Hephaestus
![](http://fc03.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2011/072/b/f/hephaestus_by_chrisappel-d3bkj9j.jpg)
Name and meaning: the
name Hephaestus means god of the crafts in Greek.
God of: fire
and crafts or the two together, blacksmiths
Family: Son of Zeus and Hera, although
some accounts say Hera alone. His siblings were Apollo, Artemis, Hermes,
Athena, Ares, Aphrodite, Dionysus and Persephone. His aunts and uncles were Poseidon,
Demeter, Hades, Hera and Hestia.
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Hephaestus's symbol: a donkey |
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Hephaestus's symbol: a hammer |
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Hephaestus's symbol: an anvil |
Some myths about Hephaestus...
Hephaestus’s birth, life and wife
Hephaestus had been cast from heaven by his mother Hera at birth, for
she was ashamed at bearing a lame, crippled son. He was raised by some generous
heroes in a cave but angry at his mother's treatment, Hephaestus sent a golden
throne for Hera to Olympus but when the goddess sat on the cursed throne she
was bound tightly. Zeus
offered the goddess Aphrodite in marriage to the god who could bring Hephaestus
to Olympus. Aphrodite agreed to the arrangement in the belief that her beloved
Ares would succeed. Ares stormed the
forge of Hephaestus but was driven back by showers of flaming metal. Dionysus next approached the god, and suggested that
he might claim Aphrodite for himself if he were to release his mother
willingly. Hephaestus was pleased with the plan and went to Olympus with
Dionysus, released his mother and wed the reluctant Aphrodite.
Hephaestus and
Aphrodite
Hephaestus
was a gentle god to which bad things happened to. Even though he covered her
with gifts, Aphrodite did not love Hephaestus. When he learned from Helios that
she was having an affair with Ares, he could not take it. He made an invisible,
unbreakable net and pretended he was leaving; the net came down when Aphrodite
was on the bed with Ares. Hephaestus invited all the gods and goddesses to
laugh at them then asked to send them to court. The show was amazing entertainment
for the immortals but nobody was interested in sending the lovers to court for
adultery.
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