In Greek mythology, Ares was the god of war, and Aphrodite was the goddess of love, beauty, pleasure, and procreation. In the story of Simanity, Hera, the mother of Ares, arranged the marriage of Aphrodite to her son Hephaestus as a way to get even with Dione, one of her husband Zeus' lovers and mother of Aphrodite. Ares fell in love with Aphrodite and had a secret relationship that lasted for the duration of Aphrodite's marriage to Hephaestus.