Ares

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A deity of war in ancient Greek mythology representing combat, violence, and bloodshed
2. a symbol of the chaotic aspects of warfare often contrasted with the goddess of wisdom and strategic warfare
3. an embodiment of the fierce and brutal elements of conflict in various cultural narratives

Etymology: Ares was the Greek god of war, a son of Zeus and Hera, and in Homer's "Iliad" he is the brutal counterpart to Athena, who fought with strategy. Where Athena's warfare was disciplined and intelligent, Ares embodied bloodlust and the raw violence of battle, and the other gods often treated him with contempt. The Romans identified him with Mars, the god of war who, in Roman tradition, was also a father figure to their city's founders. The name's origin is uncertain, and scholars have debated whether it has any clear connection to other Greek words. What is clear is that the god's reputation for savagery made him a fixed figure in Greek myth, and his name remains the root of "Aresian" and other classical references.

Synonyms: god of war, war deity