HEPHAESTUSBY: PATRICK LANE 7B

BASIC INFO:• Greek Name: Hephaestus/ Hephaistos

• Roman Name: Vulcan/ Vulcanos

• Parents: Hera

In most stories, It is believed that only Hera is the mother, but in some few myths, the parents of Hephaestus are told to be both Zeus and Hera

• Wife: Aphrodite, but it's an arranged marriage by Zeus, and Aphrodite continued to sleep around

POWERS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Hephaestus is the Greek god of fire, Metal working, and stone masonry, as well as the art of sculpture.

• Symbols: Fire, a hammer and/or an anvil

• The area he is responsible for is of metal working and crafting.

A STORY INCLUDING HEPHAESTUS

Homer, Iliad 18. 136 ff (trans. Lattimore) (Greek epic C8th B.C.) :

"[Hephaistos addresses his wife Kharis:] ‘She [Thetis] saved me when I suffered much at the time of my great fall through the will of my own brazen-faced mother [Hera], who wanted to hide me for being lame. Then my soul would have taken much suffering had not Eurynome and Thetis caught me and held me, Eurynome, daughter of Okeanos, whose stream bends back in a circle. With them I worked nine years as a smith, and wrought many intricate things; pins that bend back, curved clasps, cups, necklaces, working there in the hollow of the cave, and the stream of Okeanos around us went on forever with its foam and its murmur. No other among the gods or among mortal men knew about us except Eurynome and Thetis. They knew since they saved me.’"

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW

1. Hephaestus is seen as the only imperfect god, being born ugly, and according to the Poet Homer, crippled.

2. After his birth, Hera wis disappointed by Hephaestus, whether by his looks or his disability unknown, and decided to throw him off Mount Olympus.

3. Fed up with Aphrodite's constant sleeping around, Hephaestus constructed a net and caught Aphrodite in bed with Ares, the god of war.

4. Hephaestus' name is used by Greek and Roman poets as a synonym for fire.

MORE YOU SHOULD KNOW

1. He is seen as a kind and obedient god, who wasn't one to try to pick a fight or try to abuse and play with humans like many of the other gods did.

2. Being the god of metal work, Hephaestus made many of the god's and Greek heroes many famous weapons and armors. This includes Hermes winged helmet and sandals, Achilles armor he wore in the Trojan War, Silver arrows for Apollo and Artemis, and a sword for Perseus.

3. Hephaestus is believed to have also helped the Cyclopes forge Zeus's thunderbolt, Poseidon's trident, and Hades' helm of darkness

4. Along with all his other works, Hephaestus created the automatons, which were creatures he created to help him in his forge, as well as preform other tasks. They were said to be made out of gold.

BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE!

1. Hephaestus created Pandora, the first woman, who later opened Pandora's box that brought plague and disaster to the lands, as well as hope.

2. Hephaestus was primarily worshipped in Athens, where he had a temple.

3. Erichthonius is the son of Hephaestus, he is half man half serpent.

4. At the time of the Trojan war, Hephaestus fought against the river god names Scamander, who was trying to drown Achilles. Hephaestus saved Achilles, and cause Scamander to retreat.

SOME QUICK QUESTIONS 1. Hephaestus's Roman

name is _______________.

2. Hephaestus was taken in after his first fall from Mount Olympus by _____________ and _________.

3. Hephaestus' parent(s) is ______________________.