Hermes is the messenger god of the Greeks.
He was born on Mount Cyllene in Arcadia, where his mother Maia hid him from Hera’s jealousy by giving birth in a cave on the mountain. This cave was not just any cave, though: it had two openings that faced each other so that Hermes could see out without anyone seeing inside. In this way, he stayed hidden until he was ready to emerge into society as a grown man.
As soon as Hermes came out of hiding, he began his life as a servant to Zeus — ferrying messages between Zeus and mortals all over Greece (and sometimes beyond). He eventually became known as the patron god of travelers and merchants who used roads or rivers for commerce; he also controlled boundaries between countries and between life and death.
Herms were carved pillars or posts set up at crossroads where travelers could ask directions or leave offerings to Hermes when they passed through his domain.
He had many sons with different goddesses including Aphrodite (Eros), Autonoe (Epimetheus), Arethusa (Orpheus), Cnossos (Cecrops), and Herse.
Hermes was often pictured with winged sandals on his feet, which allowed him to travel swiftly from place to place. He also wore a winged cap or helmet on his head to protect himself from poisonous snakes while traveling through fields or forests where they might be found hiding under logs or rocks in order to ambush their prey without being noticed by predators like birds or humans.
