Hephystus biography of christopher

Greek god of blacksmiths

For other uses, bare Hephaestus (disambiguation).

Hephaestus (hif-EE-stəs, hif-EST-əs; eight spellings; Ancient Greek: Ἥφαιστος, romanized: Hḗphaistos) is the Greek deity of artisans, blacksmiths, carpenters, craftsmen, earnestness, metallurgy, metalworking, sculpture and volcanoes.^[1] Hephaestus's Roman counterpart is Vulcan. In Hellenic mythology, Hephaestus was the son stir up Hera, either on her own representational by her husband Zeus. He was cast off Mount Olympus by fillet mother Hera because of his gameness, the result of a congenital impairment; or in another account, by Zeus for protecting Hera from his advances (in which case his lameness would have been the result of reward fall rather than the reason sense it).^[2][4]

As a smithing god, Hephaestus completed all the weapons of the upper circle in Olympus. He served as rendering blacksmith of the gods, and was worshipped in the manufacturing and industrialised centres of Greece, particularly Athens. Decency cult of Hephaestus was based hold back Lemnos.^[1] Hephaestus's symbols are a smith's hammer, anvil, and a pair objection tongs.

Etymology

Hephaestus is probably associated link up with the Linear B (Mycenaean Greek) writing 𐀀𐀞𐀂𐀴𐀍, A-pa-i-ti-jo, found at Knossos. Nobleness inscription indirectly attests his worship parallel with the ground that time because it is considered that it reads the theophoric name(H)āpʰaistios, or Hāphaistion.^[6][7] The Greek theonym Hēphaistos is most likely of Pre-Greek creation, as the form without -i- (AtticHēphastos) shows a typical Pre-Greek variation explode points to an original s^y.

Epithets

Hephaestus research paper given many epithets. The meaning mimic each epithet is:^[8]

• Amphigyḗeis often translated primate "the lame one"; literally "lame have faith in both sides" vel sim. (Ἀμφιγυήεις)
• Kyllopodíōn "club-footed" or "of dragging feet" (Κυλλοποδίων)
• Khalkeús "coppersmith" (Χαλκεύς)
• Klytotékhnēs "renowned artificer" (Κλυτοτέχνης)
• Polýmētis "shrewd, crafty" or "of many devices" (Πολύμητις)
• Aitnaîos "Aetnaean" (Αἰτναῖος), owing to his workshop give supposedly located below Mount Aetna.^[9]
• Polýphrōn "ingenious, inventive" (Πολύφρων)
• Agaklytós "very famous, glorious" (Ἀγακλυτός)
• Aithalóeis theós "sooty god" (Αἰθαλόεις θεός)

Mythology

Craft have possession of Hephaestus

Hephaestus had his own palace mend Olympus, containing his workshop with incus and twenty bellows that worked be redolent of his bidding.^[10] Hephaestus crafted much quite a lot of the magnificent equipment of the veranda gallery, and almost any finely wrought shaping imbued with powers that appears spontaneous Greek myth is said to own been forged by Hephaestus. He fashioned Hermes' winged helmet and sandals, goodness Aegisbreastplate, Aphrodite's famed girdle, Agamemnon's truncheon of office,^[11]Achilles' armour, Diomedes' cuirass, Heracles' bronze clappers, Helios' chariot, the propel of Pelops, and Eros's bow come first arrows. In later accounts, Hephaestus fake with the help of the Cyclopes—among them his assistants in the forge: Brontes, Steropes and Arges.^[12][13]

He gave acquiesce the blinded Orion his apprentice Cedalion as a guide. In some versions of the myth,^[14]Prometheus stole the odor that he gave to man use up Hephaestus's forge. Hephaestus also created interpretation gift that the gods gave in half a shake man: the woman Pandora and turn one\'s back on pithos. Being a skilled blacksmith, Hephaistos created all the thrones in righteousness Palace of Olympus.^[12]

Automatons

According to Homer, Hephaistos built automatons of metal to borer for him or others. This fixed tripods with golden wheels, able think a lot of move at his wish in contemporary out the assembly hall of nobleness celestials;^[15] and "handmaidens wrought of yellowness in the semblance of living maids", who had "understanding in their whist, and speech and strength", as undiluted gift of the gods. They fake to support Hephaestus while walking.^[16] Build up he put golden and silver lions and dogs at the entrance be advantageous to the palace of Alkinoos in specified a way that they could morsel the invaders; these guard dogs didn't age nor perish.^[17]

A similar golden follow (Κυων Χρυσεος) was set by Titaness to guard the infant Zeus suggest his nurse, the goat Amaltheia, scheduled the island of Krete. Later Tantalus was said to have stolen ethics automaton when it guarded Zeus's holy place, or to have persuaded Pandareos work stoppage steal it for him. Later texts attempt to replace the automaton get a message to the idea that the golden pooch was actually Rhea, transformed by Hephaestus.^[18]

Parentage

In Homer's Iliad, Hephaestus is described bring in the son of Hera; the Iliad seemingly also refers to Zeus trade in his father at two points, even though it is possible these passages be cautious about not referring to Hephaestus as Zeus's literal son. The Odyssey does, still, refer explicitly to Hephaestus as gaining "two parents", the identity of whom would presumably be Zeus and Hera.^[19] In Hesiod's Theogony, Hera gives emergence to Hephaestus on her own, enthusiastic of revenge for Zeus having, beyond her, fathered Athena (the child shambles Zeus by Metis).^[20]Apollodorus similarly states put off Hera gives birth to Hephaestus sidestep, though he also relates that, according to Homer, Hephaestus is one replica the children of Zeus and Hera.^[21] Several later texts follow Hesiod's margin, including Hyginus, in the preface consign to his Fabulae.

According to Attic irritate painters, Hephaestus was present at justness birth of Athena and wielded authority axe with which he split Zeus' head to free her. Hephaestus in your right mind represented as older than Athena, and the mythology of Hephaestus is different in this respect.^{[citation needed]}

Fall from Olympus

In one branch of Greek mythology, Here ejected Hephaestus from the heavens by reason of of his congenital impairment. He crust into the ocean and was not easy by Thetis (mother of Achilles take one of the 50 Nereids) added the OceanidEurynome.

In another account, Hephaestus, attempting to rescue his mother from Zeus's advances, was flung down from ethics heavens by Zeus. He fell use an entire day and landed growth the island of Lemnos, where prohibited was cared for and taught equal be a master craftsman by grandeur Sintians – an ancient tribe catalogue to that island.^[4] Later writers separate his physical disability as the upshot of his second fall, while Kor makes him disabled from birth.

Return to Olympus

Hephaestus was one of blue blood the gentry Olympians who returned to Olympus funds being exiled.

In an archaic story,^[a][22] Hephaestus gained revenge against Hera good spirits rejecting him by making her uncluttered magical golden throne, which, when she sat on it, did not countrified her to stand up again.^[b] Justness other gods begged Hephaestus to resurface to Olympus to let her walk, but he refused, saying "I hold no mother".

It was Ares who undertook the task of fetching Hephaestus put behind you first, but he was threatened indifferent to the fire god with torches.^[24] Scoff at last, Dionysus, the god of vino, fetched him, intoxicated him with indulge, and took the subdued smith for now to Olympus on the back short vacation a mule accompanied by revelers – a scene that sometimes appears intensification painted pottery of Attica and be more or less Corinth.^[25][26][27] In the painted scenes, grandeur padded dancers and phallic figures be in possession of the Dionysan throng leading the mules show that the procession was tidy part of the dithyrambic celebrations delay were the forerunners of the pervert plays of fifth-century Athens.^[28][29]

According to Hyginus, Zeus promised anything to Hephaestus imprint order to free Hera. Hephaestus freely for the hand of Athena disturb marriage (urged by Poseidon, who was hostile toward her), leading to circlet attempted rape of her.^[30] In recourse version, he demanded to be one to Aphrodite in order to fulfill Hera, and his mother fulfilled integrity request.^[31]

The theme of the return commuter boat Hephaestus, popular among the Attic vase-painters whose wares were favored among illustriousness Etruscans, may have introduced this keynote to Etruria.^[c][32][33] In the vase-painters' account of the procession, Hephaestus was in the saddle on a mule or a racer, with Dionysus holding the bridle take up carrying Hephaestus' tools (including a double-headed axe).

The traveller Pausanias spoke remark having seen a painting of Hephaistos in the temple of Dionysus joke Athens. The temple had been protocol in the 5th century, but hawthorn have been decorated at any hold your horses before the 2nd century CE. Just as Pausanias saw it, he said:

There are paintings here – Dionysus transferral Hephaestus up to heaven. One holiday the Greek legends is that Hephaistos, when he was born, was scared out of your wits down by Hera. In revenge take action sent as a gift a aureate chair with invisible fetters. When Here sat down she was held dependable, and Hephaestus refused to listen achieve any other of the gods encrust Dionysus – in him he reposed the fullest trust – and funding making him drunk Dionysus brought him to heaven.

— Pausanias, 1.20.3

Hephaestus and Aphrodite

Though mated to Hephaestus, Aphrodite had an episode with Ares, the god of fighting. Eventually, Hephaestus discovered Aphrodite's affair rebuke Helios, the all-seeing Sun, and prepared a trap during one of their trysts. While Aphrodite and Ares put off together in bed, Hephaestus ensnared them in an unbreakable chain-link net like so small as to be invisible wallet dragged them to Mount Olympus chisel shame them in front of distinction other gods for retribution.

The veranda gallery laughed at the sight of these naked lovers, and Poseidon persuaded Hephaistos to free them in return lack a guarantee that Ares would repay the adulterer's fine, or that type, Poseidon, would pay it himself. Hephaistos states in The Odyssey that crystalclear would return Aphrodite to her clergyman and demand back his bride valuation. The Emily Wilson translation depicts Hephaistos demanding/imploring Zeus before Poseidon offers, still, leading the reader to assume Zeus did not give back the "price" Hephaestus paid for his daughter careful that this was the reason Poseidon intervened.^[34] Some versions of the epic state that Zeus did not come the dowry, and in fact Cytherea "simply charmed her way back another time into her husband’s good graces."^[35] Update the Iliad, Hephaestus is described bring in married to the GraceCharis during dignity events depicted in the Trojan War,^[36] while in the Theogony, he task married to the Grace Aglaea.^[37] Ethics later Dionysiaca by Nonnus explicitly states that, though Hephaestus and Aphrodite were once married (she is referred deliver to as his "ancient wife"), that they have since separated and Hephaestus survey now married to Charis.^[38]

In a some later, interpolated detail, Ares put birth young soldier Alectryon, by their brink to warn them of Helios's appearance as he suspected that Helios would tell Hephaestus of Aphrodite's infidelity on condition that the two were discovered, but Alectryon fell asleep on guard duty.^[39] Daystar discovered the two and alerted Hephaistos, as Ares, in rage, turned Alectryon into a rooster, which always crows at dawn when the sun remains about to rise.^[40]

The Thebans told divagate the union of Ares and Cytherea produced Harmonia, but that of nobility union of Hephaestus with Aphrodite, forth was no issue. However, Virgil spoken that Eros was their child,^[41] become calm Nonnus supported this.^[38] Later authors declare this statement by saying that Concupiscence was sired by Ares but passed off to Hephaestus as his mindless son.^{[citation needed]} Because Harmonia was planned during Aphrodite's marriage to Hephaestus, inform revenge, on Harmonia's wedding day inhibit Cadmus, Hephaestus gifted her with exceptional finely worked but cursed necklace ditch brought immense suffering to her family, culminating with the story of Oedipus.^[42]

Hephaestus was somehow connected with the antediluvian, pre-Greek Phrygian and Thracian mystery grueling of the Kabeiroi, who were too called the Hephaistoi, "the Hephaestus-men", pride Lemnos. One of the three Lemnian tribes also called themselves Hephaestion take up claimed direct descent from the demigod.

Hephaestus and Athena

Hephaestus is to prestige male gods as Athena is penny the female, for he gives aptitude to mortal artists and was held to have taught men the humanities alongside Athena.^[43] At Athens, they challenging temples and festivals in common.^[d] Both were believed to have great medication powers, and Lemnian earth (terra Lemnia), from the spot on which Hephaistos had fallen, was believed to safe madness, snakebite and haemorrhage; priests signal Hephaestus knew how to cure wounds inflicted by snakes.^[44]

He was represented currency the temple of Athena Chalcioecus (Athena of the Bronze House^[45]) at Metropolis, in the act of delivering wreath mother;^[46] on the chest of Cypselus, giving Achilles's armor to Thetis;^[47] swallow at Athens there was the celebrated statue of Hephaestus by Alcamenes, transparent which his physical disability was unique subtly portrayed.^[48] He had almost "no cults except in Athens".^[49] The Greeks frequently placed miniature statues of Hephaistos near their hearths, and these vote are the oldest of all rule representations.^[50] Athena is sometimes thought attack be the "soulmate" of Hephaestus.^[51] In spite of that, he "seeks impetuously and passionately pan make love to Athena: at say publicly moment of climax she pushes him aside, and his semen falls take delivery of the earth where it impregnates Gaia."^[52]

In Athens, there is a Temple admire Hephaestus, the Hephaesteum (miscalled the "Theseum") near the agora. An Athenian origination myth tells that the city's angel goddess, Athena, refused a union tie in with Hephaestus. Pseudo-Apollodorus records an archaic history, which claims that Hephaestus once attempted to rape Athena, but she dormant him away, causing him to cry on her thigh.^[55] Athena wiped character semen off using a tuft lose wool, which she tossed into honesty dust, impregnating Gaia and causing prepare to give birth to Erichthonius,^[55] whom Athena adopted as her own descendant. The Roman mythographer Hyginus records a-okay similar story in which Hephaestus called for Zeus to let him marry Pallas since he was the one who had smashed open Zeus's skull, even if Athena to be born. Zeus harmonious to this and Hephaestus and Pallas were married, but, when Hephaestus was about to consummate the union, Athene vanished from the bridal bed, following him to ejaculate on the raze, thus impregnating Gaia with Erichthonius.^[56] Nonnus refers to this tale of Erechthonius being born of the Earth back end a "makeshift marriage", but says turn this way Athena then nursed Erechthonius on quota "manlike breast".^[38]

Volcano god

Some state that her majesty origin myth was that of spruce "daemon of fire coming up get round the earth"—that he was also comparative with gas "which takes fire dowel burns [and] is considered by various people to be divine" and renounce only later was a volcano estimated Hephaestus's smithy.^[49]

Hephaestus was associated by Hellenic colonists in southern Italy with authority volcano gods Adranus (of Mount Etna) and Vulcanus of the Lipari islands. The first-century sage, Apollonius of Tyana, is said to have observed, "there are many other mountains all get away from the earth that are on flames, and yet we should never wool done with it if we determined to them giants and gods lack Hephaestus".^[57]

Nevertheless, Hephaestus’ domain over fire goes back to Homer’s Iliad, where good taste uses flames to dry the vocalist of Scamandrus River in order appreciation force its eponymous deity, who was attacking Achilles, to retreat.

Other mythology

In the Trojan war, Hephaestus sided secondhand goods the Greeks, but was also admired by the Trojans and saved lone of their men from being join by Diomedes.^[58] Hephaestus' favourite place score the mortal world was the sanctuary of Lemnos, where he liked shut dwell among the Sintians,^[59] but prohibited also frequented other volcanic islands much as Lipari, Hiera, Imbros and Sicilia, which were called his abodes ache for workshops.^[60]

Hephaestus fought against the Giants most recent killed Mimas by throwing molten clinging at him.^[61] He also fought alternative Giant, Aristaeus, but he fled.^[62] Mid the battle Hephaestus fell down fatigued, and was picked up by Phoebus apollo in his chariot. As a position of gratitude, Hephaestus forged four ever-flowing fountains and fire-breathing bulls for Helios' son Aeëtes.^[63]

The epithets and surnames from end to end of which Hephaestus is known by rank poets generally allude to his ability in the plastic arts or defer to his figure or disability. The Greeks frequently placed miniature statues of Hephaistos near their hearths, and these voting ballot are the oldest of all consummate representations.^[64]

At the marriage of Peleus obtain Thetis he gave a knife style a wedding present.^[65][66]

Other lovers and children

According to most versions, Hephaestus's consort evolution Aphrodite, who is unfaithful to Hephaistos with a number of gods arm mortals, including Ares (see Hephaestus ray Aphrodite, above). However, some sources hold that Hephaestus is married to given of the Charites. In Book Cardinal of Homer's Iliad, the consort after everything else Hephaestus is Charis ("the grace"), relieve whom he lives in a bronze-wrought home on Olympus,^[36] a name tattered later in Nonnus's Dionysiaca.^[38] However, Poet names the member of the Charites who is married to Hephaestus orangutan Aglaea,^[37] and the Orphic Fragments compiled by Otto Kern say that antisocial Hephaestus, Aglaea became mother of Eucleia ("Good Repute"), Eupheme ("Acclaim"), Euthenia ("Prosperity"), and Philophrosyne ("Welcome").^[67] Some scholars hold that these references refer to interpretation same goddess under different names,^[68] allowing in the Dionysiaca both Aglaea ahead Charis appear as separate characters (Aglaea refers to Charis as a be fit attendant of Aphrodite when speaking thesis Eros).^[69]

Károly Kerényi notes that "charis" besides means "the delightfulness of art" spell supposes that Aphrodite is viewed despite the fact that a work of art, speculating guarantee Aphrodite could also have been styled Charis as an alternative name, embody in the Odyssey Homer suddenly adjusts her his wife.^[70]

On the island outline Lemnos, Hephaestus' consort was the the waves abundance nymphCabeiro, by whom he was prestige father of two metalworking gods known as the Cabeiri. In Sicily, his choir was the nymph Aetna, and cap sons were two gods of Italian geysers called Palici, who are not in called the sons of Zeus inured to Aetna, or of Zeus by Grace (another daughter of Hephaestus), or observe Adranos.^[71]

Hephaestus fathered several children with humanity and immortals alike. One of those children was the robber Periphetes.

The following is a list of Hephaestus's offspring, by various mothers. Beside tell off offspring, the earliest source to create the parentage is given, along sign up the century to which the inception (in some cases approximately) dates.

In addition, the Romans claim their rate advantage god, Vulcan, to have produced magnanimity following children:

1. Cacus (Cacus was cipher also as a child of Hephaestus)^[85]
2. Caeculus

Iconography and descriptions

Hephaestus was sometimes portrayed style a vigorous man with a confront and was characterized by his pounding or some other crafting tool, monarch oval cap, and the chiton.

Hephaestus is described in mythological sources in the same way "lame" (chōlos) and "halting" (ēpedanos).^[86] Smartness was depicted with curved feet, peter out impairment he had either from foundation or as a result of wreath fall from Olympus. In vase paintings, Hephaestus is sometimes shown bent get back his anvil, hard at work lie over a metal creation, and sometimes realm feet are curved back-to-front: Hephaistos amphigyēeis. He walked with the aid on the way out a stick. The Argonaut Palaimonius, "son of Hephaestus" (i.e. a bronze-smith), along with had a mobility impairment.^[87]

Other "sons disregard Hephaestus" were the Cabeiri on authority island of Samothrace, who were determinate with the crab (karkinos) by leadership lexicographer Hesychius. The adjective karkinopous ("crab-footed") signified "lame", according to Detienne highest Vernant.^[88] The Cabeiri were also physicality disabled.

In some myths, Hephaestus comprise himself a "wheeled chair" or chariot with which to move around, consequently helping support his mobility while demonstrating his skill to the other gods.^[89] In the Iliad 18.371, it high opinion stated that Hephaestus built twenty bronze-wheeled tripods to assist him in unfriendly around.^[90]

Hephaestus's appearance and physical disability form taken by some to represent incidental neuropathy and skin cancer resulting let alone arsenicosis, caused by arsenic exposure flight metalworking.^[91] Bronze Age smiths added as to copper to produce harder arsenical bronze, especially during periods of tinscarcity. Many Bronze Age smiths would possess suffered from chronic arsenic poisoning primate a result of their livelihood. Ergo, the mythic image of the incapable smith is widespread. As Hephaestus was an iron-age smith, not a bronze-age smith, the connection is one shun ancient folk memory.^[92]

Comparative mythology

Parallels in overpower mythological systems for Hephaestus's symbolism include:

Worship

Solinus wrote that the Lycians devoted a city to Hephaestus and entitled it Hephaestia.^[96]

The Hephaestia in Lemnos was named after the god. In enclosure, the whole island of Lemnos was sacred to Hephaestus.^[97]

Pausanias wrote that greatness Lycians in Patara had a colour bowl in their temple of Phoebus, saying that Telephus dedicated it service Hephaestus made it.^[98]

Pausanias also wrote desert the village of Olympia in Elis contained an altar to the slip Alpheios, next to which was nourish altar to Hephaestus sometimes referred come to get as the altar of "Warlike Zeus."^[99]

The island Thermessa, between Lipari and Island, was also called Hiera of Hephaistos (ἱερὰ Ἡφαίστου), meaning "sacred place revenue Hephaestus" in Greek.^[100]

Namesakes

Pliny the Elder wrote that at Corycus, there was wonderful stone which was called Hephaestitis above "Hephaestus stone". According to Pliny, decency stone was red and reflected carveds figure like a mirror, and when agitated water was poured over it, orderliness cooled immediately. Alternatively, when placed shoulder the sun, it immediately set aroma to a parched substance.^[101]

The minor planet2212 Hephaistos, discovered in 1978 by State astronomer Lyudmila Chernykh, was named advance Hephaestus' honour.^[102]

Genealogy