Phobos (mythology)

In Greek mythology, Phobos (in ancient Greek Φόβος, 'fear') was the personification of fear and horror. He was the son of Ares, god of war, and Aphrodite, goddess of love. Phobos and his twin brother Deimos, along with the goddess Enio (generally considered the sister of Ares) accompanied the god of war in every battle. The Roman equivalent of him was Timor.

The figure of Phobos in mythology appeared before each battle, referring to the fear and panic of the combatants to fight, these fighters, terrified, fled from the battle or faked their death and then escaped. Demos towards the appearance of him after his brother, appearing in the fighters who were paralyzed by fear before the terror of pain or death.

After the multiple interpretations of Phobos, the image of a superhuman being with a mission of destruction towards the human race or threats, ordered by Ares and that he will try to fulfill together with Deimos, became popular. In the final appearance of Deimos and Phobos to fulfill the objective that Ares has imposed on them, a scene appears in which Phobos considers the orders and decides not to comply with them, staying on the sidelines and thus saving the human race.

In the Iliad he is described as follows:

δ βροτολοιγ ς,ρης πόλεμον δ, μέτεισιι,
τ δ δόβος φίλος υμς μς μα κρατερςς καερερὶς καιερὶς
,σπετο,,ς τ' מφόισε ταλερονά πολερ πολεμιστον

It looks like this to Ares, plague of men, march to combat,
Followed by Fobos, his fearless and strong son,
Whoever puts the most resistant bellicose on the run.

Iliad, rapsodia XIII, 298 and sig.

It also appeared on Heracles' shield:

In the center [of the shield] was the work of Fobos (Miedo) inflexible, indescribable, staring back with eyes shining with fire. His mouth was full of teeth in a white, dreadful and disheartening row, and on his severe, terrifying front Enio, which causes the stampede of men...
On the shield were moulded Proioxis (Persecution) and Palioxis (Fuga), and Homados (Tumulto), and Fobos (Pánico), and Androktasie (Masacre). Also Eris (Discordia) and Cidemo (Alboroto) rushed around, and terribly Ker (Violent Death).

Heracles' shield, 139 and sig.

Other fields

Mosaic FobosBritish Museum.

The character of Phobos has been of great importance in the study of psychology, establishing himself as a primitive pattern of dissociative identity disorder and phobias

The figure of Phobos also appears in fields such as anime (character from the comic and series Sailor Moon and Marvel character in Olympian Gods), video games (Darkstalkers) or astronomy (Phobos Program)

Asaph Hall, discoverer of the moons of Mars, named one of them Phobos and another Deimos, following the path of Phobos on August 11, 1877. Phobos is twice as large as Deimos and is the closest to Mars.

The Greek term Φόϐος (phobos) has been etymological for the word phobia.

Alexander the Great prayed to Phobos before every battle and next conquest. Battle of Gaugamela, ancient Persia.

Fonts

• Hesiod, Theogony 934
• Homer, Iliad XIII.298-300
• No. Panópolis, Dionysy II.415
• Pauses, Description of Greece IX.36