Hephaestus

**

Hephaestus ** 

//God of Blacksmiths, God of Fire, God of Volcanoes, God of Technology, God of Craftsmen, God of Metallurgy// 

 Known as the son of Hera and Zeus but Zeus had nothing to do with the conception. Hephaestus was parthenogenetic, meaning he was conceived without male fertilization.  Appearance: -usually clothed in a short sleeveless tunic -wears a round close-fitting cap -his face is that of a middle-aged man, with unkempt hair -ugly -dark haired -due to his small feet, he has difficulty walking

Symbols: -forge or fire

Works: -built the following important objects for. . . . ~thunderbolts and his scepter ---> Zeus ~shield, aegis ---> Athena ~arrows ---> Eros ~chariot ---> Helios ~armor ---> Achilles

Story:

Hephaestus was born weak and crippled. Displeased by the sight of her son, Hera threw Hephaestus from Mount Olympus, and he fell for a whole day before landing in the sea. Nymphs rescued him and took him to Lemnos, where the people of the island cared for him. But other versions say Zeus threw him from Mount Olympus after Hephaestus had sided with his mother in a quarrel. This legend says that Hephaestus fell for nine days and nine nights, and he landed on the island of Lemnos. It was on Lemnos where he built his palace and his forges under a volcano.

Feeling rejected, Hephaestus fashioned a magic throne, which was presented to her on Mount Olympus. When Hera sat on the throne, it entrapped her, making her a prisoner. The gods on Mount Olympus pleaded with Hephaestus to return to their heavenly domain, as to release Hera, but he refused. Dionysus gave the smith god wine, and when Hephaestus was intoxicated, Dionysus took him back to Mount Olympus slumped over the back of a mule. Hephaestus released Hera after being given the beautiful Aphrodite as his bride. Dionysus was rewarded by being made one of the Olympian Pantheon.

One particular legend says that Hephaestus wished to marry Athena, who was also a patron of smiths, but she refused because she found him ugly. Another legend says that Athena disappeared from their bridal bed but Hephaestus did not see her vanish, and spilt his seed on the floor. In a similar version the semen fell from Athena's thigh and from it was produced Erechtheus, who became a king of Athens. (This relates to Erechtheus being the son of Gaia, Earth.) Aphrodite, in some versions, was the wife of Hephaestus, and he was suspicious that Aphrodite had been committing adultery. To catch her being unfaithful he fashioned an extraordinary chain-link net, so fine and strong no one could escape from it. Then one day he surprised Aphrodite and the war god Ares as they lay together in bed. He threw his magic net over them and hauled them before the Olympian gods and exhibited them as they were, naked and wrapped in each others arms. Hephaestus asked the assembled gods for just retribution, but they did the total opposite. The gods roared with laughter at the sight of the naked lovers, after which they allowed the couple to go free. According to Homer's //Iliad// Hephaestus had a wife called Aglaea, who was one of the Charities (Graces).

He created Pandora, the first woman, who released the evils of the world on mankind.

Words derived from Hephaestus' name Volcano- it came from his latin name Vulcan, aside from this his workshop was also located in a volcano

Sources: 1. http://www.pantheon.org/articles/h/hephaestus.html 2. http://homepage.mac.com/cparada/GML/Hephaestus.html 3. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v300/BigVEE/GoW/Hephaestus-1.jpg 4. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hephaestus 5. http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/Hephaestus 6. http://gogreece.about.com/cs/mythology/a/mythhephaestus.htm