Hermes demonstrates his cunning intellect and ability to out trick others many times in Greek mythology.<\/p>\n Hermes’s personality is shown in his interactions with his half-brother Apollo, as well as in the myth of Prometheus, and when he helped Orpheus descend to the underworld.<\/p>\n While still a baby, Hermes stole his half-brother Apollo\u2019s sacred herd of 50 cattle. He enchanted the cows to walk backwards so it would be more difficult to see which direction they went. He also disguised their hoofmarks by giving the cows shoes made of bark, so that their steps would be more difficult to trace. Eventually the stolen cattle were found where Hermes hid them, in a cave in Arcadia. The matter was brought to Zeus who decided that Hermes would keep the herd (whose numbers were now down to 48 after Hermes had sacrificed 2), and would give Apollo his lyre.<\/p>\n At other times, Hermes stole Poseidon\u2019s trident, Artemis\u2019 arrows, and Aphrodite\u2019s girdle. Because of this Hermes became associated with thieves. Hermes repeatedly demonstrates his\u00a0imagination and trickery throughout Greek mythology.<\/p>\n Hermes was regarded as being a very pleasant god, and was highly social with both gods and mortals alike. In another myth, Prometheus is chained by Zeus as punishment for giving fire to mortals. Hermes is the only god to offer Prometheus words of comfort, demonstrating Hermes’s compassionate and empathetic nature.<\/p>\n In the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, Orpheus descends to the underworld to bring his love Eurydice back to life, \u00a0and Hermes assists him in his journey. \u00a0By playing his flute, Hermes enables Orpheus to cross the River Styx, and then successfully bringing Eurydice back to the world of the living.\u00a0This myth shows Hermes’s resourceful and intelligent personality.<\/p>\n The most famous symbol of Hermes is the caduceus, which is a rod with wings at the top, and serpents wrapping around it. This symbol was given to Hermes by Apollo. Read more about the Caduceus of Hermes here.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n Other symbols of Hermes include boots with wings on the ankles, a hat with a brim, and a traveler’s cloak. His animals are the\u00a0rooster, tortoise, ram, and hawk.<\/p>\n Hermes Was Known as Mercury in Ancient Rome<\/strong><\/p>\n Like most of the gods in ancient Greek mythology, Hermes lived on in ancient Rome but with a different name. It was the Romans who gave the planet the name Mercury, in honor of their god. Mercury especially affects humans when it goes into retrograde, causing bad luck in communication.<\/p>\n According to Roman legend, the caduceus symbol originated when Mercury once attempted to stop a fight between two snakes by throwing his rod at them, whereupon they twined themselves around the rod, and the symbol was born.<\/p>\n The element of mercury plays an important role in alchemy. It is the only metal to remain liquid at room temperature, which to practitioners of alchemy has been interpreted as a hint that it contains a profound secret. Many practitioners of alchemy believed that it was one of the main ingredients need to produce the philosophers stone, which can turn base metals into gold, and produce immortality. Mercury is not quite liquid, and not quite solid, and seems to exist in the transition between states, not unlike Hermes as he passed between the worlds of the gods, the mortals, and the underworld. Read more about alchemy here.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n The first known depictions of Hermes are found in the tablets of the Mycenaean civilization, which was at its peak in 15th<\/sup> century BC. The Mycenaeans were a prosperous people in mainland Greece who worshipped the Classical Greek gods. In the early days of Hermes, his caduceus was portrayed as an olive branch with ribbons. It was only later that the ribbons became the snakes.<\/p>\n When Zeus was romantically involved with Argive Nympho, his wife Hera became jealous, Zeus transformed his lover into a white heifer, but Hera was not tricked and demanded the animal as a gift. She then appointed Argus Panoptes to guard the animal. Hermes was instructed by Zeus to rescue his lover, and Hermes lulled the monster to sleep with music, before killing him with his sword.<\/p>\n He freed Ares from a year-long imprisonment in a cauldron by the twin giants Otus and Ephialtes. Ares is another of the 12 Olympian gods, and the god of courage and war.<\/p>\n Another role of Hermes was to guide the souls of the recently deceased to the underworld of Hades. His caduceus staff would light the way to their final resting place. Because of this Hermes is sometimes referred to as \u2018psychopomp\u2019, which means conductor of souls. Similar to how he moved between the world of the gods and the mortals, his ability to access the underworld freely was unique amongst gods. You can read more about Hades here.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n Hermes never married, nor did he have many known romantic relationships. He did at one point fall in love with Aphrodite, who refused him which greatly depressed Hermes. Zeus wanted to help him, and when Aphrodite was bathing in a river, Zeus sent an eagle to take her sandal and bring it to Hermes. In seeking her sandal, she came to Hermes, who seduced her in exchange for returning the sandal. Hermes rewarded the eagle by putting it in the sky and it became the constellation Aquila. You can read more about Aphrodite’s lovers here<\/a>, as well as her curses here<\/a>.<\/p>\n The earliest depictions of Hermes can be traced back to the Mycenaeans, who referred to him as \u2018Hermahas\u2019. Today the \u2018h\u2019 is silent, the \u2018er\u2019 is pronounced like \u2018air\u2019 rather than \u2018her\u2019, and the \u2018s\u2019 at the end is pronounced like \u2018s\u2019 rather than \u2018z\u2019 which is a common mistake. The name is believed to come from the Greek word \u2018herma\u2019, which means \u2018a heap of stones\u2019.<\/p>\n Hermes was one of the most clever and mischievous of the Olympian gods. In some myths Hermes is depicted as a trickster who would outwit others for his own amusement, at times being deceptive.<\/p>\n While still a baby, Hermes stole his half-brother Apollo\u2019s sacred herd of 50 cattle. He enchanted the cows to walk backwards so it would be more difficult to see which direction they went. He also disguised their hoofmarks by giving the cows shoes made of bark, so that their steps would be more difficult to trace. Eventually the stolen cattle were found where Hermes hid them, in a cave in Arcadia. The matter was brought to Zeus who decided that Hermes would keep the herd (whose numbers were now down to 48 after Hermes had sacrificed 2), and would give Apollo his lyre.<\/p>\n When Hermes stole Apollo’s cattle, Poseidon\u2019s trident, Artemis\u2019 arrows, and Aphrodite\u2019s girdle, he did not do so because he was an evil god, but rather he was\u00a0\u00a0motivated by his impish character and constant need for amusement.<\/p>\n Hermes is the son of Zeus and Maia, a beautiful Pleiadean nymph from Mount Cyllene. She was one of the seven daughters of Titan Atlas and Oceanid Pleione. These daughters were renowned for their beauty, with Maia being the most beautiful of the seven. She would often hide from the advances of mortal and gods in the cave of Mount Cyllene, but one night Zeus came to her in the night, raping and impregnating her while she slept. This baby was Hermes. You can read more about Zeus here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Hermes is an immortal being like the other Olympian gods. He also possesses superhuman strength, agility and reflexes. More significantly, he can run and fly faster than any other Olympic god. He is also the most-clever of the Greek gods, with the ability to deceive and trick others for his own amusement. His ability to move between worlds fluidly, from the world of the gods to the mortal world, and to Hades the underworld, are also what make Hermes unique. Read more about the powers of Hermes here.<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/mysteriumacademy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/hermes-speed.jpg\")
Myths That Show the Personality of Hermes<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Symbols of Hermes<\/strong><\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/mysteriumacademy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/hermes2.jpg\")
![\"mercury\"](\"https:\/\/mysteriumacademy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/mercury-1.jpg\")
Early Depictions of the Greek God Hermes<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Hermes killed the 100-Eyed Monster Argos<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Hermes Freed Ares<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Hermes and Hades<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Hermes did Not Have a Wife<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Hermes Greek God Pronunciation<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Was Hermes a Good God?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Is Hermes Zeus’s Son?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
What are Hermes Powers?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Recommended Reading<\/strong><\/h3>\n