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Vol. 34 : Hephaestus defies Zeus

Hephaestus limped back to his home. He had sided with Hera, and Zeus had done nothing. But last time he had not been so lucky.

Many, many years before, Zeus had fallen in love with a beautiful woman called Alcmene. Unfortunately, she was married. Fortunately for Zeus, he did not care.

So one night, when Alcmene's husband, Amphytrion, was away from the palace, Zeus took the shape of Amphytrion and went to her bed. There he made love to her for the whole night, and it was no ordinary night for Zeus made it last the length of three.

The following day, Amphytrion returned to find his wife exhausted but starry-eyed. He asked her what had happened, and she reminded him of everything they had done the night before.

Puzzled, Amphytrion went to the seer Tiresias, who told him that Zeus had come disguised as Amphytrion. Ampthytrion was not happy at this news, but it did not end up lessening his love for his wife.

Soon Alcmene gave birth to a boy of superhuman strength. The boy would grow up to be the greatest hero the world would ever know. His name was Hercules.

Hera learned of this baby, and she hated him. She did everything in her power to kill him, but Zeus loved his son and protected him. Eventually, Hera sent a storm to sink Hercules'ship as he crossed the sea and drown him.

This was the last straw for Zeus. Angrily, he grabbed Hera and hung her from the top of Mt. Olympus. Around her wrists was a gold chain that could not be broken, and from her feet hung heavy anvils.

Hephaestus saw his mother in pain, and decided to help her. Being the god of blacksmiths, he was the only one who knew how to break the chain, and so he freed his mother.

Zeus was furious. He took Hephaestus and threw him from the top of Mt. Olympus. Hephaestus fell, crashing to the earth on the island of Lemnos and breaking both his legs. There the locals found him and they nursed him until he was better. But his legs never recovered, and from that day on, he was lame.