Chaining Prometheus ₁

But it was Hephaestus, who following Zeus' instructions, chained Prometheus ₁ to the rock in Mount Caucasus with the help of Cratos (Power) and Bia (Violence):

"Against my will, no less than yours, I must rivet you with brazen bonds … Such is the prize you have gained for your championship of man." (Hephaestus to Prometheus ₁. Aeschylus, Prometheus Bound 20).

Hephaestus chained Prometheus ₁ reluctantly:

Hephaestus: Oh handicraft that I hate so much!
Cratos: Why hate it? Since in truth your craft is in no way to blame for these present troubles.
Hephaestus: Nevertheless, I wish it had fallen to another's lot!
(Aeschylus, Prometheus Bound 45).

Falls from heaven during a whole day

Hephaestus was lame in his legs because he fell at sunset after a whole day fall on Lemnos when Zeus cast him out of heaven. This happened because Hephaestus came to the rescue of Hera when Zeus chained her because of the storm she sent against Heracles ₁ when the latter was at sea (see Lemnos, the island where Hephaestus is particularly worshipped.) But it is also said that it was Hera who cast him, not on Lemnos but on the sea, because she was ashamed of her limping son. In revenge, Hephaestus sent to Hera a golden chair with invisible fetters and when she sat down she was held fast. Some say that Dionysus ₂ made him drunk, and finally brought him back to Olympus.

Aphrodite visiting Hephaestus in his smithy. 0830: Venus in Vulcan's workshop. Painting by Gaetano Gandolfi, 1734-1802. Staatsgalerie, Stuttgart.

Unhappy married

Hephaestus was married to Aphrodite, but she loved Ares in the house of Hephaestus whenever he was away. However, Hephaestus, trapped the two lovers in bed with a clever invention, and exposed them to the laughter of the other OLYMPIANS. Later, Hephaestus attempted to have intercourse with Athena when she came to have new arms made by him. But she resisted him, and the god dropped his seed on Athena's leg. And as she fled the seed fell on the ground, and Erichthonius ₂ was born. Some affirm, however, that the mother of Erichthonius ₂ was Gaia (see Offspring below).

Extraordinary works

Hephaestus made some extraordinary constructions. He gave King Aeetes the brazen-footed bulls that puffed fire from their mouths. He also wrought the famous Necklace of Harmonia ₁, and he made a bed forged of gold, in which Helius (the Sun) is carried in sleep. Oenopion ₁'s underground house was also constructed by Hephaestus; and when Heracles ₁ did not know how to drive the Stymphalian Birds from the wood, Athena gave him brazen castanets to scared them with, which she had received from Hephaestus. Hephaestus also made a scepter for Zeus, which the god gave to Hermes, Hermes to Pelops ₁, Pelops ₁ to Atreus, Atreus to Thyestes ₁, and Thyestes ₁ to Agamemnon (these are the Pelopides). This scepter is the only work considered to be authentic by Hephaestus. But others have shown bowls, and chests, falsified necklaces, and even temples, saying that Hephaestus had done them. But Hephaestus gave a golden breastplate to Heracles ₁, and he also made Achilles' new armour, when he laid aside his wrath and decided to return to the fight at Troy. And when Achilles killed Asteropaeus, grandson of the river Axius, the river god rushed at him, but Hephaestus dried up his streams with a powerful flame.

A strange creature

Zeus gave Talos ₁ to Europa to be the warder of Crete, but this creature made of bronze was, according to some, the work of Hephaestus. Curiously enough, some have represented Hephaestus as son of Talos ₁, and Talos ₁ as son of Cres. But, as it has been remarked: "The legends of Greece generally have different forms, and this is particularly true of genealogy." (Pausanias, Description of Greece 8.53.5).