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Myths about the Roman God Mercury
That adroitness which formed the most distinguishing trait
in his character, began very early to render him
conspicuous. Born in the morning, he fabricated a lyre, and
played on it by noon; and, before night, filched from Apollo
his cattle. The god of light demanded instant restitution,
and was lavish of menaces, the better to insure it.
But
his threats were of no avail, for it was soon found that the
same thief had disarmed him of his quiver and bow. Being
taken up into his arms by Vulcan, he robbed him of his
tools, and whilst Venus caressed him for his superiority to
Cupid in wrestling, he slipped off her cestus unperceived.
From Jupiter he purloined his sceptre, and would have made
as free with his thunder-bolt, had it not proved too hot for
his fingers.
From being usually employed on Jupiter's errands, he was
styled the messenger of the gods. The Greeks and Romans
considered him as presiding over roads and cross-ways, in
which they often erected busts of him. He was esteemed the
god of orators and eloquence, the author of letters and
oratory. The caduceus, or rod, which he constantly carried,
was supposed to be possessed of an inherent charm that could
subdue the power of enmity: an effect which he discovered by
throwing it to separate two serpents found by him fighting
on Mount Cytheron: each quitted his adversary, and twined
himself on the rod, which Mercury, from that time, bore as
the symbol of concord. His musical skill was great, for to
him is as[75]cribed the discovery of the three tones,
treble, bass, and tenor.
It was part of his function to attend on the dying, detach
their souls from their bodies, and conduct them to the
infernal regions. In conjunction with Hercules, he
patronized wrestling and the gymnastic exercises; to show
that address upon these occasions should always be united
with force. The invention of the art of thieving was
attributed to him, and the ancients used to paint him on
their doors, that he, as god of thieves, might prevent the
intrusion of others. For this reason he was much adored by
shepherds, who imagined he could either preserve their own
flocks from thieves, or else help to compensate their
losses, by dexterously stealing from their neighbors.
At Rome on the fifteenth of May, the month so named from his
mother, a festival was celebrated to his honor, by
merchants, traders, &c. in which they sacrificed a sow,
sprinkled themselves, and the goods they intended for sale,
with water from his fountain, and prayed that he would both
blot out all the frauds and perjuries they had already
committed, and enable them to impose again on their buyers.
Mercury is usually described as a beardless young man, of a
fair complexion, with yellow hair, quick eyes, and a
cheerful countenance, having wings annexed to his hat and
sandals, which were distinguished by the names of petasus
and talaria: the caduceus, in his hand, is winged likewise,
and bound round with two serpents: his face is sometimes
exhibited half black, on account of his intercourse with the
infernal deities: he has often a purse in his hand, and a
goat or cock, or both, by his side.
As to his origin, it must be looked for amongst the
Phoenicians. The bag of money which he held signified the
gain of merchandise; the wings annexed to his head and his
feet were emblematic of their extensive commerce and
navigation; the caduceus, with which he was said to conduct
the spirit of the deceased to Hades, pointing out the
immortality of the soul, a state of rewards and punishments
after death, and a resuscitation of the body: it is
described as producing three leaves together, whence it
was called by Homer, the golden three-leaved wand.
Myths about the Roman God Mercury
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