Greek word for fire god

Bright flames of a fire are the personification of knowledge that is sacred and shines bright in the search for related truth.

Fire has played an important role in the advancement of human civilization. Every menu across restaurants features numerous dishes that require fire for preparation. The awe and significance it commands have given it a sacred status in various mythologies around the world.

In different cultures, flames of fire are associated with different deities. In Hawaiian culture, fire is associated with volcanoes. In contrast, in Hindu culture, fire is used to complete rituals and rules related to festival celebrations and to ward off enemies. When it comes to religion names, god of fire or goddess of fire are extremely popular name meanings. Fire has an important role in Japanese, Celtic, Lithuanian, Hindu, Egyptian, Aztec, Roman, Norse, and Greek mythology. Read this article further to know gods’ names across the Earth.

Afterward, also check water goddess names and sun goddess names.

Male Fire God Names

Looking for some names for the god of fire that exude heat and brightness, then read on to know more: —

Abraxas (Greek Origin), meaning ‘Supreme deity’. Sounds like an impressive name.

Achelous (Greek Origin), meaning ‘shapeshifting river god’. This name also resembles one of the Greek’s longest rivers.

Achilles (Greek Origin), meaning ‘thin-lipped’. He is known as a powerful warrior and one of the most famous Greek heroes.

Adonis (Greek Origin), meaning ‘god of attraction and beauty’. He’s the human admirer of Aphrodite. He was gutted by a wild pig and accepted to be the god Ares.

Adonis (Greek Origin), meaning ‘lord. This name resembles the amazing masculine beauty.

Aeson (Greek Origin), meaning ‘Father of Jason’. He was said to be resurrected as a young man.

Aether (Greek Origin), meaning ‘god of light’. He is the one who is responsible for the life’s light spark in each and every creature.

Agni (Indian Origin), meaning ‘sun’. According to Hindu Mythology, she is the powerful god who can use fire to burn her enemies and is the guardian of the south east. In the south east, Agni is a highly revered God.

Apollo (Indo — European Origin), meaning ‘manly beauty’. According to the Bible, the biblical name of Apollo means the destroyer.

Argo (Greek Origin), meaning ‘argue’. The boat’s name that Jason cruised on his quest for the Golden Fleece.

Grannus (Celtic Origin), meaning ‘sun, fires, etc’. Grannus is a god associated with spas, the sun, fires, and healing thermal and mineral springs.

Helios (Greek Origin), meaning ‘sun’. He is regarded as the sun’s embodiment, or, in other words, Sun God. He is one of the most popular gods.

Hephaestus (Greek Origin), meaning ‘The Greek god of fire’. The Greek lord of fire manufactures, metalworking and innovation, Hephaestus was a child of Zeus and the mother goddess Hera.

Kagu — tsuchi (Japanese Origin), meaning ‘to shine’. He is also known as Ho — musubi or Hi — no — kami.

Mixcoatl (unknown), meaning ‘cloud serpent’. This name is because he used to change shape to take the form of moving clouds.

Prometheus (Greek Origin), meaning ‘forethinker’. Prometheus plays an important role in Greek mythology. Prometheus is known as a champion for humankind in the city.

Ra (Egyptian Origin), meaning ‘sun’. Ra was the lord of numerous things, known as the ‘maker of the paradise’ including earth, fire, sun, light, etc. Makes for a great middle name.

Shango (African Origin), meaning ‘to strike’. Shango is also known as the god of thunder and legendary.

Vulcan (Roman Origin), meaning ‘to flash’. Blacksmith god Vulcan was the child of Zeus and mother Hera.

Zhu Rong (Chinese Origin), meaning ‘god of fire’. He was very much constructed and insightful, with a red face and a hot attitude.

Female Fire God Names 

The heat from fire has an important role to play in Japanese, Celtic, Lithuanian, Hindu, Egyptian, Aztec, Roman, Norse, and Greek cultures. Here are some popular female fire god names: —

Agneya (Indian Origin), meaning ‘born from fire’. Her father was Agni; therefore, she is also referred to as the child of the fire deity Agni from Hindu culture.

Aguya (Russian Origin), meaning ‘mistress of fire’. This name resembles the mistress of fire.

Aine (Celtic Origin), meaning ‘brightness’. A great name for a daughter whose thunder will scare of the enemies.

Aithne (Irish Origin), meaning ‘fire’. This name can be perfect for a red-headed baby girl.

Alectrona (Greek Origin), meaning ‘rooster’. She is known as the Greek goddess who is the daughter of a son or morning.

Alethea (English Origin), meaning ‘truth’. This name refers to the person whose personality is to follow all the rules.

Amaterasu (Japanese Origin), meaning ‘sines from heaven’. She’s additionally loved as a kami goddess of creation.

Antheia (Greek Origin), meaning ‘flower or blossom’. Antheia was the goddess of marshes and extravagant wreaths.

Arpina (Armenian Origin), meaning ‘rising of the sun’. This name can be given to a baby girl born at the perfect time during the rising of the sun.

Athena (Greek Origin), meaning ‘goddess of wisdom’. This name refers to the people originating from Greek mythology.

Bedelia (Celtic Origin), meaning ‘strength’. This is the name of the goddess of fire in Celtic mythology. 

 Bridget (Gaelic / Irish Origin), meaning ‘power, strength’. This name is after the Irish goddess of fire.

Brigit (Irish Origin), meaning ‘strength’. This is the name of the Irish goddess of fire and poetry and also represents the sacred flash.

Chantico (Aztec Origin), meaning ‘one who dwells in the house. Also, she is closely related to other things like health, abundance, and fertility.

Feronia (unknown), meaning ‘Roman goddess of fire’. Lightning, anything like a candle or gas stove, would originate Feronia’s energy.

Hestia (Greek Origin), meaning ‘goddess of fire’. She was also known as the oldest of the 12 deities of the sacred fire.

Oya (African Origin), meaning ‘lace’. While coincidentally finding troubles, ladies approach her and petition God for her security.

Pele (Hebrew Origin), meaning ‘miracle’. Also called Madam Pete, she is the Hawaiian goddess of volcanoes and sacred fire.

Vesta (Latin Origin), meaning ‘pure’. vesta is known as the Roman goddess of hearth, fire, home, and family across the Earth.

Wadjet (Egyptian Origin), meaning ‘papyrus colored,’ was the serpent goddess. Initially, the serpent goddess was viewed as the defender and authority of Lower Egypt.

Names That Mean Fire God

The fire gods from different mythologies are something that is so exciting to hear. Here are some names that mean fire god.

Adara (Hebrew Origin), meaning ‘fire’. This can be the most beautiful, meaningful thing for a child.

Adeen (Gaelic Origin), meaning ‘little flame’. It is an indirect Quranic name for boys and girls that means obedient and righteous.

Aed (Irish Origin), meaning ‘to burn’. In the Dindshenchas, he is given the sobriquet of the breeze quick ponies and called Aed, signifying huge shins.

Agnimitra (Indian Origin), meaning ‘friend of fire’. This can be considered the feminine version of the name used for Agni.

Aidan (Celtic Origin), (meaning small but fiery). It means one who listens to what is said.

Aine (Irish Origin), meaning ‘fire or joy’. This customary yet one-of-a-kind Irish name sprinkled all through Irish old stories as an early Celtic goddess of summer and flourishing.

Anala (Hindi Origin), meaning ‘fiery’. This can serve as a beautiful baby name.

Aodh (Gaelic Origin), meaning ‘fire’, was a normal name in early Scotland.

Azar (Iranian Origin), meaning ‘fire’. It denotes the ninth month of the Persian solar year.

Ebo (African Origin), meaning ‘born on Tuesday’. It is a powerful African name used by the places.

Ebo (unknown), meaning ‘primacy fire’. Another cute, simple word for your baby to name.

Gedi (American Origin), meaning ‘goat,’ is the fire and fertility god. Fire and fertility helped humankind to utilize fire.

Jacawitz (unknown), meaning ‘fire mountain’. He was the benefactor of the Ajaw Kʼicheʼ ancestry and was a buddy of the sun god ‘Tohil’.

Kojin (Japanese Origin), meaning ‘hearth and kitchen’. This name refers to the god of fire.

Sampson (Hebrew Origin), meaning ‘fire’. Furthermore, as God safeguarded Israel, so did Samson look after it in his age, passing judgment on individuals even as did God.

Sekhmet (Egyptian Origin), meaning ‘one who heals all wounds’. She is also referred to as the goddess of sun and fire.

Shennong (Chinese Origin), meaning ‘antecedent of fire’. A highly recommended name for babies.

Tatewari (unknown), meaning ‘grandfather fire’. He is the god of fire in the Huichol folklore

Zuhrong (Chinese Origin), meaning ‘god of fire’. China has declared the name of its first Mars meanderer as Zhurong, which in Chinese practise implies the legendary divine force of fire and war.

Greek Fire Gods Name

Why name ordinary names to the kids when here is an amazing list of all Greek fire god names. 

Adrenus (Latin Origin), meaning ‘son if Adria’. A Roman family name signifying Hadria. Hadria was a city in northern Italy close to the Adriatic Sea.

Atara (Hebrew Origin), meaning ‘crown’. This is the son of God in Persian mythology.

En (Egyptian Origin), meaning ‘goddess of fire’. En which is the short form for Enji js found in the Albanian Pagan mythology

Gibil (unknown), meaning ‘god of fire’. According to Sumerian mythology, Gibil is the ancient god of fire.

Ishum (English Origin), meaning ‘habitational name from a spot in Northamptonshire named Isham’. A cute and beautiful name for your little babies.

Mama Nina (English Origin), meaning ‘mother of fire’. According to Quechua, she is said to be the goddess of fire, light, and volcanoes.

Nusku (unknown), meaning ‘vizier of the chief Sumerian God’. God of heavenly and earthly fire and light, and patron draft of the arts.

Shapash (unknown), meaning ‘goddess of the sun’. In antiquated Mesopotamian religion, sun goddess. In the pattern of fantasies recuperated from Ugarit.

Surtr (unknown), meaning ‘black’. According to Nurse mythology, he is the ancient god of fire.

Verbt (unknown), meaning ‘goddess who controls storms’. This ancient goddess has the power to control storms and other natural calamities.

Imagine a fierce entity with immense power, impeccable craftsmanship, and a devastating childhood – this sums up our Greek god of fire, Hephaestus.

Greek mythology has produced legendary gods and goddesses who look over different aspects of the world, from the seas and oceans to marriage and love. One such god is Hephaestus, the famed patron god of metalworking, volcanism, stone masonry, carpentry, and sculpture.

Sounds like a lot of work, doesn’t it?

Worry not and read on to unpack everything about tales centered around the god of forges – his background, creations, contributions, relationships, and more intricate details.

Birth and Childhood of Hephaestus

Hephaestus was born to the Queen of the gods, Hera. But, unfortunately, little Hephaestus’ physical appearance was enough for his mother to throw him off of Mount Olympus in a fit of rage and disgust.

Of course, our god of fire was not the most handsome of faces, and after getting thrown off a cliff, he also became paralyzed. But his story did not end there. A kind sea nymph, Thetis, raised him until he was able to return to Olympus and exact revenge for the cruelty he had faced.

Hephaestus rode on a donkey, his sacred animal, to Mount Olympus and greeted the other Olympians with glorious thrones as gifts. Moreover, he presented Hera with a seemingly magnificent throne that hid many secrets.

Hera, apprehensive but impressed at the same time, could not resist and seated herself on the throne. But, as soon as she did, invisible chains wrapped around her and bound her to the throne. Thus, Hephaestus sought revenge against the woman he called his mother.

Unfortunately for Hera, Hephaestus was so adversely affected by the past actions that he refused to free her from the suffocating chains. After quite a few failed attempts at coaxing Hephaestus, Dionysus managed to introduce him to the wonders of wine. An intoxicated fire god soon forgave Hera. By the end of this, everything turned out well between the mother-son duo.

Thus, Hephaestus took his rightful place as a god amongst the mighty Olympians. What’s more, he was known as the Blacksmith of the gods, forging powerful weapons and shields for both gods and heroes.

Hephaestus’ Family and Relationships

No Greek legend is complete without some complicated family drama thrown into the mix. Hephaestus’ love life was nothing short of a rollercoaster ride from unreciprocated love to failing marriages.

Let’s look at a few of his known relationships:

#1. Hephaestus and Athena

His first love interest was Athena, the Greek goddess of war. So when Zeus, the King of the gods, started experiencing pounding headaches caused by Athena, whom he had devoured when she was a baby, Hephaestus decided to help him out. He used his awl and hammer to split open Zeus’ skull, aiding a now fully-grown Athena to step out of her father’s head.

The god of fire soon developed feelings for Athena that stemmed from their mutual interest in tools and crafts. But on the contrary, his emotions were unreciprocated by Athena. Regardless, Hephaestus did not back down and tried to force himself upon Athena. During the struggle, Hephaestus’ sweat on Athena’s body led to the birth of Erikthonius.

And guess what?

Erikthonius went on to become the first king of Athens!

#2. Hephaestus and Aphrodite

Aphrodite’s beauty was striking which brought many suitors competing for her hand in marriage. Legends like Zeus, Ares, Poseidon, and Hermes were desperate to gain Aphrodite as their wife. Hephaestus, on the other hand, having been ridiculed for his looks all his life, did not even think he had a chance.

Seeing the rising tensions amongst the male Olympians, Hera decided to step up and take the decision of Aphrodite’s marriage into her own hands.

For her, who else could prove to be a perfect husband other than her son, Hephaestus?

Thus came to be one of the most oddly paired couples in Greek mythology.

Yet, their apparently “faithful” marriage was short-lived. Aphrodite had an affair with the god of war, Ares, and gave birth to Eros, the Greek god of love. It did not take long for Hephaestus to find out about it, and he decided to catch them in the act.

He weaved an invisible net on their bed that caged both lovers. Hephaestus then spread the word of their hilarious ordeal across Olympus, humiliating them in front of the rest of the gods in the process.

#3. Hephaestus and Aglaia

Having behaved faithfully but only being cheated in return, Hephaestus pursued other love interests after Aphrodite’s love debacle. He got into a relationship with one of Aphrodite’s handmaidens, Aglaia, who gave birth to four of Hephaestus’ children – Eucleia, Euthenia, Eupheme, and Philophrosyne.

Hephaestus’ Multiple Inventions

True to his description as a fire god who excels in craftsmanship, carpentry, and the likes, Hephaestus created many technological, weaponry, and architectural marvels.

A few of these famous inventions were:

Forges and Workshops

Hephaestus’ forges were strategically placed under known volcanoes around ancient Greece. Legend says he did it because volcanic eruptions powered his crafts. Thus, his workshops are claimed to be built in Sicily, Imbros, and Hiera.

Automatons

Aside from his general assistants – Cyclops, Arges, Brontes, and Steropes, the god of fire had also built several automatons who worked for him in his workshops. The mention of these automatons in Greek mythology can be seen as a symbol of technological zeal.

Some of the automatons famously constructed by Hephaestus were:

• Maidens

As his attendant, Hephaestus created several handmaidens out of gold.

• Watchdogs for Aeetes

The Kolkhian King Aeetes’ palace was guarded by two silver and gold watchdogs that Hephaestus built.

• Bulls of Aeetes

During the Giant War, Aeetes’ father Helios had assisted Hephaestus’ side. Thus, he had also created two fire–breathing bulls for the King as a reward.

• The Bronze Giant, Talos

One of Hephaestus’ creations, Talos, was an automaton Zeus took as a gift for the bride Europa. Later on, Talos would protect the island being ruled by Europa’s son, Kind Minos.

• Singing Maidens of Apollo at Delphi

Hephaestus also made beautiful gold singing maidens to ornate the third bronze temple of Apollo at Delphi.

• Prometheus’ Eagle

It is conjectured that the eagle, which was the main element to Prometheus’ punishment, was an automaton designed by Hephaestus.

Read More: If Prometheus’ tales and notorious habits fascinate you, this piece on Prometheus and his fire-stealing tendencies will leave you spellbound.

#3. Architecture for the Gods

On Mount Olympus, Hephaestus was the only being who could craft items and belongings worthy for the gods. He made everything from thrones to entire palaces, including the golden gates that served as the entrance to Mount Olympus.

Additionally, he magically made golden tables on wheels that served lavish feasts to the gods.

Above that, he architectured rooms, treasure troves, and dungeons for many kings and gods alike. These prestigious legends were Helios, Alkinous, Aeetes, and Oinopion.

#4. Chariots for the Gods

Hephaestus built divine chariots for Ares, Aphrodite, and Helios. Additionally, he also made a chariot for his Kabeiroi sons. What’s best, this special chariot was drawn by four metallic horses.

#5. Jewelry

His skills were not limited to crafts that required strength. Simply put, Hephaestus could create dainty jewelry, which he did for Ariadne, Pandora, and Harmonia.

Given his devotion to craftsmanship, his intellect guided him to design jewelry for the gods – that too while he was in exile!

#6. Utensils

Hephaestus also made several wine jars and bowls for Menelaus, Achilles, Priam, and many famed legends.

#7. Scepter of Agamemnon

This Scepter was a royal staff belonging to the house of Pelops -Hephaestus forged it himself as a gift from Zeus. Pelops passed this scepter to his son Atreus and his grandson, Agamemnon.

Did You Know: A scepter is Kings’ decorative item and noble authority carried in ancient times, mainly as a sign of sovereignty. It resembles a rich-looking walking stick.

#8. Achilles’ Armor and Shield

Achilles’ armor was damaged during the Trojan War when Patroclus fought Hector. Therefore, on Thetis’ request, Hephaestus built armor for Achilles.

He constructed a beautiful shield for Achilles that had emblems of the earth, seven seas, sun, moon, and stars carved on its surface. This highly adorned shield would later go down in history as one of the most famous relics forged by the god of fire.

Symbols and their Significance

The symbols attributed to Hephaestus are the anvil, the hammer, and the pincers. All three symbols reflect the essence of Hephaestus’ godly power, that is, metalworking.

While blacksmiths use pincers to take items in and out of forges, an anvil is a surface on which they hit the hammers to shape the objects into the desired form.

Some of his additional symbols are fire, sculptures, and volcanoes. In comparison, his sacred animals are quail, donkey, crane, bull, horse, and dolphin.

Several bynames belong to Hephaestus. They are listed below:

• Amphigýeis, translated as “the lame one,” refers to his lame leg.
• Kyllopodíōn translated to “of dragging feet.”
• Klytotékhnēs, meaning famed artificer or craftsman.
• Polyphrôn, indicating ingenious and inventive.
• Polýmētis – means shrewd and crafty, can demonstrate his clever plans to take revenge on   those who had wronged him.
• Aithaloeis Theos – means “sooty god,” which points towards his work as the smithing god.

Worshiping Hephaestus: Where and How?

Even though the Greek gods valued sacred rituals, especially ones that originated to revere them, Hephaestus surprisingly does not seem to have a lot of shrines. Nonetheless, it is theorized that the lack of temples can be made up with the practice of torch-races and rites on a smaller scale performed by craftsmen.

His main cult centers were on the island of Lemnos (where he landed when thrown off of Mount Olympus) and the state of Athens.

#1. Island of Lemnos

Apart from being the alleged site for his original shrine, this island was also believed to be home to his forges. In the neighboring island of Samothrakei, Hephaestus’ sons were also worshiped.

Moreover, Haephestus cults possibly are found around Eryx and Mt. Etna in Sicily and Lipari Islands near Sicily.

Interesting Facts about Hephaestus

Here are a few interesting facts about Hephaestus that will leave you astonished:

• In some accounts, Hephaestus was said to have been a child of both Zeus and Hera.
• Hephaestus’ physical appearance was always a point of contention since he was the only one without exceptional beauty or grace like the other Olympian gods.
• Apart from being an artist of sorts himself, he was also a patron of the arts in general.
• Barring his sparse bouts of wrath that got translated to cleverly executed plans, Hephaestus was always a more peace-loving god.
• Surviving art related to Hephaestus mostly shows him as a bearded man with a craftsman cap and carrying his tools.
• Most gods who were somehow connected to Mount Etna in Sicily were given a title called Aetnaeus. Hephaestus was one such god.
• Hephaestus and Hera’s relationship might have been off to a rocky start, but they were also quick to mend their bond. Once, Hephaestus sought to free Hera from Zeus’ punishment. Though he succeeded, he got caught and was banished. This episode strengthened the bond between the mother and son.

Hephaestus’ Wrath and Favor 

As peaceful as Hephaestus was, he was also a god who had been wronged time and time again. So, on the one hand, Hephaestus used his craft to take revenge, while on the other, he used the same skill to reward those who helped him.

#1. Harmona

Harmona is the daughter of Aphrodite and Ares. On her wedding day, Hephaestus gifted Harmona a cursed necklace to deliberately hurt Aphrodite.

#2. Dares

He was a priest of Hephaestus who rescued his only son, who was about to die a certain death.

#3. Orion

King Oinopion of Khios blinded the giant Orion. Thus, when he arrived, Hephaestus helped him by giving his servant to Orion to assist him until he reached Helios, the sun god.

Verdict

Hephaestus’ story is one of a diamond in the rough. With a life that has been entrenched in struggles ever since it came to be, Hephaestus brings to us an inspiring journey that reminds humanity to keep striving and surviving.

From the star Olympians to more obscure gods, Greek mythology offers us many tales of exciting characters that humans can relate to if their hunger to fulfill curiosity remains alive.

Bonus Read: Let’s keep the momentum going? Mythology has no shortage of fascinating revelations, and our next Olympian, the Greek god of light, was no less!

Asked by: Sarai Abshire

Score: 4.5/5
(49 votes)

Hephaestus, Greek Hephaistos

Hephaistos

Hephaestus (Greek: Ἥφαιστος, Hēphaistos) is the Greek god of fire, metalworking, craftsmen, sculpture, metallurgy and volcanoes. His parents were Zeus and Hera, Hephaestus was the blacksmith of the gods. He was married to the goddess Aphrodite, who cheated on him with his brother Ares.

, in Greek mythology, the god of fire. … According to myth, Hephaestus was born lame and was cast from heaven in disgust by his mother, Hera, and again by his father, Zeus, after a family quarrel.

Who is the Roman god of fire?

Vulcan, in Roman religion, god of fire, particularly in its destructive aspects as volcanoes or conflagrations. Poetically, he is given all the attributes of the Greek Hephaestus. His worship was very ancient, and at Rome he had his own priest (flamen).

Is there a Norse god of fire?

In both sources, Surtr is foretold as being a major figure during the events of Ragnarök; carrying his bright sword, he will go to battle against the Æsir, he will do battle with the major god Freyr, and afterward the flames that he brings forth will engulf the Earth.

Who was the ugliest god?

What is the Viking word for fire?

From Old Norse fýrr, cognate with its Nordic equivalents, Old Frisian fiur, Old Saxon fiur, Dutch vuur, Old High German fiur, German Feuer and English fire. Believed to ultimately stem from Proto-Germanic *fōr, and Proto-Indo-European *péh₂wr̥, which also is the origin of Greek πυρ (pyr).

30 related questions found

The Olympian gods that were crafted by the ancient Greeks in human form and body, distinguished for their exceptional beauty. Their hair and face was beaming and their form could enchant and relax even the wildest beasts of nature. Their bodies were perfectly molded with the finest proportions. However, among them lived another god that although he had divine power and immortality, looked nothing like the rest. That was Hephaestus (Vulcan), god of fire, volcanoes and metalworking. His ugliness sometimes caused the laughter and taunts of the other gods, which was often leaving him with a strong feeling of bitterness.

Hephaestus was presented with thick and long beard. He was very dark in the face, with thick and ugly features. Moreover, he was short and thick, with weak legs that could not hold his weight easily. He had a shaggy chest and his arms were huge by the continuous work in his workshop. He was also lame, having one foot crippled.

Hephaestus was the son of Zeus and Hera. According to a Greek myth, Hera bore him before she was even made the lawful wife of Zeus, from the love affair that she had with him. Other myths are telling us that Hera gave birth to Hephaestus without an intervening male element, just as Gaia had given birth to her firstborn children. The goddess gave birth to Lemnos Island and then entrusted him to Kidalionas, a blacksmith from Naxos Island. The new god learned from him how to forge and work on metals.

There are many and varied explanations about the first years of the Greek god’s life and the disability his leg was facing. A myth tells us that Hera, just after giving birth to Hephaestus on Mount Olympus, asked to see her baby. Nevertheless, once they presented to her the lame and blackish infant, she was furious. How could a beautiful goddess like her, give birth to such an ugly baby?

Hera thought that there would not be a way to face the taunts and the ironic laughter of the other gods. Therefore, being mad and furious grabbed the baby and threw it from Mount Olympus. Hephaestus dropped to the Ocean. There, Thetis and Eurynome found him and took him with them. Hephaestus spent with them the first nine years of his life in a sea cave, the palace of Nereus. Hephaestus was making wonderful jewelry with corals and pearls and was giving them as gifts to the goddesses who protected him. In that way, he showed them his love and gratitude.

Another Greek legend about Hephaestus, tells that the unfortunate event concerning his leg happened later in his life. It was a day like many others that the divine couple, Zeus and Hera, was quarreling. The voices of the goddess resounded in the whole Olympus and caused the comments of the other gods. Hera could not imagine how her husband managed, despite her efforts to monitor him continuously, to conclude sexual intercourse with a mortal, Alcmene. The worst of all was that he acquired a son with her, Heracles (Hercules).

Zeus began to twinkle and thunder from his anger, since he could not stand the sickening jealousy of Hera. The poor Hephaestus took the side of his mother in this furious fight. His father then, blurred as he was in rage, grabbed his ugly son, who never really liked, and threw him with all his strength down from Mount Olympus. Hephaestus swirled in the air for a whole day and eventually was smashed in Lemnos Island. His body banged hard on the rocks of the island and then Hephaestus was lame, having a crippled foot for his entire life.

Generally, the early years of his life Hephaestus lived away from Olympus and either alone or with the help of a teacher became the first craftsman among the gods. His parents did not ever face him as an equal with the other children. Hephaestus was kind-hearted and patient, but was always thinking about his parents’ behavior and was very frustrated. Often driven by his grievance, there were many time that he took his revenge.

The Greek god’s behavior towards his mother is presented with two different forms. In the Iliad, on two different occasions, we are witnessing a perfect loving relationship between mother and son.

In one case, Hera asks Hephaestus to help Achilles in his duel with the river Scamander. It is indeed one of the few cases where we see the god in all his divine glory. He spreads his flames to the entire camp and burned also all the dead bodies of warriors. The fiery flame then greedily devours vast areas of forest and immediately makes its final assault. The flame rushes rapidly on the river. The river Scamander despite his liquid form cannot resist the fiery whirlwind. The waters begin to boil and evaporate. The riverbed is drying out and with heartbreaking words, he asks for Hephaestus’ mercy.

In the second case, we watch Hephaestus comforting his mother with the sweetest words, after a terrible quarrel with Zeus. He asks Hera to show submission to her husband, the father of gods and men, and to coax him with beautiful words.
On the contrary, there is a funny fable showing Hephaestus avenging his mother for her initial behavior towards him. Once that Hera had her name day celebration and there was a big party on Mount Olympus, Hephaestus gave her a golden throne.

For two whole months, Hephaestus put all his art to achieve the best result. He dug up images and representations of the feasts of the Greek gods and their daily life. Hera was really impressed by the gift of her son and tried it immediately. She sat proudly on the throne for a long time and was discussing with the other gods. However, when she wanted to get up, she discovered with a great surprise that this was impossible. Hephaestus had placed invisible shackles preventing her from leaving the throne.

“This, my sweet mammy is my gift to you to repay the love you showed me when I was born. Was it my fault that I was born ugly and with dark skin and you threw me from Mount Olympus?”

Hera asked for forgiveness with tears and begged him to release the invisible shackles. All the gods took her side and began to quarrel with Hephaestus. Ares, the god of war, who was also Hera’s son, was very angry too. He rushed to Hephaestus to convince him by force, but his brother had already grabbed a lighted torch and hurled it against him. Ares was very scared and hid himself among the goddesses. Then, Hephaestus left for Lemnos, which was his favorite island, leaving the other gods speechless, who barely restrained their laughter watching Hera in this comical situation.

Dionysus, dear friend of Hephaestus, undertook the task to save the situation. He immediately went to Lemnos, in the workshop of the god, and found him at dinnertime. He sat together to eat and sent a satyr to bring wine from his vines. Dionysus managed to drunken Hephaestus and convinced him to return with him to Olympus and release Hera from her shackles. After some time they both arrived in front of other gods riding a mule. Zeus just after seeing his son told him angry.

“Come on, then, Hephaestus, the joke went too far. Quickly release your mother!”
Stuttering from drunkenness, he said that would release Hera only if Zeus promised that would fulfill his wish. The king of the gods, unable to do otherwise, accepted Hephaestus’ term. Hephaestus released Hera and immediately asked Aphrodite for his wife. All the gods were surprised. The ugliest god would marry the goddess of beauty! Nevertheless, Zeus could not do otherwise, because he had sworn an oath. The face of Aphrodite darkened, but could not to resist the will of her father. Therefore, she reached out her hand to Hephaestus. Of course, the goddess of beauty was not the most faithful wife.

The relations of Hephaestus and Zeus were relations of respect and submission. Hephaestus always performed willingly the orders of his father. Additionally, he feared his father a lot.

The Greek god helped Zeus in the War with the Giants and made countless gifts. By his father’s order, Hephaestus created Pandora from the soil and contributed to the punishment of Prometheus, nailing him in the Caucasus as prey for a vulture, which was devouring his chest.

Homer tells us that the divine blacksmith had rigged his studio on Mount Olympus. Therein he was spending his entire day, creating items using his tools, hammer, anvil and bellows. The workshop was fully equipped. Twenty kilns were constantly burning, while with the god’s order the flames turned bigger and dispersed so much heat as necessary for the builder to process the copper, silver and gold.
Hephaestus made too many constructions for himself but also for many gifts to the gods. Firstly, his palace was resplendent. The whole palace was of solid gold, carved and wrought so much, as the best artisans of the world could not construct, even if they worked throughout their entire lives for this cause. It was filled with various ornaments made of sapphires and diamonds.

The most fantastic of all his creations were the golden statues that he built to serve him. These statues had the form of young girls and Hephaestus had given them strength, thought and life. They were his inseparable companions, always following him everywhere. They followed him even in the assemblies of the gods and helped him stand up when he was getting tired.

Hephaestus built all the majestic palaces of Olympus and the gods gave him priceless gifts. He donated the auspices and the scepter to Zeus, the sickle to Demeter and Apollo and Artemis their arrows. In Helios (Sun) gave the shining chariot which constantly crossed the sky and to Dionysus a golden cup. In his dressy wife, he gave extremely precious necklaces and other jewelry with rare gems, as well as a golden mirror. Aphrodite always carried this golden mirror with her. Another of Hephaestus’ inspirations was the magic tripods that gave to the gods. When the Greek gods assembled to make a serious decision, the tripods automatically took place behind every god. Once the meeting ended, each tripod was immediately transported to its holder’s palace.

The divine blacksmith was generously giving gifts to mortals also. So he gave Heracles a golden breastplate, to Ariadne a garland made of precious metals and gems and to Cadmus a necklace for his marriage to Harmony. Hephaestus donated two wild bulls to Aetes that breathed fire from their nostrils and had bronze feet. He also gave silver dogs to Alcinoos to guard his palace. Amongst his most important constructions are the weapons of Achilles, upon request of Thetis. Homer spends half rhapsody to describe the resplendent shield that had the form of five concentric circular disks. Hephaestus painted on this shield the entire life of gods and humans. 

First of all, he made the primary elements of nature: Earth, Heaven, the Sun and the Ocean encompassing everything. Then he painted all the stars of the sky, Pleiades, Hyades, Orion and Ursa. He also represented scenes like a wedding ceremony, a trial taking place in the market and battles at the walls of a besieged city. Immediately after, Hephaestus painted softer scenes that normally take place during peacetime, like the harvest and the vintage, but also white sheep grazing in a green meadow beside shepherd stalls and huts. Next scene was a dance performance. Teens and young girls wreathed with flowers and dressed in lavish clothing and long tunics. Amongst them, the divine singer, Apollo, played his lyre and regulated their footsteps.

The ancient Greeks usually imagined Hephaestus as a simple worker in his workshop with smoke-begrimed face and soaked in sweat. The Greek god always wore a short sleeveless tunic to avoid trouble in his movements. When he finished his chores or urgently needed to go to gatherings of the gods, extinguished the fires of the kilns, gathered his tools in a silver box, drained his sweat with a sponge and wore a golden robe.

Some legends say that Hephaestus’ workshop was not on Olympus, but in Lemnos Island. They even believed that it was inside the island’s volcano. The flames and vapors coming out of the crater came from the forges of the god and the muffled noises were coming from the blows of the hammer with which Hephaestus gave wonderful forms in the precious metals he was processing. Generally, the connection of Hephaestus with Lemnos is pervasive in all myths and his cult was particularly widespread at this island.

The erotic adventures of the god compared to the other Olympians were scarce. Although Hephaestus was the ugliest of all gods, according to tradition, had the most beautiful wives. Iliad, Haris (one of the Graces) who was the personification of beauty is appointed as his wife.

Hesiod mentions Aglaia as his wife, the youngest of the Graces. However, Hephaestus’ most famous wife was Aphrodite. Of course, Aphrodite could not resist for long to remain faithful to her husband. She was captivated very soon, by the beauty and perfect physique of warlike Ares and became his mistress. The god of sun, Helios, monitors everything riding on his chariot. When he saw Ares and Aphrodite, lying on the bed of Hephaestus in his own palace, immediately ran to the divine artisan to reveal it. Then, the Greek god asked Helios not to reveal to anyone else this secret and thought of a plan. He stretched out on the bed an invisible net.

Therefore, the next time the two lovers met and lied down on the bed were tangled in the net. Ares and Aphrodite were desperately trying to set themselves free. Nevertheless, the more they tried, the more they were being entangled. When Hephaestus returned to his palace, saw the illegal mates naked and immobilized onto the bed. They were so ashamed that could not face him. Filled with rage and grievance, Hephaestus broke out on Ares that although he was his brother did not hesitate to betray him. He also scolded his wife, who did not appreciate all the love and care he was giving her. 

To get his revenge he called Zeus and the other gods and showed the shameless lovers who were still tangled in the magic nets. All the gods blamed the unfaithful wife and the heartless brother and swore them for their sin. Only that scene managed to calm the wrath of Hephaestus and he finally freed them. Aphrodite, ruddy from shame, ran away and all the gods were continuously laughing.

After Aphrodite’s infidelity, Hephaestus turned elsewhere. He longed very much for Athena. The Greek god’s help was decisive in Athena’s birth. Some day that the war goddess went to his workshop to order him a new armor, the divine craftsman swooped up and tried to rape her. Athena, who symbolized the eternal chastity, fought with him and managed in the end to elude him. Nevertheless, after eluding him, she saw that there was Hephaestus’ semen left on her knees. Athena took the sperm with a piece of cloth and flew it on Earth. Thus, Erichthonius was born and Athena treated him like her real son. 

According to another myth, Hephaestus mated with Kabiris, the daughter of the sea god Proteus. From this relationship, he had three sons, Kabeirous. He was also father of one of the most famous bandits of antiquity, Perifitis. He killed all those passing by with a huge bat until much later he was killed by Theseus. Pilios is also mentioned as a son of Hephaestus, who healed Philoctetes in Lemnos. According to other Greek myths, his sons also are the Argonaut Palaimonas and Ardalos, a legendary sculptor who like Palaimonas had inherited from his father the artisanship and dexterity at hands.

Hephaestus was the god of volcanoes. Therefore, he was connected with all the volcanic regions of the Mediterranean. There was indeed a legend referring to the feud with Demeter to the possession of Sicily. This dispute was resolved with the intervention of Etna, daughter of Briareus, who lends her name to the mountain.

Moreover, under this mountain the last opponent of Zeus was buried, the terrible Typhon. Hephaestus sat on the mountain in order to prevent him from escaping. Other Greek legends tell that the god of fire, in order to immobilize Typhon, hung on his neck a huge anvil.

Hephaestus was for the ancient Greeks, the personification of fire, so that helped the human race in its early stages, of course with the mediation of Prometheus. The Greek god is rarely presented using the fire as a destructive medium. He usually used fire as a means of working on precious metals. Therefore, all the craftsmen and blacksmiths highly regarded him as their patron.

The divine blacksmith was probably a bit mislaid over Olympus but revered among men. Hephaestus symbolized the civilizing power of fire and protected the metallurgy and artisans. His symbols were the hammer, anvil and tongs.

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Who Is Hephaestus?

In Greek mythology, Hephaestus was the blacksmith god. He is often found in the background of myths. Though he is often portrayed as a supporting god, he was responsible for several important elements, such as fire and volcanoes.

He lived on Mouth Olympus. He would spend his days in his studio where he would make different items using his blacksmith tools. He always had a fire burning, which would play a part in how mankind was able to use it. He made gifts for humans and the gods but he also built himself lavish items. For example, his palace was made of gold and could not be duplicated by even the most talented artisans. The interior sparkled with sapphires and diamonds. Though many felt sorry for the god because of his poor appearance and lame foot, he led a lavish life and was content.

Purpose

Hephaestus was often called upon to help other gods with their tasks. For example, he helped Zeus in the War with the Giants by making weapons and armor. He also made Pandora, the first mortal woman. When an item needed to be constructed, Hephaestus was always the first to be approached by gods and humans.

Origins

Zeus and Hera were Hephaestus’ parents. There is some debate regarding how he was conceived though. Some myths say that Hera gave birth to him before she was Zeus’ wife while others say that she conceived Hephaestus alone. According to one myth, he was born on Lemnos Island, where he was left in the care of a blacksmith named Kidalionas. Hephaestus learned the blacksmith trade from his caretaker.

Legends and Stories

As previously mentioned, Hephaestus is normally found in a supporting role in Greek myths. But there are some that focus more on his life and purpose. Here are some of the myths surrounding the blacksmith god.

Hephaestus’ Leg

It is unknown how Hephaestus’ leg was injured but it is assumed it was in his early years of life. In one variation, Hera rejected him at birth. Just after giving birth to her son on Mount Olympus, she became appalled at her baby’s appearance and lame leg. She became angry and couldn’t understand how she could have given birth to such an ugly child. She worried that the other gods would laugh at her and her son. So she took the baby and threw him over the mountain. The baby dropped into the ocean, where Thetis and Eurynome found him. They cared for him for nine years, where he learned to make jewelry with pearls and coral.

In another variation, Hephaestus was born with two functional legs. But one day, his parents found themselves in the middle of a terrible fight. Hera was upset that Zeus had engaged in an affair with a mortal named Alcmene. Together, they had conceived a son named Hercules.

Because of his father’s unfaithfulness, Hephaestus sided with his mother. This only made Zeus angrier. In a fit of rage, he picked up the child and threw him down Mount Olympus. He flew in the air for an entire day before he smashed into Lemnos Island. He landed on several large rocks and his foot was severely injured, leaving him crippled. He remained on the island, where he learned to become a blacksmith.

Hephaestus and Aphrodite

How did Hephaestus, cursed with a lame foot and unattractive features, win the heart of the most beautiful goddess? He deceived his father to win Aphrodite’s hand. On a day of celebration for Hera, Hephaestus gifted her with a golden throne. He had built the throne himself and Hera was thrilled with the gift. She sat down and admired her new throne. But when she tried to get up, she realized that Hephaestus had placed her in invisible shackles, holding her captive in her seat.

Hephaestus was seeking revenge against his parents for abandoning him as a child. Hera immediately felt guilty, began to cry, and begged her son for forgiveness. The gods were angry with Hephaestus and demanded that he let his mother go. But he refused. Dionysus, a close friend of Hephaestus, stepped in. He asked Hephaestus to have dinner with him and discuss the situation. During dinner, Dionysus got his friend drunk and convinced him to release his mother. But just before he was about to release Hera, Zeus appeared and expressed his disappointment with his son. Hephaestus took advantage of the situation, since his father didn’t know he was going to release Hera anyway. He told his father that he would only release the shackles if he was promised Aphrodite, the goddess of beauty, as his wife. The gods were appalled but Zeus felt he didn’t have a choice. Hephaestus released Hera and then took his new bride.

Family

Hephaestus was married to Aphrodite. Even though they had a rocky relationship due to Aphrodite’s many love affairs, they still had several children who had important roles. Euklela was the goddess of good repute and glory. Euthenia was the goddess of prosperity and plenty. Eupheme was the goddess of being well spoken. Philophrosyne was the goddess of friendliness.

Appearance

Hephaestus was not known for being very attractive. He is often portrayed as an older man with broad shoulders and an intimidating physique. He usually has a white beard. He is typically wearing a short tunic, which was the clothing of choices for craftsmen.

Symbology

Because he was the god of blacksmiths, Hephaestus’ symbols are masculine in nature. He is associated with acts of nature, like fire and volcanoes. Other symbols include a hammer, an anvil, and tongs.