Hermes
The swift messenger of the gods and guide of souls to the underworld. Hermes was the cleverest of the Olympians, patron of merchants and thieves alike.
The Myth of Hermes
Hermes was born in a cave on Mount Cyllene, son of Zeus and the nymph Maia. Within hours he stole fifty cattle from Apollo and invented the lyre from a tortoise shell. The infant charmed his way free by gifting the lyre to Apollo. As messenger of the gods, Hermes traveled between Olympus, the mortal world, and the realm of Hades. He wore winged sandals, carried the caduceus, and guided souls of the dead below. He rescued Ares from a bronze jar, led Persephone back to Demeter, and delivered Zeus's commands across creation. Hermes aided heroes directly: he gave Perseus the cap of invisibility, showed Odysseus how to resist Circe, and escorted Priam to Achilles' tent to ransom Hector's body. He fathered Autolycus the master thief and Pan the wild god of shepherds. Stone herms bearing his image stood at crossroads throughout Greece.
Parents
Zeus and Maia
Children
Pan, Hermaphroditus
Symbols
Fun Fact
The word "hermeneutics" (the study of interpretation) derives from Hermes' role as messenger and interpreter of the gods.
Words We Inherited
English words and phrases that trace back to this myth. See our full guide to English words from Greek mythology.
Explore Further
Hermes
⚡ godGod of travellers, thieves, and communication
Hermes was the messenger god, guide of souls, patron of travellers and thieves — the most versatile and likeable Olympian, born cunning.
Hermes
⚡ godMessenger of the gods and patron of thieves
The quicksilver god who guides souls to the Underworld, protects travellers, and invented lying on the day he was born.
God of Messengers
💭 conceptMessages, travel, boundaries, commerce, thieves
Hermes serves as divine messenger and psychopomp, escorting both words and souls between worlds.
Birth of Hermes
💭 conceptNarrative
The precocious god who invented the lyre and stole Apollo's cattle on the very day he was born
Hades
⚡ godGod of the dead and lord of the underworld
Hades was the lord of the underworld who received the dead — feared but not evil, wealthy from earth's minerals, and far more just than his brothers.
Hermes Psychopompos
⚡ godGuide of souls to the underworld
In his role as Psychopompos, Hermes escorted the souls of the dead to the underworld — the only Olympian who moved freely between all three realms.
Mercury
⚡ godCommerce, communication, travellers, trickery
Roman god of trade, messages, and boundaries, equivalent to the Greek Hermes
Hades
⚡ godKing of the underworld, god of the dead and riches
Ruler of the underworld and lord of the dead. Despite his fearsome reputation, Hades was not evil — he was stern, just, and rarely left his dark kingdom.
Apollo
⚡ godGod of light, music, prophecy, and plague
Apollo was the most complex Olympian — god of light, music, poetry, prophecy, healing, plague, and rational thought, the divine embodiment of Greek civilisation.
Hades
⚡ godKing of the dead
The ruler of the Underworld who received the dead, guarded by Cerberus and feared so deeply that Greeks avoided speaking his name.
Apollo
⚡ godGod of the sun, music, poetry, prophecy, healing, archery
God of light, music, poetry, and prophecy. Apollo embodied the Greek ideal of youthful masculine beauty and was patron of the Oracle at Delphi.
Melampus
🗡 heroNone recorded
The first mortal prophet in Greek tradition who gained the ability to understand the speech of animals after serpents licked his ears clean