Western Regional Button Association is pleased to share our educational articles with the button collecting community. This article appeared in the November 2017 WRBA Territorial News. Enjoy! WRBA gladly offers our articles for reprint, as long as credit is given to WRBA as the source, and the author. Please join WRBA! Go to www.WRBA.us
Greek Mythology #29: HERMES by Joy Journeay
Messenger of the Gods God of: Trade, thieves, travelers, sports, athletes, and border crossings, guide to the Underworld Home: MOUNT OLYMPUS Symbols: Winged shoes, winged cap, staff, talaria, caduceus, pouch, lyre, tortoise, rooster Parents: Zeus and Maia Consorts: Merope, Aphrodite, Dryope, Peitho and at least 28 others Siblings: Ares, Athena, Apollo, Artemis, Aphrodite, Dionysus, Hebe, Heracles, Helen of Troy, Hephaestus, Perseus, Minos, the Muses, the Graces Children: Pan, Hermaphroditus, Tyche, Abderus, Autolycus, Angelia Roman Counterpart: Mercury
Hermes, the son of Zeus and the Pleiad Maia, is known as the messenger of the gods, moving quickly between the mortal and divine worlds. He acts as intercessor between the worlds and conducts souls to the underworld. Hermes is skilled in trickery and the deceptive arts, and can bring good luck. As one of his duties, he directed the dreams sent by Zeus to mortals. Hermes stole Apollo’s cattle when he was born, jumping out of his crib to hide them, then jumping back in to play the innocent. Zeus, inwardly very proud of his precocious child, just laughed instead of punishing the Hermes. Hermes gave Apollo the lyre, which he created, and was forgiven. This is where Apollo got the lyre he is often depicted holding. When Pandora, the very first mortal woman, was created Zeus invited every god to give her a gift. Hermes gave her lies and seductive words and “a dubious character.” Hermes then delivered her to Epimetheus to be his wife. Often Hermes helped the heros and other gods out of trouble. He rescued Ares from a vessel in which he’d been captive, and helped Odysseus more than once. Hermes was the father of Pan (the satyr god of nature, shepherds and flocks), Priapus, and Autolycus (the prince of thieves). Hermes sandals were made of palm and myrtle, and were immortal like Hermes. In later depictions his shoes often had wings, as symbols of their immortality. The wings are also depicted in art on Hermes ankles. Hermes is often shown with a purse or bag, and a cloak that can make him invisible. He had a sword of gold, which killed Argos and which he lent to Perseus to kill Medusa.
Large stamped brass of Hermes with his caduceus. Courtesy of
Byson Buttons. Engraved and darkened stamped brass. NBS small. Mercury on a small matte black glass button. Division I. BM: Patd. Dec 28, 1888. Courtesy of Gil Biggie. Western Regional Button Association is pleased to share our educational articles with the button collecting community. This article appeared in the November 2017 WRBA Territorial News. Enjoy! WRBA gladly offers our articles for reprint, as long as credit is given to WRBA as the source, and the author. Please join WRBA! Go to www.WRBA.us
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Large stamped one‐piece brass button. Courtesy of Byson Buttons. Steel flat disc with a stamped brass escutcheon of Mercury. Division I. Small. Horn with a metal escutcheon, Byson Buttons. Openwork stamped brass button of Mercury in the clouds. Silver one‐inch domed button of Hermes. BM: JS Jones New York.