Hermes[a] is a Greek god known in myth as the messenger of the gods.[1] The most clever and cunning of the twelve Olympians, he is the god of travelers, shepherds, communication, and thieves.[1] His parents are Zeus, king of the gods, and Maia, one of the Pleiades. The wide-brimmed petasos hat, winged sandals, and staff intertwined by two snakes (the kērykeion) are symbols of Hermes; sometimes, his hat is given wings like his sandals.[1]
Hermes was also believed to escort the souls of the dead to the underworld,[1] and in this role he is called Hermes Psychopompus.
Hermes' original role was god of the herm, from which his other roles followed by extension; herms were piles of stones placed at boundaries, entryways, and crossroads in ancient Greece,[1] later taking the form of stone blocks with Hermes' head on the top and male genitals on the front.
The festival of Hermaea annually celebrated Hermes in his role as the patron god of athletics.
Foreign deities identified with Hermes include the Roman god Mercury and the Egyptian gods Thoth and Anubis; his association with Thoth resulted in the legendary figure Hermes Trismegistus.[1] In the Roman period, Hermes gained the role of god of commerce due to his association with Mercury.[2]
Design
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Shin Megami Tensei Trading Card: Card Summoner.jpg)
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Artwork from Persona 2: Innocent Sin
Sprite from Persona 2: Innocent Sin
Sprite from Shin Megami Tensei Trading Card: Card Summoner
Card graphic from Persona 2: Innocent Sin
