Thomas W. Allen, E. E. Sikes, Commentary on the Homeric Hymns

[317] ῥικνός: not Homeric; cf. Apoll. Arg. 1.669 “, Β” 198. The lameness of Hephaestus is accounted for by Aen.viii. 414quia per naturam numquam rectus est ignis. Modern mythologists of the older school have accepted the explanation (e.g. Preller-Robert i. p. 175). It seems more reasonable to suppose that, as the trade of the smith was particularly suited to the lame, the divine smith was himself imagined to be lame. The Norse Völundur and the Teutonic Wieland were lame.

ὃν τέκον αὐτ́η: an emphatic amplification of “παῖς ἐμός”, “my very own child.” There are two traditions as to the parentage of Hephaestus: according to Theog. 927 Hera was his sole parent, having borne him to avenge herself for the birth of Athena. Matthiae assumed that the hymn followed this version, and translated “αὐτή” “alone.” But Franke replied that in this case Hera would have already been even with Zeus, without the birth of the monster. Clearly the hymn adopts the other version, that Hephaestus was the son of Zeus, as well as of Hera (Il. 14.338); he speaks of two parents also in Od. 8.312, a passage probably in the poet's mind (cf. n. on 312 supra). On the birth of Hephaestus see Usener Rhein. Mus. 1901 p. 180 f.

After this line a lacuna, as Demetrius saw, seems required. It could indeed be avoided, by placing a full stop at “αὐτή”, and taking “ῥίψ̓” as an asyndeton; the abruptness might be thought to suit Hera's rage (cf. h. Dem. 227). But the style would be so extremely harsh that this view is unlikely. The words “ὃν τέκον αὐτή” are not to be touched, and to read “δέ” for “ἀνά” in 318 (with the correction of “Γ” followed by Abel) is to give up the problem. In J. H. S. xv. p. 278 a line was suggested “αἶσχος ἐμοὶ καὶ ὄνειδος ἐν οὐρανῷ, ὅν τε καὶ αὐτή”, it being there assumed that the line was lost through assonance; but of course such lacunae may be due to other causes.

With regard to the fall of Hephaestus there are again two versions, both Homeric: in Il. 1.590 he is thrown from heaven by Zeus; in Il. 14.395 this is done by Hera, in disgust at his lameness. (So Paus.i. 20. 3, Mythogr. Graec. ed. Westermann p. 372.) The latter account is followed by the hymn; cf. also on 319.