Editing Eris (mythology) (section)

==Strife in war==
Eris personifies strife, particularly the strife associated with war.<ref>Nünlist, [https://referenceworks-brill-com.wikipedialibrary.idm.oclc.org/display/entries/NPOE/e401590.xml s.v. Eris].</ref> In Homer's ''Iliad'', Eris is described as being depicted on both [[Athena]]'s battle [[aegis]], and [[Achilles]]' shield, where she appears alongside other war-related personifications: [[Phobos (mythology)|Phobos]] ("Rout"), [[Alke]] ("Valor"), and [[Ioke (mythology)|Ioke]] ("Assault"), on the aegis, and [[Kydoimos]] ("Tumult"), and [[Keres|Ker]] ("Fate"), on the shield.<ref>Nünlist, [https://referenceworks-brill-com.wikipedialibrary.idm.oclc.org/display/entries/NPOE/e401590.xml s.v. Eris]; [[Homer]], ''[[Iliad]]'' [http://data.perseus.org/citations/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg001.perseus-eng1:5.711-5.763 5.740] (aegis), [https://www.loebclassics.com/view/homer-iliad/1924/pb_LCL171.327.xml 18.535] (shield).</ref> Similarly, the [[Hesiodic]] ''[[Shield of Heracles]]'' has Eris depicted on Heracles' shield, also with Phobos, Kydoimos and Ker, as well as other war-related personifications: [[Proioxis]] ("Pursuit"), [[Palioxis]] ("Rally"), [[Homados]] ("Tumult "), Phonos ("Murder"), and Androktasia ("Slaughter").<ref>[[Hesiod]], ''[[Shield of Heracles]]'' [https://www.loebclassics.com/view/hesiod-shield/2018/pb_LCL503.15.xml 154&ndash;156].</ref> Here Eris is described as flying over the head of Phobos ("Fear"):
{{Blockquote|In the middle was Fear, made of adamant, unspeakable, glaring backward with eyes shining like fire. His mouth was full of white teeth, terrible, dreadful; and over his grim forehead flew terrible Strife, preparing for the battle-rout of men—cruel one, she took away the mind and sense of any men who waged open war against Zeus’ son [Heracles].|[[Hesiod]], ''[[Shield of Heracles]]'' [https://www.loebclassics.com/view/hesiod-shield/2018/pb_LCL503.13.xml 144&ndash;150]; translation by [[Glenn W. Most]]}}

Eris also appears in several battle scenes in the ''Iliad''.<ref>Brown, [https://oxfordre-com.wikipedialibrary.idm.oclc.org/classics/display/10.1093/acrefore/9780199381135.001.0001/acrefore-9780199381135-e-2491 s.v. Eris]; e.g. [[Homer]], ''[[Iliad]]'' [https://www.loebclassics.com/view/homer-iliad/1924/pb_LCL170.197.xml 4.439&ndash;445], [https://www.loebclassics.com/view/homer-iliad/1924/pb_LCL170.245.xml 5.517&ndash;518], [https://www.loebclassics.com/view/homer-iliad/1924/pb_LCL170.493.xml 11.3&ndash;14], [https://www.loebclassics.com/view/homer-iliad/1924/pb_LCL170.497.xml 11.73&mdash;74], [https://www.loebclassics.com/view/homer-iliad/1924/pb_LCL171.327.xml 18.535], [https://www.loebclassics.com/view/homer-iliad/1924/pb_LCL171.371.xml 20.47&mdash;48]. For a discussion of the use of the word ''eris'' in the ''Iliad'', see Nagler 1988.</ref> However, unlike Apollo, Athena and several other of the Olympians, Eris does not participate in active combat, nor take sides in the war.<ref>Leaf, on ''Iliad'' [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0056%3Abook%3D4%3Acommline%3D440 440].</ref> Her role in the ''Iliad'' is that of "the rouser of armies",<ref>[[Homer]], ''[[Iliad]]'' [https://www.loebclassics.com/view/homer-iliad/1924/pb_LCL171.371.xml 20.47&mdash;48]: "But when the Olympians had come into the midst of the throng of men, then up leapt mighty Strife, the rouser of armies".</ref> urging both armies to fight each other. In Book 4, she is one of the divinities (along with Ares, Athena, [[Deimos (deity)|Deimos]] ("Terror"), and Phobos ("Rout") urging the armies to battle, with head lowered at first, but soon raised up to the heavens:<ref>According to Leaf, on [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0056%3Abook%3D4%3Acommline%3D440 440], in this passage (and elsewhere), Eris "must not be regarded as siding with either party, but as arousing alike ''τοὺς μέν'' and ''τοὺς δέ''", nor as being a combatant.</ref>
{{blockquote|And the Trojans were urged on by Ares, and the Achaeans by flashing-eyed Athene, and Terror, and Rout, and Strife who rages incessantly, sister and comrade of man-slaying Ares; she first rears her crest only a little, but then her head is fixed in the heavens while her feet tread on earth. She it was who now cast evil strife into their midst as she went through the throng, making the groanings of men to increase.|[[Homer]], ''[[Iliad]]'' [https://www.loebclassics.com/view/homer-iliad/1924/pb_LCL170.197.xml 4.439&ndash;445]; translation by A. T. Murray, revised by William F. Wyatt}}

She also appears in this "rouser of armies" role in Book 5,<ref>[[Homer]], ''[[Iliad]]'' [https://www.loebclassics.com/view/homer-iliad/1924/pb_LCL170.245.xml 5.517&ndash;518].</ref> and again in Book 11, where Zeus sends Eris to rouse the Greek army by shouting:<ref>Hard, [https://books.google.com/books?id=r1Y3xZWVlnIC&pg=PA30 p. 30].</ref> 
{{blockquote|Zeus sent Strife to the swift ships of the Achaeans, gruesome Strife, holding in her hands a portent of war. And she stood by Odysseus’ black ship, huge of hull, that was in the middle so that a shout could reach to either end, both to the huts of Aias, son of Telamon, and to those of Achilles; for these had drawn up their shapely ships at the furthermost ends, trusting in their valor and the strength of their hands. There the goddess stood and uttered a great and terrible shout, a shrill cry of war, and in the heart of each man of the Achaeans she roused strength to war and to battle without ceasing. And to them at once war became sweeter than to return in their hollow ships to their dear native land.|[[Homer]], ''[[Iliad]]'' [https://www.loebclassics.com/view/homer-iliad/1924/pb_LCL170.493.xml 11.3&ndash;14]; translation by A. T. Murray, revised by William F. Wyatt}}
 
Her lust for bloodshed is insatiable. Later in Book 11, she is the last of the gods to leave the battlefield, rejoicing as she watches the fighting she has roused.<ref>[[Homer]], ''[[Iliad]]''  [https://www.loebclassics.com/view/homer-iliad/1924/pb_LCL170.497.xml 11.73&mdash;74].</ref> While in Book 5, she is described as raging unceasingly.<ref>[[Homer]], ''[[Iliad]]'' [https://www.loebclassics.com/view/homer-iliad/1924/pb_LCL170.245.xml 5.517&ndash;518].</ref>

Hesiod also associates Eris with war. In his ''Works and Days'', he says that she "fosters evil war and conflict".<ref>[[Hesiod]], ''[[Works and Days]]'' [https://www.loebclassics.com/view/hesiod-works_days/2018/pb_LCL057.87.xml 14&ndash;16].</ref> And in his ''Theogony'', has the [[Hysminai]] (Battles) and the [[Machai]] (Wars) as her children.<ref>West 1966, p. 231 on 228; [[Hesiod]], ''[[Theogony]]'' [https://www.loebclassics.com/view/hesiod-theogony/2018/pb_LCL057.21.xml 228].</ref>