c r e a t i o n

"Be gracious, Hephaistos, and grant me success and prosperity!" I wish to praise Hephaestus through this blog.

[antonio-m]

"The Ironworker", by John Garth (1889–1971). American painter and muralist. oil on canvas

[flowerytale]

Mary Shelley ― Mathilda

[aqua-regia009]

Paul Benney

[nubbsgalore]

[linafication]

here’s your reminder to let yourself create. not create ‘well’, just create. draw badly. write shitty poems. sing stupid songs. make whatever you want & have a great time doing it. that’s what creation is for. it’s self expression, not perfection

[su-n-s-e-t]

[sedraboc]

[dualvoidanima]

[1m2an3d4o-deactivated20230729]

[khaireis]

lit with forge fire, the great creator limps

below the waves, dragging magma in his

wake, fingers clad in molten bronze, cane

striking sparks, hephaistos of the

creaking joints, pain-bearer of the gods,

aphrodite's beloved, whose chains bound up

prometheus upon the mountainside,

from whose work comes every wonder,

who blesses every aiding device, listen lord

to i who moves in your likeness, bowed and

slow, i sing beneath the pounding beat of

your hammer, softly, watching you compose

-4.1.21 [to hephaistos]

[lovecorekiss]

Hephaistos is more than a blacksmith

Something I see with Hephaistos is people say that he’s not applicable to most of our lives. Therefore we have to change him. And I’m calling bullshit on that. In my opinion that phrase itself is ill-informed. Such as the “Ares only cares for war” and other such notions. To combat this, here’s a post. 

We all know Hephaistos as the blacksmith. But that ignores so, so many of his aspects. Such as fire, stonemasonry, etc. Let’s start with the first one: god of fire. 

While there are other fire gods such as Hestia (fire of the hearth) and Helios (fire & heat of the sun), Hephaistos’ very name was used as the word for fire. This means that you can pray to him to keep away forest fires and the likes. This can also extend to activities associated with fire. Maybe even things such as cooking with fire. 

God of Smiths 

This one is what Hephaistos is most known for, but it’s still a useful aspect. This means working with, forging, creating, etc things with metal and tools. If you’re a blacksmith, Hephaistos can be your work patron.

God of Craftsmanship 

I believe first I should define exactly what craftsmanship is. Craftsmanship is defined as skill in a particular craft. Therefore; if you’re trying to advance in a craft — Hephaistos is the god you can reach out to. This applies to the fine arts, metalworking, jewellery, carpentry, etc. If it’s a craft, Hephaistos is the patron. Invention is what he is known for.

Hephaistos is such a good craftsman, he is describing creating life like statues — machines — that can move and sometimes even be able to breath fire. 

In myth he literally creates robots. Therefore, robotics. He also creates many things to help him with his disability. This means that it’s more than okay for disabled people to pray to him for help with accommodations and the likes. If you’re interested, check out ___

God of Metalworking 

This one is self-explanatory. If you work with metals, Hephaistos is once again here to be a possible work patron. This ranges from aspects of engineering to metal casting to jewellery making.

God of Stone masonry 

As the god of stone masonry, Hephaistos is the patron of Builders, Architects, and Stonemasons. He is very much about creating things with your hands. If you fall under any of those professions, he can be your work patron.

God of Carpentry 

This means that working with wood and building things. If you are a carpenter or need some help with carpentry tasks, Hephaistos can be there to help.

God of Sculpture 

To sculpt means to work with clay and this brings in many fields. From fine art students to potters. This also means that he governs over statue making — essentially, an aspect of worship.   

Final thoughts 

He is more than just important to our society. We are built upon technology and craftsmanship; it’s our human nature to create. It’s criminal that he’s so ignored. 

If you wish to create, to indulge in that human need, Hephaistos is the god you’re looking for. He creates the amour the heroes, the attributes and chariots of gods, beautiful jewellery, and more. I am completely in awe of him and I refuse to let him be ignored — or even worse, insulted.

Bibliography 

HEPHAESTUS - Greek God of Smiths & Metalworking. (n.d.). Retrieved October 25, 2020, from https://www.theoi.com/Olympios/Hephaistos.html

MAYOR, A. (2018). Gods and Robots: Myths, Machines, and Ancient Dreams of Technology. PRINCETON; OXFORD: Princeton University Press. doi:10.2307/j.ctvc779xn

[gelobttheoi]

Hello!

I know I haven’t been active here (I queue posts every once in a while lol), so feel free to follow me on instagram @lexsgods. I’ve been more active there recently, so if you’re interested, feel free to follow ✨

[crfindung]

Hi How do you experience Hephaestus? I'm very new to Hellenism so I don't have experience but I feel very drawn to Hephaestus. I just can't really find any content about Him so I don't know how best to start. Thx

Hello! I don’t know how long ago you sent this, because tumblr never notifies me of new messages, so I apologize if you’ve been waiting for too long.

I’ll be honest and say I wouldn’t really know how to explain to you how I experience him haha I think it’s something very particular (in the sense that everyone experiences deities a different way), and just very... different from anything. So instead I’ll tell you how I knew he was reaching out to me, I hope it helps. I never really thought I’d be devoted to him, in the beginning, and back when I was learning, I started reading about the gods and goddesses. I know when a deity is reaching out to me or is around because I just start crying. Not from being sad or scared, but I just feel very happy. There was a day where I was going through a short list of the Theoi, with names of gods and goddesses and their domains. As soon as I read Hephaestus’ name, I just started crying. I had no idea why, at first, so I just read more about him (because I only know the basics), and so I started making offerings and building a relationship. I think this is the best way to describe how I experience Hephaestus and the Theoi: pure joy.

As for how you could start: read as much as you can about him. Read the myths, his epithets, hymns and anything you can get your hands on. And make him an offering. The best way to start is to reach out first. Here’s a place to begin your research, it has a LOT of good information. And feel free to PM me, honestly. I’d love to help 😊

[carrykerykeion]

It is my own personal religious conviction that Hephaistos deserves more worship.

Sometimes I think about a podcast episode that @thepastelpriestess put out (I think it was you who does "Tea With The Gods" right?)

Anyway, she talks about how Hephaistos' domain isn't quite so prevalent in modern society as it once was, and this contributes to his comparatively smaller following. I believe she then starts the conversation on how to... I don't want to say "modernize" Hephaistos because it implies changing him, which she is Not implying. But I guess rethinking our understanding of him and how he fits into our current world.

We already do this for other gods quite naturally. How many of us have prayed to Hermes for car troubles or public transportation woes? But the progression from horses and chariots to cars and buses is a logical step within our cultural narrative.

What is the "progression" of a blacksmith? That beautiful art certainly still exists, so instead of a progression, let's talk about expansion.

I don't recall what Jessie suggests specifically, but allow me to contribute some ideas to the conversation:

Computer programming / software engineering

Any kind of building or physical engineering from bridges to prosthetics

Architecture

Small scale building projects as well, such as home renovation, building birdhouses with your children, etc

Car repair and maintenance. (The driving of the car is Hermes, but the mechanics is surely Hephaistos)

Fixing/repairing any physical object that doesn't clearly go under another deity's domain (darning a sock might be Athena, but perhaps fixing the sock drawer or cleaning your computer keyboard would be Hephaistos)

Also, holding firm to your sense of self-worth, and refusing to allow others to take your dignity from you.

This one is pretty nebulous, so let me explain. Remember Hephaistos' origin story? Chucked off Olympos and rejected by his family? And then he came back and forced others to acknowledge his skill and worth (through the chair trick)? He was still ridiculed throughout many stories, but he never let that get to him.

In modern day, this would look like:

Holding fast to your principles and refusing to bend them under pressure. (I don't want to give examples as this is highly subjective, but you'll want to consider your core values and live a life according to them. Refusing to compromise your core values affirms to yourself that you are a valuable person.)

Setting and maintaining healthy boundaries (and respecting those of others)

Keeping your promises to yourself and to others

Building a core conception of yourself that does not rely on the opinions of others.

These are only one person's ideas that hopefully will become part of a much larger and more diverse dialogue.

If you like audio formats better than text, "Tea With The Gods" by the ever-delightful @thepastelpriestess is on Spotify, and I believe she's planning on making more episodes when she has the time and energy to do so. Might be worth a follow.

[thegrapeandthefig]

I wholehearedly disagree with the idea that the reason Hephaistos is being ignored is because his domain isn’t prevalent. In fact, we live in a Hephaistean world where we, as humans, rely on technology. No, what makes us so blind to his prevalence is that we are consummers who take things for granted.

Let's talk about the idea of progression, because the Ancients definitely nailed it for us way before this conversation started. Seneca the Younger tells us this in Phaedra, line 189:

"That god [Hephaistos] . . . who fashions the three-forked thunderbolts, yea, he who tends the hot furnaces ever raging beneath Aetna's peaks."

What's funny about this description of Hephaistos being the maker behind Zeus' thunderbolt, is that it lived on in the modern representations of Hephaistos (looking at you Disney). In myth however, the Cyclops are usually the ones to whom the bolt is attributed, but still forged with Hephaistos' tools. My point is: lightning bolts are pure electric current and Hephaistos' forge is potent enough to create such a thing. You know what else he's said to have made in myth? The buildings the gods live in, their furniture, their jewelry, temples, statues, vehicles, silverware, automatons (ROBOTS) and other pretty objects.

He is, before being even a blacksmith, the god of invention, innovation and technology. All technology. The electric current you use for everything, the AI allowing Alexa to play Despacito, the engineering behind everything you use. Let's go back on the automatons quickly:

Homer, Iliad 18. 136 ff (trans. Lattimore) (Greek epic C8th B.C.) : "[Hephaistos] took up a heavy stick in his hand, and went to the doorway limping. And in support of their master moved his attendants. These are golden, and in appearance like living young women. There is intelligence in their hearts, and there is speech in them and strength, and from the immortal gods they have learned how to do things. These stirred nimbly in support of their master, and moving to where Thetis sat in her shining chair."

WE ARE ONLY STARTING TO DEVELOP INDEPENDENT SELF-LEARNING ROBOTS. WE'RE IN 2020, THIS WAS WRITTEN IN THE 8TH CENTURY BC. YOU KNOW WHAT ROBOTS WORK ON? ELEC-FUCKING-TRICITY.

I’ll stop screaming now but this is why I say we are just terribly blind to his domains. His work is absolutely everywhere, we rely on technology all the time. There is no need to "adapt" anything about his domains. He had them all along, the only thing we need to fix is the entitlement we have towards technology and for once be grateful of the gifts he brings us.

[heart-of-healing]

[teawiththegods]

🔥Hephaestus Epithets🔥

Klytos - Renowned, Glorious

Agaklytos - Very Famous

Klytomêtis - Famed for Skill/Crafts

Klytotekhnês - Famed Worker of Crafts

Polyteknês - Of Many Crafts

Polyphrôn - Ingenious, Inventive

Polymêtis - Resourceful

Aithaloeis Theos - Sooty God

Khalkeus - Bronze/Copper- Smith

Kyllopodiôn - Crooked-Foot

Amphigyêeis - Halting in Both Feet

Aergastir - Workman

Aionius - Eternal, Perpetual

Hemeros - Gentle, Kind

Kartaerôkeir - Strong-Handed

Maegasthaenes - Great Strength

Pyr - Fire

Phohsphôros - Light Bringing, Torch Bearer

Omvrimôthymos - Indomitable

[hornedsnakeofanwyn]

Prayer to Hephaestus

Fire, friend of humanity Of mighty hammer and strong anvil Onto you, Hephaestus, is this prayer made Lord of the workforce, king of the strong and determined I give praise onto you lord, and honor God of creation, god of destruction God of the shaping and changing of substance Let these words lift to the heavens, like smoke And may they please you there up in Olympus Where you craft the blessings you bestow to gods and mortals alike Praise be to Hephaestus, patron of all makers and creators Be eternally worshipped for the gifts you give and the inspiration you endow Hail Hephaestus, friend of humanity