HERMES PAGE TWO

 Hermes, in his role as Messenger God, took part in many myths and was employed by all the gods, particularly Zeus, on a number of occasions. He was the one who:

Brought the goddesses Aphrodite, Hera and Athena to the shepherd Paris, who judged that Aphrodite was the most beautiful, causing the Trojan War.

Tied Ixion's hands and feet to the wheel, which is said to roll perpetually in the air.

Led the Trojan King Priam to the tent of Achilles to fetch the body of his dead son, Hector.

Gave Odysseus moly, the magic plant which offered protection against enchantment by a witch.

Gave the Golden-Fleeced ram to Nephele, in order to save her children Phrixus and Helle.

Gave Hades' helmet of invisibility to the hero Perseus in order to help him slay Medusa.

Rescued from the flames baby Dionysus, god of wine, following his birth.

Brought back Zeus' sinews, which the monster Typhon had stolen, rendering Zeus helpless.

Freed the war god Ares from the bronze jar in which he had been imprisoned during the Olympians' battle versus the Giants.

During this same Giants revolt, Hermes, wearing Hades' helmet of invisibility, killed the giant Hippolytus.

Sold the hero Heracles (Hercules) to Queen Omphale.

Rescued Io, one of Zeus' lovers, who had been transformed into a cow and was guarded by Argus, the 100-eyed giant. Hermes slew Argus and set Io free. Hermes is sometimes called Argiphontes, for having killed the All-seeing Argus.

As the Herald of the gods, Hermes was worshipped as the god of the roads, who protected travelers. Many statues, called Hermae, were erected on roads, and at doors and gates.

The Messenger god was also the god of eloquence, since the heralds historically are the public speakers in assemblies and on other occasions that require talking in front of people.

Thus Hermes was also the god of prudence and cunning, both in words and deeds, and even of fraud, theft and perjury. His shrewd and creative character led many to claim that he invented objects such as the lyre and syrinx, the alphabet, astronomy, music, boxing, gymnastics, the cultivation of the olive tree, measures, weights and many other things.

PRINCIPAL SYMBOLS AND ATTRIBUTES

The Petassos, a wide-brimmed traveling hat, which in later times was adorned with two small wings.

The herald's staff, called KERYKEION in Greek, or CADUCEUS in Latin, given to Hermes by Apollo.

The white ribbons surrounding the staff were changed into two serpents by later artists.

The sandals that carried him across land and water faster than the wind. They had wings attached to the ankles.

HERMES WORSHIP AND FESTIVALS

The worship of Hermes began in Arcadia, his birth place, and was carried to Athens, ultimately spreading throughout Greece.

The festivals called  the Hermaea were instituted in his honor. Sacrifices offered to him included honey, incense, cakes, pigs, lambs and young goats.

Objects sacred to Hermes included the palm tree, the tortoise, the number four, and several kinds of fish.

With Chione (or Philonis), daughter of King Deadalion, Hermes had Autolycus, who was the grandfather of Odysseus. Hermes gave his son the gift of being such a skilful thief that he could not be caught, making him able to change whatever he stole into some other form or color.

Some of his other children include:

Half-man/half-woman Hermaphroditus, from his union with Aprhodite

The Argonauts Aethalides, Echion and Eurytus

Abderus, Heracles' lover Danae's grandfather

Cephalus, from his union with Herse

With Herse's sister, Aglaurus, he had Ceryx

The phallic deity Priapus, with an unknown mother

The god Pan, according to some later poets.

With the nymph Sose he had Agreus, who was in Dionysus' retinue

Other offspring of Hermes in the service of Dionysus included Lycus, Nomius, Pherespondus and Pronomus 

With Alcidamea he sired Bunus, who became King of Corinth

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