them, so they couldn't move their limbs or lift their bodies. After a while, they realized they could not get out. Then the famous crippled god came back to them— he'd turned round before he'd reached the land of Lemnos. Helios had stayed on watch and gave him a report. With a grieving heart, Hephaestus went up to his home, stood at the front door, where a cruel anger gripped him.

[385] He made a dreadful cry, calling out to all the gods: “Father Zeus, all you other sacred gods who live forever, come here, so you can see something disgusting and ridiculous— Aphrodite, Zeus's daughter, scorns me and lusts after Ares, the destroyer, because he's beautiful, with healthy limbs, while I was born deformed. I'm not to blame. My parents are! I wish they'd never borne me! See how these two have gone to my own bed and are lying there, having sex together, while I look on in pain. But I don't think they want to stay lying down like this for long, no matter how much they may be in love. They'll both soon lose the urge to stay in bed. But this binding snare will confine them here, until her father gives back all those presents, courting gifts I gave him for that shameless bitch— a lovely daughter but a sex-crazed wife.”

[404] Hephaestus finished. Gods gathered at the bronze-floored house. Earthshaker Poseidon came, and Hermes, too, the god of luck. And archer lord Apollo came. But female goddesses were all far too ashamed and stayed at home. So the gods, givers of good things, stood in the doorway, looking at the artful work of ingenious Hephaestus. They began to laugh— an irrepressible laughter then pealed out among the blessed gods. Glancing at his neighbour, one of them would say: “Bad deeds don't pay. The slow one overtakes the swift—just as Hephaestus, though slow, has now caught Ares, although of all the gods who hold Olympus he's the fastest one there is. Yes, he's lame, but he's a crafty one. So Ares now must pay a fine for his adultery.”

[420] That's how the gods then talked to one another. But lord Apollo, son of Zeus, questioned Hermes: “Hermes, son of Zeus, you messenger and giver of good things, how would you like to lie in bed by golden Aphrodite, even though a strong net tied you down?” The messenger god, killer of Argus, then said in his reply: “Far-shooting lord Apollo, I wish there were three times as many nets, impossible to break, and all you gods were looking on, if I could lie down there, alongside golden Aphrodite.” At Hermes' words, laughter arose from the immortal deities.

[433] But Poseidon did not laugh. He kept requesting Hephaestus, the celebrated master artisan, to set Ares free. When he talked to him, his words had wings: “Set him loose. I promise he will pay you everything, as you are asking, all he truly owes, in the presence of immortal gods.” The famous lame god then replied: “Poseidon, Shaker of the Earth, do not ask me this. It's a nasty thing to accept a pledge made for a nasty rogue. What if Ares escapes his chains, avoids the debt, and leaves— how then among all these immortal gods do I hold you in chains?” Earthshaker Poseidon then answered him and said: “Hephaestus, if indeed Ares does not discharge his debt and runs away, I'll pay you in person.” Then the celebrated crippled god replied: “It would be inappropriate for me to refuse to take your word.” After saying this, powerful Hephaestus then untied the netting. Once they'd been released from their strong chains, both gods jumped up immediately—Ares went off to Thrace, and laughter-loving Aphrodite left for Paphos, in Cyprus, where she has her sanctuary, her sacred altar.

HOMERIC HYMNS, Hymn to Ares, translated by H. G. EVELYN-WHITE

[1] Ares, exceeding in strength, chariot-rider, golden- helmed, doughty in heart, shield-bearer, Saviour of cities, harnessed in bronze, strong of arm, unwearying, mighty with the spear, O defence of Olympus, father of warlike Victory, ally of Themis, stern governor of the rebellious, leader of righteous men, sceptred King of manliness, who whirl your fiery sphere among the planets in their sevenfold courses through the aether wherein your blazing steeds ever bear you above the third firmament of heaven; hear me, helper of men, giver of dauntless youth! 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. Restrain also the keen fury of my heart which provokes me to tread the ways of blood-curdling strife. Rather, O blessed one, give you me boldness to abide within the harmless laws of peace, avoiding strife and hatred and the violent fiends of death.

HYGINUS, ASTRONOMICA, Book 2, translated by MARY GRANT

[2.21.5] PLEIADES: The Pleiades are called seven in number, but only six can be seen. This reason has been advanced, that of the seven, six mated with immortals (three with Jove, two with Neptune, and one with Mars)...Mars by Sterope begat Oinomaus

[2.40.3] BOWL: ...The cape where he was thrown, to memorialize him is called Mastusian; the harbour still is called the Bowl. Astronomers of old pictured it in the stars, so that men might remember that no one can profit from an evil deed with impunity, nor can hostilities often be forgotten. Some, with Eratosthenes, say that it is the bowl Icarus used when he showed wine to men; others the jar into which Mars was thrown by Otus and Ephialtes.

[2.42.3] PLANETS: The third star is that of Mars, though others say it belongs to Hercules. The star of Mars follows that of Venus, as Eratosthenes says, for the following reason: When Vulcan had married Venus, and on account of his careful watch, Mars had no opportunity to see her, Mars obtained nothing from Venus except that his star should follow hers. Since she inflamed him violently with love, she called the star Pyroeis, indicating this fact.

HYGINUS, FABULAE, translated by MARY GRANT

[p.19] From Neptune and Amphitrite, Triton. From Dione and Jove, Venus. From Jove and Juno, Mars. From Jove's head, Minerva. From Juno without father, Vulcan. From Jove and Eurynome, Graces. Again from Jove and Juno, Youth, Liberty. From Jove and Themis, the Horae. From Jove and Ceres, Proserpina. From Jove and Moneta, the Muses. From Jove and Luna, Pandia. From Venus and Mars, Harmonia, and Formido.

[3] PHRIXUS: While Phrixus and Helle under madness sent by Liber were wandering in a forest, Nebula their mother is said to have come there bringing a gilded ram, offspring of Neptune and Theophane. She bade her children to mount it, and journey to Colchis to King Aeetes, son of Sol, and there sacrifice the ram to Mars. This they were said to have done, but when they had mounted, and the ram had carried them over the sea, Helle fell from the ram; from this sea was called Hellespont. Phrixus, however, was carried to Colchis, where, as his mother had bidden, he sacrificed the ram, and placed its gilded fleece in the temple of Mars — the very fleece which, guarded by a dragon...

[6] CADMUS: Cadmus, son of Agenor and Argiope, along with Harmonia his wife, daughter of Venus and Mars, after their children had been killed, were turned into snakes in the region of Illyria by the wrath of Mars, because Cadmus had slain the dragon, guardian of the fountain of Castalia.

[30] TWELVE LABORS OF HERCULES ORDERED BY EURYSTHEUS: ...He killed with his arrows on the island of Mars the Stymphalian Birds which shoot their feathers out as arrows...[He slew] Hippolyte, daughter of Mars and Queen Otrera, and took from her the belt of the Amazon Queen...

[31] INCIDENTAL LABORS OF THE SAME HERCULES: ...He killed Cygnus, son of Mars, conquering him by force of arms. When Mars came there, and wanted to contend with him in arms because of his son, Jove hurled a thunderbolt between them.

[45] PHILOMELA: While Tereus, son of Mars...

[84] OENOMAUS: Oinomaus, son of Mars and Asterope, daughter of Atlas...

[112] CHALLENGING COMBATANTS AND THEIR ADVERSARIES: ...The same (Achilles) with Penthesilea, daughter of Mars and Otrera...

[148] VULCAN: When Vulcanus knew that Venus was secretly lying with Mars, and that he could not oppose his strength, he made a chain of adamant and put it around the bed to catch Mars by cleverness. When Mars came to the rendezvous, the together with Venus fell into the snare so that he could not extricate himself. When Sol reported this to Vulcan, he saw them lying there naked, and summoned all the gods . . . who saw. As a result, shame frightened Mars so that he did not do this. From their embrace Harmonia was born, and to her Minerva and Vulcan gave a robe "dipped in crimes" as a gift. Because of this, their descendants are clearly marked as ill-fated. To Sol's progeny, however, Venus, because of his disclosure, was always hostile.

[159] SONS OF MARS: Oinomaeus by Sterope. Harmonia by Venus. Lycus. Diomedes the Thracian. Ascalaphus. Ialmenus. Cycnus. Dryas.

[171] ALTHAEA: Oineus and Mars both slept one night with Althaea, daughter of Thestius. When Meleager was born from them, suddenly in the palace the Fates, Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos, appeared. They thus sang his fate: Clotho said that he would be noble, Lachesis that he would be brave, but Atropos looking at a brand burning on the hearth and said, "He will live only as long as this brand remains unconsumed." When Althaea, the mother, heard this, she leaped from the bed, put out the fatal brand, and buried it in the midst of the palace, so that it shouldn't be destroyed by fire.

[173] THOSE WHO HUNTED THE CALYDONIAN BOAR: ...Alcon, son of Mars, from Thrace

[198] NISUS: Nisus, son of Mars, or as others say, of Deion, and king of the Megarians, is said to have had a purple lock of hair on his head.

[223] SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD: The temple of Diana at Ephesus which the Amazon Otrera, wife of Mars, made...

[239] MOTHERS WHO KILLED THEIR SONS: ...Progne, daughter of Pandion, killed Itys, her son by Tereus, son of Mars.

[241] MEN WHO KILLED THEIR WIVES: ...Theseus, son of Aegeus, killed Antiopa, the Amazon, daughter of Mars, because of an oracle of Apollo.

[252] THOSE SUCKLED BY ANIMALS: ...Romulus and Remus, sons of Mars and Ilia, by a she-wolf...

[269] THOSE WHO WERE MOST FAMOUS: . . . son of Jove and Europa. Another Cygnus, son of Mars, whom the same Hercules killed.

OVID, METAMORPHOSES, Book 4, translated by BROOKES MORE

[167] So ended she; at once Leuconoe took the narrator's thread; and as she spoke her sisters all were silent. “Even the Sun that rules the world was captive made of Love. My theme shall be a love-song of the Sun. 'Tis said the Lord of Day, whose wakeful eye beholds at once whatever may transpire, witnessed the loves of Mars and Venus. Grieved to know the wrong, he called the son of Juno, Vulcan, and gave full knowledge of the deed, showing how Mars and Venus shamed his love, as they defiled his bed. Vulcan amazed,—the nimble-thoughted Vulcan lost his wits, so that he dropped the work his right hand held. But turning from all else at once he set to file out chains of brass, delicate, fine, from which to fashion nets invisible, filmy of mesh and airy as the thread of insect-web, that from the rafter swings.—Implicit woven that they yielded soft the slightest movement or the gentlest touch, with cunning skill he drew them round the bed where they were sure to dally. Presently appeared the faithless wife, and on the couch lay down to languish with her paramour.—Meshed in the chains they could not thence arise, nor could they else but lie in strict embrace,—cunningly thus entrapped by Vulcan's wit.—At once the Lemnian cuckold opened wide the folding ivory doors and called the Gods,—to witness. There they lay disgraced and bound. I wot were many of the lighter Gods who wished themselves in like disgraceful bonds.—The Gods were moved to laughter: and the tale was long most noted in the courts of Heaven.

OVID, METAMORPHOSES, Book 14, translated by BROOKES MORE

[805] Tatius had fallen, and you, O Romulus, were giving laws to peoples now made one, when Mars put off his helmet and addressed the father of gods and men in words like these: “The time has come, for now the Roman state has been established on a strong foundation and no more must rely on one man's strength the time has come for you to give the prize, promised to me and your deserving grandson, to raise him from the earth and grant him here a fitting place in heaven. One day you said to me before a council of the gods, (for I recall now with a grateful mind how I took note of your most gracious speech) `Him you shall lift up to the blue of heaven.’ Now let all know the meaning of your words!” The god all-powerful nodded his assent, and he obscured the air with heavy clouds and on a trembling world he sent below harsh thunder and bright lightning. Mars at once perceived it was a signal plainly given for promised change—so, leaning on a spear, he mounted boldly into his chariot, and over bloodstained yoke and eager steeds he swung and cracked the loud-resounding lash. Descending through steep air, he halted on the wooded summit of the Palatine and there, while Ilia's son was giving laws—needing no pomp and circumstance of kings, Mars caught him up. His mortal flesh dissolved into thin air, as when a ball of lead shot up from a broad sling melts all away and soon is lost in heaven. A nobler shape was given him, one more fitted to adorn rich couches in high heaven, the shape divine of Quirinus clad in the trabea.

PAUSANIAS, DESCRIPTION OF GREECE, Book 1, translated by W. H. S. JONES

[1.21.4] ...The sanctuary of Asclepius is worth seeing both for its paintings and for the statues of the god and his children. In it there is a spring, by which they say that Poseidon's son Halirrhothius deflowered Alcippe the daughter of Ares, who killed the ravisher and was the first to be put on his trial for the shedding of blood.

[1.28.5] There is also the Hill of Ares, so named because Ares was the first to be tried here; my narrative has already told that he killed Halirrhothius, and what were his grounds for this act.

PAUSANIAS, DESCRIPTION OF GREECE, Book 2, translated by W. H. S. JONES

[2.13.3] ... The earliest Phliasians named the goddess to whom the sanctuary belongs Ganymeda; but later authorities call her Hebe, whom Homer mentions in the duel between Menelaus and Alexander, saying that she was the cup-bearer of the gods; and again he says, in the descent of Odysseus to Hell, that she was the wife of Heracles. Olen, in his hymn to Hera, says that Hera was reared by the Seasons, and that her children were Ares and Hebe...

PAUSANIAS, DESCRIPTION OF GREECE, Book 3, translated by W. H. S. JONES

[3.19.8] They surname him Theritas after Thero, who is said to have been the nurse of Ares. Perhaps it was from the Colchians that they heard the name Theritas, since the Greeks know of no Thero, nurse of Ares. My own belief is that the surname Theritas was not given to Ares because of his nurse, but because when a man meets an enemy in battle he must cast aside all gentleness, as Homer says of Achilles: And he is fierce as a lion. Hom. Il. 24.41

[3.22.6] ...On the road from Acriae to Geronthrae is a village called Palaea (Old), and in Geronthrae itself are a temple and grove of Ares.

[3.22.7] Every year they hold a festival in honor of the God, at which women are forbidden to enter the grove...

PAUSANIAS, DESCRIPTION OF GREECE, Book 5, translated by W. H. S. JONES

[5.7.10] Now some say that Zeus wrestled here with Cronus himself for the throne, while others say that he held the games in honor of his victory over Cronus. The record of victors include Apollo, who outran Hermes and beat Ares at boxing...

[5.22.6] ...by Aegina stands Harpina, who, according to the tradition of the Eleans and Phliasians, mated with Ares and was the mother of Oenomaus, king around Pisa...

PAUSANIAS, DESCRIPTION OF GREECE, Book 7, translated by W. H. S. JONES

[7.22.8] The founder of Triteia is said by some to have been Celbidas, who came from Cumae in the country of the Opici. Others say that Ares mated with Triteia the daughter of Triton, that this maiden was priestess to Athena, and that Melanippus, the son of Ares and Triteia, founded the city when he grew up, naming it after his mother.

PAUSANIAS, DESCRIPTION OF GREECE, Book 8, translated by W. H. S. JONES

[8.44.7] On the right of the so-called Dyke lies the Manthuric plain. The plain is on the borders of Tegea, stretching just about fifty stades to that city. On the right of the road is a small mountain called Mount Cresius, on which stands the sanctuary of Aphneius. For Ares, the Tegeans say, mated with Aerope, daughter of Cepheus, the son of Aleus.

[8.44.8] She died in giving birth to a child, who clung to his mother even when she was dead, and sucked great abundance of milk from her breasts. Now this took place by the will of Ares, and because of it they name the god Aphneius (Abundant); but the name given to the hill was, it is said, Aeropus. There is on the way to Tegea a fountain called Leuconian. They say that Apheidas was the father of Leucone, and not far from Tegea is her tomb.

[8.48.4] There is also an image of Ares in the marketplace of Tegea. Carved in relief on a slab it is called Gynaecothoenas (He who entertains women). At the time of the Laconian war, when Charillus king of Lacedaemon made the first invasion, the women armed themselves and lay in ambush under the hill they call today Phylactris (Sentry Hill). When the armies met and the men on either side were performing many remarkable exploits,

[8.48.5] the women, they say, came on the scene and put the Lacedaemonians to flight. Marpessa, surnamed Choera, surpassed, they say, the other women in daring, while Charillus himself was one of the Spartan prisoners. The story goes on to say that he was set free without ransom, swore to the Tegeans that the Lacedaemonians would never again attack Tegea, and then broke his oath; that the women offered to Ares a sacrifice of victory on their own account without the men, and gave to the men no share in the meat of the victim. For this reason Ares got his surname.

PAUSANIAS, DESCRIPTION OF GREECE, Book 9, translated by W. H. S. JONES

[9.10.5] Higher up than the Ismenian sanctuary you may see the fountain which they say is sacred to Ares, and they add that a dragon was posted by Ares as a sentry over the spring. By this fountain is the grave of Caanthus...

[9.36.1] ...Tradition has it that Chryse, daughter of Almus, had by Ares a son Phlegyas, who, as Eteocles died childless, got the throne...

[9.37.7] The earth opened and swallowed up Trophonius at the point in the grove at Lebadeia where is what is called the pit of Agamedes, with a slab beside it. The kingdom of Orchomenus was taken by Ascalaphus and Ialmenus, said to be sons of Ares, while their mother was Astyoche, daughter of Actor, son of Azeus, son of Clymenus. Under the leadership of these the Minyans marched against Troy.