Hermes, Son of Zeus

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that Hermes, son of Zeus and the nymph Maia, who was an extremely active god, is well known for his actions as a newborn child and his involvement in the Trojan War. The author points out that Homer, in his epic poem "The Iliad" and his "Hymn IV" pays homage to Hermes as both a youth and as an accomplished and powerful god; whereas, Apollodorus focuses on Hermes' actions as an infant. The paper states that both authors present Hermes as being powerful, majestic and cunning.

From the Paper:

"Essentially, Hermes forces Apollo and Zeus to recognize his potential as a god. If they decided to give him his due, he would exert himself in a powerful, but majestic way. If, however, he was not granted what he believed that he deserved, he would be able to cause much trouble for the immortals. Zeus, through Apollo, wisely recognized Hermes' potential and awarded him a desirable position in the kingdom of the immortals. Although Hermes is most associated as the messenger god, he was also in charge of commerce and escorting people to Hades."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Apollodorus. Book 3 of the Library. Translated by J. G. Frazer. (2006). Theoi Project. Retrieved on December 4, 2006, from http://www.theoi.com/Text/Apollodorus3.html#10
• Homer, Richardson, N., & Cashford, J. (2003). Homeric Hymns. New York: Penguin Press.
• Homer. The Iliad. Translated by Richmond Lattimore (1951). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

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