Greek Mythology · deity

Hermes

Ἑρμῆς
also: Mercury (Roman)
deitymessengerstravelersthievescommercecattlethe boundaryguiding the dead

Messenger of the gods, god of travelers, commerce, and thieves; guide of souls to the underworld (psychopomp).

Hermes, the messenger god — Marble Statue of Hermes (after Polykleitos)
Marble Statue of Hermes (after Polykleitos) · Polykleitos (Roman copy of Greek original) · 1st or 2nd century CE (original 5th c. BCE) · The Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public domain (Met Open Access)
The account

Who they are

Hermes (Mercury) is the messenger of the gods and the god of a remarkably wide range of activities: travelers, commerce, cattle, thievery (he is the divine patron of cunning and the 'trickster'), and the boundary (he is Hermes 'the guide' at crossroads) [S1]S1 · Hesiod, Theogonyc. 700 BCEtextOpen source ↗[S2]S2 · Homer, Iliadc. 750 BCEtextOpen source ↗[S4]S4 · Homeric Hymnsc. 700–300 BCEtext[S5]S5 · Pseudo-Apollodorus, Library (Bibliotheca)c. 1st–2nd c. CE (transmits earlier)text. Son of Zeus and the nymph Maia, he is a child-prodigy: on the day of his birth he stole Apollo's cattle and invented the lyre from a tortoise shell, then traded it to Apollo [S4]S4 · Homeric Hymnsc. 700–300 BCEtext[S5]S5 · Pseudo-Apollodorus, Library (Bibliotheca)c. 1st–2nd c. CE (transmits earlier)text. His most solemn role is as psychopomp — the guide who leads the souls of the dead to the underworld (he escorts Persephone, he guides Odysseus's crew's dead, etc.) [S3]S3 · Homer, Odysseyc. 725 BCEtextOpen source ↗[S4]S4 · Homeric Hymnsc. 700–300 BCEtext. He is the patron of thieves, merchants, and travelers, and his wand (the caduceus, winged and entwined by two serpents) is his signature [S4]S4 · Homeric Hymnsc. 700–300 BCEtext[S5]S5 · Pseudo-Apollodorus, Library (Bibliotheca)c. 1st–2nd c. CE (transmits earlier)text.
Worth knowing
  • Stole Apollo's cattle the day he was born and invented the lyre [S4]S4 · Homeric Hymnsc. 700–300 BCEtext[S5]S5 · Pseudo-Apollodorus, Library (Bibliotheca)c. 1st–2nd c. CE (transmits earlier)text.
  • Psychopomp — guide of the dead to the underworld [S3]S3 · Homer, Odysseyc. 725 BCEtextOpen source ↗[S4]S4 · Homeric Hymnsc. 700–300 BCEtext.
  • The caduceus (winged staff) is his signature [S4]S4 · Homeric Hymnsc. 700–300 BCEtext[S5]S5 · Pseudo-Apollodorus, Library (Bibliotheca)c. 1st–2nd c. CE (transmits earlier)text.
  • Patron of thieves, merchants, and travelers [S4]S4 · Homeric Hymnsc. 700–300 BCEtext[S5]S5 · Pseudo-Apollodorus, Library (Bibliotheca)c. 1st–2nd c. CE (transmits earlier)text.
Relationships (5)

Connections

4 rows · 5 recorded edges — identical notes are grouped

Family & kinship

PARENT_OFZeus — Zeus (with Maia) is the parent of Hermes.[S4] [S5]
PARENT_OFMaia — Maia is the mother of Hermes.[S4] [S5]

Alliances & rule

ALLY_OFApollo — Hermes traded the lyre to Apollo after stealing his cattle (they became friends).[S4] [S5]

Artifacts

OWNSCaduceus of Hermes — The caduceus is the staff of Hermes.[[S1]]
Local graph

Their corner of the divine world

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FocusHermesGreek
GREEK · 41variantvariant♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥AegisHelmet of HadesCaduceus of Her…Trident of Pose…Thunderbolt of …Alcmenamortalthe mortal mother of Heracles1 relationsAndromedamortalthe rescued princess2 relationsAphroditedeitylove7 relationsAtlasdeitythe sky (bore)1 relationsChaosprimordialorigin2 relationsDanaemortalthe mortal mother of Perseus1 relationsDemeterdeityharvest6 relationsEchidnamonsterthe monster-mother2 relationsGaiadeityearth6 relationsHadesdeitythe dead7 relationsHeradeitymarriage8 relationsHestiadeityhearth1 relationsLetodeitymotherhood (as mother of Apollo/Artemis)2 relationsMedusamonsterthe Gorgon3 relationsMetisdeitycounsel2 relationsOceanusdeitythe great world-river1 relationsOdysseusherocunning2 relationsPenelopemortalthe faithful wife of Odysseus2 relationsPoseidondeitythe sea6 relationsRheadeitymotherhood2 relationsSemelemortalthe mortal mother of Dionysus1 relationsTethysdeitythe primordial sea1 relationsTyphonmonsterthe great monster7 relationsCerberusmonsterthe guardian of the underworld3 relationsErosdeitylove2 relationsHebedeityyouth2 relationsHephaestusdeityfire6 relationsMaiadeitythe nymph2 relationsUranusprimordialsky6 relationsPersephonedeitythe underworld2 relationsTelemachusmortalthe son of Odysseus2 relationsCronusdeitytime (later association)9 relationsZeusdeitysky29 relationsApollodeitysun (later)4 relationsAresdeitywar (violence, bloodshed)3 relationsArtemisdeitythe hunt3 relationsAthenadeitywisdom4 relationsDionysusdeitywine3 relationsHeraclesherostrength7 relationsHermesdeitymessengers5 relationsPerseusheroheroism8 relations
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Myths featuring Hermes

1 story

Perseus and Medusa

Sent to fetch Medusa's head, Perseus was aided by Athena (mirror-shield) and Hermes (winged sandals, sickle); he beheaded the Gorgon, and Pegasus and Chrysaor sprang from her blood [S1]S1 · Hesiod, Theogonyc. 700 BCEtextOpen source ↗[S5]S5 · Pseudo-Apollodorus, Library (Bibliotheca)c. 1st–2nd c. CE (transmits earlier)text.

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Artifacts of Hermes

Objects they wielded, forged, or were bound to

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Caduceus of Hermes
Caduceus of Hermes
A · LegendaryWielded by Hermes
Artworks

Depictions

Hermes, the messenger god — Marble Statue of Hermes (after Polykleitos)
Marble Statue of Hermes (after Polykleitos) · Polykleitos (Roman copy of Greek original) · 1st or 2nd century CE (original 5th c. BCE) · The Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public domain (Met Open Access)
Marble Statue of Hermes (after Polykleitos) · 1st or 2nd century CE (original 5th c. BCE)
Hermes Propylaios, the 'gatekeeper' Hermes — Bronze Herm of Hermes Propylaios
Bronze Herm of Hermes Propylaios · Unknown (Roman) · 1st–2nd century CE · The Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public domain (Met Open Access)
Bronze Herm of Hermes Propylaios · 1st–2nd century CE
Hermes, standing — Marble Statue of Hermes
Marble Statue of Hermes · Unknown (Roman, Polykleitos type) · 1st or 2nd century CE · The Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public domain (Met Open Access)
Marble Statue of Hermes · 1st or 2nd century CE
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