Hermes, the Messenger God

Hermes is most commonly known as the messenger to the gods. Being a god himself he was born from Zeus and a nymph by the name of Maia. Hermes is worshipped all throughout Greece especially in Arcadia as the god of merchants, land travel, weights and measures, shepards, oratory, athletics, literature, and theives. This is because Hermes is depicted as being cunning and shrewd, the festivals that take place in Hermes honor are known as Hermoea.

Hermes was born in a cave on Mount Cyllene in Arcadia, as the story goes the morning after Zeus had lain with Maia Hermes was born. Once born Maia took the baby sleeping Hermes and wrapped him up in bands and fell fast asleep with him cuddled in her arms. Hermes grew restless and squirmed his way out of his mothers grasp and ran to Thessaly. This is where he came across Apollo, his brother, tending to his cattle. Hermes proving his shrewdness and natural cunning skills stole some cattle from Apollo and ran back to the cave where his mother was fast asleep. On the way back while covering the tracks of the cattle he came across a hallowed out tortoise shell and from this he made the first lyre. Once back safely in the caves he squirmed his way back into his mothers arms and fell back fast asleep. Apollo realizing that the majority of his cattle had been stolen went to Maia in accusation of Hermes. Maia insisted that it could not be Hermes because he had been fast asleep in his mothers arms the entire time, but soon as tempers rose, Zeus intervened. Zeus told Apollo and Maia that he had seen the whole thing and he too felt that Hermes should give the cattle back, but as the arguing continued Hermes began to play his lyre which changed the moods of everyone there. Hearing Hermes play the lyre conviced Apollo that he would let Hermes keep the cattle in trade for the lyre and in return Hermes agreed thus making Apollo become the master of the instrument which also became one of his symbols.

Being the messenger god it is Hermes job to deliver the dead souls to the underworld and he also been connected with bringing dreams to mortals. In other great stories such as that of Perseus it is said that he loaned Persus his shoes which allowed him to fly for Persus to complete his quest. Usually Hermes when drawn is shown as a younger more adolescent figure wearing winged sandals and carrying a heralds staff. Being swift and athletic Hermes has been credited with inventing boxing and the foot race and because of this in Olympia statues had been commorated to him in his honor in every gymnasium. Hermes Roman counterpart is Mercury which like Hermes has the same attributes and is depicted differently, usually that of a bearded man with an athletic figure.