Hephaestus

Hephaestus

Olympus: a breathtaking place home to the most amazing sights and beautiful gods. Well, almost. I seem to be the exception to nearly every rule. I am Hephaestus, the god of volcanoes and blacksmith fires, and not quite a looker.

As a blacksmith god, I am a master of my craft and create magnificent ­­­works of art for the gods. Zeus’s thunderbolts and Eros’s arrows take shape under my strong and patient hands. With my tools and knowledge I created the chariot which Helios rides across the sky and the invincible armor of Achilles.

I was born a cripple. After a single glance at my twisted and useless legs, Hera, my own mother, threw me from Mount Olympus and into the sea. I barely survived that horrendous plunge, only through the help of nymphs who rescued me from the icy water. How could my own mother abuse and abandon me so? It was unjust, immoral and wrong in every way. I could not allow that type of treatment go uncontested. Quickly built an elegantly carved, beautiful throne which I presented to her on Mount Olympus. When she lowered herself into the seat, it trapped her at once. Many of the gods begged and pleaded with me to let her free and I eventually conceded my temporary victory in exchange for Aphrodite as my bride. This arrangement proved to be an interesting one. As Goddess of love and beauty, my wife has many admirers, and few wish to admire her from afar. My wife is simply far too sweet and polite to these aficionados and is often lured into messy and embarrassing situations. Unlike many Olympians, I do not have much of a temper and think of myself as a somewhat well-rounded god, however, steer clear of my wife, or watch out.