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The Gods of Ancient Greece:
Hephaistos Hephaistos is the god of fire, metalworking, and volcanoes. Hera gave birth to him without the help of Zeus, or any other male, as an act of revenge for the affairs of Zeus. However, he was born with a physical deformity, and so Hera rejected him. One version of the story says that she threw him from Mt. Olympus and he landed in the sea. The Nymphs rescued him and brought him to the island of Lemnos.
His symbols are the forge and the anvil. In artwork he is often shown slumped over the back of a donkey (see myth below) or else he is shown as ugly and using a cane, as he was handicapped. (This is a rather unusual quality for a god, as the rest were thought to be perfectly beautiful.)
Hephaistos is very skilled, and he made many things for the gods, such as Zeus’ scepter, Athena’s shield, and the chariot for Helios. He also made Achilles’ armor.
Athena and Hephaistos shared the temple Hephaesteum in Athens, as they were both patrons of craftspeople. The Chalkeia festival was held in their honor. (Burkert, p. 168)
His name is sometimes spelled Hephaestus.
Ambidexter, “skillful”
(Campbell, p. 70)
Sing, clear-voiced Muses, of Hephaestus famed for inventions. With bright-eyed Athene he taught men glorious gifts throughout the world, -- men who before used to dwell in caves in the mountains like wild beasts. But now that they have learned crafts through Hephaestus the famed worker, easily they live a peaceful life in their own houses the whole year round.
Be gracious, Hephaestus, and grant me success and prosperity!
From: “Online Medieval and Classical Library,” http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/OMACL/Hesiod/hymns.html
incense-- powdered frankincense
Powerful and strong-spirited Hephaistos, unwearying fire
that shines in the gleam of flames, god bringing light
to mortals, mighty-handed and eternal artisan.
Worker, cosmic part and blameless element,
highest of all, all-eating, all-taming and all-haunting,
ether, sun, stars, moon and pure light;
for it is a part of Hephaistos all these reveal to mortals.
All homes, all cities and all nations are yours,
and, O mighty giver of many blessings, you dwell in human
bodies.
Hear me, lord, as I summon you to this holy libation,
that you may always come, gentle, to make work a joy.
End the savage rage of untiring fire
since, through you, nature itself burns in our bodies.
Translation by Apostolos Athanassakis
As revenge for being rejected by Hera, Hephaistos built a special throne for her. It was brought to Mt. Olympos and presented as a gift to her. However, when she sat in it, it trapped her, and she could not escape. The other gods begged him to let Hera go, but he would not. Finally, Dionysos brought some wine to Hephaistos, who became so drunk that he had to be brought to Olympos on a donkey. He released Hera after being given Aphrodite as a wife. Dionysos was rewarded (in one version) by being made one of the Olympians.
Last updated: 03/07/2006