The Olympic pantheon numbered twelve gods, among whom was the mischievous and dexterous Hermes, who caused the celestials a lot of trouble with his tricks. He was also the messenger of the gods, and brought the news from Olympus to the common people.
God Hermes
The Olympic god Hermes was the son of the supreme god of Olympus - the formidable Zeus and the beautiful galaxy of Maya (one of the daughters of the titan Atlanta). It is believed that the name of God is associated with herms - ancient road signs in the form of columns with a bust of a man. Hermes had many children, but the most famous offspring of the eccentric god is Hermaphrodite - a bisexual creature. In Roman mythology, the role of Hermes is played by the god Mercury with similar functions. In honor of God, the planet Mercury is named, which just "rushes" across the sky after the Sun, as Hermes loved to do it.
Why does Hermes need winged sandals
Winged sandals are an integral attribute of the god Hermes, his main distinguishing feature. The nimble and mischievous "messenger of the gods", according to ancient myths and legends, moved everywhere with the speed of thought. For this, he used sandals with wings. It was with their help that he could be transported from Olympus to any end of the earth or soar like a bird. It can be assumed that the action of winged sandals is similar to the principle of running boots. The mythical winged sandals of Hermes are called “talarii”, and they are the most beloved shoes of the inhabitants of the Mediterranean countries.
Hermes' winged sandals were golden in color and called talarii.
Who was patronized by Hermes (Mercury)
One of the myths tells that Hermes, while still small, stole from the beautiful god Apollo his herd of magnificent cows. So that the loss would not be found so easily, he tied branches to their hooves. At one time, the clever Hermes stole from Apollo his golden arrows and bow, from Zeus - the scepter of power, from Ares - the sword, from Poseidon - the trident. Therefore, it is not surprising that God patronized thieves, rogues, swindlers and deceivers.
However, Hermes also protected travelers, travelers, shepherds, was a guide of souls to the kingdom of Hades (hence the nickname Psychopomp - "guide of souls"). He has his own rod, with the help of which he closed the eyes of people, immersing them forever in eternal sleep. He was also revered by representatives of trade, because it was believed that Hermes would definitely reward with wealth for abundant sacrifices. It is also believed that Hermes still managed to patronize magicians, alchemists and astrologers.
The wide-brimmed hat and wand are two more attributes of Hermes, which were also winged. The hat was called petas, and the wand was called the caduceus.
Among the virtues of the mischievous god, the gift of eloquence is notable. Hermes could convince anyone and anything, and he knew no equal in dexterity, cunning, theft and cunning. This versatility characterizes the contradictory nature of God. Perhaps that is why Hermes (Mercury) is the patron saint of the Gemini zodiac sign, which is just as contradictory and fickle.
