Hermes was the gods' messenger and protector of the travelers, merchants, herds, gymnasiums, stadium, good luck and wealth. Hermes was often pictured with winged sandals, a winged hat (petasos) and a magic wand (caducee). His father was Zeus and his mother the Titan Atlas's daughter Maia. He was the main god worshipped in Arcadia and he had a son with the nymph Dryops named Pan.
Hermes was also a psychopomp, the guide of the deads' souls to the underworld. He was a trickster, a dubious character in mythology, and was the protector of thieves as well.
According to myth, Hermes had invented the lyre out of the shell of a turtle and intestants of sheep. He then gave it to Apollo as a peace offering after being accused of stealing the god's herd. In return, Apollo gave him a golden rod.
Hermes was also the god of good speech and was worshipped as such in the ancient gymnasiums. When Paulus and Barnabus were taken for gods in Lystra the people called Paulus Hermes, since he was the preacher.
He was also the god of athletics. On roads travellers would put stones in piles as roadmarks, and eventually heads of Hermes were put there. These roadmarks, which could also be found outside houses, were called herms. When Alcibiades was charged with vandalisation in Athens, it was all the herms of the city that had been destroyed.
The Romans called Hermes Mercurius, in English Mercury.
Hermes' many nicknames include:
Acacesius, Agetor, Agoraeus, Criophorus, Cyllenius, Epimelius, Nomacriates, Polygius, Promachus, Psychopompus.
<
| Demeter | Aphrodite | Apollo | Ares | Dionysus | Gaea | Hades | Haphaestus | Hermes | Pan | Titans |