Machai

For the saint, see Saint Machai.

In Greek mythology, the Machai or Machae (Ancient Greek: Μάχαi, lit. 'Battles, Wars', from the plural of μάχη)[1] are collectively the personification of battle and war. In Hesiod's Theogony, the Machai are listed among the children of Eris (Strife).[2] Like all of the children of Eris given by Hesiod, the Machai are a personified abstraction, allegorizing the meaning of their name, and representing one of the many harmful things which might be thought to result from discord and strife, with no other identity.[3]

  1. ^ 'Machai' is variously translated as 'Battles' (Most, p. 21; Hard, p. 31; Gantz, p. 10), 'Wars' (Caldwell, p. 42 on 212–232); compare with LSJ s.v. μάχη.
  2. ^ Hesiod, Theogony 228 (Caldwell, p. 43).
  3. ^ Hard, p. 31; Gantz, p. 10.