Ancient Greek and Roman Myths Notes
Ares (Mars)
Ares
– the Greek god of war, the equivalent of Mars in Rome. He was the
son of Zeus and Hera.
Belongs to the second generation of the 12 great Olympian gods. Most of
the stories of Ares are, naturally, about war and fighting. But there are
also many legends about his love affairs. The best known is Ares’ (Mars’)
love affair with
Aphrodite (Venus), and the
episode when the lovers were caught by Aphrodite’s husband Hephaestus.
Ares/Mars and Aphrodite/Venus had daughter Harmonia.
See: Alessandro Botticelli Venus
and Mars.
Jacques-Louis David.
The Combat
of Mars and Minerva.
Andrea Mantegna. Mars
and Vernus, known as
Parnassus.
Nicolas Poussin. Mars
and Venus.
Jacopo Robusti, called Tintoretto. Venus
and Mars Surprised by Vulcan.
Diego Velázquez. Mars.
Paolo Veronese. Mars
and Venus United by Love.
