Makhai

The Makhai (Machai), whose name means “Battles”, were spirits of battle in Greek mythology, children of Eris, goddess of strife. They are named only in Hesiod’s Theogony, in a list of Eris’ offspring, and no ancient source tells a myth about them or describes a cult.

Parentage and Siblings

Hesiod says that hateful Strife bore Toil (Ponos), Forgetfulness (Lethe), Famine (Limos), the tearful Pains (Algea), the Hysminai (Fightings), the Makhai (Battles), the Phonoi (Murders), the Androktasiai (Manslaughters), the Neikea (Quarrels), the Lying Words (Pseudeis Logoi), the Amphillogiai (Disputes), Lawlessness (Dysnomia) and Ruin (Ate), who are companions to one another, and Oath (Horkos), who most of all harms people on earth when someone knowingly swears a false oath (Hesiod, Theogony 225–232). Hesiod gives Strife as the mother and names no father for any of them. All of these are personifications of troubles and wrongdoings, and the Makhai belong with the Hysminai, Phonoi and Androktasiai, the four that deal with fighting and killing.

Because the Makhai are named only in this list, the Theogony does not separate them from the Hysminai. The two names are close in meaning – “battles” and “fights” – and the poet puts them together in a single line with the Phonoi and Androktasiai (Theogony 228).

Other Spirits of the Battlefield

Homer and Hesiod show Eris herself on the battlefield, and with her other figures of war. In the Iliad, Ares and Athena urge on the armies, and Deimos (Terror), Phobos (Fear) and Eris, the sister and companion of Ares, join them; Eris starts small and grows until her head touches the sky while she walks on the earth (Homer, Iliad 4.439–445). Enyo leads the fighting with Ares, carrying the shameless Kydoimos, the din of battle (Iliad 5.592–593). Eris, Kydoimos and the deadly Ker are among the figures in the battle scene on Achilles’ shield, where Ker drags the dead and wounded by the feet (Iliad 18.535–538). On the shield of Heracles described in the Hesiodic Shield, Proioxis (Onrush) and Palioxis (Backrush) are wrought, and Homados (Din), Phobos and Androktasia blaze there, with Eris, Kydoimos and the deadly Ker, who drags men through the battle by the feet (Hesiod, Shield 154–160). These are separate figures from the Makhai.

Makhai Sources

Hesiod, Theogony 225–232 and Shield of Heracles 154–160; Homer, Iliad 4.439–445, 5.592–593, 18.535–538.

See Also: Eris, Horcus, Ponos, Algea, Limos, Phonoi, Androktasiai, Ate, Lethe, Ares, Deimos, Phobos, Keres, Enyo