Demodocus began to sing of the love of Ares and Aphrodite.
They met in secret and would lie together in Hephaestus' bed.
Hephaestus was blissfully unaware of his wife's infidelity.
But Helios, the sun god, who had spied them sleeping together, came to tell him.
My beloved Aphrodite with someone else and in my bed!
Hephaestus I have seen your wife lie with Ares in your bed!
Hephaestus decided to take his revenge and went to his smithy to start the work of his master plan.
He made a net as fine as a spider's web and hung it above his bed so that it would fall on the unsuspecting lovers.
He pretended to leave for Lemnos, known for being his favourite island.
Goodbye sweetheart I already miss you!
I am leaving for Lemnos, goodbye my dearest wife.
He had just left when Ares came to Aphrodite once again.
My love let us go to bed and make passionate love.
So they went to the bed and lay down.
Then Hephaestus’ net fell all around them, and they found that the more they struggled the tighter it became.
There was no escape and they soon heard Hephaestus coming.
Come Gods; come see something laughable and intolerable. My wife with the God Ares. i will keep them in this unbreakable net until Zeus gives me back the gifts I gave for her hand.
When he entered the bedroom a terrible anger seized him. And he cried out to the gods...
All the Goddesses refused to come but Hermes, Poseidon and Apollo answered Hephaestus' call. When they saw those who were trapped in the net unquenchable laughter flowed from them.
Apollo I could have three nets on me and have the Gods watching and the Goddesses too if I could sleep with Aphrodite.
Hermes wouldn't you like to lie with Aphrodite even if you were trapped in that net?
At this laughter flowed once again from Hermes and Apollo but not from Poseidon. He wished for this debacle to end.
Set Ares free, and he’ll pay what’s owed in the presence of us Gods
Poseidon don’t ask this of me. Should I throw this net on you in front of the Gods if Ares escapes without paying his debts?
If Ares does not pay his debt and escapes I will pay it myself.
I can’t refuse you Poseidon
And so he freed them from the net.
As soon as they were freed they fled from the bedroom.
Ares headed for Thrace.
Aphrodite headed to Paphos in Cyprus, where the Graces bathed her, and covered her with the heavenly oil of the Gods and dressed her in beautiful clothes, marvellous to behold.
This was the song of Ares and Aphrodite by the famous bard Demodocus.