Harnessing Fire: A Hephaestus Devotional

In your submissions, please consider Hephaestus’ many different cult titles and roles, both ancient and modern; such as, – Hephaestus as a Blue-Collar God, as a Working Man’s God; – the God as the Friend of Humanity; – Hephaestus as the God of Results and Workmanship; – Hephaestus as the Creator of Women, per the myth of Pandora; – the God as the Olympic Rebel who speaks Truth to Power and spends his time with other Rebels; – Hephaestus as the son of Hera, and their relationship; – Hephaestus as the husband of Aphrodite and/or Aglaia; – Hephaestus as the father of Eukleia, Eupheme, Euthenia, and Philophrosyne; – Hephaestus as the brother, compatriot, and rival of Athena; – the relationship between Hephaestus and Hestia as Deities of fire; – compare/contrast Hephaestus and the Roman Volcanus; – compare/contrast Hephaestus and other smith and fire Deities such as Brigid, Goibhniu, Ilmarinen, Ptah, Tvastor, and Weyland Smith; – the relationship between Hephaestus, who crafts the weapons of war, and Ares, who wields those same weapons (but who is also a lover of Aphrodite); – his exile from and eventual return to Olympus; – the many creations of Hephaestus, such as Pandora, the Necklace of Harmonia, the armor of Achilles, the chains which bind Prometheus, and the Handmaids of Gold which assist him in his forge; – the many symbols associated with Hephaestus, such as anvil, hammer, forge, fire, quail, donkey, guard dog, and crane; – the connections between the Mysteries of Samothrace, the Kabeiroi, Hephaestus, and Hera; – Hephaestus as the “ugly” or “lame” God.

Country of Publication

United States