ALSO KNOWN AS:
Mercurius – His Latin name, from which "Mercury" is derived.
Nuntius Deorum – "Messenger of the gods."
Alipes – "Wing-footed,"
Mercurius Psychopompos – "Mercury the soul guide,"
ALLYS:
Apollo -As brothers, they have been close friends ever since Mercury gave Apollo the
first lyre.
Jupiter -He is Mercury’s father, and Mercury has done a few things for him, so
Jupiter would probably have pity on him for being hunted.
ORIGIN:
Mercury is the son of Jupiter (the king of the gods) and Maia (one of the daughters of the Titan
Atlas). Jupiter visited Maia in a secret cave on Mount Cylle in Arcadia, and nine months later she
gave birth to Mercury hidden from Juno’s wrath.
JOBS:
Messenger of the Gods: He delivered messages for Jupiter and the other gods.
God of Commerce: Patron of merchants, trade, and financial gain.
Psychopomp: Led souls to the underworld.
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION:
Slender but muscular, sharp features, with a confident expression suggesting intelligence and
cunning. Often his hair is shown as short and curly. However, he can change his appearance, so
identifying him could be a struggle.
LOCATION AND WORSHIP:
Two Main Temples:
Temple of Mercury in the Circus Maximus
Temple of Mercury at the Aventine Hill
Mercury was worshipped on May 15th, the ‘Mercuralia’, a major festival in honor of Mercury. He
was worshiped with sacrifices, offerings (i.e., Incense, wine, and cakes), processions, and
prayers. He was worshipped at his altars (small altars dedicated to Mercury were common in
commercial districts or at crossroads, places where his influence over movement and exchange
was considered important).
WANTED BY:
Juno, Queen of the gods.
WHY:
Mercury Helped in Hercules’ Birth:
When Alcmene was about to give birth to Hercules (the demigod child of Jupiter),
Juno, enraged, sent a curse to prolong Alcmene’s labor. However, Mercury, acting on
Jupiter’s orders, intervened in the labor process. Jupiter sent him to assist in the birth,
using his divine speed and knowledge to counteract Juno’s curse and ensure the
successful delivery of Heracles.
Mercury Helped Hercules:
Mercury had a significant role in some of Heracles' tasks, and he was seen as a
helper or guide to the hero during his labors. For instance, in the myth of the Cattle of
Geryon, Mercury aids Heracles by guiding him and even helps him defeat obstacles.
Mercury Killed Argus:
Once Jupiter fell in love with a mortal woman named Io, he turned her into a cow
to hide his relationship with her from Juno. However, Juno, suspicious of her husband's
actions, acts for Io to be begrudged to her, and Jupiter agrees. Juno then places Io under
the watchful eye of Argus, a giant with many eyes. Jupiter then sends Mercury to free Io
by putting Argus to sleep and killing him. So Mercury obeyed and killed Juno’s creation,
Argus.
LAST SEEN:
Seeking advice from the oracle, and was seen at The Temple of Apollo at Delphi:
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
"Mercury." Encyclopedia of Mythology. Edited by Arthur Cotterell, Oxford University Press,
1997.
"Hermes/Mercury." The Dictionary of Classical Mythology. John Edward Zimmerman,
HarperCollins, 1983.
"Mercury." Britannica Academic, Encyclopædia Britannica, 2024, www.britannica.com.
