#donkey!hephaestus

[sapphireroses282]

😢💔

Honestly Hephaestus deserves better.

Nothing hurts more than being betrayed or left behind by the one person you thought you could trust, or who you thought loved you..

When I'm working on designs of Greek gods, I always read a bit of their stories. So, of course, I was reading when Hephaestus caught Aphrodite and Ares in their bed. And Hephaestus has this really sad speech, and in the middle of it, he straight up says that he wished he was never born…

And Poseidon was the only one who didn't laugh amongst the other gods.

[sarafangirlart]

I could not find a high quality version of this but this pottery art of Hephaestus returning to Olympus looks like an awkward emo teenager idk how to explain it.

[hermesmoly]

Hephaestus and Eileithyia next to their grandparents, Oceanus and Tethys during the procession of gods attending the wedding of Peleus and Thetis.

[rayne-the-neutrois-nerd]

My dumbass just realized I CAN CROCHET OFFERINGS TO THE THEOI OMG!!@ LITTLE DEDICATED PIECES! GRAPES FOR DIONYSUS! A PEACOCK FOR HERA!!! POPPIES FOR HYPNOS! A DICK BC WHY NOT!!!

[sarnai4]

Zeus (smiling): I brought gifts!

Athena: What?

Zeus: Remember when you said you liked owls? (Hands her an owl hatchling)

Athena (immediately loves her): She's amazing! Thanks!

Zeus: Apollo, I'm pretty sure you said something about swans.

Apollo (gasping as he's given a little swan): So pretty! I love him!

Zeus: Now, Artemis, you like deer, right?

Artemis (excitedly): Yes! (Hugs the little fawn)

Zeus: Onto Hermes. There was a little reptile which reminded me of what you'd said before.

Hermes (grins as he's given a tortoise): Sweet!

Zeus: Hephaestus, you mentioned donkeys a while back.

Hephaestus (jaw dropping at the sight): You noticed that?

Zeus: And Dionysus, I remember you saying that you wanted a goat.

Dionysus (beaming): Aw! She's the cutest!

Zeus (hands on his hips): Well, I think I've done good parenting for one day.

Ares:...

Zeus (leaves)

Ares: :(

Athena (hands him a puppy): I remembered.

Ares (happily cuddles the pup): Thanks!

[wolfythewitch]

hiya wolfy! was thinking about something you once said about your gods' designs being based on animals (athena, owl, and hermes, rooster) and after your god games animatic (which!!! soo good!!! as always!!!) i wanted to ask if you had some thoughts/ideas for your design of other gods?

Ooooo disclaimer the designs in the animatic aren't mine! They're primarily Jorge's and the artists who designed them haha.

But I think the rest were

Dionysus - leopard (I think?)

Artemis - deer

Hephaestus - donkey/dog

Hera - ox

Zeus - eagle

Demeter - snake

There's more but I'm blanking atm

With Apollo and Aphrodite, I have Apollo be based off deer as well, though he also changes form often when speaking to mortals (like looking like Paris when he speaks to hector) (no particular reason for this I just think it's fun for the god of prophecy to look like the person most likely to cause you the most. Y'know. Emotion)

And Aphrodite looks like the person you find most beautiful

[apiswitchcraft]

altars for greek gods (pt.2)

this post includes zeus, hera, poseidon, hestia, hephaestus, dionysus, ares, demeter, and athena. for part 1 including hades, persephone, artemis, apollo, aphrodite, hermes, and hekate click here, for the titans and protogenoi click here.

keep in mind that this is largely UPG, new age stuff, and historically accurate offerings to the gods include meat, wine, grain (specifically barley), honey, and incense (myrrh and frankincense).

colors can be used for candles, banners, decor, whatever you want

ZEUS

Colors: white, blue, and grey for association with the heavens, yellow and black for association with storms. gold because he's the King of the Gods

Offerings: rain water, oak, olives/olive branches/olive leaves, vervain, cinnamon, laurel. images of himself or lightning bolts are particularly recommended for Zeus

Crystals: diamonds, gold (i think pyrite, aka fool's gold, would be offensive), turquoise, lapis lazuli, celestite, iron/steel, any quartz

Animals: eagle, bull

POSEIDON

Colors: blue and white for association with the seas, gray for association with storms, brown for association with the earth/earthquakes

Offerings: coffee, mint, ocean water, salt, seashells

Crystals: coral, petoskey stone, abalone, opal (especially water opal), blue calcite, aquamarine

Animals: horse, bull, dolphin, hippocampus

HERA

Colors: red, pink and white for association with love and marriage. gold because she's the Queen of the Gods.

Offerings: iris, rose, patchouli, coconut, cypress, maple, peacock feathers, pomegranate

Crystals: pearls, garnet, citrine, diamonds, lapis lazuli, topaz, opal, moonstone, rose quartz

Animals: peacock, cuckoo, cow

HESTIA

Colors: red, orange, and yellow for association with fire, brown or white for the hearth/home.

Offerings: tea/coffee (especially if you drink it with her), pine, bread, cider, apples, anything on fire, cinnamon

Crystals: amber, jade, garnet, ruby, carnelian, sunstone, amethyst, honey calcite

Animals: donkey, pig, crane

HEPHAESTUS

Colors: red, orange, and yellow for association with fire, metallics for association with metalworking.

Offerings: spicy things, hot beverages, handmade things, dragon's blood incense, seashells, anything on fire

Crystals: metals, fire opal, honey calcite, obsidian, hematite, carnelian

Animals: donkey, dog, crane

DIONYSUS

Colors: purple and green for association with grapes/wine, leopard/tiger print for his holy animals

Offerings: grapes (or any derivative), alcohol, cinnamon, ivy, pinecones. there's a particular emphasis on non-physical offerings with dionysus, like playing music, partying or sex/masturbation

Crystals: grape agate, leopard jasper, crazy lace agate, tiger's eye, garnet, rose or rutilated quartz, amethyst, jade

Animals: panther/leopard, tiger, bull, serpent, dolphin

ARES

Colors: red and purple for association with war

Offerings: spicy things, yarrow, chocolate, basil, cinnamon

Crystals: bloodstone, garnet, red jasper, smokey quartz, black tourmaline, hematite, metals, obsidian, carnelian

Animals: eagle owl, barn owl, poisonous snakes, boar, vulture

DEMETER

Colors: green, brown, and yellow for association with the earth/harvest. black for her ruthlessness

Offerings: oats and grain, anything baked, flowers, spices (like cinnamon or cloves, allspice is good too), leaves that have begun to change colors for fall, mint, poppy

Crystals: jade, tree/moss agate, carnelian, amber, aventurine, rutilated quartz

Animals: serpent, farm animals (especially pig), gecko, turtle-dove

ATHENA

Colors: white and grey/silver for association with wisdom. red for association with war

Offerings: anything handmade, olives/olive oil/olive branches/olive leaves, snake shed, cedar, cypress, cinnamon

Crystals: metals, celestite, fluorite, lapis lazuli, bloodstone, obsidian, iolite

Animals: snakes and owls

[khaire-traveler]

🌋 Subtle Hephaestus Worship ⚒️

Creating carvings/sculpturs; wood, soap, soapstone/gemstone, clay, etc.

If you're struggling with a disability, being kind and gentle with yourself; you are doing the best that you can

If struggling with medical conditions, research your treatment options; be well-educated on the subject to know your rights

Keep a picture of him in your wallet

Wear jewelry that reminds you of him

Collecting volcanic rocks

Have a candle that reminds you of him (no altar needed)

Have a donkey or crane stuffed animal

Have imagery of cranes, anvils/metalworking, or fire (cranes would likely be good for a Christian household)

Treating your body kindly; taking care of yourself physically

Support homeless shelters or organizations that assist the disabled

Light a bonfire in his honor; gather with loved ones around it or sit alone in peace

Make your house a home; honor your space, and make it your own

Try new hobbies/activities that allow you to work with your hands, especially creative and inventive endeavors

Learn about technology; try your hand at computers and the like

Support small businesses and artists, especially those that sell handmade items

Learn how to build/craft things, such as bird houses or diorama-like art pieces

Practice self-acceptance; give love to yourself, especially when you're having a difficult time

Take time to meditate alone or simply decompress by yourself for a bit

Drink hot chocolate, tea, or any warm and comforting drink

Making a list of positive things you encounter throughout the day; try doing this each day

Embracing all of your feelings, but allowing them to be felt and released

Practicing patience; a lot of handiwork and craft work will help with this

Spending time with loved ones, especially found family

Playing video games you enjoy

If you have any walking aids or similar, customizing them and making them your own

Having pictures of ancient Greek architecture around, especially the Temple to Hephaestus

Learning a new skill; improving learned skills

Selling your personal art/crafts; taking commissions for your work

Practice independence if it's something you struggle with (I'm not suggesting you isolate)

-

May add to this later on! For now, this is my list of discreet ways to worship Hephaestus. Take care, y'all; hope this helps someone! ❤️

Link to Subtle Worship Master list

[ephemeral-roses]

Gathered up the power to draw my version of Hephaestus which I'm happy about so I'm gonna share him here and talk about him.

Some time ago I was looking at Hephaestus' appearances on vases and I noticed a good chunk of the time, he was riding a donkey (which is his sacred animal) and I became curious about why, and then it struck me that the donkey is most likely a support animal because of his condition. I heavily doubt it is very comfortable to walk long distances with a limp, so in the comic the donkey will be there to help him get around. I don't know the name of the donkey yet, but I definetly know that she should be a girl.

Despite secluding himself, I think he would be very stern and no-nonsense, but with a nice side to him. I don't want to portray him as a villain in the comic (if I do end up doing it in the slighest, tie me to a tree for the night to interact with the fisher cats), because I know that is a fear when it comes to Ares and Aphrodite. That's the last thing I want, so I'm gonna treat this man with respect and understanding.

[dionysianivy]

𝐀𝐧𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐃𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐲𝐬𝐮𝐬 🕯🐆

𝐋𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐝

Dionysus is often accompanied by leopards in his travels around the world. In many depictions and paintings, he is shown wearing leopard skin. The leopards symbolize untamable creatures, representing the wildness of life. He is also frequently depicted riding leopards, or sometimes even taking the form of a leopard himself.

𝐃𝐨𝐧𝐤𝐞𝐲

Dionysus is also depicted riding donkeys, which are considered sacred to him. In one myth, while traveling to the oracle at Dodona, Dionysus encountered a large lake blocking his path. A donkey helped him cross the water, and in gratitude, Dionysus placed the donkey and its companion among the stars as a constellation. Donkeys also appear in the myth of King Midas, who was punished with donkey’s ears after suggesting that a satyr was a better musician than Apollo. Additionally, Dionysus is credited with helping Hephaestus return to Olympus, leading him on a donkey.

𝐏𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫

The image of Dionysus riding a panther embodies the wild and untamed nature of both the god and his followers. The panther, with its sleek and powerful form, symbolizes the primal instincts that Dionysus and his Maenads embraced during their frenzied rituals. Dionysus is often depicted not only riding panthers but also dancing around them or wearing panther skins.

𝐁𝐮𝐥𝐥

Bulls were frequently sacrificed to Dionysus, and in some versions of the myths, he is depicted with bull horns. Ampelos, a young lover of Dionysus, once rode a wild bull and taunted Selene, the moon goddess, about the bull's horns. In her jealousy, Selene sent a gadfly to torment the bull, which caused it to go mad, leading to Ampelos' tragic death. Bulls, like Dionysus, symbolize duality: they can be tamed, but they are also full of raw, primal energy lurking just beneath the surface.

𝐓𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐫

Like other big cats, tigers also accompanied Dionysus on his journeys. He is often portrayed riding a chariot drawn by tigers or even riding a tiger.

𝐋𝐢𝐨𝐧

Lions are another symbol of Dionysus, representing both wilderness and dominance. In one myth, Dionysus transformed into a lion when he was nearly kidnapped by Tyrrhenian pirates. As a lion, he attacked the captain and tore him apart. Dionysus is also depicted riding a chariot drawn by lions.

𝐃𝐨𝐥𝐩𝐡𝐢𝐧

Continuing the story of the Tyrrhenian pirates, after Dionysus killed the captain, the other sailors leaped into the sea and were transformed into dolphins.

𝐒𝐧𝐚𝐤𝐞

Snakes are one of Dionysus' many forms, as they are chthonic creatures connected to the underworld. In some myths, Zeus took the form of a snake to conceive Dionysus with Persephone. Snakes were also used in Dionysian rituals, symbolizing fertility and the cycle of life. Dionysus is sometimes associated with the ouroboros, a serpent eating its own tail, representing eternal cycles. His followers, the Maenads, were said to dance with snakes, wearing them as crowns or charms.

𝐆𝐨𝐚𝐭

Goats are strongly linked to Dionysus, particularly through their association with satyrs, who resemble goats in behavior and appearance. Goats, like Dionysus, represent duality. During festivals like the Rural and City Dionysia, goats were often sacrificed. However, they were also considered a threat to vineyards, as they ate the grape leaves and fruit. Goats are connected with love, fertility, prophecy, and rebirth. They are also intensely associated with sexual energy. The traditional Balkan “Goat Dance” has roots in Dionysian worship.

𝐅𝐚𝐰𝐧

Wild deer and fawns are associated with Dionysus, and he is often depicted wearing a fawn-skin.

𝐁𝐞𝐞

Dionysus is also linked to bees, as he was nurtured with honey. He is credited with inventing mead and honey wine.

𝐅𝐨𝐱

In Greek mythology, the Teumessian fox, also known as the Teumessian vixen, was a gigantic fox that could never be captured. According to some myths, this creature was sent by the gods (possibly Dionysus) —to hunt the children of Thebes as punishment for a national crime.

tip jar🕯🌕

[differentsoulsweets]

Hephaestus: Introductory Post

Ἡφαιστος (Vulcan) Greek God of Fire and Metal-working

Epithets: ✧ Amphigyḗeis [Lame-one] ✧ Kyllopodíōn [Club-footed] ✧ Pyrotes [Smith] ✧ Aitnaos [Of mount Aetna] Domains ✧ Smith ✧ Fire ✧ Stonemason ✧ The arts ✧ Ceremony

Duties ✧ Smith gods and heros their own gear ✧ He also made their furnishings and dwellings

Devotional acts: ✧ if you can, carve stuff! Crystals, wood, stone, etc. ✧ Collect rocks ✧ Light a bonfire ✧ Support small businesses and artists, especially those that sell handmade items ✧ Get into mini making!

Associations

Symbol: ✧Hammer & Tongs

Element: ✧Fire

Color: ✧ Orange, Red, Grey, Gold, Silver, Yellow, Metal: ✧ (UPG) All of em but especially forging metals like steel and titanium Crystals and Stones: ✧ Amber, citrine, ruby, garnet, carnelian Fruits,Vegetables,Flower, Herb: ✧ No known association Animal: ✧ Donkey ✧ Crane ✧ (UPG) You know those lava snails? Yeah.

Incense: ✧Frankincense ✧ Dragon's blood ✧ Manna

Food & Drinks: ✧ Red Wine ✧ Olive Oil ✧ Water ✧ Fruit ✧ Honey ✧ Bread ✧ Meat ✧ Spicy things and Hot Beverages

Day, Season, Time of Day: ✧ N/A Tarot: ✧ Judgement ✧ King of Swords

[anniflamma]

I'm sorry for the like-spam, it'll probably happen for some more timd 😞 BUT I REALLY LIKE YOUR ART ANS ANIMATICS!!!

Hephaestus it's my favorite god in his animal form,,Zeus and Poseidon are fine too but like, he's my favorite ^-^

Thank you!! >.< Really like Hephaestus too and I can't wait to make more content of him once his part of God Game comes out!

[bambiilooza]

i just wanna say the reference to venus de milo in ur aphrodite design is literally genius omg??? anyways here are some tidbit thingies to help u design the rest of the god games dudes

ARES symbols: spear and helmet, dogs, vultures, venomous snakes, and boars

apparently theres a myth which states the reason he wears his helmet is because he’s ashamed of his feminine face but i cant find it so 🤷

HEPHAESTUS symbols: donkeys, guard dogs, cranes, hammer, anvil, a pair of tongs

he has a deformity in his right leg and usually wears a pileus (some greek hat)

APOLLO symbols: lyre, bows, ravens, crows, roe deer, swans, cicadas, hawks, foxes, mice, snakes, hyacinth or gladiolus flower

other than god of the sun he’s also god of poetry, healing, music, plagues, knowledge, order, prophecy, beauty, agriculture, and archery

also he apparently looks like a “beardless youth”

omg thank you!! both for the compliment and these ideas :D

i'm still working on them but these are my intial ideas.

ares

i haven't really included his animals in his appearance here. but i'm currently thinking of adding a boar insignia to the back of his armor

and yea i've read about his baby face and i love the idea he wears the helmet cuz it doesn't fit his image. it makes him weirdly endearing? he's kind of adorable in that sense.

also it's not fully shown in these sketches but whereas athena's armour would be more elegant and more sleek, ares' would be scratched and stained with blood. his cape isn't shown her but that would be ripped - wheras athena's would be pristine

hephaestus

i'm strugging with the hat but i'm rlly happy with his body. he doesn't have his mouth open here to see it but to ref donkies, he would have buck teeth! ofc i'm designing his hammer too, that's iconic.

and he would have clothes btw but i'm still figuring it out. idk if it's noticable here, but his chest is not symetrical.

i love how he's turning out sm

the orange will be paired with black and his clothes will reference lava in some way. i'm thinking of making his skin really dark but with bright orange markings.

like this lady

apollo

no font yellow rip

so the earings and necklace have the sun shape but lil music note bit on one of the rays. and there is a jewel in the middle of the circle to make it look like an eye to reference prophecies.

the hyacinths in the hair is temporary. i don't love it just by itself. i think it would look better if i kept this hairstyle but have a bun behind the hyacinths.

i think i achieved the beardless youth here. i've seen some good androgynous apollo designs so i wanted to put my own spin on it

also the sun tattoos/markings. artemis has moon ones so they match <3

also here's a very quick concept for his lyre. the ends make swan heads and there's sun symbol too ofc

[sarafangirlart]

Ppl who are experts on Ancient Greek, pls help us give this donkey a silly yet fitting name.

I'm surprised Hephaestus’ donkey never had an official name…

[firinnie]

Erichthonius of Athens

(Before the main post I wanted to say that I want to add some more animal attributes to my gods. When I found out that Hephaestus has a donkey under his patronage I couldn't resist lol. Of course, they are gods so they can change their appearance or hide something in it but for now let's give them a little shine.)

So, since we're sticking with interesting Greek myths, I have a story for you today that involves Athena's (short) motherhood, still as a virgin goddess.

Safe part: So Athena canonically decided to adopt Hephaestus' son, Erichthonius, who according to one version was half boy and half snake. The goddess left him to be raised in Athens where he grew up, proved his power and wisdom, and later became a legendary king. Wow, happy ending! Now you can move on to the less happy part. 🙂

Mentioning attempted rpe: I remember what a big wtf I had the first time I read this myth but Erichthonius' birthday is much more complicated. You see, Hephaestus and Athena were supposed to have a friendly relationship, platonic on her side but not on his. One day Poseidon told his nephew that the goddess of wisdom was making advances on him. So he tried to seduce her and when she didn't want to - tride to rped her. You don't have to guess that the goddess experienced in fighting defended herself but despite everything, Hephaestus' "seeds" dirty her thigh, she pushed it on the earth in disgust and because of that Gaia (personification of the Earth) gave life, which literally came out of a crack in the same earth. Athena decided to adopt child even though SHE IS NOT BIOLOGICALLY CONNECTED TO HIM, which is important since she is still one of the 3 virgin goddesses. (with Artemis and Hestia) I once read a version where she was supposed to clean her thigh with a lock of her cut hair, but most definitely it is a piece of wood, so we can safely say that the child was born of Hephaestus and Gaia only.

Mentioning successful s*icide: It is worth adding that Athena gave the boy to the three daughters of Cecrops, current king of Athens, to raise. The child was in a basket that they were not supposed to open, but because they did, they went crazy and threw themselves off a cliff. Here too, there are two versions, one says that it was because Erichthonius was actually half a snake, the other that in the basket, apart from boy, there was also a snake that attacked the princess.

I hope you like this interesting facts. It shows how thin the ice of decency of Greek myths is, but it also gives a very interesting perspective on this. I still prefer the myth of Pallas tho.

[lurking-latinist]

I just saw this awesome post about including mobility aids in fantasy writing, and I do not want to create a tangent but I *do* want to share some things I learned about disability in ancient Greece when I was researching that paper I wrote on the Philoctetes, so I am making my own post.

Philoctetes is a mythical figure who was one of the Greek heroes going to the Trojan war. Before they got there, he suffered a wound in the foot which would not heal. The other Greek leaders were unwilling to have the noise of his screams and the stench of the infected wound in their camp, so they abandoned him on a deserted island with only his famous weapon, the Bow of Heracles. He survived there for ten years. Now the war is almost over, Troy has almost fallen, but the Greeks have heard a prophecy: they cannot win until they have the Bow of Heracles. So wily Odysseus and young Neoptolemus (the son of the recently dead Achilles) go to the island where Philoctetes is still living, still dealing with his injury. Philoctetes is eager to escape the island, but can he trust the community that abandoned him ten years ago? Can they ever make right what they did to him?

Now that’s the type of story that someone might very well point to who was arguing that disabled people have to be neglected and excluded in a “historically accurate” story. And it’s definitely not an example of casual inclusion. But what that person would be missing is that Philoctetes’ abandonment and isolation in this play was intended to be shocking to its Athenian audience. The audience is invited to identify with Philoctetes and to be horrified at how he does not receive the support from his community that real-world people with similar disabilities did receive, as we can tell from both textual and archaeological evidence.

Martha L. Rose’s book The Staff of Oedipus: Transforming Disability in Ancient Greece emphasizes this. Look, here’s what I wrote in my paper, why should I rewrite it:

Rose approaches her material “though the lens of disability studies, which approaches the phenomenon of disability by assuming that there is nothing inherently wrong with the disabled body and that the reaction of a society to the disabled body is neither predictable nor immutable” (1). In other words, it is necessary to see what attitudes and assumptions about disabilities are actually recorded, rather than projecting any of our own assumptions. ...

Also unlike today, Greek concepts of disability were not medicalized. “Permanent physical disability,” writes Rose, “was not the concern of doctors in antiquity beyond recognition of incurability” (11). This does not mean that disabled people had no resources or were simply left to perish, of course. Rather, they were often cared for within their households and their communities (28), which means that both Philoctetes’ abandonment and isolation form a shocking exception to the norm. The importance of community support suggests that Philoctetes’ joy at being reunited with humanity comes from practical as well as emotional needs. At the same time, the wide range of tasks and trades in the Greek economy meant that many disabled people were far from economically dependent (think of [the god] Hephaestus the lame smith), so that “[a] physically handicapped person earning a living would not have been a remarkable sight” (39). People unable to walk at all rode donkeys or were carried in litters, while those who walked with difficulty used a staff or a crutch (24-26).

So for writers: the ancient Greeks didn’t invent the wheelchair--but they had the wheel technology (I suspect the issue may have been with roads and pavements instead), so your Greek-inspired fantasy world totally can (which was the point of that earlier post). Or maybe your protagonist goes on their adventures with a faithful donkey sidekick that helps them get around. Maybe they are respected for their skill in a craft, making their home and workshop a lively meeting-place for customers. If you’re writing fantasy, you could be inspired by one of the myths of Hephaestus, in which he creates metal automatons--basically, magic robots--that not only support him as he walks, they also act as assistants in his workshop!

Anyway, the point of this post is basically just that I agree with the other post about including mobility aids in fantasy and I had some relevant knowledge in the back of my head. And also that you should read the Philoctetes. Look, here’s a recent free modern English verse translation: https://johnstoniatexts.x10host.com/sophocles/philocteteshtml.html

Oh, and if you would like to see my term paper or the relevant section from The Staff of Oedipus, message me, I will share them.