ARES "GOD OF WAR"

Ares is the mighty but hated man-slaying god of war and warriors. He is known as the most hatefull god. He is also ally with thie god of Themis the leader of righteous men. He is the son of Zues, Homer supposedly passed her temper onto Ares. Ares delighted in bloodshed and battle, Ares hated all the gods including his father.

STORY: His favorite haunt is the land of the wild and warlike Thracians . In form and equipment the ideal of warlike heroes, he advances, according to Homer, now on foot, now in a chariot drawn by magnificent steeds, attended by his equally bloodthirsty sister Eris, his sons Deimos and Phobos (fear and fright), and Enyo , the goddess of battle and waster of cities (he himself being called Enyalios), rushing in blind rage through indiscriminate slaughter. Though fighting on the Trojan side, the bloodshed only is dear to his heart. But his unbridled strength and blind valour turn to his disadvantage, and always bring about his defeat in the presence of Athene, the goddess of ordered battalions; he is also beaten by heroes fighting under her leadership, as by Diomede before Troy. And this view of Ares as the bloodthirsty god of battles is true.

Note: In sparta they sacrificed dogs under the title of Theritas.

Even though powerfull Ares was not envincible even against mortals.

The worship of Ares, believed to have originated in Thrace, was not extensive in ancient Greece, and where it existed, it lacked social or moral significance. Ares was an ancestral deity of Thebes and had a temple at Athens, at the foot of the Areopagus, or Hill of Ares. Ares is the god of war and conflict. He is also known as Mars (Roman). Ares is depicted as a warrior. Once in a while, Ares himself was wounded. He was immortal but he could not bear to suffer pain and screamed so loudly that he could be heard for miles. Then he would run home to Olympus, where Zues in disgust called him the worst of his children and told him to stop his howling. His wounds, treated with the ointment of the gods, quickly healed, and Ares returned as good as ever and seated himself on his throne, tall, handsome, and boastful, the plume on his golden helmet nodding proudly. Aphrodite admired him for his splendid looks, but none of the other gods were fond of him, least of all his half sister Athena. She loathed his vain strutting and sensless bloodshed. When Ares heard the clashing of arms, he grinned with glee, put on his gleaming helmet, and leapt into his war chariot. Brandishing his sword like a torch, he rushed into the thick of battle, not caring who won or lost as long as much blood was shed. A vicious crowd followed at his heals, carrying with them Pain, Panic, Famine, and Oblivion. In Greek mythology, Ares, the son of ZEUS and brother of ERIS, was the god of war. Although he was not greatly admired among the Olympian gods, he was loved by APHRODITE, by whom he became the father of several children. In Homer's ILIAD, Ares is depicted as a warrior god who exults in bloodshed and violence. Called variously the avenger, the slayer, and the curse, Ares used a spear as his emblem. The vulture and the dog were sacred to him. In the TROJAN WAR, he favored the Trojans, as in the story above.