Ares and Aphrodite
Ares had an affair with Goddess of Love, Aphrodite, whilst Aphrodite was married to Hephaestus. Hephaestus concocted a plan to catch the two in the act, and crafted an invisible net to ensnare them whilst they were laying together in bed. Not satisfied with this humiliation, Hephaestus then invited all of the Olympian Gods to witness Ares and Aphrodite trapped together.
Aphrodite
Ares
Hephaestus
The marriage of Hephaestus and Aphrodite
Aphrodite was the most beautiful Goddess, and attracted many godly suitors. In one version, Zeus decided that in order to prevent fighting among her suitors, Aphrodite would marry Hephaestus. However, another version tells that Hephaestus created a Golden Throne for his mother, Hera, and sent this up to Mount Olympus as a gift. In revenge for Hera's actions to her son Hephaestus, he had set a trap and as Hera sat down on the throne, she was trapped to the chair. In order for Hera to be set free, Zeus agreed for Hephaestus to receive Aphrodite's hand in marriage.
Aphrodite's affair
However, Aphrodite began a passionate affair with the God of War, Ares. They had several children, including the famous Erotes - in which the God Eros was born. Their story is told within Homer's 'Odyssey'. Ares and Aphrodite would lay together in secret in the house of Hephaestus. One day, the Sun god Helios was passing by on his journey across the skies, and happened to spot Ares and Aphrodite together in the marriage bed of Hephaestus and Aphrodite. He wasted no time in finding Hephaestus to tell him of the deceit.
The trickery of Hephaestus
Hephaestus came up with a genius plan to catch the two unfaithful lovers in the act. He created an invisible net and hung this over their marriage bed, ready to catch. Hephaestus then pretended to leave for Lemnos, and just as Hephaestus left, Ares travelled to their home to be with Aphrodite. As Ares and Aphrodite went to bed, they became entangled in Hephaestus' trap and were stuck. Hephaestus had turned back before arriving in Lemnos as the Sun god Helios had informed him of Ares and Aphrodite's situation. He returned and in revenge invited the other Gods to come and see Ares and Aphrodite trapped in their betrayal.