Greek Mythology #29: HERMES by Joy Journeay
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.
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