REIMAGINING MYTHOLOGY

VULCAN’S NET

Vulcan, the god of fire, was born weak and lame, and his mother, Juno, cast him down from Olympus. In the depths of the sea, he learned the secrets of metal and flame. When he returned, he amazed the gods with his craft, forging thrones, jewels, and weapons that gleamed with divine light. To reward him, Zeus gave him Aphrodite — the goddess of love and beauty — as his wife. But their marriage was uneasy. Vulcan’s hands were rough and his temper steady as iron; Aphrodite’s heart was restless, drawn to passion and glory. She fell in love with Mars, the bold god of war. Their secret meetings were whispered about in heaven, until Vulcan caught them in a clever trap: a net of shining bronze so fine that even the gods could not break it. He called the others to witness the lovers’ shame. Laughter echoed through Olympus — laughter that wounded them all. Afterward, Aphrodite left in anger, and Vulcan returned to his forge, his heart as heavy as the anvil he struck. And so the gods learned that even in heaven, love and pride can burn hotter than fire itself.