Plagues

Chapter 1: The Crippled Exile

Would you like to be like me?
I was raised in a dark cave by the sea

My legs are crippled, would you like to know why?

Gods cast me down and they left me here to die
And though as ugly and deformed my being is

I thank the care of fair sea nymphs and sweet Thaetis

Now I’m a grown man, I’m strong, and more:

I’ll tell you what I’m holding here is for:

This is my hammer and look and behold:

The world shall know why I’m Hephaistos called


Distinguished through my aptitude with metals and steel

I use the energies of fire with exuberance and zeal

"He-phai-stos!” (I’m the crippled exile)

Chapter 2: Hephaistos in his Forge

Deep in the crater below

Where lava streams through Earth’s veins
Deep where the works come into life
Where suffocation reigns

My hammer hits the anvil

Synchronized with Earth’s breath
Toxic vapors exhaled

While I forge the tools of death

Swords to cut a deity short

To win a Trojan war

The armor made for Achilles

That’s what I made it for

Chapter 3: A Commission

This is the strangest commission

Received from none but Zeus

A female forged from metal

How can I refuse?
A fine shining example

So Zeus, having his way

Continued to commission

A woman made of clay



And with the divine spark within

And magic on the side

Hephaistos made Pandora

Her eyes fiery and bright

“Come Pandora, delighted gods, 
they’ll bestow upon you 

The wondrous traits to suit you well
 and man and mankind too!”
There’s all manner of good things
, some not as good maybe
(A foolish, mischievous, idle nature 
next to curiosity)

A final gift, a gilded box

To keep shut tight on a shelf
Pandora kept the fine container

But could not contain herself.


(After many years, Pandora eventually unlocked the box and lifted the lid, 

A decision she would soon deeply regret:)

Chapter 4: Disaster Unleashed!

A hissing sound and a horrible odor permeated the air around her

Pandora had released all the Wickedness and Malevolence
Zeus had locked into the box -A box designed by Hephaistos himself-
Zeus had hidden all everything that would plague man forever:

Sickness! Death! Turmoil! Strife!Jealousy! Hatred! Famine! Passion…
Everywhere the evil spread!
Everywhere the evil spread!

Chapter 5: The Chapter of Mankind

Hephaistos’ child, crying tears of sorrow and desperation.
Used as a pawn in a greater play, a game of retaliation
For the wrath of a spiteful Zeus was on Prometheus

The secret of fire, wasted on Man, both to be hated thus

Catastrophe a reocurring theme
In the chapter of Mankind,
Foolishness and curiosity

Clear the path of doom we find

Epilogue: A Blacksmith’s Work is Never Done

Hephaistos is hammering away with force
below the crater erupting with sparks and rage forever
Hephaistos is hammering away with force below
Hephaistos is hammering away with force below
Hephaistos is hammering away with force below.