MARS, mars, also Ma'mers, !Weevers or fievors, called A'ris Ilus) by the Greeks, god of war, was son of Jupiter and Juno, or of Juno alone. He was reared by Priapus. His trial for the murder of Hali rhahlus led to the establishment of the Ar1O Aligns at Athens. He was surprised with Venus by Vulcan, who caught them in a net and exposed them to the ridicule of all the gods ; and, for his neglect, Mars changed AlectrOn into a cock. In Jupiter's wars with the Titans, Mars was imprisoned by Otus and Ephialtes for fifteen months, till released by Mercury. During the Trojan war he sided with the Trojans, and was wounded by Diomedes. The worship of Mars was not general in Greece, but at Rome he was worshipped next to Jupiter, and esteemed as the patron of the city and the father of its founder, Romillus. Like Jupiter and Qui rinus, he had a Armen appointed by Numa, and his priests were the Sala (q. v.). When the consul set out on an expedition, he usually visited the temple of Mars, where, after praying and solemnly shaking the spear in the statue's hands, he exclaimed "Mars vigya !" Mars was also identified with the rustic god Silviinus, and worshipped as the guardian of cattle and the civil god of Rome, Quire aus ; and as god of war he was also called Grdelivas hat'er and rex Gradi'mes. He also presided
over gladiators, and was the god of hunting and of manly or warlike exercises and amuse ments (practised in the Caol,hus .111artias). Mars was usually represented as an old man, naked, with a helmet, pike, and shield ; some times in a military dress, and occasionally wearing a flowing beard ; and he usually rode in a chariot drawn by two furious horses, Flight and Terror. His victims were the warlike horse, the fierce wolf, the voracious magpies and vultures ; among the Scythians, asses, and among the Carians, dogs ; and the dog-grass, believed to flourish only on fields of battle, was sacred to him. Mars was father of Cupid, Andros, and Harmonia, by Venus ; Ascala plius and Ialmenus, by Astyriche ; Alcippe, by Agraulos ; Molus, Pylus, Evenus, and Thes tius, by Agenor's daughter Dem6d6c6 (or Dem5nice); and was the reputed father of Romulus, CEnoma'us, Bythis, Thrax, Diome des of Thrace, &c.