Now in the spring, at the time when kings go out to war . . .

-- 2 Samuel 11-1

This damned winter is holding on with a vengeance, and doesn't want to let go. The last days of winter are usually much colder than the first days of winter. We speak of summer "fading" into fall, and fall "fading" into winter. But no one ever speaks of winter as "fading" into spring.

Winter to spring is an out and out war.

No wonder the ancients named this month (March) for the God of War. In so doing, Roman pagans were oddly in accord with the monotheists.

Mars has been associated with two agricultural festivals one in March and one in October, when plants are put in the ground and when they are harvested. Roman people, although originally very pastoral, became very warlike and their wars began with the warmth of spring and ended as the weather grew cold in the autumn. This coincided with the two agricultural festivals of Mars. The Roman army gathered in Mars' temple for ritual and ceremony before going into battle and again, at the end of the war year, this time to purify their weapons. The main temple of Mars was also used as an exercising ground for the army. This may be how Mars and Ares became associated. Also, wars were often begun in March, the month named for Mars, because it was the beginning of spring.

The month March (Martius) is named after him. As the god of war, many of his festivals were held in the spring, the beginning of the campaign season. He was a god of spring, growth in nature, and fertility, and the protector of cattle. On March 1, the Feriae Marti was celebrated. The Armilustrium was held on October 19, the end of the campaigning season, the weapons of the soldiers were ritually purified and stored for winter.

Example:

What David considered a casual dalliance with Bathsheba, he demonstrated his contempt for the creation of life (11:1-5). The Bible hints at his coming moral lapse in noting that in the spring of the year when kings go forth to battle, David tarried in Jerusalem. Had he been where he should have been, his sexual sin probably would never have happened. While his armies fought Israel’s wars, the king relaxed on his rooftop patio. Observing a beautiful woman as she bathed, he sent a messenger to invite her to see him. She complied.

In the resulting sexual encounter, Bathsheba became pregnant. One can sympathize somewhat with Bathsheba. In those days, society not uncommonly ascribed all power to the king. Taking advantage of her, David desecrated what should have been a beautiful expression of love between a husband and wife and turned it into a tawdry expression of lust.

I don't think you have to be a fundamentalist pagan to maintain that it isn't necessarily an either-or.

Either way, it's still too cold.