Ares

Also known as: Mars · Family: Gods · Role: god of war · First appears: Aeschylus, The Seven Who Fought Against Thebes — Scene 6

In Aeschylus’ The Seven Who Fought Against Thebes, Ares stands against both Eteocles and Polynices as “Stern umpire of their strifes,” distributing their goods and fulfilling their father’s curses. In The Suppliants, he is linked with Aphrodite as her paramour and called “Ares the scourge of men.” Sophocles presents him in relation to Aias as a possible avenger, and to Heracles as the force that frees him from his toilsome life.

In Euripides’ The Phœnician Virgins, Ares is an enemy of Cadmus, demanding vengeance for the slaughter of the earth-born dragon, and he is connected with Plato through a cold, gory libation. In Alcestis, he is the parent of Lycaon, Cycnus, and Diomedes of Thrace, whose battles and horses are set against Heracles. In The Bacchæ, he is the father of Harmonia.

Later, in The Trojan Captives, Ares appears in relation to Athena, emerging from ambush with her aid as the fighting begins. In Electra, he is named as the killer of Halirrhothius, making Halirrhothius his enemy.

Relationship record

Aeschylus, The Seven Who Fought Against Thebes — Scene 6

with Eteocles (Ares is presented as the divine umpire distributing the brothers' goods after their strife.) “Stern umpire of their strifes Has been the stranger from beyond the sea, Fresh from the furnace, keen and sharpened steel. Stern, too, is Ares found, Distributing their goods, Making their father's curses all too true.”
with Polynices (Ares is presented as the divine umpire distributing the brothers' goods after their strife.) “Stern umpire of their strifes Has been the stranger from beyond the sea, Fresh from the furnace, keen and sharpened steel. Stern, too, is Ares found, Distributing their goods, Making their father's curses all too true.”

Aeschylus, The Suppliants — Scene 5

with Aphrodite (Ares is described as Aphrodite's paramour.) “And ne'er may Aphrodite's paramour, Ares the scourge of men, Mow down their blossoms fair!”

Sophocles, Aias — Scene 2

with Aias (The chorus speculates that Ares avenged his spear through Aias's night attack.) “Or did stern Ares venge his thankless spear Through this night foray that hath cost thee dear!”

Sophocles, The Trachinian Maidens — Scene 4

with Heracles (Ares is said to have freed Heracles from his toilsome life.) “But Ares, lately stung to furious strife, Frees him for ever from the toilsome life.”

Euripides, The Phœnician Virgins — Scene 5

enemies with Cadmus “It is necessary that he, stabbed in that cave where the earth-born dragon lay, the guardian of Dirce's fountain, give his gory blood a libation to the earth on account of the ancient wrath of Mars against Cadmus, who avenges the slaughter of the earth-born dragon.”

Euripides, The Phœnician Virgins — Scene 8

with Plato (The passage poetically describes Mars as giving and Plato as receiving the blood offering.) “with the blood-wounds now a cold, a gory libation, which Plato received, and Mars gave.”

Euripides, Alcestis — Scene 4

child: Lycaon “And this labor, thou talkest of, is one my fate compels me to (for it is ever hard and tends to steeps); if I must join in battle with the children whom Mars begat, first indeed with Lycaon, and again with Cycnus, and I come to this third combat, about to engage with the horses and their master.”
child: Cycnus “And this labor, thou talkest of, is one my fate compels me to (for it is ever hard and tends to steeps); if I must join in battle with the children whom Mars begat, first indeed with Lycaon, and again with Cycnus, and I come to this third combat, about to engage with the horses and their master.”
child: Diomedes of Thrace “HER. After the four chariot-steeds of Diomed the Thracian. CHOR. How wilt thou be able? Art thou ignorant of this host? HER. I am ignorant; I have not yet been to the land of the Bistonians. CHOR. Thou canst not be lord of these steeds without battle. HER. But neither is it possible for me to renounce the labors set me. CHOR. Thou wilt come then having slain, or being slain wilt remain there. HER. Not the first contest this that I shall run. CHOR. But what advance will you have made, when you have overcome their master? HER. I will drive away the horses to king Eurystheus. CHOR. 'Tis no easy matter to put the bit in their jaws. HER. 'Tis, except they breathe fire from their nostrils. CHOR. But they tear men piecemeal with their devouring jaws. HER. The provender of mountain beasts, not horses, you are speaking of. CHOR. Their stalls thou mayst behold with blood bestained. HER. Son of what sire does their owner boast to be? CHOR. Of Mars, prince of the Thracian target, rich with gold.”

Euripides, The Bacchæ — Scene 7

child: Harmonia “your wife becoming a beast, shall receive in exchange the form of a serpent, Harmonia, the daughter of Mars”

Euripides, The Trojan Captives — Scene 4

with Athena (Athena aided Ares in beginning the battle.) “Mars from his ambush by Minerva’s aid Conspicuous issued and the fray began”
with Athena (Ares acts with Athena’s aid in the battle.) “Mars from his ambush by Minerva’s aid Conspicuous issued and the fray began,”

Euripides, Electra — Scene 9

enemies with Halirrhothius “Where first for that first death by Ares done / On Halirrhothius, Poseidon's son,”

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Extracted from the original text of Greek Tragedy. Made with Rho MD.