Hermes FAQ Project

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Hermes FAQ Project

• By Brittany Rock
• Period 1

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Q. What is Hermes role as a god?

• Hermes is the messenger of the gods. He is also
  to guide the souls of the dead down to the
  underworld. He received the name God of the
  Roads because he offered protection to
  travelers. He was also to protect cattle and
  sheep. Hermes was also known for bringing dreams
  to mortals. He was an eloquent revealer of
  hidden wisdom.

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Q. What is Hermes family background?

• A. Hermes is the son of Zeus and the nymph Maia.
  Hermes was born in a cave on Mount Cyllene in
  Arcadia. While Hermes mother was asleep, Hermes
  ran off to Thessaly, where his brother, Apollo,
  grazed his cattle. Ever since Hermes was young,
  he was known as the patron of thieves.

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Q. What does Hermes look like?

• A. Hermes is usually depicted with a winged cap,
  winged sandals, and the heralds staff. This is
  often shown as a shaft with two white ribbons,
  later they were depicted as serpents intertwined
  in a figure of eight shape, and often had wings
  attached. He usually wore clothes that of a
  traveler, or that of a workman or shepherd.

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Q. Why is Hermes famous?

• A. When Hermes was young, he ran away from his
  mother and ran to Thessaly, where his brother
  (Apollo) was living. One night Hermes stole
  Apollos cattle and drove them to Greece. He hid
  them in a grotto and covered their tracks. While
  the cattle were in hiding, Hermes killed a
  tortoise and removed its entrails. Using the
  intestines from a cow and the hollow tortoise
  shell he made the first lyre.

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Q. What are some interesting facts about Hermes?

• A. After Apollo knew Hermes had stolen the
  cattle, Apollo told Maia and Zeus about the
  thief. Zeus said he had been watching Hermes as
  he stole the cattle. Zeus told Hermes to return
  the cattle to Apollo. As he started arguing,
  Hermes began to play his lyre. The music
  enchanted Apollo, and he offered Hermes

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Q. What kind of god is Hermes?

• A. Originally, Hermes was a phallic god, being
  attached to good fortune and fertility, and a
  patron of roads and boundaries. His name came
  from herma, which was a square or rectangular
  pillar in either stone or bronze, with the head
  of Hermes.

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Q. What are some symbols that represent Hermes?

• A. Some symbols that represent Hermes today are
  lyre, sheep, cattle, pillars, tortoise, winged
  helmet, winged sandals, caduceus (staff with two
  entwined snakes), and the planet Mercury.

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Q. What are some of Hermes heroic actions?

• A. Some heroic actions are that Hermes protected
  the child Dionysus 2 from the wrath of Hera.
  Hermes gave the Ram with the golden Fleece to
  Nephele 2.

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Bibliography

• Vadakethu, Jonathan. Hermes The Story of Hermes.
  03 March 1997
• http//www.pantheon.org/articles/p/prometheus.htm
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• Mythography Hermes. 1997
• http//www.loggia.com/myth/hermes.html
• The Goddess Path. Hermes Greek God of the Roads.
  2002
• http//www.men-myths-minds.com/greek-gods-hermes.
  html