Hephaestus is the god of fire and blacksmithing, the devouring flame and handicrafts, as well as the patron of metalworking, various crafts, carpentry and sculpture. He occupies his own special niche in the society of immortal Olympians. In Greece, the blacksmith god Hephaestus was the parthenogenetic child of Hera. He was banished from Mount Olympus either by his mother because of his deformity or by Zeus.
Blacksmithing God
The blacksmith god Hephaestus created most of the legendary metal artifacts on Olympus, including the weapons of the Olympians. He literally worked as an Olympic blacksmith, but, apparently, for nothing. He was worshiped in the manufacturing and industrial centers of Greece, especially in Athens. The cult of Hephaestus was founded in Lemnos. The symbols of Hephaestus are a hammer, iron tongs and a fiery anvil.
Blacksmith's Deeds
Greek myths and Homeric poetry are full of stories that Hephaestus had a special power that could set anything in motion. He designed the golden animals at the entrance to the palace of Alkinoos in such a way that they could attack invaders and intruders. Ancient Greeksit was believed that in all the statues there is a spark of life thanks to this god. This art form (the making of statues) and the animistic belief in their lives dates back to the Minoan period, when Daedalus, the labyrinth builder, created statues that moved on their own. The statue of the god, according to the Greeks, was itself partly a deity, and the image on the grave of a person could cause his spirit.
The myth of exile
In one of the branches of Greek mythology, Hera threw Hephaestus from the solar firmament, because he "wrinkled from his foot." He fell into the ocean and was raised by Thetis (mother of Achilles and one of the 50 Neraids) and Eurynome.
According to another version, Hephaestus, trying to save his mother from Zeus, was thrown from heaven by the Thunderer himself. Somehow, having been cast down, like Lucifer, he ended up on the island of Lemnos, where he was taught by the Cynthians, an ancient tribe that lived in these parts. Later authors describe his lameness as a consequence of his fall, while Homer makes him lame and weak from birth.
Hephaestus was one of the Olympians who returned to Olympus after being exiled.
Ending story
In an archaic story, the god of blacksmithing, Hephaestus, took revenge on Hera for rejecting him by making for her a magical golden throne from which it was impossible to get up. Other gods desperately asked the hero to return home to the heavenly Mount Olympus.
Finally, Dionysus made him drunk with wine and took the obedient blacksmith back, and he did it accompanied by revelers. In painted scenes, dancers with phallicThe figures that make up the retinue of Dionysus indicate that the procession was part of the dithyrambic mysteries that preceded the satirical plays in fifth-century Athens. Such is the story of the most famous god of blacksmithing.
Conclusion
Hephaestus is one of the most mysterious gods in Greek mythology. Despite his mystery and secondary role in mythology, his image is incredibly archetypal. The gods of blacksmithing are found in all religious and mythological concepts, but only among the Greeks did the story of Hephaestus take on epic proportions.
He plays his own important and indispensable role in the theater of the divine life. He forged the lightning of Zeus, the weapons of the warriors of Olympus, the armor of his colleagues in the Olympic workshop. He communicated with Zeus, Hera, Dionysus and all other Immortals. Ordinary Hellenes worshiped him, brought gifts, composed and performed hymns in his honor, sought (and, as they say, sought) his forgiveness, blessing and patronage. This god of blacksmithing forever immortalized his name, making it synonymous with skill, perseverance, diligence and boundless creative energy, embodied in the figure of a craftsman.
