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Hephaistos
as Aphrodite's husband considered by many one of the most unlikely pairs. Hephaistos the Smith-god is
not at all pleasing to the eye to look upon. In fact his appearance was so horrid it is said it both disgusted
and embarrassed his mother Hera. She dropped him from the very heights of Olympus to rid herself from this burden.
Fortunate for him he survived the great plummet for he fell into the sea. Thetis and Eurynome rescued him. The
gentle goddesses always treated him with kindness and care and in return he made them all sorts of ornamental and
useful objects in the smithy he set up in an under water grotto. After nine years had come to pass Hera met Thetis
wearing an exquisite brooch and she asks her "Where in the world did you find that wonderful jewel?"
Thetis resisted answering but eventually Hera forced the truth from her. At Once she fetches Hephaestus and returns
him to Mt. Olympus. He was set up the finest smithy and arranged to marry the fair Aphrodite.
Consider this when coupled with Aphrodite's abilities with his own we have two basic components for a civilization - tools and progeny. This changes however, the maker of tools becomes subsidiary for a new man of power - the military man. Enter Ares whom assumes Hephaistos's role and his wife. The new couple standing at the head of an advancing society.
For those not familiar with the myth where Aphrodite commits adultery here is a rough outline of what had happened -
Aphrodite presented to Hesphaestus three
children - Phobus, Deimus, and Harmonia but she deceived him for the true father was Ares. Hephaistos was not wise
or suspect anything of her unfaithfulness until one night the lovers remained too long in each others arms at Ares
Thracian palace and were seen by Helius as he rose. Helius reported his discovery to the smith. Hephaistos in his
anger forged a bronze hunting net, as fine as a gossamer but indestructible. He secretly laid it as a trap in his
marriage bed. He then informed Aphrodite that he is taking a short holiday on Lemnos (his favorite island). Aphrodite
did not suggest she travel with him but instead waited until her husband departed and called for Ares to be with
her.After a night of enjoying each others company in the thralls of passion they awoke to find that they had been
snared and entangled in the net placed by Hephaistos.
He surprises them and summons all the gods to witness his dishonor. Then he announces that he will not release
the pair until his marriage gifts he paid Zeus were returned. While this was going on off to the side Hermes was
having a chat with Apollo who asks Him if he would mind being in Ares position even with the net. Hermes swears
that he would not, even if it were three times as many nets and all the goddesses were looking on. ( The goddesses
themselves were not attending the festivities that day as they had a sense of delicacy and stayed in their homes.)
Homer tells us this is what Apollo had said :
"Hermes, son of Zeus....wouldst thou in sooth be willing even though ensnared with strong bonds, to lie on a couch by the side of golden Aphrodite?"Then the messenger answered him "Would that this might befall, Lord Apollo, that thrice as many bonds inextricable might clasp me about, and that ye gods -aye, and all the goddesses, too--might be looking on, but that I might sleep by the side of golden Aphrodite."
Zeus refused to hand back the marriage gifts nor did he want to interfere. Poseidon faked sympathy with Hephaestus and offered to help out since his brother would not. He suggests that he will undertake that of Ares, as a fee for his release, pays the equivalent of the marriage gifs in question. Hephaistos gloomily agrees and adds that if Ares defaults, you will have to take his place under the net. Poseidon said he could not think that Ares would default, but if he were to do so he was willing to pay the debt and marry Aphrodite himself. And so it was that Ares was set at liberty and he returned to Thrace, and Aphrodite headed to Paphos where she renewed her virginity in the sea.
To the military man the easiest way to increase the gross national product is to take it from someone else and
wage war with them. Barter is the first stage of economic transfer, buying did not appear until much later.We know
of military force as early as the sixth millennium B.C., we could date the Aphrodite/Hephaestus dyad back somewhere
towards the eighth millennium, which allows just enough time for the important developments in agriculture which
follow the last ice age .
Aphrodite, Hephaistos & Ares in History
(These three are grouped together to illustrate the importance of their relationships in a historical and mythical background. Each shall have their own profiles in another section for further reading of interest.)
After the Ice Age the human population was very small and there was great need to reproduce in order to intact the survival of our species. Life expectancy at that time was not more than forty years, usually half the children born would usually die before reaching their third birthday. A rise in population marks the difference between man hunter/gatherer and his decedent man the agriculturist / animal breeder. When the numbers of a population increase they must find means to supply the demands that call for supporting themselves.
Greece's problems with population can be compared to the developing new world of America into the nineteenth century when the United States was facing the challenge of "new land". This consisted of all the problems of constructing a civilization into a single century, large families were a great necessity. If a woman a were impregnated with thirteen children and eight survived and if four of them were male then the farmers could look forward to getting enough workers to fill the needs of a small farm. By the breeding of ones ones workers it ensured survival if it failed so did the farms.
Which leads our discussion towards the eternally charming, ever lovely and flirtatious Aphrodite. Of course in a more primitive society her role for the people fills a very important one. Sex is the only pleasure that leads to procreation that would be vital to a developing society. As a major deity she represents the magickal function of sex now associated with the area of genetics After the Ice Age was coming to pass there was a development of grain hybrids which helped make the population increase happen, however this required an even larger number still of people whom would sow, reap, harvest and protect the food supply.