Ares, << AIR eez, >> was a god of war in Greek mythology. He was the son of Zeus and Hera, the king and queen of the gods. Ares was the father of many children, most of whom were warlike or were associated with war. The Romans identified Mars, their god of war, with Ares. See Mars.
Ares probably originated as a fertility god. He was not widely worshiped in Greece, and there are few myths that concern him. He was commonly associated with the Greek goddess Aphrodite. Aphrodite was married to the Greek god Hephaestus, but she had a love affair with Ares. According to some myths, Aphrodite bore some of Ares’ children, including Eros, the god of love. In the Odyssey, an epic poem attributed to the Greek poet Homer, Hephaestus uses a net to catch Ares and Aphrodite together, embarrassing them in front of other gods.
In poetry, Ares’ name has often been used as a synonym for war. However, he was often portrayed as an incompetent warrior. The epic poem the Iliad, also attributed to Homer, mocks Ares for being wounded in battle by the mortal hero Diomedes with the help of the goddess Athena.
