AtThebes and Orchomenos, a festival entitled Homolôïa, which was celebrated in honour of Zeus, Demeter, Athena, and Enyo, was said to have received the surname of Homoloïus from Homoloïs, a priestess of Enyo.[3] A statue of Enyo, made by the sons of Praxiteles, stood in the temple of Ares at Athens.[4]
Enyo is called the "sister of War" by Quintus Smyrnaeus,[5] in a role closely resembling that of Eris, the embodiment of strife and discord, with Homer, in particular, representing the two as the same. In some myths, she is identified as the mother of the war god Enyalius as well,[6] and in these myths, Ares is indicated as the father, however, the masculine name EnyaliusorEnyalios also may be used as a title for Ares.[7]
As goddess of war, Enyo is responsible for orchestrating the destruction of cities, often accompanying Ares into battle.[8] She is depicted as "supreme in war".[9] She is so delighted in warfare that she even refused to take sides in the battle between Zeus and the monster Typhon:
Eris (Strife) was Typhon's escort in the mellee, Nike (Victory) led Zeus into battle… impartial Enyo held equal balance between the two sides, between Zeus and Typhon, while the thunderbolts with booming shots revel like dancers in the sky.[10]
Pausanias, Description of Greece with an English Translation by W.H.S. Jones, Litt.D., and H.A. Ormerod, M.A., in 4 Volumes. Cambridge, Massachusetts, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1918. Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.
Quintus Smyrnaeus, Quintus Smyrnaeus: The Fall of Troy, Translator: A.S. Way; Harvard University Press, Cambridge MA, 1913. Internet Archive
