Hermes, the Olympian Greek god of travelers, cunning, merchants, music, and fast movement, is depicted as a handsome young man wearing a winged hat, winged sandals, and a golden staff entwined with snakes.
The myth of hermes
Hermes is the herald of the gods and also leads human souls in and out of the underworld. Zeus used him as a problem solver and a type of secret agent, sending him to deal with a variety of problems. For example, he put the many-eyed Argus to sleep so that Io could escape from Zeus’s indignant wife, Hera. Hermes also arranged for Odysseus to escape from Callisto, among many other tasks. He is definitely an ally of Zeus.
Hermes appears in the Roman pantheon under the name of Mercury and is also associated with the Egyptian god of wisdom, Tahuti or Thoth. As a deity of religious mysteries or wisdom, he is sometimes called Hermes Trismegistus, or Hermes the Thrice Great. He is also said to have invented the lyre from a tortoise shell.
Main sites of Hermes temples
In general, Hermes did not have temples. His statue was placed everywhere, and the square blocks of marble showing a head and male genitalia were called “Herms” and installed in many places. In these statues, Hermes is usually shown with a beard, which is not always indicated when shown in vase paintings and other images.
Although unique temples for Hermes were rare, the capital city of the Greek island of Syros is called Ermoupolis (City of Hermes), which may indicate a special reverence for the god there in ancient times.
Fast facts on Hermes
Symbol or attribute of Hermes: His staff is called kerykerion in Greek or caduceus in Latin. This is the symbol used by doctors showing two snakes entwined around a staff, although Hermes’s connection to healing is weak. He is, however, the god of merchants. His winged hat and winged sandals are also key ways to recognize his image.
Hermes’ Strengths – Intelligent, fearless, determined, athletic, and a powerful wizard. You can enchant monsters with your flute or lyre music.
Hermes Weaknesses: There is no major weakness unless you count rarely standing still for long. Hermes has it all together.
Hermes’ Birthplace: He was born in a cave on Mount Cyllene in Arcadia to Maia, who had just slept with her father Zeus the night before. Talk about quick consequences!
Spouse: not established yet.
Children of Hermes: for his adventure with Dryope, Pan, lustful god of nature; by the Goddess of Love Aphrodite, Hermaphroditus, a deity half man, half woman; Abderus (unknown mother).
