The Symbolism Of Mercury Hermes In Homer's Odyssey

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Hermes/Mercury Hermes is the son of Zeus and Maia, daughter of Atlas. In literature, he was connected to the protection of cattle and sheep as well as vegetation. He is also the messenger of the gods, transporter of the dead, protector of travelers and a god of dreams. Hermes was a patron of music and the god of eloquence. He was described as graceful and swift in motion, having worn winged sandals. He also had wings on his hat and on his magic wand. He became Zeus's Messenger. He is described as the shrewdest and most cunning of all the Gods. He is connected to treasure and good luck. His bird was the vulture and the dog as his animal. His sacred number was four. Hermes is the messenger of the gods, swift and graceful, but also very cunning and lucky. An allusion to Hermes by an author could be the author trying to emphasize that the character is a traveler and doesn’t stay in one place …show more content…

He is also the god of earthquakes and horses. His weapon was a trident. His wife was Amphitrite, granddaughter of the Titan Ocean. He gave the first horse to man and was commonly called the "Earth shaker." Being the father of horses, it is said that Poseidon fathered Pegasus. Poseidon is worshipped at Colonus and Attica, despite losing control of Attica to Athena. He is known to have mood swings. He was commonly shown with the trident, a dolphin or a tuna. Poseidon is god of the sea. Therefore, if there was an allusion to Poseidon, the author could be trying to emphasize the characters relation to water. He is also the god of earthquakes, so an allusion to him could emphasize the character is powerful, has the ability to create chaos or has the ability to move things (make an impact). Poseidon is also Zeus’s brother and doesn’t have as much power to him. An allusion to him could portray the character as someone who is strong, but has less power or is second in

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