Hermes,called by the Romans Mercurius (Mercury), in Greek mythology was the son of Zeus and Maia, the daughter of Atlas. He was born in Arcadia, and soon after his birth left his cradle
and invented the lyre by stringing the shell of a tortoise with three or seven strings. The lyre, however, he resigned to Apollo, with whom it was ever after identified. Hermes also invented the Pandean pipe. The ancients represent Hermes as the herald and messenger of the gods. He conducted the souls of the departed to the lower world. He was the ideal embodiment of grace, dignity, and persuasiveness, but also of prudence, cunning, fraud, perjury, theft, and robbery. His cunning was frequently of service both to the gods and the heroes, and even to Zeus himself.
Later writers ascribe to him the invention of dice, music, geometry, letters, etc. He was worshipped in all the cities of Greece, but Arcadia was the chief place of his worship, his festivals being called Hermcea. In the monuments he is represented as in the flower of youth, or in the full power of early manhood. He often appears with small wings attached to his head and to his ankles. Among his symbols are the cock, the tortoise, a purse, etc, and especially his winged rod, the caduceus. Research Hermes
Abbreviations
Research Hermes
