Who Is Hephaestus?:
Hephaestus is a Greek god of volcanoes, a craftsman and blacksmith. He lusted after Athena, another crafts person, and in some versions is the husband of Aphrodite. He was thrown from Mt. Olympus and in some version landed in Lemnos where he built his furnaces under a volcano. He is also associated with Mt. Aetna.
Occupation:
Family of Origin of Hephaestus:
Hephaestus was the son of only Hera whom she produced after her husband Zeus produced Athena without a woman. The birth of Hephaestus without the aid of a man makes it biologically parthenogenic, although the term parthenogenic is usually used in connection with the birth of Athena.
Roman Equivalent Vulcan:
Hephaestus was known as Vulcan by the Romans.
Attributes:
The symbols for which Hephaestus is known are the tools he used -- axe and tongs.
Powers of Hephaestus:
Hephaestus was the blacksmith and craftsman of the gods. It was Hephaestus who chained Prometheus to the rock.
The Lameness of Hephaestus:
Hephaestus was a lame god because of a fall from Olympus. Zeus may have been responsible for casting Hephaestus out of the gods' home because he came to the aid of his mother Hera, but it is also said that Hera cast her already lame son out because she was ashamed of his infirmity.
