Saturday, July 14, 2012

Ares Vs. Tyr

In both Norse and Greek mythology, Tyr and Ares are both gods of war. Although they are both gods of war, that does not mean they are the same. Not only are thier persinalities different, but thier morals are also different.

Ares
In Greek mythology, Ares is the Greek god of war. Zeus and Hera are his parents, and Athena is one of his half-sisters. His full siblings are Hebe, Eris, Hephaestus, and Eileithyia. Ares is an extremely powerful, dangerous, hated, and feared god. Even his father, Zeus, once called him the worst of his children. Ares’ weapon of choice is the spear and shield. Along with his companion Eris, the spirit of strife, he loves to go into battle to and quench his thirst of war and bloodshed. Although he might seem tough because he is the god of war, he cannot stand the feeling of pain. Whenever Ares gets hurt, he sends out a scream that can be heard all around the world. He then proceeds to run to Zeus so his wound can be healed. One of Ares good traits though, is that he is extremely handsome. The trait of being handsome and strong is the only reason why Aphrodite, the goddess of love, is the only god who admires him. Ares has even been caught in bed with Aphrodite while her husband, Hephaestus, was away.

Tyr

In Norse Mythology, Tyr is the god of war.  In stories he is depicted as a noble and brave man. There is much speculation on where Tyr came from. Some say he is the son of Odin, and some say he is the son of the giant Hymir. One great story showcasing his bravery is how he lost his hand. When Odin found out Loki had children, he summoned them to him so he could take a look at them. One of the children, named Fenrir, represented greed and destruction and took the form of a wolf. While living in the outer courts of Asgard, Tyr was the only god brave enough to go into his lair and feed him. When Fenrir become too powerful, the gods decided to bind him down. The gods then made it a game for Fenrir. To make sure he was not being tricked, he wanted a god to put their hand in his mouth. Tyr was the only god brave enough to come forth and put his hand in Fenrir’s mouth. At first, Tyr put his left hand into Fenrir’s mouth, but Fenrir then demanded that Tyr put his right hand into his mouth because it was his sword hand. After finding out he could not break the chain, he bit Tyr’s hand off because he knew he had been tricked. Although Tyr lost his dominant hand, he still fought bravely during Ragnarök and died from killing the guardian of hell, Gram.

Now that you know about these gods, cast your vote and come back to see who wins. May the best god win.