Part 5 (1/2)

Old soldiers tell us that sometimes in the thick of a battle men fight as though possessed by a spirit of fury. The excitement of the conflict seems to arouse an impulse of bloodthirstiness in them, and for the moment they seem to exult in the carnage. In the ancient methods of warfare, when a battle was literally a hand-to-hand conflict, this spirit of brutality was of course even more marked. In the wars among the early Greeks men fell upon one another with the violence of wild animals.

The Greeks with their ready gift for personification conceived of this spirit of warfare as a supernatural being acting on human lives. He was called Ares, the G.o.d whose special delight was to incite the fierce pa.s.sions of men.

It was natural that the Greeks should refer his influence chiefly to their enemies. On their own part they preferred to think that their armies were inspired by the prudent spirit of self-defense embodied in Athena. This explains why in the Iliad Ares was on the side of the Trojans, while Athena aided the Greeks. Thus Ares and Athena were brought into direct rivalry, the spirit of violence against the spirit of strategy.

An instance is related when Athena makes an appeal to her enemy, the translation running in these words, the Roman name Mars being used for Ares.

”Mars, Mars, thou slayer of men, thou steeped in blood, Destroyer of walled cities! should we not Leave both the Greeks and Trojans to contend, And Jove to crown with glory whom he will, While we retire, lest we provoke his wrath?”[21]

[21] Iliad, Book v., lines 33-37.

As a matter of fact, however, both deities continued to aid their favorites. Mars was forced to yield before the skill and prudence of Athena. Guided by the G.o.ddess the Greek hero Diomed wounds and drives him from the battle.[22]

[22] Iliad, Book v., lines 1068-1075.

In spite of his violent nature Mars was a handsome G.o.d, ”stately, swift, unwearied, puissant.” Though war was his chief delight he was quite susceptible to the tender pa.s.sion. Venus was the object of his devotion, and the G.o.ddess of love returned the war G.o.d's admiration. It was she who soothed his wounded vanity when Athena mocked him in the presence of the G.o.ds and struck him to earth with a stone.[23]

[23] Iliad, Book xxi., lines 500 _et seq._

[Ill.u.s.tration: D. Anderson, Photo. John Andrew & Son, Sc.

ARES SEATED

_Ludovisi Villa, Rome_]

The statue reproduced in our ill.u.s.tration shows the G.o.d in his mildest aspect. He is seated in a meditative att.i.tude, clasping his hands over his upraised knee. His splendidly developed body is relaxed in a posture of repose, the s.h.i.+eld is laid aside for a moment, and he rests from his labors. In the best period of Greek sculpture it was entirely contrary to the laws of taste to represent Ares in any warlike action. The G.o.ds must always be portrayed in a dignified repose befitting their superiority to mankind. Not then in his att.i.tude or expression do we find any sign of the character of the G.o.d. There is no suggestion of unrest in his quiet posture.

The shape of his head perhaps gives some hint of his combative nature.

The cast of countenance, too, shows an impulsive temper, weak in intellectual qualities, and quick to anger. Yet he is undeniably attractive, with his well-chiseled features and cl.u.s.tering curls. The small ear is as delicately cut as a woman's. The fine athletic figure is such as any warrior might covet; muscular and supple, it is full of power even in repose. The att.i.tude of easy grace displays its best points to advantage.

Sitting on the ground in front of the G.o.d is the figure of a mischievous baby boy. This is the little G.o.d Eros, who in Greek mythology was supposed to be the inspirer of love. The artist meant to suggest that the subject of Ares' meditations might be some affair of the heart.

Certainly his mild smile would carry out that interpretation. Some critics have thought, however, that the statue did not originally include the child.

As we study the modelling of the figure, the free sweep of the long lines delights the eye. We shall come to understand from repeated examples that the best Greek sculptors thoroughly mastered the secret of fine lines. Our ill.u.s.tration is somewhat unusual because the figure is seated. Even in this position, however, the sculptor gives us a sense of the perfect grace and lightness of the pose. There is nothing heavy or immovable in the att.i.tude. We can easily imagine how the G.o.d, rising lightly to his feet, would stand erect and beautiful, ready for action.

XI

HEAD OF THE OLYMPIAN HERMES

To do his errands and carry his messages through the universe the supreme G.o.d Zeus had a herald, Hermes, the G.o.d of the wind. As the wind blows out of the great sky, so Hermes descended from Olympus to earth to do the sky G.o.d's bidding. Equipped as a herald he wore a winged cap and winged sandals, which carried him about with great speed. He had also a short sword bent like a scythe, given him by Zeus with the cap and sandals. He possessed the strange power of making himself invisible, and of a.s.suming different forms. As he had besides a ready wit and an eloquent tongue, he could make himself very useful. It was one of his common tasks to carry sleep to mortals, and his most solemn office was to conduct the souls of the dying to the other world.

This is the way the Odyssey describes Hermes setting forth on one of the errands of Zeus:--

”The herald Argicide obeyed, And hastily beneath his feet he bound The fair ambrosial golden sandals, worn To bear him over ocean like the wind, And o'er the boundless land. His wand he took, Wherewith he softly seals the eyes of men, And opens them at will from sleep.”[24]

[24] Book v., lines 55-61 in Bryant's translation.