| Quotation |
Martem deum belli esse dicunt, et Martem appellatum quia per uiros pugnatur, ut sit Mars mas; licet
et tria sint genera consuetudinum, sicut Scytharum, ubi et feminae et uiri in pugna eunt: Amazonum,
ubi solae feminae: romanorum aliarumque gentium, ubi soli mares.
Item Martem quasi effectorem mortium.
Nam a Marte mors nuncupatur. |
| Translation |
50 . They call the god of war Mars, and he is called Mars because he fights using men, as if Mars were ‘male’ ( mas , gen. maris ). However, there are three practices customary in war: that of the Scythians, where both men and women go into battle; of the Amazons, where only women go; and of the Romans and other peoples, where only men go. 51 . He is also called Mars as the author of deaths, for death ( mors ) is named after Mars. (Trans. Barney, Lewis, Beach and Berghof, p. 186) |
