Hermes was the son of Olympian god, Zeus, and the nymph, Maia. He is known as the messenger of the gods and is easily identified by several characteristics. Hermes is usually pictured in a winged hat, winged sandals, and carrying a messenger bag and a staff. Sometimes, the winged hat is replaced by a large- brimmed traveler’s hat.

Hermes is patron of a number of things. First, he is known as a thief, and indeed was in an act of theft when he was barely one day old, when he stole Apollo’s cattle. He is also associated with musicians, having invented the first lyre from a tortoise shell. The lyre’s strings were fashioned from the intestines of the stolen cows. Hermes also invented the pan pipes from reeds, as well as the flute. Legend has it that Apollo coveted the flute so much, he traded his golden staff to Hermes for it, and it is this staff that Hermes carried. In addition, because of his extensive travel, appearing here and there in the blink of an eye as needed, Hermes is venerated as the protector of travelers and boundaries.

In his role of messenger, Hermes helped escort souls to the underworld and also ferried dreams to mortals in their sleep. He fathered many offspring, some of the most famous being Pan, the half goat, half man creature, and Hermaphrodites, half man, half woman, whose mother was the beautiful goddess Aphrodite.

Artists have traditionally depicted Hermes as a handsome and athletically slim young man, swift and graceful.