It is interesting to note the circumstances surrounding the birth of Hephaestus. He was known as the son of Hera and Zeus but Zeus actually had nothing to do with his birth. Stories say that Hephaestus was parthenogenetic which means he was born to Hera without fertilization from a male. Some versions of the story say that Hera did this out of anger that Zeus cheated with Metis and had a child, Athena, from this affair.