In Greek Mythology, the god Hermes, one of the 12 Gods of Olympus, is the son of Zeus and Maia. 

In Greek Mythology, Greek God Hermes is the god of thieves, shepherds, merchants and orators. God Hermes was also appointed as the messenger of the gods and the carrier of messages between the gods and mortals.

WHO IS THE GOD HERMES IN GREEK MYTHOLOGY?

Greek God Hermes, the messenger of the gods, is the son of the god Zeus and Maia in Greek Mythology. He is known as one of the youngest of the gods.

The god Hermes is intelligent, eloquent, kind, mischievous and cunning. Yet somehow he is able to win the hearts of immortals, gods and mortals alike. Zeus appreciated all of Hermes’ qualities, so he chose to take Greek god Hermes with him when he descended to earth as a mortal and mingled with humans. According to some sources and accounts, Zeus gave his son Hermes silver winged sandals and a silver cloak for his feet.

Greek god Hermes, who is thought to have been born in Arcadia, was a generally beloved god. Festivities called Hermaea were organized in the name of the god Hermes.

WHAT  IS HERMES THE GOD OF?

The god Hermes, one of the most cunning of the gods and at the same time one of the most efficient, is the god of thieves, shepherds, merchants and orators in Greek Mythology. Greek god Hermes is also the protector of travelers. Since he is a skillful god, his duties are not limited to these. 

God Hermes is the god of borders, transitions, travels, trade and diplomacy in Greek Mythology. He is a god who protects travelers, roads and thresholds. Accordingly, Greek god Hermes is also the god of transitions, this is more related to his duty to accompany the transitions between life and death. In Greek Mythology, Hermes is a god who accompanies souls on their way to Hades. Because of this duty, he bears the name Psykhopompos, the Companion of Souls.

The god Hermes, seen as the god and protector of trade, was associated with legal and illegal gain. People worshipped Hermes because he was seen as a god of luck and prosperity.

According to some sources, Greek God Hermes is the god who invented the alphabet and taught how to translate foreign languages. For this reason, he was also seen as the god of language.

Hermes was also the messenger of the gods. Hermes, a god charged with carrying messages and announcements between the gods and mortals, was known for his speed and agility. For this reason, Greek god Hermes is often depicted with winged sandals.

The staff of the god Hermes:

One of the most important items and symbols of the Greek god Hermes is the staff he carries. He is often depicted with a staff in his hand. This staff has somehow become one of the symbols of the God Hermes.

Hermes is also the creator of the pipe. According to one story, Apollo, the god of music in Greek Mythology, who showed interest in the pipe as soon as he heard of it, bought it from Hermes in exchange for the caduceus (kerykeian) and divination lessons.

The caduceus is a golden shepherd’s staff. According to another story about the passing of this staff to Greek god Hermes, Apollo and Hermes became close brothers after the issue of the cattle stolen by Hermes was settled. Hermes promises that he will never steal Apollo’s lyre  nor invade his temple in Delphi at  the River Styx. In return, Apollo gives Hermes the caduceus, the golden scepter. 

The staff is covered with wings. Apollo tells Hermes that this staff has the power to unite, that it can unite even those who hate each other by binding them together with love. Hermes wants to test this claim and throws the staff between the snakes fighting with each other. The snakes’ gaze changes and they coil around the staff to embrace each other and gaze lovingly at each other so that the staff remains forever.  The staff is a typical symbol of a trusted messenger. The snake, wisdom and wings symbolize this.

There are multiple myths and stories about the staff of Greek god Hermes. One is that he received it from Apollo, as above. In the first version, Apollo gives it to Hermes in return for peace between them after Hermes returned the stolen cattles to Apollo. In the other version, Apollo trades with this staff to get the pipe.

There is another story about the scepter carried by Greek god Hermes. This story is about Hermes being the messenger of the gods.

HERMES as the Messenger of the Gods and the Messenger Staff of Hermes

When Hermes is summoned to Mount Olympus by Zeus, Zeus has the idea of making Hermes the messenger of the gods. Hermes is fast, eloquent, intelligent and a resourceful god who can solve problems. When this idea is presented to him, Hermes refuses to accept it and nominates the goddess Athena for this task. Athena also does not want to be the messenger. In the voting, Hermes receives Athena’s vote and becomes the messenger of the gods.

Zeus then gives Hermes a messenger staff made of olive wood with two wings on it. After that, this staff will be known as Hermes’ staff.

According to the legend, the staff once got between two snakes that were fighting. As soon as they both wrapped themselves around the staff, they stopped fighting and began to look at each other peacefully.

After becoming a messenger and receiving the staff, Hermes began to carry messages between Olympus and humans.

Although the Greek god Hermes is often a mischievous and playful god, he is a god who fulfills his responsibilities.

In Ancient Greece, Hermes was known as a versatile, intelligent and impressive god, and because he was active among both gods and mortals, he became a highly worshipped god among mortals.

CHILDREN OF GOD HERMES

Greek god Hermes did not marry, but he had various relationships and children were born from these relationships.  The main relationships of Greek god Hermes and the children born from them are as below;

1 – Hermes- Penelope (Daughter of Dyrops) = Pan

Who is Pan God in Greek Mythology? 

Pan or God Pan is the son of Greek god Hermes and a nymphe in Greek Mythology. Although the name of the nymphe is not complete and certain, it is thought that she was the daughter of Dyrops and perhaps her name was Penelope.  Later on, the name of Pan god’s mother was sometimes confused with Penelope, the wife of Odysseus.

Pan, an Arcadian-born god, is half man and half goat. The upper part of Pan god body is human and the lower part is in the form of a goat. Greek god Pan is mostly depicted in visual arts with goat feet and hooves and two horns on his head.  It is said that Pan god’s  mother was frightened when she saw the child after birth and then abandoned him. Despite this, Hermes loves his son. Pan god was raised by nymphs in the forest. Pan is a god who wanders alone in forests and mountains. He is interested in music, and in time he becomes quite advanced in music.

Pan is a god in myths. He is also known for his sexual lust and passion for music. One of his most important activities is chasing nymphs and chasing them.

Pan God,  Syrinx and the Pan Flute

One of them is Syrinx, a forest nymph.

Pan sets his eyes on Syrinx who is  one of the disciplines of goddess Artemis and goes after the nymphe, but Syrinx does not want to have a relationship with Pan and starts to run away from him, but Pan god, who is faster, starts to catch up. Syrinx comes to the edge of the river and when she cannot cross the river, she begs the river nymphs to save her. Her wish is granted and she turns into a reed until Pan god catches up with her.

Pan, who is very angry and devastated by this situation, tears the whole reeds, but later regrets it. He cuts the reeds into various lengths and joins them together. Thus he creates a musical instrument, the pan flute ((Syrigks).

Syrinx is not the only Nymphe Pan pursues in mythology. He also desired Echo but was rejected. He also pursued another nymphe, Pitys, and the moon goddess Selene.

What God is Pan?

Greek god Pan is the god of wild and untamed life. The god of the forest, Pan was also responsible for the birth and reproductive productivity of animals. Greek god Pan was mostly worshipped by people in rural areas. The god Pan was known as the god of shepherds and flocks.

He is often depicted holding a pine branch or a pine made of pine.

2 – Hermes – Aphrodite = Hermaphroditus

Hermaphroditus, who united the male and female sex in himself, was the son of Greek god Hermes and the Goddess Aphrodite. (Who is Hermaphroditus?)

3- Hermes- Herse = Cephalus

Cephalus is the son of the Greek god Hermes and Herse, daughter of Cekrops, the second king of Athens. Eos, the Goddess of Dawn, falls in love with Cephalus and brings him to Mount Olympus. Here the two have a son, Phaethon. Phaethon is accepted by Aphrodite into her temple. 

4 – Hermes – Chione (daughter of Daedalion) = Autolycus

In Greek mythology, Autolycus was a famous thief, the son of Greek god Hermes and Chione, daughter of Daedalion. According to Homer, Greek god Hermes, the god of thieves, gave Autolycus his abilities, but later, in order to make the story of the transfer of these abilities more realistic, he and Chione became the parents of this famous thief and liar. 

Who is Autolycus in Greek Mythology?

Autolycus and his wife Amphithea had sons and a daughter; Anticleia.

Anticleaia married Laertes and gave birth to Odysseus. According to the stories, Autolycus is the one who gave Odysseus his name.

According to Apollodorus, they had another daughter; Polymede. 

Polymede married Aeson (Aison) and became the mother of Iason (Jason).

Autolycus was a great thief and deceiver. He has tricked many people and gods, but there was someone  else in Greek Mythology like himself who could be a great rival to him, and that person was Sisyphus. 

Autolycus and Sisyphus Clash in Greek Mythology: 

Sisyphus is one of the most interesting characters in Greek Mythology. Sisyphus, who continues to be reflected to this day, has deceived the gods with his intelligence, cunning and deceitfulness or, according to the interpretation, has rebelled against the gods in some way. 

One day, the King of Corinth Sisyphus and Autolycus come face to face. 

Autolycus does his usual thing and starts stealing Sisyphus’ cattle. With his paternal talents and skills, or let’s say superior powers, he again transforms the cattle and steals them by losing them, so that no matter who comes up against him, he can’t understand the situation. Sisyphus, being as smart, cunning and knowing as Autolycus, doesn’t buy it and starts to suspect the situation because Autolycus’ herd is growing while his own cattle are decreasing.

Sisyphus says there is something to this, but since he has no proof or evidence and he can’t figure out exactly how Autolycus is doing it, he finds another solution. He hangs lead tablets on the hooves of his cattle – stolen by Autolycus – and then goes to inspect Autolycus’ herd, proves that they are his cattle and defeats Autolycus. He then gets his stolen cattle back.

The two masters become close friends. Some time later, according to some stories, Sisyphus seduces Autolycus’ daughter Anticleia. These stories provide the basis for the idea that Odysseus’ father was actually the cunning Sisyphus instead of Laertes. In another version, Autolycus causes his daughter to have sex with Sisyphus so that he can win Sisyphus’ favor and have a grandson as cunning as Sisyphus.

5 – Hermes – Polymele = Eudorus

Eudorus was the son of the Greek god Hermes and Polymede, daughter of Phylas.

Who is Eudorus?

In Greek Mythology, Eudorus is the son of Greek god Hermes and Polymele. 

Greek god Hermes, seeing Polymele during a dance in honor of Artemis, falls in love with her and sneaks into her room. They spend the night together and Eudorus is born. Polymele later marries Echeles, the son of Actor. Eudorus was raised by his grandfather Phylas.

Eudorus fought in the Trojan War as commander of one of Achilles’ Myrmidon battalion.

SYMBOLS OF HERMES GOD

Greek god Hermes is mostly depicted with winged sandals (talaria) on his feet. Because he is a god who travels back and forth between gods and humans and conveys messages. He is known for his speed and quickness.

Another important item of Greek god Hermes is his hooded cloak. 

His other important item and the object Greek god Hermes is mostly depicted with is the caduseus, the shepherd’s staff in his hand. There are various myths about the passing of this staff to Hermes.

The god Hermes is sometimes depicted with a bag. This is related to Greek god Hermes being the god of trade, thieves and profit.

Sources:

The Routledge Handbook Greek Mythology / Robin Hard

Yunan ve Roma Mitolojisi / Collette Estin

The Myths and Legends of Greece and Rome / E.M Berens

Mitoloji 101 / Kathleen Sears

Cassell’s Dictionary of Classical Mythology /Jenny March