Did Hephaestus ever have a wife?
According to the most familiar tradition, Hephaestus married Aphrodite, the goddess of love and sex. But in the , Homer calls Hephaestus’ wife Charis, and in the Theogony, Hesiod calls her Aglaea. Although Hephaestus was not as desirable as his brethren gods, he did reproduce.
Did Hephaestus marry Aglaia?
Hephaestus married Aglaia, the youngest of the Charites, or Graces. They had several daughters and there was no indication that their marriage was anything but peaceful. The marriage of Hephaestus and Aphrodite is unique in Greek mythology.
Was Hephaestus'marriage an arranged marriage?
Theirs was an arranged marriage. Hephaestus was a patron of the arts. He was a kind and peace-loving god. In art, Hephaestus is usually depicted as bending over an anvil or walking with the assistance of a cane. He was worshipped primarily in Athens, where he had a temple.
Did Hephaestus marry Aphrodite or Ares?
Hephaestus married Aphrodite, the most beautiful of all the goddesses, but their marriage was an unhappy one. In a famous scene from the , a blind poet named Demodocus sings of how Hephaestus discovered that his wife was having an affair with Ares, the god of war.
Where did Hephaestus land?
He fell for an entire day and landed on the island of Lemnos, where he was cared for and taught to be a master craftsman by the Sintians – an ancient tribe native to that island.
Why did Hephaestus refuse to let Hera go?
In an archaic story, Hephaestus gained revenge against Hera for rejecting him by making her a magical golden throne, which , when she sat on it , did not allow her to stand up. The other gods begged Hephaestus to return to Olympus to let her go, but he refused, saying "I have no mother".
Why did Hera eject Hephaestus from the heavens?
In one branch of Greek mythology, Hera ejected Hephaestus from the heavens because he was "shrivelled of foot". He fell into the ocean and was raised by Thetis (mother of Achilles and one of the 50 Nereids) and the Oceanid Eurynome.
What did Hephaestus do for the blinded Orion?
Hephaestus built automatons of metal to work for him. This included tripods that walked to and from Mount Olympus. He gave to the blinded Orion his apprentice Cedalion as a guide. In some versions of the myth, Prometheus stole the fire that he gave to man from Hephaestus's forge. Hephaestus also created the gift that the gods gave to man, the woman Pandora and her pithos. Being a skilled blacksmith, Hephaestus created all the thrones in the Palace of Olympus.
Why was Hephaestus cast off Mount Olympus?
He was cast off Mount Olympus by his mother because of his deformity or , in another account, by Zeus for protecting Hera from his advances. As a smithing god, Hephaestus made all the weapons of the gods in Olympus.
How many tripods did Hephaestus build?
In the Iliad 18.371, it is stated that Hephaestus built twenty bronze wheeled tripods to assist him in moving around.
What is Hephaestus's role in Athena?
Hephaestus is to the male gods as Athena is to the females, for he gives skill to mortal artists and was believed to have taught men the arts alongside Athena. He was nevertheless believed to be far inferior to the sublime character of Athena. At Athens they had temples and festivals in common. Both were believed to have great healing powers, and Lemnian earth (terra Lemnia) from the spot on which Hephaestus had fallen was believed to cure madness, the bites of snakes, and haemorrhage, and priests of Hephaestus knew how to cure wounds inflicted by snakes.
Why did Hephaestus marry Aphrodite?
Because he had come of his own accord and acted without anyone else forcing him to, Hephaestus himself had fulfilled the requirements of Zeus’s decree. As the god of law, Zeus was forced to agree that, because of the way he had worded his challenge, Hephaestus had won the right to marry Aphrodite.
What was the relationship between Hephaestus and Aphrodite?
Hephaestus and Aphrodite’s marriage was one of the most poorly-matched in all of mythology. Read on to learn what their terrible relationship, and the way it ended, tells us about ancient Greek culture!
Why did Hephaestus give Harmonia a cursed necklace?
Just because divorce was socially acceptable, however, did not mean that it was amicable. Hephaestus supposedly held such a strong grudge against Aphrodite and Ares that he gave their daughter Harmonia a cursed necklace that brought misfortune to her family for generations.
What would Aphrodite do to win Aphrodite's hand?
To win Aphrodite’s hand, Hephaestus would have to be brought back to Mount Olympus and compelled to release his mother. Aphrodite was certain that Ares, the god of war, was the only one strong enough to drag Hephaestus to Mount Olympus. She offered no resistance to the plan since she had hoped to marry Ares anyway.
Why did Ares and Aphrodite end their marriage?
The marriage between Hephaestus and Aphrodite ended as a result of her infidelity.
How did Hephaestus get revenge on Aphrodite?
He got revenge by humiliating his wife and her lover, inviting the other gods to come in and see how ridiculous they looked under his net.
Why did marriages end?
In other myths, marriages could end because of abandonment or a similar issue. Hephaestus and Aphrodite, however, both continued to live on Mount Olympus and be part of the same social and family group. The story of Aphrodite and Hephaestus shows how divorce was treated in ancient Greece.
What did Hephaestus do?
Hephaestus was known for making a gold basket that Europa, daughter of the King of Sidon, used to gather flowers when she happened upon Zeus in the meadow. Hephaestus crafted the armor that Achilles wore in the Trojan War. The same arms, despite their connection to divinity, brought about the death of Ajax.
What is Hephaestus's patron?
Theirs was an arranged marriage. Hephaestus was a patron of the arts. He was a kind and peace-loving god. In art, Hephaestus is usually depicted as bending over an anvil or walking with the assistance of a cane. He was worshipped primarily in Athens, where he had a temple.
Why was Aphrodite married to Zeus?
He was the son of Zeus and Hera and married to Aphrodite by Zeus to prevent a war of the gods fighting for her hand. He was a smithing god, making all of the weapons for Olympus and acting as a blacksmith for the gods. He had his own palace on Olympus where he made many clever inventions and automatons of metal to work for him.
How is Hephaestus similar to Athena?
He is similar to Athena in his giving skill and help to mortals – in his case artists. It was believed that Hephaestus taught men the arts alongside Athena. However, he was also considered far inferior to that of the goddess of wisdom.
Who gave Harmonia the necklace?
Aphrodite gave Harmonia an extraordinary necklace made by Hephaestus. The piece of jewelry brought disaster to later generations.
Who was Hephaestus married to?
Because Hephaestus originally built the chair, he returns to Mt. Olympus and married Aphrodite. These two versions of the myth surrounding Aphrodite’s marriage to Hephaestus are both very interesting. Let’s dive into each of them a little further.
Who found Hephaestus in the sea?
Hera was so disgusted at her child she flung him from Mt Olympus into the sea. He was found by Thetis, a sea nymph and raised in secret by her in a cave.
Who Did Aphrodite Cheat on Hephaestus With?
Aphrodite had a number of lovers and affairs while she was married to Hephaestus. Some of the affairs were more significant than others in the events of the Greek myths.
What is the relationship between Aphrodite and Hephaestus?
The marriage of Aphrodite and Hephaestus is one of those interesting side stories. Aphrodite was the beautiful goddess of love, while Hephaestus was the deformed god of the forge. To many, they were not well matched, and this lack of compatibility played out in their marriage.
What did Hephaestus learn from the young gods?
Not the best of starts for the young god. Hephaestus grew into a strong young man, and learnt the art of craftsmanship. He could produce many magical and marvellous works and pieces. He made weapons, armour, he even made the first women Pandora.
What was Hephaestus' gift to Hera?
But, not forgetting how he had been treated by his mother, Hephaestus made a very special gift for her. A beautiful throne. He sent the throne to Hera on Mt. Olympus. She loved the gift, but when she sat down in the throne she found that she then could not get back up. She was stuck in the chair.
Who had an affair with Aphrodite?
Together Ares and Aphrodite had 3 children Harmonia, Deimos and Phobos. Hermes – The messenger god and fellow Olympian Hermes also had an affair with Aphrodite. Together they had a child called Hermaphroditos.
Who is the father of Hephaestus?
The Creation of Hephaestus. In a few myths, Zeus is the father of Hephaestus. The smith was present in these stories when Athena was born from Zeus ’s head, and was in fact the one to deliver the blow to the god’s skull. More common, however, was the idea that Hera created him on her own.
Why did Hephaestus send gifts to his family?
On the surface, this seemed to be a way to ingratiate himself and earn their favor. When he sent an ornate golden throne to Hera, however, his true plans became known.
What is the name of the god of Olympus?
Hephaestus isn’t the first name that comes to mind when you think of the great gods of Olympus. Compared to figures like Zeus or Athena he seems like a very minor character. He also seems like an unusual character. While most gods were known for their beauty and strength, Hephaestus was known more for lacking those things.
Why is Hephaestus associated with volcanoes?
Hephaestus was associated with volcanoes, as the heat of the magma reminded people of the heat of a smith’s forge. The Eastern Mediterranean has many actively volcanic sites, and therefore the Greeks and other cultures of the area created many myths explaining their eruption, smoke, and ash.
How did Hephaestus use trickery?
Hephaestus used trickery to earn his place as much as he used the finely-crafted gifts he sent. He used deceit, along with a strong chain net, to gain the upper hand on his unfaithful wife.
What was Hephaestus' role in mythology?
While he had an involvement with the intrigue and affairs of Olympus, Hephaestus appeared most often in the myths in his role as a smith. As the master metalworker of the gods, he was routinely called upon to create some of their most iconic weapons, inventions, and equipment.
What did Dionysus offer Hephaestus?
He came in the guise of friendship, offering Hephaestus some wine and a sympathetic ear.
Overview
Mythology
Hephaestus had his own palace on Olympus, containing his workshop with anvil and twenty bellows that worked at his bidding. Hephaestus crafted much of the magnificent equipment of the gods, and almost any finely wrought metalwork imbued with powers that appears in Greek myth is said to have been forged by Hephaestus. He designed Hermes' winged helmet and sandals, the Aegis breastplate, Aphrodite's famed girdle, Agamemnon's staff of office, Achilles' armour, Diomedes
Etymology
Hephaestus is probably associated with the Linear B (Mycenaean Greek) inscription 𐀀𐀞𐀂𐀴𐀍, A-pa-i-ti-jo, found at Knossos. The inscription indirectly attests his worship at that time because it is believed that it reads the theophoric name (H)āpʰaistios, or Hāphaistion. The Greek theonym Hēphaistos is most likely of Pre-Greek origin, as the form without -i- (Attic Hēphastos) shows a typical Pre-Greek variation and points to an original s .
Epithets
Hephaestus is given many epithets. The meaning of each epithet is:
• Amphigýeis often translated as "the lame one"; literally "lame on both sides" vel sim. (Ἀμφιγύεις)
• Kyllopodíōn "club-footed" or "of dragging feet" (Κυλλοποδίων)
• Khalkeús "coppersmith" (Χαλκεύς)
Symbolism
Hephaestus was sometimes portrayed as a vigorous man with a beard and was characterized by his hammer or some other crafting tool, his oval cap, and the chiton.
Hephaestus is described in mythological sources as "lame" (chōlos), and "halting" (ēpedanos). He was depicted with curved feet, an impairment he had either from birth or as a result of his fall from Olympus. In vase paintings, Hephaestus is sometimes shown bent over his anvil, hard at w…
Comparative mythology
Parallels in other mythological systems for Hephaestus's symbolism include:
• The Ugarit craftsman-god Kothar-wa-Khasis, who is identified from afar by his distinctive walk – possibly suggesting that he limps.
• As Herodotus was given to understand, the Egyptian craftsman-god Ptah was a dwarf god and is often depicted naked.
Worship
Solinus wrote that the Lycians dedicated a city to Hephaestus and called it Hephaestia. The Hephaestia in Lemnos was named after the god. In addition, the whole island of Lemnos was sacred to Hephaestus.
Pausanias wrote that the Lycians in Patara had a bronze bowl in their temple of Apollo, saying that Telephus dedicated it and Hephaestus made it.
Namesakes
Pliny the Elder wrote that at Corycus there was a stone which was called Hephaestitis or Hephaestus stone. According to Pliny, the stone was red and was reflecting images like a mirror, and when boiling water poured over it cooled immediately or alternatively when it placed in the sun it immediately set fire to a parched substance.
The minor planet 2212 Hephaistos discovered in 1978 by Soviet astronomer Lyudmila Chernykh wa…