| The Titans led by the god Cronus, held dominion over | | | | fashioned works of art, brooches and spiral bracelets, |
| the Earth and the planets of the Solar system until | | | | necklaces, in their smooth cave, round which the |
| Cronus was murdered and dethroned by his son Zeus. | | | | stream of Ocean flows with a foaming roar: and no |
| Overtime Zeus disposed of most of the male Titan | | | | one else knew of it, gods or mortals..." |
| gods, but some survived one was Prometheus. Of all | | | | The Greeks associated Hephaestus with electrum, the |
| the Titan gods Prometheus was the wisest, his name | | | | naturally occurring alloy of gold and silver, and |
| meant 'Forethought' due to his ability to envision the | | | | appointed him god of the forge and the subterranean |
| future. | | | | fire. The Greeks believed that Hephaestus discovered |
| Prometheus, recognizing humanity's potential, was | | | | ways to work silver, gold, iron, and copper, in the |
| mankind's benefactor, and wished to bestow upon us | | | | depths of Volcanoes from where he derived his |
| the knowledge of the gods. One day Prometheus, | | | | Roman name Vulcan, the Romans believed him to |
| acting against the wishes of the Olympian gods, stole | | | | have his forge in the base of Mount Etna. |
| the flames of enlightenment and gave them to | | | | Hephaestus, creator of great beauty, was a highly |
| humankind. In reprisal Zeus, desiring that fire's powers | | | | skilled blacksmith and artisan, he was reputed for his |
| be reserved for the divine, punished Prometheus' act | | | | devotion to his forge, where he crafted gold and silver |
| of kindness towards humanity with perpetual | | | | jewelry, drinking vessels, weapons: including Zeus' |
| damnation. | | | | thunderbolts, Artemis' silver arrows, Apollo's silver bow |
| Hephaestus, the Olympian god of smiths, was ordered | | | | and Achilles' armor. |
| to produce manacles that would chain the disgraced | | | | Still standing today at the heart of the ancient site of |
| Prometheus to the side of Mount Caucasus. | | | | the Agora in Athens, there stands a temple dedicated |
| Prometheus then became the daily buffet of a giant | | | | to Hephaestus called the Hephaisteion. The temple's |
| eagle, which each and everyday would swoop down | | | | construction was started in 449 B.C. However, the |
| from the mountaintop ripping his liver from his body. | | | | Agora itself was in use as early as the 6th century |
| Prometheus, after suffering this torture for a thousand | | | | B.C., at the time of the monetary reforms of Solon and |
| years, was eventually rescued by Hercules. | | | | the Silver production of the Lauriun mines, as the |
| However, even Zeus' son, Hephaestus, didn't escape | | | | financial, judicial and cultural center of Athens. The |
| the ruling Olympian God's wrath. A kind and | | | | Athenian Agora wasn't the only architectural marvel to |
| peace-loving god, Hephaestus was the only god who | | | | be built around tales of deities and Silver. At the same |
| suffered from any physical deformity and for this he | | | | time in Asia Minor a wonder was under construction in |
| was cast out of Olympia. This is a passage from | | | | honor of another deity whose roots lay firmly |
| Homer's tales of Troy, 'The Iliad', recounting | | | | intertwined with the Moon and Silver: Artemis. |
| Hephaestus' expulsion from Olympus the incident that | | | | Read: Silver Jewelry And The Seven Wonders - The |
| led to his becoming a smith and creator of rare beauty: | | | | Temple Of Artemis At Ephesus |
| "...That would have been a dangerous time, had not | | | | Copyright © SilverShake Corporation. All Rights |
| Thetis and Eurynome taken me in-- Eurynome, | | | | Reserved. |
| daughter of the tidal Ocean. Nine years I stayed, and | | | | |