Ares, Hephaetus and Aphrodite

"Adultery of Aphrodite"  

   Once Ares began to make fun of Eros' weapon. Eros said that his weapon is heavy and Ares must try it. Ares took the weapon (javelin), while Aphrodite smiled quietly. Ares with a groan said that its heavy, take it back. Eros asked him to keep it and bound Ares and Aphrodite in love. 

Ares, Aphrodite and Eros

                                  Hephaestus sent golden chair as gift of Hera. When Hera sat on the chair, she had triggered a trap which bounded her to the chair. As Hephaestus want to take revenge from his mother (Hera), who had cast him away from heaven, after birth because she was ashamed at bearing a crippled son. Zeus sought the assistance of gods in the freeing his queen and offered the goddess Aphrodite in marriage to the god who could bring Hephaestus to Olympus. Aphrodite agreed to the arrangement in the belief that her beloved Ares would prevail. Ares stormed to forge of Hephaestus, bearing  arms, but was driven back by the Hephaestus with showers of flaming metal. Dionysus next approached Hephaestus and suggested that he might claim Aphrodite for himself, if he release his mother. Hephaestus was pleased with the plan and ascended to heaven with Dionysus, released his mother and wed Aphrodite. 

Hephaetus and Aphrodite

                          Hephaestus had built palace for his beautiful bride Aphrodite and a special golden bed chamber. But it did not  stop Aphrodite to have love affair with Ares, and they lay together secretly  in marriage bed of Hephaestus.  Helios, who was able to see all deeds from both morals and immortals, told about this affair of Ares and Aphrodite to Hephaestus. When Hephaestus found out of his wife affair, he got angry. He made a magical net and planned to trap the couple in action. 

Hephaetus and Aphrodite

                          He placed the invisible net on the bed and and all around it, even on the roof wall. Then he made as if to depart to Lemnos, the town, which he loved more than any place on earth. Ares had seen  Hephaestus go, and approached Hephaestus' house, pining for love of Aphrodite. Aphrodite had just return from the palace of Zeus and was sitting down in the house as Ares entered in. He took her hand and told her  Hephaestus is no longer  here and had departed to Lemnos.   

Ares and Aphrodite traped

So they went to the golden bed chamber and lay down on bed. The net of magical chains enveloped them and they could neither raise their limbs nor shift them at all. Ares and Aphrodite realized that there is no escaping. In meantime, Helios was reporting everything to Hephaestus and he was already on his way home, frustrated and angered. Hephaestus also called all the gods to come and see this infidelity. Poseidon was only one among the gods, who asked and convinced, Hephaestus to release Ares and Aphrodite from trap, as they lie embracing in Hephaestus bed. Because of this adultery, Ares was banished from Olympus.   


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