"Venus (Aphrodite) and Mars (Ares) Surprised by Vulcan (Hephaestus)" by the French artist Alexandre Charles Guillemot (c. 1827), Currently located in the Indianapolis Museum of Art, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. The Scene depicts Hephaestus catching his wife Aphrodite having an affair with his brother, Ares.
God of war, violence, bloodshed and manly virtues. Ruthless and murderous, the god of war Ares with his passion for destruction embodies in his legend the worst of humanity's traits. It is said that as he and his consorts, grief, strife, panic and terror, walked the Earth in search of devastation and brutality, that a chorus of groans echoes to the Heavens.
During the Trojan War, he used his power to aid the Trojan warrior Hector. But Ares himself was no hero, rather a coward who is described as fleeing a battlefield when wounded, his cries heard even on Mount Olympus.
Ares is notorious for having an affair with the beautiful Aphrodite, the goddess of love, even though she was married to his brother Hephaestus, the god of fire and smithing. Even though he is the son of Zeus and Hera, all the other gods despised him. His symbols include the boar, serpent, dog, vulture, spear, and shield. His Roman counterpart is Mars, his latin name gave us the word "martial".
| Deities in Greek mythology | |
|---|---|
| Protogenoi | Chaos • Chronus • Gaia • Tartarus • Eros • Erebos • Nyx • Uranus • Pontus • Thalassa • Aether • Hemera |
| Titans | Oceanus • Cronus • Mnemosyne • Rhea • Tethys • Themis • Atlas • Prometheus • Metis • Hecate • Eos • Helios • Selene |
| Twelve Olympians | Zeus • Hera • Demeter • Hestia • Poseidon • Ares • Artemis • Apollo • Athena • Hermes • Hephaestus • Aphrodite • Dionysus |
| Daemones | Bia • Dike • Eris • Hebe • Hygieia • Hypnos • Nemesis • Nike • Phobos • Poena • Soteria • Thanatos |
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