THE Hermes or with the epic name Ermeias, It is one of’ the oldest gods with genuine Greek ' popular ' origin. According to mythology was born in a cave in Kyllíni (in today's Mount Ziria) of Corinth, from Jupiter and the beautiful Nymph Midwife, the daughter of Atlas. Homer is mentioned with the name of the oldest Hermes Kyllinios, but with strikers ' eyskopos argeϊfontis ' identifications, «diaktoros», i.e. psychopompos. Homer often used the epithet "chrysorabdos" Hermes, «Messenger» Hermes, While in Hesiod ' renowned preacher of gods "and" protector of shepherds and sheep».
Mythology says that immediately after his birth he invented and built the first lyre and showed, from the infant yet age, the skill of being able to steal even the oxen of Apollon. Hermes, like Prometheus, because he discovered the fire and pyreia, and at the same time the sacrifice, obviously a sacrifice for the dodekatheon, is basically "a competitor of malicious pyrforoy Prometheus '.
Hermes, Although in epic poetry appears to have auxiliary position vis-à-vis the other Olympian gods, very quickly evolved into so multifarious deity that covered almost every event of life. Is the most busy God, as it has many tasks on the upper World: before’ all is the Messenger of Zeus, He is also God of intersections of roads and boundaries (borders) (Hermes Outer or Tetrakefalos), Patron of the doors of houses and gates of temples (Hermes Pylaios and Propylaios), God of literature and rhetoric (Hermes logios), Patron Saint of athletes and games (Hermes agwnios), Patron of merchants (vulgar and kerdwos Hermes) -even protected not only the viewed today as a legitimate, but the random finding, the so-called ermaion, that means "gift of Hermes", i.e. the providential gift (Hence Hermes Tychwn) or the unexpected precious finding or even the product of theft or abduction (Hence filitwn or lurking or anax liistir Hermes). Against giants, wearing the kynin Aϊdos (invisible helmet), He killed the giant Ipollyto, saved Zeus reconnecting the nerves of the feet of, which had cut the Tyfweas and released the God Mars, whom the Aloadae were imprisoned for a year.
Throughout antiquity Hermes was considered the smartest and the most benevolent God (Hermes alexikakos and goods dwtir) and for’ This the most likable and entertaining God of the Greek pantheon, "expression of all the assets and all the vices of the ancient Greek". Throughout its history, however,, the first place had the Chthonic traits and especially known Pan-Hellenic property of psychopompoy or psychagwgoy.
As psychopompos in Underworld serves Pluto and Persephone. Specifically carries the souls of the dead and also attends the Court of Hades, i.e. perform tasks with which acquired excellent location among the gods of the underworld.
Many ancient sources that present mercury coupled with clear boundary between deities, such as Demeter, the Pluto, the Trophonius etc.. «Underground», e.g., call mercury Sophocles, Aeschylus and Euripides. But it is unlikely the property of chthonioy God to came from the other capacity, the Herald of the gods and psychopompoy. So, like a preacher could transmit news or wishes of the Upper world in down or relocate the souls in chthonioys, and therefore it was considered himself chthonios. The Hymns Of Orpheus, Hermes chthonios leads the "immortal souls" to hell and back to the upper World brings (for new incorporations). As an entertainer-also refers to the "Choiforoys" of Aeschylus ((f). 622), Although Orestes expects him not just to forward the wishes of others chthonioys and the dead father, but also to help him in his quest to avenge his father's murderers ((f). 727-29). The divinity of Chthonic testifies and Pausanias, who says that he saw in Cassation Mercury's statue next to statues of other great gods ' ypogaiwn '.
For the excellent position of mercury among the gods of the underworld and Plutarch informs us, as in the celebration of Plataias Eleftheria used first to pray to Mercury and in underground underground Zeus at the sacrifice of a bull and then call to "aimakoyria" the souls of those who had been killed in battle against the Persians, the 479 e.g..
Hermes though, as awesome underground God, the invoked the Greeks during the 5th b.c.. century. and on so-called «katadesmoys» (defixiones), i.e. the invocations to the dead or gods chthonioys, to harm those who loathed. In the archaic period each tomb was dedicated as the "statue" of the psychopompoy God of the underworld. Pindar, a stone sculptural work erected over the tomb the calls "Aϊda" statue. However, noteworthy is the fact that Homer does not mention the porthmea Hermes, After the souls of the dead and in the Iliad and Odyssey put on Hades ' without the help of a floating craft, certainly enough to have burned». As we mentioned in the previous section, the role of porthmea (of peramatari) in the subsequent (methomiriki) time will be charged the Charon (Charontas), which transferred with pleoymeno of the dead on the opposite bank of the rivers of the underworld (mostly terrible Styx) and Lake Acheroysias.
The story of the god Hermes is perhaps most instructive for the development and the constant renewal of the content of all chthoniwn gods. Even the case of Hermes justifies the latest scientific research, According to which-as above- each study or presentation of Greek religion should start from the pre-Homeric Greek religion. In this well the rich ' popular ' religious tradition and ritual, one can detect the abundant each Olympian God payments boundary and record the evolution and gradual renewal, which in some cases are so important, so from the original deity not only survives the name, as l. x. the case of chthonioy God Hermes, in the evolution of which is worth to do a brief reference:
Hermes, in the early years was connected with the roadside lithoswroys that was either graves or "terms" (milestones). And the Greek name Furthermore means literally "one who pleads through the pile of rocks". There was an old habit of the ancient Greek farmer who, When he found in the street a pile of stones, throw another stone on top of, because he believed that some divine power (God-demon) resided in’ These. THE M. Nilsson considers that’ This habit were concealed traces of old litholatrias, and notes that these stones called "Ballast" and the greatest of them-at the top of the heap- called "Mercury". And the W. Burkert notes that various, like the primitive delimitation of areas with phallus, they always had the same deterrent.
The various ones, i.e. "Herma", why rural people used it as a "ododeiktes" for travelers, but as landmarks of fields and private estates, It seems that constituted mosques of chthonioy Mercury, who indeed punished anyone who dared to trample on foreign land. Although the "presence" of the God of the "border" (Hermes) prevent illegal trespass, neighbors seem that our employees moving borders, to expand their own land, as a result the owners of estates to use as landmarks even more prominent upright stones. On top of these lithoswrwn (either "terms" was either graves) stinotan an even larger stone, the "ermaϊki column". Pausanias reports that they were also used as various country borders.
On stone or wood were later "Herma", which subsequently placed at street intersections, in the squares of cities and at the entrances of houses or temples, kept emphasizing the falloi. By the presence of fallwn, symbol of his property gonimikis, Herodotus concludes that mercury was prehistoric God, which the Athenians had received from the Pelasgians. End, the 520 e.g.. the son of Pisistratus Hipparchus proposed to the Athenians the stone form of mercury that later imposed generally.
It is worth mentioning at this point highlight m. Nilsson that from the perception of rural peoples that resided in the stones some divine "power" (a demon) that was in need of exagnismoys and choes, created the concept for underground House of the dead, the dark Hell somewhere deep, under the Earth. Consequently, through the "demonic rituals of rural peoples ', born faith in a God who receives the souls of the dead, to the leads to the underworld or sometimes it will reset in here life. And he was the god Hermes Psychopompos or an entertainer-.
As psychopompos, Hermes, first mentioned in "second-" Odyssey 11 references to receives the souls of the slain suitors and, with gold and beautiful magic wand of, to the leading directly to hell ("in’ kelentha ' eyrwenta) until the asfodelon pasture, «naioysi psychai ibid, kamontwn ' idols and not as reported by subsequent beliefs and show attic lekythoi leads the souls in dinghy («akatio») porthmea's Charon.
The Hermes psychopompos on vase paintings show to return to the upper World Queen of Hades, her daughter Persephone, to transfer the dead Alkmene from Thebes to the Macaronesian Islands and accompany the Priam during transport of Hector for burial. With the same capacity Hermes transports and Helen in Egypt, leaving in its place a fake of. Also, Hermes, is depicted in the famous bas-relief of Orpheus to recalls in Eurydice, holding of slight of hand, that should permanently return to the underworld.
In mythology, Hermes, modified winged gold sandals, with which as a Seagull to slip over the waves, whenever needed, While holding the miraculous rod, that whenever he wants and arresting speech or wakes up from sleeping people. For’ This also is honored as ypnodotis, sleep protector and oneiropompos. When Diogenes Laërtius (8,31) Pythagoras called Hermes ' divine Treasurer of souls», «pompaio» and «portal and underground», because it came with the souls of the dead to the infernal Kingdom through the "Gate of hell", they took care of Hermes himself to gather the clean souls to "higher place", While the dirty be found in "shackles" inextricably with the Furies.
In Thessaly had prevailed the habit in Hellenistic and Roman times to Chase or to paint underneath the name of the deceased, at the bottom of column epitafias, a small ermaϊki column with the words "Ermaoy chthonioy", that meant that the column with the name of the deceased was devoted to underground Mercury. And Plutarch says local residents ' habit of Argos, thirty days after the death of their sibling person sacrificing for mercury, who "accepts the souls of human beings, as the soil accepts their bodies». A similar Memorial for their own dead and the Athenians were in celebration of Chytrwn, the third and last day of Anthestirion, so they sacrificed for the Hermes Psychopomp, and not for the Olympian gods.
Mercury's popularity grew greatly in his later years of antiquity, then complete and the transformation of, multiple properties acquired as completely foreign to its original Chthonic nature. So, by chthonios God of the underworld and the dead souls psychopompos will evolve up to God of fitness and sport, Patron Saint of sports competitions. Many high schools pledged then to mercury in agwnio or enagwnio, which usually venerated together with Hercules. Several high schools have found many votive offerings with the inscription ' Iraklei ' and Ermii, While, as Pausanias informs us, in megalopolis was their common Church for two gods, near Stadium.
Great feasts in honor of mercury, as the patron saint of athletes and sports clubs (Ermaia said) were held in many cities of Greece and Rome, While the fourth day of the month was dedicated to Hermes, as in Rome Wednesday, day of the week. The Romans first transformed into God mercury Commerce, the Mercurius, with full pockets in hand. However, gyms with the long lost its original character of physical education, as to their special halls, after physical exercises and theory classes were. Indeed taught distinguished scholars of the era (especially orators and philosophers), resulting Hermes automatically become patron and letters and rhetoric (Hermes logios).
Also changed radically and the art of expression: While archaic aggeiografoi, by expressing their perceptions of post-mortem era, depicted in white the cheerless underground Mercury vial may be found, as bearded Psychopomp, Venerable, during classical and Hellenistic times paristanotan in particular as nice teen with stunning figure! (praxiteleio) body, as can be seen by the naked statue found in Andros (only one snake that meanders into an adjacent tree trunk, testifies to the underground nature of the). Besides, m’ This form of mercury is made later, along with Eros and Hercules, the God of youth and sport athloymenis. "The praxiteleia this image of mercury is so far from the venerable form of the old God chthonioy, so it seems as though pretending to be another God», Notes o n. Papachatzis.
Mercury commonly depicted with winged sandals and wide-brimmed hat, the petaso, symbols of God's Messenger aerinis speed and keeping the magic golden rod, the kirikion, the ancient symbol of pastoral nature and abundance. Other sacred symbols, Apart from the phallus, fertility symbol, is the invisible hunting, the sword and the Drepano, symbols of nature's chthonias, the disk, symbol of the God protector of gymnastics and sports competitions, aulos (Syrinx), the lyre and kithara, symbols of nature's music, and finally the balantion, symbol of the God protector of Commerce and trade.
source: archaia-ellada.blogspot.gr
