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He then slew him with his sword and freed Io. Zeus asked Hermes for help and the divine trickster was able to lull the giant into a deep slumber by playing some music. Hera figured out Zeus’ plan, and ordered the hundred eyed giant Argos to watch over Io. In order to protect Io from his wife’s wrath, Zeus turned her into a heifer. When Hera found out about her, she wanted to punish her. Io the nymph was among Zeus’ numerous consorts. Perhaps, the most famous one of them is him killing the giant Argos. Hermes appears in several myths in Greek mythology. Constantly in search of amusement, it is no surprise that Hermes was known as “the divine trickster”. On several different occasions, he is known to have stolen Aphrodite’s girdle, Artemis’ arrows and the trident of Poseidon, a deity no one dared to mess with. There are several instances of Hermes’ mischievousness in Greek mythology. He endowed him with a plethora of responsibilities and duties, making him his right-hand man. When all this was happening, Zeus became very impressed with how cunning his son was at the mere age of one day. This was a staff with two serpents entwined around it, and would go on to become one of the main Hermes symbols. When Hermes agreed, Apollo forgave him for everything, and made a promise to be his best friend.Īs a token of friendship, he gave his baby brother his caduceus. In exchange for the cows, he wanted the lyre. Apollo became angry again but Hermes calmed him down when he started to play his lyre.Īpollo was so fascinated that he made an offer to young Hermes. However, two of the cows were missing because Hermes had already sacrificed them. Hermes obeyed and returned the cows to Apollo.
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Although amused, he demanded him to return the cattle. His father, Zeus, had however, been watching his son’s clever antics. His mother also said that it was impossible for an infant Hermes to do such a thing. He went to Mount Cyllene, and asked Hermes to return his cattle. When Apollo found out that his cattle had been stolen, he was livid. On his way back, he caught and killed a tortoise, and crafted a lyre out of its shell. Hermes stole fifty of the best ones, and took them back home. He went to the pastures of Thessaly, where his half-brother, and god of the Sun, Apollo, grazed his cows. The moment his mother fell asleep, he snuck out to explore the world. This does not come as a surprise, considering Hermes was associated with possessing incredible speed.Īccording to the myth, hours after his birth, Hermes began to display his cunning side and trickery. His mother, a nymph called Maia, was pregnant for less than a day before giving birth to him, in a cave on Mount Cyllene.
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Hermes was one of the many children Zeus had who inhabited Mount Olympus. Hermes’ counterpart in Roman mythology is Mercury. A herm is a statue with Hermes’ head, and a rectangular torso. People would worship him and ask for various things.įarmers prayed to him to protect their cattle and increase their harvest, while merchants called upon him to make them successful in business.įertility being one of his domains, many households kept a herm at the entrances to their houses, as it was believed to increase male potency, and also grant protection. When they woke up, they would be in the underworld.īecause he looked over several domains, his temples and statues can be found all over Greece. He would put them into a deep slumber, and then guide them through the dark path. Herms the Greek God of Trade, Speed and Messengers by MasterlevshaĪs a psychopomp, as a conductor of souls, Hermes guided the dead to the kingdom of Hades in the underworld.