In Greek mythology, King Erichthonius was a legendary early ruler of ancient Athens. According to some myths, he was autochthonous and adopted or raised by the goddess Athena. Early Greek texts do not
Birth of Erichthonius: Athena receives the baby Erichthonius from the hands of the earth mother Gaia, Attic red-figure stamnos, 470–460 BC, Staatliche Antikensammlungen (Inv. 2413)
Athena Scorning the Advances of Hephaestus, Paris Bordone, between c. 1555~1560
Erichthonius Released from His Basket by Antonio Tempesta (1606)
The Discovery of the Child Erichthonius by Peter Paul Rubens (circa 1615)
Hephaestus
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Hephaestus is the Greek god of artisans, blacksmiths, carpenters, craftsmen, fire, metallurgy, metalworking, sculpture, and volcanoes. In Greek mythology, Hephaestus was the son of Hera, either on her
Erichthonius (son of Hephaestus)
…folk-etymologies include ἔριον, erion, "wool" or ἔρις, eris, "strife"+ χθών chthôn, "earth". According to the Bibliotheca, Athena visited the smith-god Hephaestus to request some weapons, but Hephaestus, overcome by desire, tried to seduce her in his workshop. Determined to maintain her virginity, Athena fled…
Hephaestus (left) hands to Thetis the armour of Achilles. Berlin Foundry Cup, an Attic red-figure kylix, c. 500–490 BC
The Doric Temple of Hephaestus, Agora of Athens
Thetis Receiving the Weapons of Achilles from Hephaestus by Anthony van Dyck (1630–1632)
Vulcan Presenting the Arms of Achilles to Thetis by Peter Paul Rubens.