Hephaestus

Hephaestus

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.

Hephaestus's symbol: a donkey

Hephaestus's symbol: a hammer

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.