by Power in action
Mars is the innate drive for individuals to transcend their limitations and exert influence on the external world. Its glyph embodies the deliberate expression of one’s will – emanating from the core of one’s being – in a direct, impulsive manner, often perceived as immature in specific contexts. It signifies the process of appropriating the world in a state not yet structured by the society frameworks that manifest during the Jupiter phase. However, it is a step forward compared to the predominance of Venus and Mercury’s formative influences, which provide individuals with the mental and shaping assets needed to navigate societal arenas. Ultimately, Mars symbolises the beginning of ego affirmation in the relentless struggle for existence.
The myth
The Romans regarded Mars as the god of war, drawing parallels to the Greek god of war, Ares. Son of Jupiter and Juno – equated to the Greek goddess Hera – he represented war’s physical, unyielding, and violent nature and its inherent brutality, in stark contrast to his sister, Pallas Athena, the goddess of wisdom and military strategy. This association is partly reflected in the Semitic Astarte and the Greek Aphrodite. The various epics show an ambivalence towards Ares-Mars. While he embodied the physical prowess that leads to victory in war, his strength manifested in a dangerous, overwhelming, destructive, and murderous manner. In the Iliad, Zeus reveals to Ares that he considers him his most hated son.
The narrative central to unveiling Ares’ true character encompasses his clandestine affection for Aphrodite. As the legend goes, the god of the Sun, Helios, chanced upon Ares and Aphrodite in a compromising position within the abode of Aphrodite’s rightful consort, Hephaestus. Upon discovering the affair from Helios, Hephaestus – akin to the Roman god Vulcan and patron of blacksmiths – crafted an exceedingly delicate and nearly imperceptible net to trap them. During their later rendezvous in Hephaestus’ bedchamber, the net ensnared the illicit couple in their intimate embrace. Later, Hephaestus summoned the entire assembly of the Olympian gods, who mocked the humiliated Ares, who, in turn, returned to his dwelling in Thrace.
The offspring of Ares and Aphrodite included Eros, the deity associated with love and sexual desire (known as Cupid in Roman mythology); Anteros, the god of requited love (according to Plato, Anteros embodies the reciprocal and platonic affection, which endures without being consumed, potent yet chaste); Phobos, the embodiment of fear and panic; Deimos, the god of terror; and Harmonia, the goddess of harmony. This diverse progeny illustrates the essential amalgamation of Ares’ unilateral and creative vigour with the harmonising nature of Aphrodite, giving rise to various manifestations: the primal fervour underlying the sexual bond (worldly love), the pure and fraternal admiration for the beloved (spiritual love); the dread stemming from one’s vulnerabilities in the face of perceived destructive power (a negative facet of Mars in Scorpio); and the reconciliation of opposites, signifying the unity of the Mars-Venus partnership that tops in harmonious concord.
The symbolism
In astronomical terms, the symbolism associated with Mars derives from its position as the first planet beyond Earth’s orbit. This positioning signifies the outward flow of vital energy, propelling individuals towards activities that alter internal equilibrium and foster personal growth and transformation. This impulse drives action to counteract factors that disrupt internal stability, manifesting in physical and decision-making actions to restore balance. Conversely, when physical or psychological constraints hinder active expression, substitute behaviours or negative mental states, such as unprovoked anger or extreme violence, may arise.
We can also analyse the dynamics of Mars and Venus in relation to their roles in individual and social behaviours. Venus, the first planet in Earth’s orbit, is associated with the formative and cohesive aspects of the individual’s nucleus. At the same time, Mars is tasked with expressing individuality through actions, ideals, and values. Notably, the symbolism of Mars is closely linked to the expression of sexuality. In the masculine sign of Aries, Mars represents the potent force behind the act of generation and the instinctual response of the endocrine system to desire. Conversely, in the feminine sign of Scorpio, Mars signifies a deeper, more soulful communion during the sexual act, transforming it into a personalised and conscious expression of the self.
Examining the dialectic of oppositions further reveals that in the masculine signs of Aries and Libra, Mars and Venus help a transition from focused, unidirectional action to the later stage of reordering relationships and social balance Libra (in the Roman pantheon, Venus Astarte was the protector of military victories, that is, of the renewal following the war). Similarly, in the feminine signs of Taurus and Scorpio, the creative process resulting from the sexual act is initiated through a union of opposites (hierogamy), reflecting the generation of new life.
Martian dynamics according to psychology
When examined through the paradigm of Freudian psychology, Mars is found to be primarily part of the manifestation of libido, conceptualised as the individual’s vital energy interacting with the environment. This association extends to the oral-sadistic relationship formed by a child during the phase of primary dentition, wherein the immediate nutritional needs are to be satisfied. Later, in adulthood, Mars encompasses connotations related to the direction of sadomasochistic impulses, internally or externally directed aggression, and phallic symbolism. It is crucial to recognise that libido, viewed by Freud as the inherent instinct residing in the unconscious structure of the psyche responsible for oral and sexual gratification, is considered, from a transpersonal astrological standpoint, as the outcome of a process propelled by an impulse towards transformation and the disruption of coenesthetic equilibrium. In his work “Beyond the Pleasure Principle,” Freud introduces the concept of the “death instinct” (Todestrieb), denoting the inclination towards an inorganic state which contrasts with the vitality perpetuated by eros. This inclination is exemplified in Greek mythology by Thanatos, the son of Night and Darkness, representing graceless and merciless attributes and is disdained by gods and mortals. In the astrological context, this symbolism is represented by a critically experienced Mars in Scorpio. Furthermore, in “The Ego and the Id,” Freud argues on the possibility that, at least in part, this impulse is directed externally as a destructive instinct.
Jung distanced himself from the Freudian concept of libido as an instinct with a predominantly sexual meaning. In his writings, he indeed uses the term “libido”. Still, he interprets it in its etymological sense of desire or satisfaction, of a manifestation of energy which in the sphere of human experience takes on the expressive forms of an impulse which disdains the moral aspects of situations favouring the satisfaction of primary functions such as hunger, thirst and sex. For Jung, libido is the predisposition to achieve a gradient of satisfaction, just like water flowing naturally over a gradient, as cited in his work “Symbols of the Mother and Rebirth”. The similarities with Freud are sometimes evident, as in the case of the sexual libidinal manifestation. Jung, however, seems to give libido a meaning that encompasses a broader context as an expression of energy in all its aspects. According to Jung, harnessing energy for productive purposes requires the capacity to regulate and channel it. That is because energy inherently exhibits autonomous (unconscious) tendencies opposing waking consciousness.
The contrasting views of Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung on the concept of libido highlight significant differences in their foundational theories of psychological analysis. Freud’s perspective portrays libido as an active and masculine sexual energy, distinct from other non-sexual forms of energy. In contrast, Jung rejects this dualistic approach and instead proposes a neutral interpretation of life energy, using the same term “libido.” In astrological symbolism, this contrast can be likened to the Mars-Venus opposition, which can be seen as an irreconcilable fact or a unique relationship where harmony arises only through the union of individual energy and its goal.
Summing up the Martian attributions, it is clear that the energy expressed takes on a double value within the human experience. They serve as a force of evolution, capable of bringing forth new facets of existence by involving levels of experience previously untouched by the individual will. In this regard, Mars can be viewed as the lower manifestation of an exalted Uranus in the sign of Scorpio, functioning as a precursor spirit that influences tangible reality through individual actions (with the subsequent social adaptation being governed by Jupiter). Simultaneously, the awareness of progress stemming from one’s drive leads to shedding past vulnerabilities. This concept can be perceived as a liberating step toward integrating oneself with the world, or, when unable to relinquish the past, may result in destructive tendencies ranging from iconoclastic rage to self-destructive behaviours.
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