Hermes

A precocious baby

Hermes was born in a cave on Mount Cyllene in Arcadia to Zeus and the nymph Maia. On his very first day he slipped out of his cradle, made the first lyre from a tortoise shell and stole fifty cattle from his brother Apollo, driving them backwards to hide their tracks. Apollo was furious, but Hermes charmed him with the lyre and the two became friends.

The go-between

With his winged sandals and traveller’s hat, Hermes carried messages between Olympus, the earth and the underworld. He protected roads, borders and markets, and stone pillars called herms stood at crossroads and doorways in his honour. He also led the souls of the dead down to the realm of Hades.

Key myths

• Stealing Apollo’s cattle on the day he was born
• Slaying the hundred-eyed giant Argus to free Io
• Helping Perseus prepare for his quest against Medusa
• Guiding King Priam through the Greek camp in the Iliad

Worship

Herms were everywhere in Athens, so when many were vandalised in a single night in 415 BC, on the eve of the expedition to Sicily, the city was gripped by panic. Athletes honoured him as a patron of the gymnasium, and merchants made offerings to him for luck in business.