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The Gods of Ancient Greece:
Hermes Hermes is a god of communication, thievery, luck, boundaries, travel, and is the messenger of the gods. He is the son of Zeus and Maia, a nymph. He is the only one who is able to go from the world of the living to the world of the dead and return with no restrictions. Because of this, he escorted people to the Underworld when they died.
One of the earliest forms of worship of this god was piles of stones, called a herma. These were used to mark the boundaries of property, and were also found at cross-roads. The ancients would add another tone to the pile when they passed by, in hopes that the god of travelers would protect them on their journey. Eventually, the herma were transformed into wooden pillars that were carved with a face and an erect phallus.
Originally he was thought to be an older god, and was represented in artwork with a bead. However, by the time The Iliad and The Odyssey were written, his image had changed, and he was believed to be a youthful god, with a very playful nature. Throughout the Classical age he was shown as young with a muscular build, and wore winged sandals on his feet. He also wore a traveler’s hat and carried the kerykeion, the staff with copulating snakes that many today know by the name caduceus. This staff had the magical power of being able to put men to sleep or wake them up, at his command.
Hermes was honored on the fourth day of every month, but we do not have evidence of a major festival day for the god. He often received libations at grave-sites, when people offered libations to their ancestors.
Dioktoros, “messenger”
Enodios, “on the road”
Eriounios, “luck-bringer”
Khthonios, “of the earth”
Kriophoros, “ram-bearer”
Logios, “of speech”
Nomios, “protector of flocks”
Propulaios, “before the gates”
Psukhopompos, “conveyor of souls”
(Campbell, p, 68)
As these are quite long they will be included here.
This myth shows his excellent slyness.
Hermes was born in the morning, and he was so skillful that by noon-time he could play the lyre. By evening he had decided to play a trick on his elder brother, Apollo. He stole the god’s cattle and drove them across the lands. He then offered two oxen as a sacrifice, but cleaned up afterwards so as to leave no trace of the crime. Afterwards, he returned home, and it appeared as though he had never left at all. Apollo of course was very upset that his cattle had been stolen, but Hermes denied that he had anything to do with the theft. Zeus, however, knows what really happened, and brought an end to the fight. Hermes gives the lyre to Apollo as a peace-offering.
Last updated: 08/05/2006