Mars was the god of war. In the world of visual art he is typically portrayed as a man whose well trained and well built body expresses raw strength. He is also recognised by his sword, his shield and his helmet. A shield and helmet were, however, also two symbols associated with the goddess Minerva. But whereas Minerva was cautious and fought for justice, Mars fought for the victory that is won by dint of brutality and which led to destruction. As Mars was so aggressive and violent by nature, the other gods in the mythological universe disliked him. There was, however, one exception: the goddess of beauty, Venus. She fell madly in love with Mars and took him as her lover. The god of love, Cupid, who was their son, was the only one who could persuade Mars to put down his weapons. Mars was the Roman god corresponding to the Greek Ares.
