Ares the Ripper

Abstract

In response to a recent derivation of the Greek theonym Ἄρης from a root *h₂reh₁‑, the present paper highlights some problems arising from this theory, notably the need to postulate an inversion of (the effects of) Stang’s Law in order to account for the well-attested Aeolic name variant Ἄρευς. These difficulties disappear if the theonym is taken to instantiate Stang’s Law itself and if an original root-noun nom. *h₂reu̯‑s and corresponding acc. *h₂reu̯‑m > *h₂rēm are posited, involving the root attested in Lat. ruere, Ved. rav‑, etc. Independent support for this view comes from the Old Latin Carmen Arvale, where the Roman war god Mars is addressed with the phrase ne uelue rue(m). The hitherto obscure acc. rue(m) surfacing here must be related to the Homeric acc. ἀρήν ‘destruction’ and reflect an analogical transformation of Proto-Italic acc. *(h₂)rēm. More speculatively, it is asked if the root *h₂reu̯(H)‑ thus identified could not ultimately also be connected with *h₂erh₃‑ ‘to plough’, via Schwebeablaut and some phonological and morphological effects of building PIE u̯‑presents and u̯‑presents.