Greek Mythology Notes

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Hephaestus (Smith)

god

Ἥφαιστος

God of forge, fire, and craftsmanship

Hephaestus was the divine smith who forged Achilles' shield, Harmonia's necklace, Pandora herself, and the chains that bound Prometheus — the only Olympian who worked.

The Myth

Lame from birth (thrown from Olympus by Hera or Zeus), Hephaestus was the only physically imperfect Olympian. He created astonishing works: self-moving tripods, golden serving maidens (the first robots), the unbreakable net that caught Aphrodite with Ares, and Achilles' shield — whose description in the Iliad is the first great ekphrasis (literary description of a work of art) in Western literature. Married to Aphrodite, he was perpetually cuckolded but never lost his dignity.

Parents

Zeus and Hera (or Hera alone)

Children

Erichthonius (from the earth)

Symbols

hammeranviltongsvolcanic forge

Fun Fact

The word "volcano" comes from Vulcan, Hephaestus's Roman name — his forge was placed beneath volcanic islands.

Words We Inherited

English words and phrases that trace back to this myth:

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