Hermes: an Introduction to Worshipping the Messenger of the Olympians

Hermes’ blessing:

Hermes blessing is the acceptance of the universality of all. His is the knowledge of the essence of all individual differentiality being the same, and necessary to the world’s existence. He is the way-shower of the “resolution of opposites”, the ‘great revealer’. His is the ideal of reaching beyond human potentiality, to grasp the intangible and harness it through our subconscious and conscious mind becoming a jointly and equally operating mechanism. Through magic, visions, and dreams, we can open the mind to realms it has never imagined, and access those parts of ourselves which people sometimes like to label “off the wall”. His is also the blessing of ‘the world is our oyster,’ and He shows us how to expand our “home block” to extend to the whole world, taking in the fact that we are but one small piece of the eternal puzzle. His is also the awareness of the Divine in creation of being, and the logic behind science, math, and language. He is the thief and watcher, guardian by night. He is a poet of life, creating it as He speaks. He helps us to understand logically the movement of the Divine in creation, and helps us to record and translate knowledge to share with our brothers and sisters of all races and creeds. He is the one who helps the poor find shelter, and thief to find food. He helps the advocate to speak on things that are taboo. He helps prisoners gain freedom, and initiates change so that old rules that are not working can be adjusted, so those who are oppressed may break free from bondage. His is also the blessing of self care, through athletics and meditation He helps us to perfect our bodies so we may nourish our physical and spiritual bodies just as much as we nourish each other and the world. He helps the ingenious and persevering spirits to endure in their individuality by assisting them in business endeavors, and inventions. He helps crops grow, and stock animals to reproduce so people have food, and He teaches farmers how to take care of land and animals. He helps people communicate and diffuses situations of difficulty. He helps people reach destinations during travel safely, and find unexpected help along the way. He also gives comfort in transition, here on Earth and on the way to our afterlife. He is there to counsel calmly, and reassure our psyches that we are our only blockade to freedom of spirit, and He helps us to trust in the divine plan by encouraging us to trust in our highest natures.

Functions of Hermes:

Divine Trickster, God of boundaries and thresholds, Creator of civilization as Trickster, Messenger of the Gods, transgressor of boundaries and taboos, Patron of cunning thieves and liars, Inventor of fire, Inventor of sacrifice, God of mysteries, Bringer of sleep, dreams, and visions, God of free will, Psychopompos or Guide of the Dead, Escort of the Gods, Patron of herdsmen, thieves, graves, and heralds, God of Luck, Unexpected Fortune, Giver of Good, God of sacrificial priests, successful communication with enemies, translation and language, God of gymnasia and athletic youth, God of logos, or world order, God of trade and commodities, (1a).

God of astronomy, knowledge, speech, Patron of orators, Inventor of boxing, God of running and foot races, God of exchange, alchemy, science, internet, God of Magic, Presider at solemn sacrifices, God of Divine Movement, Ruler of the Orphic House of Cancer, Ruler of the Planet Mercury, and by default the Western astrological signs of Gemini and Virgo, Scribe of the Gods, Protector of all messengers especially in war, Patron of inventors, Protector of wise women and elderly women, , God of Fertility and Procreation, God of Masturbation, God of Soul Transformation and Guide through Consciousness changes, God of Heraldry and animal husbandry, God of speed, Codes, and Secrets, Caretaker of graves, Protector of travelers and God of Mechanics, Wine-pourer of the Gods, Inventor of weights and balances, Controller of Birds of Omen, sheep, dogs, boars, and lions.

Epithets:

  • Agetor -Guide of Souls-(1)
  • Agonius or Enagonius -pertaining particularly to Hermes’ role as presider over solemn festivals such as Agonius(2)
  • Agoraea and Agoraeus- to Gods who were considered to be the protectors of the assemblies of the people in the agora (?????) As Hermes was the god of commerce, this epithet seems to have reference to the agora as the marketplace; a bronze statue of Hermes Agoraeus is mentioned as standing near the agora in Athens by both Aristophanes and Demosthenes (3)
  • Argeiphontes- “radiant one’ (9)
  • Euskopos Argeiphontes, literally “the sharp-eyed Slayer of Argos”- a name given to Hermes as a slayer of Argos, a hundred-eyed monster which he slew. (9)
  • Chthonius or Chthonios, “of the earth or underworld”- most probably because Hermes can move in and out of the Chthonic realms with ease. (4)
  • Hermes Trismegistus- “Thrice Great Hermes”- a syncretic combination of the Greek God Hermes and Egyptian God Thoth (5), as well as the author of the Emerald Tablet and several other famous ancient alchemical texts. (DL Wood)
  • Kriophoros- the “ram-bearer” is a figure that commemorates the solemn sacrifice of a ram. (6)
  • Leucus- “white”- an epithet of Hermes in Boetia, a Greek city containing Thebes (7)
  • “Of the Golden Blade”- he carried a sickle made of adamant (8)
  • Cyllenius, or Kullhnios- from His birth or temple site on mount Cyllene in Arcadia (9)
  • Diaktoros Argeiphontes – “the courier” Argeiphontes (9)
  • Kratus Argeiphontes- “strong” Argeiphontes (9)
  • Hermes Promakhos- “the Champion” (9)
  • Logios- writer, knower of intelligent design
  • Tetragonos- four square (10)
  • Aglaos (Splendid)
  • Agoraios (Of the Market Place)
  • Aipytos (Of Aipytos)
  • Akakesios (Of Akakesion)
  • Angelos (Messenger)
  • Agreiphontes (Argus-Slaying)
  • Bouphonos (Slayer of Oxen)
  • Dioktoros (Messenger)
  • Dolios (Crafty One)
  • Enagonios (Of the Games)
  • Enodios (of the Road)
  • Epimelios (Keeper of the flocks)
  • Eriounios (Luck-Bringer)
  • Euangelos (Bringer of Glad Tidings)
  • Euskopos (Watchful)
  • Gumnasiarkhos (Leader of the Gymnasium)
  • Hermeneutes (Interpreter)
  • Kerdoos (the Gainful)
  • Kerukes (Herald)
  • Kharmophron (Heart-Delighting)
  • Khthonios (of the Earth)
  • Khrysorrhapis (Of the Golden Wand)
  • Klepsiphron (Deceiver)
  • Kourotrophos (Protector of Youth)
  • Kranaios, (?)
  • Krateros (Mighty)
  • Kriophoros (Ram-Bearer)
  • Kullenios (Of Mount Kyllene)
  • Logios (of Speech)
  • Maiados Huios (Son of Maia)
  • Mekhaniotes (Trickster)
  • Nomios (Protector of Flocks)
  • Oiopolos (Shepherd)
  • Pantokrator (Ruler of the World)
  • Pheletes (Thief)
  • Poikilometes (Full of Various Wiles)
  • Poneomenos (Busy One)
  • Promakhos (Champion)
  • Propulaios (Before the Gates)
  • Psukhopompos (Conveyer of Souls)
  • Takhus (Swift)
  • Tetragonos (Square)
  • Trikephalos (Of the Three Ways/Heads)
  • Trismegestos (Thrice-Greatest)
  • Tukhon (Bringer of Luck) (12)

Symbols:

  • Caduceus, Kerykeion – Herald’s staff and magic wand- lulls mortals to sleep and can wake mortals at will (1a)
  • Winged Cap- “petasos” or “brimmed cap”- this cap was called “Cap of Aidoneus”- ‘the unseen’ because it rendered it’s wearer invisible (1b)
  • Golden Sickle (8)
  • Winged Boots- called “pteroeis pedila” (9)
  • A Sack- the kibisis (9)

Sacred Animals:

  • Tortoise- Greek “khelone”- he made the toroise into a lyre, and also turned a nymph into a tortoise. (9)
  • Ram (in Greek- “krios”)- Hermes role as keeper of flocks (9)
  • The dove killing species of Hawk (in Greek-“hierax”) (9)
  • Hare- (Greek “Lagos”)- constellation Lepus- put into the sky by Hermes (9)

Plants and Flowers:

Krokos- (Crocus) An Arkadian boy (of Southern Greece) who was loved by Hermes. When the god accidentally killed him playing discus, he transformed the boy into a crocus flower.Strawberry Tree (in Greek “andrakhnos”)- Hermes was nursed under a strawberry tree (9)

Sacred Numbers and Symbols:

Four (10) , eight (because of the number of “Hod” or the Mecurial Kether in the tree of life). Squares, (10)

Traditional Offerings:

Incense: Frankincense, camphor, and malabathrumcock, myyrh (10)

Animals: pig, ram, beef, mutton, pork, (10)

Food: wheat, honey, twigs of olive, honey-comb and honey from local bees, strawberries, cassia, cinnamon, saffron, “The panspermia is a mixture of beans, grains, and seeds. To this some people add honey, oil and milk since these were the traditional libations to the dead, and additionally it fills the kitchen with a strong, unsettling aroma. Although you can cook this meal for Hermes on times other than the Anthesteria, it should only be given to him in connection to his underworld aspect, and you must never taste of the food yourself, since this is a meal reserved for the dead and it would be considered very bad luck to eat it. Other foods for the dead, which would be suitable as offerings to Hermes Khthonios, include eggs, onions, garlic, pomegranate seeds, and fish or pork.” (10), barley grains

Drink: wine, mead, beer (Especially German)

Votives: anything made of silver, lead, papyrus, pebbles (connected to his knowledge of prophecy by pebbles), herms (or boundary stones) (10)

More Modern Offerings:

Food: chocolate, whipped cream, coffee drinks, any type of foreign food, brightly-colored easter eggs to honor his mischievous side and his connections to fertility, (10) blueberries, granola, almonds, walnuts, pecans

Drink: Absinthe, beer, gin, vodka, red-bull, dry white wine (for logios aspect) and red wine for chthonic aspect., (11) blessed moon water (especially in Virgo, Cancer, or Gemini),

Incense: storax, mastic, white sandal, mace, moly, nettles, asafoetida, ginger, and marjolane, dragon’s blood incense, list cloves, tobacco, musk, nag champa, poppy, lavender, and vanilla (11)

Votives: metal, jars, currency, foreign currency (11)

Citations for this work:

1. Wikipedia. “Agetor.” Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, 10 Nov. 2010. Web. 12 May 2011. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agetor.

. 1a) Burkert, Walter. “The Gods.” Greek Religion. Basil Blackwell and Harvard UP, 1985. 156-59. Print.

The original book was published in Germany as Griechische Religion der archaischen und klassischen Epoche. by Verlag W. Kohlhammer, Stuttgart, copyright year 1977

1b) Atsma, Aaron J. “ESTATE, ATTRIBUTES & ATTENDANTS OF HERMES : Greek Mythology.” THEOI GREEK MYTHOLOGY, Exploring Mythology & the Greek Gods in Classical Literature & Art. 2000. Web. 13 Apr. 2011. http://www.theoi.com/Olympios/HermesTreasures.html.

2. Wikipedia. “Agonius.” Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, 10 Nov. 2010. Web. 12 May 2011. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agonius.

3. Wikipedia. “Agoraea.” Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, 26 June 2010. Web. 12 May 2011. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agoraeus.

4. Wikipedia. “Chthonius.” Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia, 20 June 2011. Web. 26 June 2011. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chthonius.

5. Wikipedia. “Hermes Trismegistus.” Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia, 9 June 2011. Web. 26 June 2011. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermes_Trismegistus.

6. “Kriophoros.” Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia, 11 June 2011. Web. 26 June 2011. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kriophoros.

7. Wikipedia. “Leucus.” Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia, 13 Feb. 2011. Web. 26 June 2011. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leucus.

8. Atsma, Aaron J. “ESTATE, ATTRIBUTES & ATTENDANTS OF HERMES : Greek Mythology.” THEOI GREEK MYTHOLOGY, Exploring Mythology & the Greek Gods in Classical Literature & Art. 2000. Web. 13 Apr. 2011. http://www.theoi.com/Olympios/HermesTreasures.html.

9. “CYLLENIUS, Greek Mythology Index.” MYTH INDEX, Greek Mythology. Myth Index, 2007. Web. 13 Apr. 2011. http://www.mythindex.com/greek-mythology/C/Cyllenius.html.

10. Sannion. “Wildivine.org – Offeringsto Hermes.” Wildivine.org – Dionysos, Hermes, Nymphs and Pacific Northwest Polytheism. Wildvine.org. Web. 26 June 2011. http://www.wildivine.org/hermes_offerings.htm.1

11. Sannion. “Wildivine.org – Offerings to Hermes.” Wildivine.org – Dionysos, Hermes, Nymphs and Pacific Northwest Polytheism. Wildvine.org. Web. 12 May 2011. http://www.wildivine.org/hermes_offerings.htm.

12. Sannion. “Wildivine.org – Hermes’epithets.” Wildivine.org – Dionysos, Hermes, Nymphs and Pacific Northwest Polytheism. Wildvine.org. Web. 12 May 2011. http://www.wildivine.org/hermes_epithets.htm.