Venus seduces Vulcan

Inspired by the Aeneid, Book VIII, lines 370 – 394

Venus, fearing for her son Aeneas going up against the armies provoked by Juno and raised by Turnus, goes to her husband Vulcan to arm and armor him.

Vénus_et_Vulcain_-_Pierre_Mignard_-_Musée_de_Cahors_Henri-Martin

There it is, your bridal chamber,
All of gold as once I forged and crafted it.
Still there, because sometimes you visit,
And I, more fool I, keep it there.

Your words, effective as always,
inspire amor, divine desire. 
Dearest husband, you say,
“carissime.” You want something.

And yet, it works. Now, as ever,
I still want you. I cannot love you –
You will not be “set apart” dilecta,
But you give, sometimes, amor.

Enough words. Now your arms touch me,
Welcoming, warm, soft, clean,
The old flame pierces me, the familiar fire
Penetrates my core and races through my bones.

Like the thunderbolts I forge crack the clouds,
Like the fissures glowing gold and red on Aetna,
The arched roof of my workshop. I break,
I tremble. Slave to divine passion. Amor.

Translation by Robert Fitzgerald of Book VIII, lines 388 — 392

And instantly he felt the flame of love
Invading him as ever, into his marrow
Ran the fire he knew, and through his bones,
As when sometimes, ripped by a thunder peal,
A fiery flash goes jagged through the clouds.

Vulcan vs Hephaestus

Just as Mars incorporates aspects of Greek Ares, but is much different, since the roots of the Roman god are in agriculture before they added war, so also, Roman Vulcan is not Greek Hephaestus, even though both are gods of fire and the forge.

One of the most poignant differences that I have found is that while Greek Hephaestus has consorts and dalliances, Vulcan has only Venus. Who does not want him. It is said that Aetna, his workshop, flares up from his anger when Venus cheats on him.