Research, Research, Research

Well folks, I have to say that so far, getting this book written is coming together better than I thought. With the unfortunate exception of my partner having to drop out, things are sailing along quite smoothly. With the addition of a Lesser Aresia, I’ve found at least two more festivals to reconstruct for my book: The Areia, an Athenian festival near the end of Metageitnion/beginning of Boedromion (about mid August) celebrates Ares and Athene Areia, possibly as founder gods and supporters of the Ephebes, and probably involves choral contests, among others; the second is the Enyalia, a celebration re-enacting the victory of the Athenians over Salamis, and involves a running procession to a promontory. I haven’t quite tracked down a date for this, but a review of the history books should suffice. But hey, awesomeness, right?

On another note, I’ve also been reading up on ancient battlefield religion, and how closely tied Ares, Apollon, and Artemis are in those respects. You can expect a few simple rites and prayers to come out honoring those three and others, too. More and more, this book is becoming liturgical more than philosophical, which appeases my inner “priestly” side greatly. It’s one thing to understand Ares through droll discussion and supposition, but it’s greater to follow behind him in practice, prayer, and ritual in my not-so-unbiased opinion.

Thank you all who have helped, are helping, and will help in this endeavor. I received an oracle from Sannion and Dionysos that the effort is well appreciated, which is very motivating. While I may not be blogging as frequently right now, I am thinking about you all! Hail Ares!

Ares the … Momma’s Boy?

So, Mother’s day was celebrated here in the States a couple of weeks ago, and shortly thereafter, Neos Alexandria  announced its Call for Submissions for a devotional to Ares’ mother Hera. This project is being led by my friend Lykeia, and you can check out the announcement here. With all the to-do about Moms, and especially Hera, I wrote the following about Ares and his heavenly mother.

 

Ares is many things; he is a soldier, a general, a father, and a lover. But did you know Ares is also a momma’s boy? It’s true! Just as his sister Athene can be seen as the quintessential daddy’s girl, Ares acts much the same for his heavenly mother Hera.

So what exactly qualifies Ares as a momma’s boy? We should take a look at the relationship between Ares and Hera . Much of this relationship is defined my Hera’s relationship to Ares’ father, Zeus, and Ares’ role as one of the few “legitimate” children of the couple. In particular, the relationship is one of Ares attempting to restore Hera’s honor in the face of Zeus’ infidelity, and acting as he does best as the agent of righteous fury and retribution on Zeus’ lovers.

Let’s examine the most famous example of this behavior. First there is poor Leto, mother to the divine twins Apollon and Artemis (both of whom are tied in various war-cults and rituals to Ares). Hera, in her fury against Leto and the illegitimate children she carried, dispatched Ares to ensure she had no safe haven in which to bear these children. Besides the issue of family integrity, Callimachus suggests Hera wants no woman, divine or mortal, to bear  to Zeus “a son dearer even than Ares” (an interesting counterpoint to the enmity between Zeus and Ares in the Iliad). After all, if the trend in myth were to continue, Ares would be next in line for the proverbial, or even literal, throne.

In addition, there is the case of Hera’s binding by her son Hephaestos. Now, while Hera probably had this one coming; she threw her own son, begotten of none, from Olympos in disgust. That’s not very nice. However, Ares is always ready to jump in for mom, and this was no exception. Ares waged war on Hephaestos to try to return him to Olympos and free their mother, but was turned away by Hephaestos’ superior weapons. The outcome of all this would eventually lead to Hephaestos marrying Aphrodite, and thus the famous love affair with Ares.

So what can we take from these myths? Superficially, we can obviously say Ares loves his mother and attempts to support her even when she is in the wrong. Also, you can’t stop fate, and Ares can be kind of a dick (I mean, harassing a pregnant lady, really?). If we look a little deeper, however, we see how Ares reinforces his position and role as a defender of law, honor, and righteousness, as well as an agent of divine wrath and punishment. Especially if you consider that, up until this point in the mythological timeline, he is not yet an adulterer. I would postulate that before this point (and maybe even after), you could consider Ares a defender of monogamy and the bindings of marriage. Of course, there was never any literary or cultic evidence of this, and is only my speculation.

The relationship between Hera and Ares, of course, help to reinforce Ares’ relationship with Aphrodite and his children. He is a fiercely devoted husband and father, and answers any threat or slight to either with extreme prejudice. Perhaps Ares can serve as a model of family loyalty and honor in a time when the family is decreasing in importance and stature. After all, blood is thicker than water, and who knows more about blood than Ares the Bloody?

Apologies

Memorial Day is a day of remembering death, so today, I dedicate my blog to the men I couldn’t save during my tour of duty. Bear with me, but here are their names:
Gallo, Giovanni
Lewis, Lex L.
Marchini, Scelto Roberto
Tuccillo, Gaetano
Soufrine, Eric D.
Miotto, Matteo
Ville, Sebastian
Pedone, Marco
Manca, Gianmarco
Vannozzi, Francesco
Romani, Alessandro
Farley, Derek J.
Repkie, Robert K. L.
Justesen, Anthony T.
Cartwright, Charles I.
Ochoa Jr., Alfonso
Ramirez, Joel A.
Wren, Charles J.
Atim, Paul J.
Hutchinson, Dea
Wood, Robert
Marshall, Kyle Cleet
Lewis, Conrad
Hendry, Lewis
Swanson, Aaron M.
Beckett, Colin
Pyeatt, Lucas T.
Dalzell, David
Muhr, Shawn A.
Campbell, Joshua R.
Bell, Martin Simon George
Amores, Jason G.
Whitehead, Joseph C.
Enig, Samuel
Giese, Joseph R.
Tate, Jacob A.
Vatubua, Joseva Saqanagonedau
Htaik, Maung P.
Wood, Charles
Nguyen, Tevan L.
Misener, Garrett A.
Corzine, Kenneth A.
Dunn, Steven Thomas
Crouse IV, William H.
Torbert Jr., Eric M.
Maldonado, Jose L.
Osterman, Sean A.
Schmalstieg, Justin E.
Hernandez, Jose A.
Green, Stacy A.
Geary, Michael E.
Peto, Jason D.
Rusk, Colton W.
Wyatt, Derek A.
Howard, John
Scott, Lucas C.
Abbate, Matthew
Wade, Chad S.
Donnelly IV, William J.
Buenagua, Ardenjoseph A.
Smith, Jason T.
Davies, Christopher
Ortiz Rivera, Javier O.
Jørgen Randrup
McCormick, Aaron
Stack, James B.
Huse, Dakota R.
Kelly, Robert M.
Braggs, Randy R.
Emrick, Jordan B.
McCluskey, Jason J.
Pearson, Brandon W.
Broehm, Matthew J.
Zimmerman, James R.
Blanchard, William
Land, Brett W.
Honeycutt Jr., Terry E.
Jørgensen, Mikkel
Barnsdale, David
Jackson, Francisco R.
Cullins, Joshua J.
Villarreal Jr., Jorge
Tawney, Ian M.
Boelk, James D.
Catherwood, Alec E.
Lopez, Joseph C.
Ceniceros, Irvin M.
Cain, Justin J.
Vinnedge, Phillip D.
Rodewald, Joseph E.
Dew, Victor A.
Johnson, Raymon L. A.
Zaehringer III, Frank R.
Rayner, Peter Anthony
Sparks, John T.
Gonzalez, Edwin
Sockalosky, Stephen C.
Lynch, Scott A.
Gurung, Suraj
Vogeler, Lance H.
Matteoni, Anthony D.
Jackson, Timothy M.
Fabbri, Ralph J.
Thomas, Matthew
Rosa, Anthony J.
Jørgensen, Simon Mundt
Ose, Joshua S.
Jones, Andrew James
Howarth, Andrew Martin
Fleming, Scott J.
Johnson, Timothy L.
Deady, Darren
Bishop, John C.
Charte, Philip G. E.
Shukvani, Mukhran
Griffiths, Andrew
Pool, Joseph McFarlane
Balthaser, Jesse M.
Carver, Ross S.
Twigg, Joshua T.
Rodgers, Christopher B.
Roberts, Cody A.
Bovia, Joseph A.
Sikka, Herdis
Goetz, Dale A.
Infante, Jesse
Kessler, Kevin J.
West, Matthew J.
Clements, Chad D.
Holley, Floyd E. C.
Ide, James R.
Fedder, Daniel L.
Swink, James Michael
Newton, Robert J.
Rodriguez, Ronald A.
Calo, Jason D.
Bancroft, Jordan Dean
Schultz, Nathaniel J. A.
Childers, Cody S.
Boyd, Christopher J.
Oratowski, Kevin E.
Gurung, Ishwor
Foster, Darren
Bock, Michael A.
Kulung, Remand
Sanderson, John Charles
Saenz III, Jose L.
Greer, Kristopher D.
Petersen, Jimmi Bøgebjerg
Rolandsen, Erik Berre
Gammone III, Vincent E.
Cornelius, Kevin M.
Donahue, Max W.
Brown, Adam
McCallum, Dale Alanzo
Holbrook, Jason E.
Warren, Kyle R.
Martin, Shane R.
Howard, Abram L.
Smith, Mark
Vazquez, Frederik E.
Weis, James M.
Carazo, Mario D.
Pløger, Jonas Peter
Monkhouse, Stephen Daniel
Stenton, Matthew James
Vargas, Julio
Miller, Paul J.
Wrightsman, Joe L.
Eastman, Christopher L.
Monkhouse, David Thomas
Linley, Brett George
Griffiths, Kinikki “Griff”
Crookes, David Thomas
Bartelt, Justus S.
Santos, Dave M.
Harrison, Matthew
Pun, Arjun Purja
Turkington, Neal
Bowman, James Joshua
Antonik, Christopher J.
Roads, Tyler A.
Raney, Daniel G.
Robinson, Samuel Joseph
Hart, David Charles
Sephton, Thomas
Wisniewski, David A.
Stephens, Seth
Harris Jr., Larry D.
Kirkpatrick, Jamie
Gilbert, Stephen Raymond
Richards, William T.
Caskey, Joseph D.
DeBoer, Daane Adam
Horton, Martyn Simon
Ramsden, David
Isaac, Alex
Halliday, Douglas
Darbyshire, Steven William
Taylor, Michael
Patino IV, Claudio
Cueto, Kevin A.
Warren, Paul
Serwinowski, Timothy G.
Hollington, Richard
Smith, Ashley
Ortega, William
Rogoiruwai, Taniela Tolevu
Bailey, Michael C.
Standfest, Jeffrey R.
Tagitaginimoce, Ponipate
Birdsall, Steven James
Kristiansen, Martin
Breeze, Andrew
Brummund, Gavin R.
Monk, Jonathan Michael
Plank, Michael G.
Flores, Michael P.
Gentz, Joel C.
Smith, David C.
White, Benjamin D.
Chandler, Mark
Walters, Zachary J.
Shanfield, Derek L.
Rankel, John K.
Bury, Brandon C.
Hernandez, Derek
Marler, Donald M.
Webster, Terry
Cochran, Alan David
Hotine, Anthony Dean
Bruun, Sophia
Taylor, Scott Gregory
Dilisio, Anthony A.
Suter, Jake W.
Leicht, Jacob C.
Curley, Stephen Paul
Cusack, Zak
Fingar, Jason D.
Walker, Stephen
Clark, Philip P.
Xavier Jr.,Patrick
Paradarodriguez, Nicholas D.
Perkins, Adam L.
Wood, Zarian
Desforges, Joshua D.
Lamar II, Donald J.
Johnson, Jeffery W.
May, Jr., Kenneth B.
Shea, Kurt S.
Harrison, Christopher Lewis
Comfort, Kyle A.
Davis, Joshua M.
Penny, Richard R.
Rangel, Christopher
Barrett, Brandon A.
Buxton, Barry
Roy, Daryn
Holmes, Harvey Alex
Rivers Jr., Thomas E.
Caron, Joseph T.
Durkin, Sean M.
Burgess, Jonathan Antony
Turner, Mark
Swenson, Curtis M.
Sweeney, Michael
World, Frank J.A.
Griffin, Tyler O.
Holkham, Daniel
Woodgate, Jonathan
Ross, Jacob A.
Centanni, Rick. J.
Cottle, Robert. J.
Campbell, Steven
Wilson, Justin J.
Clarkson, Joel D.
Grigg, James
Hardy, Scott
Driver, Martin
Porto, Jonathan D.
Gamble, Garrett W.
Thompson, Stephen
Keogh, Tom
Maughan, Liam
Allott, Jonothon Michael
Paci, Anthony A.
Olsen, Nigel K.
Green, Richard
Apolis, Carlo
Aragon, Carlos A.
Fox, Paul Maurice
Kinggett, Martin
Hanson, Matthias N.
Ward, Eric L.
Peak, Adam D.
Eckard, Christopher W.
Stultz, Gregory S.
Birchfield, Joshua H.
Dalzell, Douglas
Walker, David “Davey”
Dunn, Kielin T.
McQueary, Jeremy R.
Coutu, Kyle J.
Johnson, Larry M.
Yazzie, Alejandro J.
Currier, Eric D.
Pier, Noah M.
Mellors, Guy
Estopinal, Jason H.
Dawson, Sean
Marshall, Mark
Greenhalgh, Dave
Turbett, Jacob H.
Hicks, Darren
Markland, David
McDonald, Sean
Moore, John
Shaw,Graham
Riley, Liam
Freeman Jr., Michael L.
Smith, David J.
Cooper, Daniel
Smith, Zachary D.
Angus, Daniel M.
Poole, Timothy J.
Kane, Jeremy M.
Aldridge, Peter
Farmer, Luke
Brownson, Corporal Lee
Hrbek, Christopher R.
Read, Daniel
Ingham, Matthew N.
Lowe, Jamie R.
Uzenski, Nicholas K.
Meinert, Jacob A.
Juarez, Mark D.
Hoffmann, Simon Sejer
Hayes, Robert
Watson, David
Howell, Aidan
Brown. Tommy
Roebuck, Omar G.
Roney, Christopher
Pritchard, Michael David
Kropov, Serge
Hornby, Simon
Jalakas, Kristjan
Kirkness, David Leslie
Brown, James Stephen
Campbell Jr., Anthony C.
Latorre, Xhacob
Drane, Adam Paul
Taylor, Jonathan A.
Amer, John Paxton
Nielsen, Kenneth Patrick
Hand, Nicholas J.
Loughran-Dickson, Robert David
Marlton-Thomas, Loren Owen Christopher
Fentiman, Andrew
Hefner, Shawn P.
Swanson, Justin J.
Bassett, John Samuel
Allen, Philip
Scott, Phillip
Webster-Smith, Nicholas
Chant, Darren
Major, James
Boote, Steven
Telford, Matthew
Schmid, Olaf Sean George
Ruiz, Cesar B.
Stanley, Cody R.
Mitchell, David S.
Fleury, Gregory M.W.
Jones, Eric A.
Van De Giesen, Kyle R.
Ebert, Michael
Oakland, James
Baker, David Raymond
Cauley, George W.
Taylor, Aaron J.
Hill, James
Janes, Jamie
Hill, Kevin O.
Wojtak, Marcin
Carse, Nathan B.
Carroll, Patrick R.
Lancaster, Joshua T.
Creamer, Zainah C.
Near, Robert J.
Beckerman, Michael J.
Javier Jr., Conrado D.
Martin, Steve
Collins, Sean M.
McLawhorn Jr., Willie A.
Deans, Patrick D.
Necochea Jr., Kenneth E.
Simonetta, Derek T.
Villacis, Jorge E.
Middleton, William K.
Flannery, Sean M.
Holder, Kyle M.
Culbreth, Justin E.
Senft, David P.
Carroll, Jacob C.
Carver, Jacob R.
Rivadeneira, Juan L.
Paranzino, Michael F.
Young, James C.
Meari, Andrew N.
Curtis, Jonathan M.
Dickmyer, Adam L.
Sadell, Charles M.
Dupont, Steven L.
Jenkins, Gerald R.
Powell, Matthew C.
Johnson, Daniel J.
Prentler, Joseph T.
Board, Cody A.
Officer, Justin A.
Morrison, Donald Scott
Simpson, Mark A.
Buras, Michael J.
Yates, Eric
Newman, Jaime C.
Snow, Deangelo B.
Kramer, Aaron K.
Weaver, Todd W.
Pinksen, Brian
Noziska, Mark
Grochowiak, Casey J.
Meletiche, Pedro A. Millet
Maldonado, Alexis V.
Brown, Jason
Karch, Christopher N.
Rappuhn, Bradley D.
Nicol, Andrew C.
Stout, Kyle B.
Stansbery, Michael L.
Collier, Brian
Piercy, Brian F.
Allen, Justin B.
Tilton, Jesse R.
Winters, Leston M.
Jarrell, John H.
King, Brandon M.
Goeke, Christopher S.
Stout, Christopher T.
Tate, Sheldon L.
Moon, Christopher J.
Garvin, Nathaniel D.
Ainsworth, Jesse W.
Cabacoy, Christopher F.
Wood, Edwin C.
McGarrah, Clayton D.
Jefferson, David
Miller, Andrew
Giesebrecht, Kristal
Loredo, Edwardo
Palmer, Scott Travis
Aplin, Timothy James
Chuck, Benjamin
MacNeil, James Patrick
Silk, Brandon M.
Hunter, James P.
Park, Benjamin J.
Adams, Christian M.
Neenan, Brendan P.
Goudreault, Martin
Theinert, Joseph J.
Peney, Jonathan K.
Rudd, Larry John Zuidema
McKay, Kevin
Blake, Douglas Craig
Coleman, Mark W.
Laborde, John K.
Ingram Jr, Michael K.
Todd, Tyler William
Brunkhorst, Scott W.
Santos-Silva, Carlos M.
Fitzpatrick, Darren James
Whetten, Glen J.
Dikcis, Alan N.
Gelig, Ian T.D.
Southgate, Luke
Gorra, Marcos
Salvacion, JR Robiniol
Reiners, John A.
Wittman, Jeremiah T.
Pagan, Bobby J.
Baker, Joshua Caleb
Williams, Charles A.
Gill, Carlos E.
Pena, Paul
Ginett, Adam K.
Faught, John
Wright, Kyle J.
Smith, Bradley R.
Dion, John P.
Lengstorf, Joshua A.
Bowman, Brian R.
Miok, George
Taylor, Kirk
McCormack, Zachery
Chidley, Garrett William
Johnston, Jason M.
Gutierrez, David H.
Nuttall, Andrew
Ware, Albert D.
McLeod, Jason A.
Lewis, Joseph M.
Aamot, Aaron S.
Gooch Jr., Gary L.
Marshall, Steven
Boyes, Justin Garrett
Bates, Jr. Brian R.
Gonzalez, Luis M.
De La Rosa, Fernando
Griffin, Dale R.
Jackson, Issac B.
Williamson, Patrick O.
Stanker, Jared D.
Walz, Christopher I.
Mason, Thomas
Michel, Devin J.
Coumas, Kyle A.
Dahl Jr., Michael A.
Rudzinski, Christopher M.
Stivison, Jr., Glen H.
Flores, Jr. Jesus O.
Lawson, Daniel C.
Styer, Brandon M.
Sklaver, Benjamin A.
Newton Jr., Alan H.
Sanchez, Roberto D.

Sorry I failed, gents. I’ll see you in Hades when my time comes…