Hephaestus was one of the 12 Olympian gods, he was the god of fire and divine smith. With Athena, he was the patron of handicrafts. He was the creator of all beautiful and mechanically wonderful in Olympus, especially arms and armor for the gods. In general, he was a beneficent god. He was much loved by mortals and gods alike for his kindness and his skill in peaceful arts.
             Some say that Hepheastus was the son of Hera alone, that he had no father. They say that Hera produced him alone after Athena was born from the head of Zeus to show that she too could have a child without anyone's help. But they also say that Zeus was his father. When he was born he was ugly, he alone of the ideally beautiful gods. Hera, in disgust, flung him out of the heavens. He fell into the sea and was rescued by Thetis and Eurynome. The Nereids treated him kindly and kept him with them in a cavern beneath the sea for nine years. It was because of her kindness that Hepheastus, in the Trojan war, made new armor for Achilles, son of Thetis.
             While living under the sea Hepheastus, "Equally skilled in both hands," made a golden throne to which he attached golden mesh fetters, so fine they were invisible. This he sent to Hera, to punish her for hurling him down from the heavens. When she sat on the throne she was immediately held fast by the invisible fetters. The gods of heaven tried to get Hepheastus to come back to Olympus and free her. He refused. Ares threatened him with force. Hepheastus compelled him to withdraw by menacing him with molten missiles. Dionysus came to try his persuasions. Hephaestus trusted him and received him. Dionysus got him drunk and led him to Olympus where he agreed to free Hera from the throne. From then on he took his place with the gods and was greatly loved by them and he built great bronze palaces for them.
             But Zeus was angry at Hera for causing Hercacles to be shipwrecked on the
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