In Greek mythology , the Machai or Machae ( Ancient Greek : Μάχαi , lit. 'Battles, Wars', from the plural of μάχη ) are collectively the personification of battle and war. In Hesiod 's Theogony , the Machai are listed among the children of Eris (Strife). Like all of the children of Eris given by Hesiod, the Machai are a personified abstraction, allegorizing the meaning of their name, and representing one of the many harmful things which might be thought to result from discord and strife, with no other identity.
6-621: Hesiod's Theogony , line 228, lists four personified plural abstractions, the Hysminai (Combats), the Machai (Battles), the Phonoi (Murders), and the Androktasiai (Slaughters), as being among the offspring of Eris (Strife): These four abstractions were associated in other ancient poetry. The same four, in the same order, occur in a line from Homer's Odyssey , where Odysseus describes
12-483: Is called a "sister and comrade" of Ares , and holds in her hands "a portent of war". Hysminai In Greek mythology , the Hysminai or Hysminae ( Ancient Greek : Ὑσμῖναι , lit. 'Combats, Fights, Battles', from the plural of ὑσμίνη ) are collectively the personification of combat. In Hesiod 's Theogony , the Hysminai are listed among the children of Eris (Strife). Like all of
18-513: The Hysminai (Combats), the Machai (Battles), the Phonoi (Murders), and the Androktasiai (Slaughters), as being among the offspring of Eris (Strife): These four abstractions were associated in other ancient poetry. The nearly identical line, listing the same four (without capitalizations, and with different case endings), in the same order, occurs in Homer's Odyssey , where Odysseus describes
24-460: The children of Eris given by Hesiod, the Hysminai are a personified abstraction, allegorizing the meaning of their name, and representing one of the many harmful things which might be thought to result from discord and strife, with no other identity. The Posthomerica of Quintus Smyrnaeus describes the images decorating the shield of Achilles , which, among others such as Eris, the Furies , and
30-704: The decorations on Heracles' golden belt: The abstraction μάχαι (battles) was also associated with ὑσμῖναί (combats) in the Homeric Hymn 5 To Aphrodite , and with ἀνδροκτασίαι (Slaughters) in Homer's, Iliad . That the Machai, the personification of battle and wars, would be considered to be the sons of Eris, the goddess of strife and discord, is fitting. War is associated with Eris, for example, in Hesiod's works and Days , which says that Eris "fosters evil war and conflict", and in Homer's Iliad , where Eris
36-558: The war-goddess Enyo , also included the Hysminai, alongside Thanatos (Death): Around him [Death] could be seen the ill-sounding goddesses of Combat [Hysminai] whose limbs dripped blood and sweat to the ground. The Roman mythographer Hyginus has "Fighting", the similar singular personification of the meaning of the Latin word pugna (fight, battle, combat) as the offspring of Ether [ Aether ] and Earth [ Terra ]. Hesiod's Theogony , line 228, lists four personified plural abstractions,
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