Hermes -called Mercury in Roman mythology- was born in a cave on Mount Cyllene of
Arcadia (though some traditions hint at their birth in Olympus). His mother was
the plethora Maya, daughter of Atlas, and his father was Zeus.
He began making a
man for himself, because at noon of the same day he was born, he escaped from his
cradle to kill a turtle (in order to remove it's shell) and steal the cattle of
oxen from his brother Apollo, to use his intestines to build the first lira
(stringed musical instrument, used by the Greeks), and the plectrum (pick).
Apollo with his power could discover that Hermes was the one who stole some
of his cattle, so as he must apologized with Apolo handing him the lira. Then Hermes invented the
syrinx (instrument similar to a flute wind), which showed Apollo thus
establishing a close relationship between the two gods.
- Hermes was the father of: * Pan: Greek god of nature, sheep and flocks, Pan, was often said to be the son of Hermes and Dríope. In the Homeric Hymn to Pan, the mother of the newborn god fled from him, frightened by his appearance.
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Hermes is
the Olympian god of boundaries and the travelers who cross them, of shepherds
and herds, speakers, eloquence and wit of the writers and poets, of athletics,
of weights and measures, the invention and commerce in general, of the cunning
of thieves and liars, patron of gymnastic games of the Greeks, the herald of
the gods, and god of dreams. Hermes is the inventor of the fire of divine
worship, the sacrifices, the syrinx (instrument similar to a flute wind), the
lyre (a stringed instrument), and the plectrum (pick), and several other types
of careers the sport of boxing. For this he was a patron of athletes and is
described as a deified trickster. His symbols were the rooster and the tortoise,
and can be recognized by his purse or pouch, his winged sandals, his petaso
(wide-brimmed hat) and his caduceus or herald's wand.
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