Hermes+-+1

//Hermes //

The Greek god Hermes was the son of Zeus (before he married Hera) and of the nymph Maia (daughter of the titan Atlas). He was the god of shepherds, travellers, merchants, and even thieves, and he also had the role of herald (messenger) of the gods. His Roman name was Mercury. Greek god Hermes' attributes are a winged traveler's cap, the caduceus with the two intertwined serpents and the winged sandals. He was represented as an athletic young man. __** Beginning **__

The baby was born in the morning, in a cave on Mount Cyllene. Tired after the birth, his mother put him into the cradle, then she fell asleep. But Hermes escaped from the cradle and went as far as Pieria, where Apollo was hearding his cattle. He stole them and drove them home, but he was clever enough to make some of them walk backwards, so Apollo couldn't follow them. On his way home, he also found a tortoise, that he killed and cleaned of its entrails, then took it with him. When he got home, he sacrificed two of the cows to the Olympian gods. The he took the intestines of the sacrificed cows and put them on the hollow shell of the tortoise, inventing the first lyre. It had nine chords, in honour of the nine muses. With accomplishing all these before noon, Hermes was tired, so he went back to his cradle and he fell asleep. When Apollo discovered his cows were stolen, he was very angry. He managed to find baby Hermes the god and told his mother what he did. Maia couldn't believe him because Hermes was laying right there next to her. Apollo didn't know how to prove he was right, but then he saw the lyre, made with the intestines of his cowses started to play the lyre and Apollo was enchanted by this music, so he decide to let Hermes keep, and had a proof that Hermes did it. Thus, baby Greek god Hermes was brought in front of Zeus. Zeus, who has seen everything and who told him to render Apollo his cattle. But Hermes started to play the lyre and Apollo was so amazed by the sound of it he let Hermes keep the cattle, in exchange for the lyre (which later became one of Apollo's attributes). Hermes couldn't live without music, so he invented the syrinx (pan-pipe), which Apollo liked too, so he offered Hermes his golden staff, called //kerykeion// in Greek, better known with the Roman name: //caduceus//.

__**Tasks**__ One of his tasks was to guide the souls of the dead to the underworld, that's why he was called //pscychopomp// (guide of the dead). He was the one who took Eurydike back to Hades, after Orpheus took her out. At the end of the Odyssey, he takes the souls of the dead suitors to the underworld. The Greek god Hermes received the mission to save Zeus' lover, Lo, who has been transformed into a cow. Hera wanted to have that cow and ordered Argus, the hundred-eyed giant, tokill her. But Hermes played a beautiful music, which made Argus fall asleep, then he killed him. He also had the mission of leading the three goddesses, Hera, Athena and Aphrodite, to mount Ida, where the shepherd Paris would decide which one was the most beautiful. Greek god Hermes was the one that took care of baby Dyonisus and took him to king Athamas, who was to raise him. Being a messenger, Hermes the god was very active, he persuaded Calypso anc Circe to leave Ulysses alone, during his trip back home, and he gave the ram with the golden fleece to Nephele, to help her save her children.

__**Family**__
 * **Parents** || **Siblings** || **Children** ||
 * Zeus || Aphordite || Hermaphroditus ||
 * Maia || Apollo || Pan ||
 * || Athena || Priapus ||
 * || Artemis ||  ||
 * || Persephone ||  ||
 * || Dionysus ||  ||
 * || Perseus ||  ||
 * || Heracles ||  ||
 * || Helen ||  ||
 * || Minos ||  ||
 * || Muses ||  ||
 * || Ares ||  ||
 * || Hebe ||  ||
 * || Hephaestus ||  ||

Hermes' children all had different mothers. Hermaphroditus was the son of Aphordite and they didn't care much about the name so they put theirs together. Pan was the son of a Dryope nymph and the mother was so scared when she saw him she fled but Hermestook him to the Olympus where the gods liked his laughter. Priapus' mother is unknown to this day.

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