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The Golden Box and Its Hidden Treasure - Part 1

© Suzi Goode

Zeus' fury knew no bounds. He was the father of heaven and the father of the gods. It was unthinkable that mere mortals could think to usurp the place of the gods. He desired, above all else, to punish Prometheus for accepting the gift of fire. Zeus believed the gift of fire would make mortal men as great as the gods.

Zeus pondered his problem for many days before he came up with the perfect plan. He ordered the very best kind of clay to be found and ordered Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty. Her face glowed with unearthly radiance and her form was as perfect as any woman - whether goddess or mortal - could ever desire to possess. As Zeus ordered before he disappeared in a lightning bolt, she posed, as still as a statue, for Hephaestus, the god of craftsmen, who painstakingly formed and molded the clay.

He pinched here, tucked there, smoothed a place here with water from a nearby jug and rolled the clay in his gigantic hands. Before long, as a god's day goes (which is several months in mortal terms), he had formed a figure from the clay. The girl it represented was beautiful to look upon but it was gray and limp and lifeless, curled in a posture of sleep. One arm was tucked underneath her stomach while the other stretched above her head. Her long hair rested on her nude back, for her Creator had formed her without clothes.

Zeus arrived in pomp and circumstance in yet another bolt of lightning, startling Hephaestus.

"Have you finished the commission I've set you, Craftsman?" he asked. His voice roared like approaching thunder.

Hephaestus, a god of no mean size himself, shrank back at Zeus' intimidating stance. "I have."

"Show it to me."

Hephaestus hurried to obey. It didn't do to make the god of gods angry. "Does this please you?" he asked. His voice quivered the slightest bit.

With a frown, Zeus examined the clay figure. He turned it one way, then another, from back to front, searching for any flaw which might present itself. Hephaestus' work was as perfect as could be found in the universe so Zeus found not the tiniest flaw.

"It is acceptable," he roared.

Hephaestus' shoulders relaxed from their tense position. He gave a hesitant smile but the god of gods ignored him. Zeus lifted the clay figure of the lovely girl and held her against his chest as if she was a child in need of comfort. Sucking in a very long breath, Hephaestus watched Zeus bend over the clay figure's face.

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