Renaming of Mars' Moons
An original ideea by Shaun Moss.
It appeared when attempting to create names of days of week "Phobosol" and "Deimosol", from the moons of Mars. Unfortunately, these names would translate to "Fear Day" and "Terror Day". The words "Phobos" and "Deimos" have very similar meanings. Phobos is most frequently interpreted as "fear", but also "fright", or "terror". Deimos is most frequently interpreted as "flight" or "terror", but also "panic", "dread", or "fear". Of course most people would probably not like to have Fear and Terror circling over their heads, so the ideea to rename them appeared.
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Mars and Ares
Although Mars is commonly equated with Ares, the two are actually different. Ares was only concerned with war. Mars, however, was originally an agricultural god, responsible for springtime, growth in nature, fertility, and cattle, even if later it begun to be associated with war.
Mars had a much better reputation than Ares - Mars was seen as noble and honorable, whereas Ares was considered savage and brutal. Ares was not a popular Greek god, whereas Mars was one of the most popular and worshipped Roman gods (second only to Jupiter) and had several festivals in his honour.
Probably future colonists would prefer the image of Mars as the god of agriculture, growth, and fertility. This image of Mars inspires belief in the proliferation of life on Mars and the abundance of food and good health.
Alternative names for the Martian satellites
Other names have been proposed for the Martian moons before. Brian Aldiss and Roger Penrose in "White Mars" rename Phobos as "Swift" and Deimos as "Laputa". Edgar Rice Burroughs named the larger Barsoomian moon "Thuria" and the smaller, more distant, was "Cluros".
Names from Roman mythology (but not necessarily associated with Mars) have been proposed:
- Nerio - "the strong one" - originally a Sabine fertility goddess, she married Mars and came to represent strength, courage and valour. Mars would like to have his wife around, and the attributes expressed are very positive and encouraging.
- Liber - "the free one" - god of vegetation, husbandry, fertility, growth in nature, and grapevines. Liber, along with Ceres, has a strong link with Mars - they were the gods to whom Mars' agricultural responsibilities passed when he became the god of war.
- Libertas - goddess of freedom and liberty. This is a positive reference to Mars in his visage as the god of war - after all, it is usually our freedom for which we fight.
- Voluptas - goddess of satisfaction, pleasure (esp. sensual), and delight. This association with Mars can be made through astrology, which maintains that Mars governs creativity and sex.
- Fecunditas - goddess of growth and fertility.
- Lactanus - god of vitality and growth.
- Robigus - god of grain (esp. corn) who was sometimes equated with Mars.
- Ubertas - god of wealth and plenty.
- Vertumnus - god of seasons and orderly change.
Nerio and Liber
Probably these are the two perfect names for the Martian moons. Both of these characters have strong links with Mars and both express positive attributes, Nerio being "the strong one" and Liber being "the free one". Both are also associated with fertility, although Liber much more so, being a fairly important agricultural god. Liber was also in charge of grapevines, so presumably Martian wine will benefit from his influence! Liber, as a Martian moon and eventually a space station, could become the Martian "Statue of Liberty".
Which name to which moon? Shaun Moss in his article suggested that Phobos be renamed "Nerio" and Deimos be renamed "Liber". Martian colonists would then see lovely Nerio twice a day, reminding them to be courageous, and Mars would have his wife close by. Distant Liber would only be seen occasionally, as it moves slowly over the surface of the planet, steadily shining fertility and growth on each part of the land, and reminding them that they are free.
