The Circle of Light Issue #3 Date: 13/6/2001 In this issue: Slavic Sorcery Animal Magick: Mockingbird and Fox Familiars Crystals by Apasi and Sarah Iolanthe's Body & Soul: Yoga Written in the Stars: Monthly Horoscopes Tzu Wei Pagan Band Review: Butterfly Messiah Reiki: An Introduction Gods and Goddesses of Witchcraft: Pan Frigg Ares Psychic Gifts: Telekinisis Reviews Your Say Submissions  |
Ares Submitted by Ryan Bennington  Root: Greek Basic Homer's Illiad [5.890]: "Most hateful to me are you of all gods on Olympus, for ever is strife dear to you and wars and fightings." Ares never officially married, but was a lover to Aphrodite, (who had a husband - Hephaestus). Ares'animal symbol was the dog and his bird symbol was the vulture. He is also sometimes seen with a bloody spear. On the battlefield, Ares had a train of attendants who could inspire anyone with confidence. His sister Eris, which means Discord, also attended him in battle and with them was Strife, Discord's son. His twin sons whose names, Phobus and Deimus, mean "panic" and "fear." may also accompany him. Hades was also an ally of his as he provided a lot of souls. His name was invoked in battle. The goddess of war, Enya, also walked beside Ares, and with her were Terror, Trembling, and Panic. As they moved, the voice of groaning arose behind them and the earth streamed with blood. Ares went relatively unappreciated. He was all too often portrayed as feeble and cowardly. He was worshipped in Thebes, Thrace, and Sparta. Mythology In early Roman history, though, he was a god of spring, growth in nature, and fertility, and the protector of cattle. Mars is also mentioned as a chthonic god (earth-god) and this could explain why he became a god of death and finally a god of war. Ares' Children Another of Ares' daughters, Hippolyte, in Greek mythology, was queen of the Amazons. She was slain by the hero Hercules when he took from her, as one of his labors, the girdle given to her by her father. According to another legend she became the wife of the Greek hero Theseus, by whom she had a son, Hippolytus. Ares' daughter Alcippe. When Halirrhothius, son of Poseidon, attempted to rape Alcippe, he was detected and killed by Ares. Ares was then impeached by Poseidon and tried in the Areopagus (Hill of Ares) before twelve gods, but was acquitted. Ares was the first to be tried for murder in that place, and after him Orestes was tried for killing his mother. Ares' son, Ascalaphus, born to Astyoche, was one of the Argonauts, one of the suitors of Helen, and one of the Achaean Leaders. Diomedes, born to Cyrene. Cyrene was reared near Mount Pelion and was of surpassing beauty. Apollo found her without spears wrestling alone with a lion and carried her off to that part of the land of Libya where in later times he founded a city and named it, after her, Cyrene. Diomedes was King of the Bistonians in Thrace. He was owner of man-eating mares. One of the labors of Hercules was to bring these mares from Thrace to Mycenae. Diomedes was killed by Hercules. Ares fathered Cadmus to an unknown female. This dragon guarded the spring of Ares near the site of Thebes. Cadmus killed it and sowed its teeth which rose from the ground as armed men and were called the Sparti. Another son of Ares', Ialmenus, was bore to Astyoche. Ialmenus is one of the Argonauts, one of the suitors of Helen, one of the Achaean Leaders, and one of those who were inside the Trojan horse. Meleager was yet another one of Ares' children, born to Althaea. When Meleager was seven days old the Moerae came and declared that he should die when the brand burning on the hearth was burnt out. On hearing that, his mother snatched up the brand and deposited it in a chest. But later, when Meleager killed his mother's brothers, Althaea kindled the brand out of grief. Meleager was one of the Argonauts and one of the Calydonian Hunters. Nisus was born to an unknown mother. He was King of Megara when this city was captured by the fleet of King Minos of Crete. He had a purple lock of hair on which his life depended but his daughter Scylla fell in love with Minos and pulled out her father's purple hair. Atalanta liked Ares more than his half-brother Hercules. Atalanta bore a son to Ares, named Parthenopaeus. He is one of the Seven Against Thebes, assailant of the Borraean (Electran) Gate at Thebes. Eos was Dawn. And because she had lain with Ares, Aphrodite caused her to be perpetually in love. Their child is unknown. Yet another myth, and the mother is unkown. Ares' fathered Oeagrus; the father of Orpheus. Ares also fathered Nike, Goddess of Victory. And, once again, we don't know the identity of the mother. Roman Mythology Mars was portrayed handsomely and bravely in full battle armor. Another of his symbols was the woodpecker. One of the most important Roman deities, the month of March was named for Mars (Ares). To commemorate his victory over the assasins of Julius Caesar in 42BC, Emperor Augustus honored Mars with the cult title Ultor (Avenger) and a new temple. Indeed, Mars was highly honored and celebrated in the Roman culture. On Feb. 27 and March 14 the Equirria (horse races) were held. On March 1, the Feriae Marti was celebrated. The Quinquatrus and Tubilustrium were celebrated on March 19, when the Roman soldiers would cleanse their weapons and war trumpets. Later, on October 19, for the Armilustriu, soldiers would purify their weapons in preparation for winter. Then, every five years the Suovetaurilia was celebrated with sacrifices of a pig, a sheep, and a bull. Also, Mars had priests called Salii, meaning "jumpers", who would hop and sing through the streets in parade. Praise to Ares Ryan Bennington  Email Ryan at: somewhat_damaged@graffiti.net |
