The herded wolves, bold only to pursue ;
The obscene ravens, clamorous o'er the dead ;
The vultures, to the conqueror's banner true,
Who feed where Desolation first has fed.
-Shelly
Ares, the only son of Zeus and Hera, is the god of war. A brute and braggart disliked by all of the gods (including his parents) except for his sister, Aphrodite, and Hades who only appreciates him because the wars he causes bring down to him new subjects. Ares delights in seeing bloodshed and discontent among mortals. His other sister is Discordia and her son is Strife, a fitting pair. Walking beside Ares on the battle field is usually a band of companions including The Goddess of War, Enyo, along with Terror, Trembling, and Panic. He is said to have come from Thrace, where the rudest and most fierce people of Greece are found. Ares loves war and does not care who wins as long as blood is shed. Whenever he hears the sound of clashing arms he prepares himself for battle and goes out to fight. Although Ares is an immortal god he is sometimes wounded, however he then goes to his Zeus who, much to his own dismay, ends up healing him. Ares honors only those who perform well in combat and is more often than not a clever schemer and unpredictable in his ways. He is considered murderous and bloodstained but he is also considered a coward by most. When caught in an act of adultery with Aphrodite, her husband Hephaestus is able publicly ridicule him. Called variously the avenger, the slayer, and the curse, Ares uses a spear as his emblem. His bird is the vulture and his animal the dog.