Aithaloeis Theos
A space dedicated to Hephaistos
Porphyry’s Explanation of his Lameness
Posted by on 03/02/2012
“Again, the power of fire they called Hephaestus, and have made his image in the form of a man, but put on it a blue cap as a symbol of the revolution of the heavens, because the archetypal and purest form of fire is there. But the fire brought down from heaven to earth is less intense, and wants the strengthening and support which is found in matter: wherefore he is lame, as needing matter to support him.” – Images, Fragment 8
So, Hera being the Queen of Heaven, conceived a ‘weaker’ fire and chucked him down to the earth.
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Seems reasonable, and beneficial to humanity to provide a source of fire which is accessible to humanity. Though many sacred fires were lit via sunlit and mirrors (such as those for the altar of large cities and those of prominent temples, it seems to me like this would have taken a great deal of work and patience in comparison to striking a fire with appropriate materials that can be used in a more immediate fashion 🙂
You would also need the fires of Hephaistos to create mirrors, which were, in antiquity, either made from metal or glass 😉 But your point about striking a fire with the appropriate materials does really reflect his nature as a god whose influence forwards civilisation, which in many ways, makes our lives easier.