Hermes

By Chris Giuliano and Taylor Veracka

Hermes God OF:• Animal Herding

• Roads

• Thievery

• Language

• Writing

• Persuasion

• Athletic contests

•Travel•Hospitality •Heralds•Diplomacy•Trade•Gymnasiums •Astronomy•Astrology

Hermes is the herald and messenger of the gods and guides the dead to the Underworld.

Other Names

• Hermes was also called Mercury, Psychopompos, Logios, Diactoros, and Agonios

Family

• Hermes was the son of Zeus and Maia.

Maia was the daughter of Atlas, and the niece of Prometheus and Epimetheus.

• His children, who he had with Aphrodite, were Tyche, Rhodos, Peitho, Eunomia, and Hermaphroditus.

• He also had Pan and

Abderus with Dryope.

Appearance

• Hermes is described as looking like a young man wearing a hat and winged shoes.

• He carries a golden herald wand.

• His symbol is his herald staff or caduceus.

Story of Birth

• Hermes was born in a cave on Mount Cyllene. The same day he was born he stole cows from Apollo and drove them across Greece. Also on that day he invented the lyre out of an empty tortoise shell and cow intestines.

• During the trial between him and Apollo about his stolen cows, he stole Apollo’s quiver and bow.

Hermes saves Odysseus from Calypso

• Zeus sent Hermes to Calypso’s Island to free Odysseus. Calypso had captured him, and promised him immortality if Odysseus married her.

Hermes Saves Odysseus from Circe

• While Odysseus was on Circe’s island, Hermes appeared to him and warned him about Circe’s spells and told him how to resist them. Otherwise, Odysseus would have been turned into a pig.

Hermes Saves Zeus

• Typhon had stolen Zeus’s tendons while they were fighting. Hermes stole them back and replaced them in Zeus’s body, giving him his strength back. Zeus was then able to defeat Typhon.

Contemporary HermesBecause Hermes is the God of speed and travel, a flower

company uses Hermes and his winged shoes as their logo.

Because he is the god of commerce, a financial group named their company after him.

Because he is the god of hospitality, a hotel is named after him.

Contemporary Hermes (continued)

• The Hauppauge Cross-Country team uses his winged shoes as their logo.

• His Caduceus is a symbol for American medicine.

Bibliography Atsma, Aaron J. "Hermes." THEOI GREEK MYTHOLOGY, Exploring

Mythology & the Greek Gods in Classical Literature & Art. Web. 05 Nov. 2010. <http://www.theoi.com/>.

 Leadbetter, Ron. "Hermes." Encyclopedia Mythica: Mythology, Folklore, and Religion. Web. 05 Nov. 2010. <http://www.pantheon.org/articles/h/hermes.html>.

"Greek Gods Family Tree / Genealogy." Ludios.org. Web. 05 Nov. 2010. <http://ludios.org/greekgods/>.

Burke, Nikki. "Greek and Roman World Mythology: The Olympian God Hermes." World Mythology, Folklore, Cultures and Classical Studies. 3 Jan. 2008. Web. 05 Nov. 2010. <http://www.gods-heros-myth.com/godpages/hermes.html>.

Cotterell, Arthur. "Hermes." The Macmillan Illustrated Encyclopedia of Myths and Legends. New York: Marshal Editions Limited, 1989. Print.