Divinity of War

Divinity of War

Part A

Title: Divinity of War

Column A

Divinity Name: Huitzilopochtli

Culture of Origin: Mesoamerican

Column B

Divinity Name: Ares

Culture of Origin: Greek

How is this divinity portrayed? Describe the divinity's role within the myth (Ghare, 2012).

Huitzilopochtli was the god of war in the Aztec myths. He was conceived by the goddess of earth, Coatlicue. Her pregnancy was considered an illegal act and her daughters and four hundred other gods wanted to kill her. They ended up striking her head off upon the birth of Huitzilopochtli. However, her death was avenged by Huitzilopochtli at a later stage. During the course of the myths, Huitzilopochtli is portrayed as the god of sun and war. This myth too shows his constant struggle with darkness (Ghare, 2012).

Ares is portrayed as having a peculiar interest in the bloodshed and murder that occurs in war. In the Greek mythology, his parents are depicted as becoming ambivalent towards him. Ares was amongst the most hateful gods towards his father Zeus. Ares used to enter into battles in the company of his fellow gods. Few of the Spartans including are considered to be the descendents of Ares. Ares is shown in the myth to have a charming and attractive personality.

Is the divinity male or female? What function does this gender play?

Huitzilopochtli is a male god. As the god of war he is shown to have possessed a number of manly traits. While he was in the womb of his mother, he promised to protect her and later on killed her murderers.

Ares was a male and few literary sources maintain that he posses attracted physical traits. Due to his romantic personality he had developed a number a affairs and relationships with other goddesses.

Within the myth of origin, how does this divinity compare with other divinities? How does this divinity interact with or compare to divinities of the same gender and to divinities of the opposite gender? (Markman, 1989).

Huitzilopochtli slowly gained importance among Aztec gods. He was given similar status as Quetzalcoatl and others. Later on he replaced the classical god of sun in Nahua legends. His struggle with darkness required considerable sacrifices. Every 52 years, the Nahuas required sacrifices of human blood to protect the continuous survival of earth (Markman, 1989).

Ares remained in constant struggle with his brothers and other Greek gods. He had a very aggressive personality. During the “war of gods”, Ares played a pivotal role in the victory of Olympians. Ares was very competitive and easily mislead by female goddesses.

What are the divinity's attributes, such as divine powers or characteristics? What objects does the divinity possess, such as a weapon or animal, that assist him or her?

Huitzilopochtli relied on using weapons that required experience and skill to master. That included conventional weapons like swords and knives. He is not immortal but his age increases at a very slow rate. When he reaches adulthood, nothing conventional can put him to death.

Ares has the special power to throw fireball containing great ...