Odyssey 8: Ares, Aphrodite, Hephaestus

Homer's version of the tale of Mars and Venus that Ovid tells in Meta. 4 begins this way:

Aphrodite and Ares

They levelled a place for the dance, and marked out a fair wide ring, and the herald came near, bearing the clear-toned lyre for Demodocus. He then moved into the midst, and around him stood boys in the first bloom of youth, well skilled in the dance, and they smote the goodly dancing floor with their feet. And Odysseus [265] gazed at the twinklings of their feet and marvelled in spirit.

But the minstrel struck the chords in prelude to his sweet lay and sang of the love of Ares and Aphrodite of the fair crown, how first they lay together in the house of Hephaestus secretly; and Ares gave her many gifts, and shamed the bed [270] of the lord Hephaestus. But straightway one came to him with tidings, even Helius, who had marked them as they lay together in love.

Helios at the Forge of Hephaestus, Velazquez

And when Hephaestus heard the grievous tale, he went his way to his smithy, pondering evil in the deep of his heart, and set on the anvil block the great anvil and forged bonds [275] which might not be broken or loosed, that the lovers¹ might bide fast where they were. But when he had fashioned the snare in his wrath against Ares, he went to his chamber where lay his bed, and everywhere round about the bed-posts he spread the bonds, and many too were hung from above, from the roof-beams, [280] fine as spiders' webs, so that no one even of the blessed gods could see them, so exceeding craftily were they fashioned.

But when he had spread all his snare about the couch, he made as though he would go to Lemnos, that well-built citadel, which is in his eyes far the dearest of all lands. [285] And no blind watch did Ares of the golden rein keep, when he saw Hephaestus, famed for his handicraft, departing, but he went his way to the house of famous Hephaestus, eager for the love of Cytherea of the fair crown. Now she had but newly come from the presence of her father, the mighty son of Cronos, [290] and had sat her down. And Ares came into the house and clasped her hand and spoke and addressed her: “Come, love, let us to bed and take our joy, couched together. For Hephaestus is no longer here in the land, but has now gone, I ween, to Lemnos, to visit the Sintians of savage speech.” Odyssey 8.260 ff

In this Tintoretto, the husband returns home, and Mars hides under the bed. It looks like the dog might betray him...