Greek Mythology: Hermes GREEK MYTHOLOGY And His Magic Wand Hermes, the messenger god on Mount Olympus, had a magic wand called a Caduceus, which was given to him by Apollo. The Caduceus is a rod or staff framed by two intertwined snakes; at the top of the staff are two wings. The Caduceus symbolizes the spinal column, the central conduit for the Psychic Force, or nerve energy, which animates all the organs and members of the body. The places where the snakes cross represent the spinal energy centers or chakras of the subtle body. The two snakes represent the two complementary halves of the nervous system: motor and sensory, sympathetic and parasympathetic. For optimal functioning of the nervous system, these complementary halves must be balanced. Hermes, also called Mercury by the Romans, is sometimes pictured as a hermaphrodite, or a person who is half male and half female. So it is with the nervous system; it is neither emissive/masculine/Yang, nor is it receptive/feminine/Yin, because it incorporates both principles, or polarities.

The essence of the nervous system is communication, and Hermes, or Mercury, is the god of communication, transportation, and commerce. Greek mythology also depicts Hermes as a clever trickster, sent out on missions by Zeus and other Olympian gods to do their dirty work. And so, Hermes symbolizes the Mercurial adaptability of the mind, which must survive by living by its wits and ingenuity. Esoterically speaking, the two intertwining snakes of the Caduceus symbolize the lunar Ida and solar Pingala channels of yogic philosophy, which must be cleared and balanced in order for the kundalini energy, or serpent power, to ascend from the base of the spine to the crown, producing enlightenment. In the Western esoteric tradition, this is called the Alchemical Marriage. Snakes also have a profound symbolic significance in science, medicine and healing. The snake, which periodically molts, or sheds its skin, is a symbol of healing, regeneration and renewal. In ancient Greece snakes, which move about without any visible means of support or locomotion, were considered to be the wisest and cleverest of all animals.

Asclepius' staff has only one snake entwined around it, which symbolizes healing, regeneration, and the consummate skill of the medical art. Hermes' Caduceus has two intertwined snakes, which, in addition to all the above, also represent the need for balance, or homeostasis, for optimum health maintenance and disease prevention. It seems as if snakes were also solar symbols. Apollo, who gave the Caduceus to Hermes, is often pictured with snakes. And the staff of Asclepius, son of Apollo, has a snake entwined around it. The sun, as the source of all Life and energy in our universe, is deeply connected with healing and the expression of vitality and wellbeing in general. S. D. Paramedics The Caduceus Music on this site is best experienced with the Crescendo Midi Plugin. Streaming Crescendo is paid for by this site's administration. Get your free version here! Caduceus (heralds staff) Caduceus (kã-dû'sî-ûs) (Kah-du'seus) [L., a herald's wand].

In Mythology, the wand or staff carried by Hermes or Mercury having two serpents entwined around it and surmounted by two wings. Used as the medical insignia of certain medical groups such as the U.S. Army Medical Corps. Even though it is sometimes used to symbol the medical profession, the staff of Aesculapius, q.v., Roman god of medicine, is usually considered to be the more appropriate symbol. Tabers Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary; F.A. Davis In The United States the caduceus is the more popular of the two commonly used symbols of medicine. The other symbol is the staff of the Greek and Roman demigod of medicine, Aesculapius. The Caduceus was the magic rod of Hermes, the messenger of the gods, "deity of wealth, god of trade and travelers, of commerce, manual skill, oratory and eloquence, of thieves, and of the wind and patron of the athletes. The Caduceus was adopted as the U.S. Army's Medical Departments official insignia in 1902.

In Greek and Roman mythology, a magic wand consisting of a rod topped by wings and intertwined by two snakes (kerykeion, caduceus in Greek; kerykeion skeptron meaning "a heralds wand"; keryx meaning announce or herald) was depicted as a medicinal or magical tool symbolized to indicate healing and immortality in literature and drawings from the era before Christ. The fabled wand or rod, the caduceus, was carried by Hermes in Greek myths and Mercury in Roman mythology as the messenger of the gods. Originally, the caduceus was represented as a simple staff wound about with two white ribbons. It is a figure that consists of two entwined serpents encircling a wand or rod. It was a symbol of authority and inviolability and protected the herald who carried it. In Homer's Lliad and Odyssey the caduceus is often mentioned as a type of magic wand by which Hermes opened and closed the eyes of mortals. It was therefore connected with death and the journey through the underworld. Later myth says Hermes once threw his magic wand at two snakes fighting on the ground. The snakes became entangled in the the magic wand and have been attached to it ever since.

The wings at the top were added in later Greek and Roman art. In Virgil's Aeneid (book 4) the caduceus is said to have been given to Mercury by Apollo in exchange for Lyre. Milton, calling it Hermes' "opiate rod" in Paradise Lost (book 11.133), refers to the belief that the caduceus is associated with medicine because it was one of the symbols of Aesculapius, the god of medicine for the ancients. Le Sage, in Gil Blas (1715) writes; "I did not think the post Mercury-in-chief quite so honorable as it was called... and resolved to abandon the Caduceus [give up the medical profession] for ever." Some confusion exists between the wand carried by Hermes and the Staff of the demigod Aesculapius which is classically characterized as a single serpent encircling a rough hewn tree branch. The Staff of Aesculapius is truly the more legitimate symbol of medicine, however the Caduceus has been adopted as the more commonly used symbol in medicine. According to mythology, Hermes threw his magic wand at two fighting snakes.

The snakes became entwined as they stopped fighting. The actual origin of the Caduceus is from two sources. The first was from the Babylonia god Ningizzida and the second was from a shepherd's crook that was forked on top. It actually goes all the way back to the book of Genesis. Moses had to make a copper serpent for the Israelites to look at when bitten by poisonous snakes (during a plague that God had sent) in order to be cured. In the early twentieth century A. J. Frothingham had presented to the Philological Association and the Archaeological Institute that the real character of Hermes and his kerykeion could be traced back to early Mesopotamia. He believed that the Babylonian Caduceus evolved to the Greek Caduceus. A libation vase which is stored on exhibit in the Louvre was excavated from the ancient Mesopotamian city of Lagash. The inscription on the vase reads: "To the god Ningizzida, his god Guidea, patesi of Lagash, for the prolongation of his life, has dedicated this." Also on the vase is a figure of two entwined snakes on a rod.

The vase has been dated as early as 4000 to 3000 B.C. There are other images cast into the vase that can correlate an association with the caduceus. Ningizzida was the predecessor of the Egyptian god Thor. Ninazu, who was called the "Lord of Healing" was the father of Ningizzida. It was also represented in other examples of artifacts and emblems from that era. Among the Hittites, a third century Roman coin, a caduceus-god like mysterious symbol is shown between two seated gods. These were possibly the gods of Hierapolis of Syria. It was also stated by Professor Frothingham that the caduceus of the Hitties and the Babylonians was brought to the Etruscans of primitive Rome. Aesculpius' daughter or wife Hygia, the Greek demigoddess of health, is usually depicted with a serpent entwined and sometimes with an Aesculpius Staff. Even though Frothingham might have been studying two different symbols characterized as a rod topped by a U or V shaped end. Or whether or not it was two snakes or a two headed snake or whether or not it is a rod or a staff.

They all represented the same god or gods depending on which era and which culture is being addressed. It is said that Ningizzida is the same as Babu who in turn is the Greek Hermes. Also, early illustrations of the "Babylonian Mother Goddess" who is identified as Ishtar, who in turn is associated with the Greek goddess Aphrodite had a caduceus in them. More evaluation needs to be done and it will sometimes be left to the author or the audience to decide. The earliest caduei were an 8 shaped figure with the top circle opened. Snakes were added as early as the fifth century B.C. but remained unusual until the Middle Ages or the early Renaissance period. The wings were added in the fourth century B.C. So what is this infatuation with serpents. Snakes are referred to in many cultures, religions, and myths. Cults and ancient Indian tribal and modern African tribal rituals worship snakes. Serpent imaginary even occurred where there are no snakes like New Zealand where eels assumed this function. A temple in Travancore India was dedicated to the Snake God. Similar serpent temples were built by the Druids at Stonehenge and Arbury.

The Persians saw a celestial serpent in the rainbow. American Indians called the Milky Way the path of the serpent. American Indians gave ritual to the rattlesnake, the African tribes to the python, and the Asiatics to the cobra. This all do to the fact that the snake sheds its skin and thus renews its strength and youth and lives forever as believed by the tribes. The Serpent was and is associated as the regular symbol attributed to the worshipful dead. This demonstrated not only by the Greeks, but by present Zulu and other tribes in Africa. They believe that the souls of the departed are lodged in snakes. Humans alone are infected by about thirty species of worms, including pinworms and hookworms. One of the larger types causes thin, serpent-like ridges when it is present just under the skin. For thousands of years, healers have removed the "serpents" by winding them out very slowly, around a stick. The symbol of the medical profession continues to be a single serpent wound around a staff. This would seem to refer to The Staff of Aesculapius which is PART of the star of life.

Another theory explaining why the star of life has only one snake and the Staff of Aesculapius is used is that: physicians hold the power over life and death, and E.M.S. personnel only have the power over life...? And: Another theory from John Wallour : The caduceus (2 serpents on a eagle winged stick) is one of the most ancient of symbols. This was originally the symbol for the Sirian-Anunnaki Creator God, Enki. The Savior God of Noah (Utnapishtim). The symbolism in the caduceus reflects the Kabbalah Tree of Life. It has been theorized, this symbol was derived from sightings of eagles carrying away poisonous snakes in its beak. Thus the caduceus, a symbol for healing, represents God (in the form of an eagle) carrying away and disposing of the poison of disease (in the form of a snake). This is what John Wallour sees in the caduceus, ankh, and cross: The sun rising over a river. The banks meander, snake like.

Perhaps it is from this very natural inspiration we get the caduceus/ankh/cross as the universal symbol of God, the river of LIFE. The Star of Life Aesculapius' staff apparently had only one snake wrapped around it: "The Star of Life" If you stay here long enough, the snake might come out and become entangled and climb the staff as it did for Hermes. Once it climbs up, it will continue forever at a faster rate... How the Star of Life became our symbol and trademark: It started with the red cross, which is a ® trade mark of the American Red Cross (ARC) and the International Red Cross (ICRC). EMS organizations in the late '60s and early '70s used it or an orange variation. The ARC didn't approve of this and it is a violation of an international treaty, backed up by federal law. The treaty and law states that the red cross in any form cannot be use by anyone not connected with the ICRC. The only corporation that does so is Johnson & Johnson®, because they were grandfathered under the federal law.

The first aid groups under the Society for Creative Anachronism had to change their badge two years ago when this was not-so-gently pointed out to them by people who wanted to make a political name for themselves. The ARC has gone to a number of legal lengths in the past with people who have used the Red Cross ensign. The ICRC has made great effort to protect the indiscriminate use of the Red Cross symbol which... as an important part of the Geneva Conventions, should be used in vehicles and buildings to protect wounded combatants and hospitals. The "red cross" symbol's supposed primary use is to protect against violence (by agreement) during conditions of war for humanitarian purposes (Convention of 1864). It's use on civilian "peacetime" equipment probably concerned some. Modern military ambulances in the U.S. continue to post both emblems. The Department of Transportation (DOT) took the Medic Alert symbol (red) and changed it to blue, with flat (not convex) ends in the early '70s. Note that the Star Of Life used by the National Registry of EMTs is slightly different.

DOT made it their own TM on a white square, and it is ONLY to be used on EMS vehicles that meet the KKK-1822-8 specs. Designed by Leo R. Schwartz, Chief of the EMS Branch, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the "Star of Life" was created after the American National Red Cross complained in 1973 that they objected to the common use of an Omaha orange cross on a square background of reflectorized white which clearly imitated the Red Cross symbol. NHTSA investigated and felt the complaint was justified. The newly designed, six barred cross, was adapted from the Medical Identification Symbol of the American Medical Association and was registered as a certification mark on February 1, 1977 with the Commissioner of Patents and Trade-marks in the name of the National Highway Traffic Safety and Administration. The trademark will remain in effect for twenty years from this date. Each of the bars of the blue "Star of Life" represents the six system function of the EMS, as illustrated below: The capitol letter "R" enclosed in the circle on the right represents the fact that the symbol is a "registered" certification.

As stated above, the snake and staff in the center of the symbol portray the staff Asclepius who, according to Greek mythology, was the son of Apollo (god of light, truth and prophecy). Supposedly Asclepius learned the art of healing from the centaur Cheron; but Zeus - king of the gods, was fearful that because of the Asclepius knowledge, all men might be rendered immortal. Rather than have this occur, Zeus slew Asclepius with a thunderbolt. Later, Asclepius was worshipped as a god andpeople slept in his temples, as it was rumored that he effected cures of prescribed remedies to the sick during their dreams.Eventually, Zues restored Asclepius to life, making him a god. Asclepius was usually shown in a standing position, dressed in a long cloat, holding a staff with a serpent coiled around it. The staff has since come to represent medicine's only symbol. In the Caduceus, used by physicians and the Military Medical Corp., the staff is winged and has two serpents intertwined.

Even though this does not hold any medical relevance in origin, it represents the magic wand of the Greek deity, Hermes, messenger of the gods. The staff with the single serpent is the symbol for Medicine and Health and the winged staff is the symbol for peace. The Staff with the single serpent represents the time when Asclepius had a very difficult patient that he could not cure, so he consulted a snake for advice and the patient survived. The snake had coiled around Asclepius's staff in order to be head to head with him as an equal when talking. The Winged staff came about when Mercury saw two serpents fighting,and unable to stop them any other way placed his staff between them causing them to coil up his winged staff. The Bible, in Numbers 21:9, makes reference to a serpent on a staff: "Moses accordingly made a bronze serpent and mounted it on a pole and whenever anyone who had been bitten by a serpent looked at the bronze serpent, he recovered. Who may use the "Star of Life" symbol? NHTSA has exclusive rights to monitor its use throughout the United States.

Its use on emergency medical vehicles certifies that such vehicles meet the U.S.Department of Transportation standards and certify that the emergency medical care personnel who use it have been trained to meet these standards. Its use on road maps and highway signs indicates the location or access to qualified emergency care services. No other use of the symbol is allowed, except as listed below: Originally the SOL was supposed to be different for the different types of EMS personnel. For administrative and dispatch personnel, the SOL was to have a silver colored edge and the staff of Aesculapius (here's the Greek), a silver colored serpent. For EMT's and Paramedic's patches, the edge was supposed to be gold in color with a gold serpent. States and Federal agencies which have emergency medical services involvement are authorized to permit use of the "Star of Life" symbol summarized as follows: 1. As a means of identification for medical equipment and supplies for installation and use in the Emergency Medical Care Vehicle-Ambulance. 2. To point to the location of qualified medical care services and access to such facilities. 3.

For use on shoulder patches worn only by personnel who have satisfactorily completed DOT training courses or approved equivalents, and for persons who by title and function administer,directly supervise, or participate in all or part of National, State, or community EMS programs. 4. On EMS personnel items - badges, plaques, buckles, etc. 5. Books, pamphlets, manuals, reports or other printed material having direct EMS application. 6. The "Star of Life" symbol may be worn by administrative personnel, project directors and staff, councils and advisory groups. If shoulder patches are worn, they should be plain blue "Star of Life" on a white square or round background. The function, identifying letters or words should be printed on bars and attached across the bottom separately. The edges of the basic patch and functional bars are to be embroidered. Special function identification and physical characteristics must be adhered to when applying the "Star of Life" to personal items, as follows: a) Administrative and dispatcher personnel must use a silver colored edge, and the staff of Asclepius should be with a silver colored serpent. These items do not need a white background.

b) The shoulder patches and other EMS patches may be displayed on uniform pockets and the symbol can also be placed on collars and headgear. The blue Star of Life symbol was designed in its specific configuration by Leo R. Schwartz, chief of the EMS branch of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The six barred cross was adapted from the personal Medical Identification Symbol of the American Medical Association. For EMS, the bars represent the six system functions: Detection by Mitch Mendler; E.M.T. Fire Fighter Paramedic References: by, Walter J. Friedlander; Greenwood Press The Facts On File Encyclopedia of World Mythology and Legend, by, Anthony S. Mercatante Some of this information on the "Star of Life" was obtained from "Lytes and Sirens," an EMS newsletter published by the Illinois Department of Public Health, Division of Highway Safety. The balance of info on The Star of Life was extracted from a file found on the "net:" The information used from that file came from the following resources: PJ Geraghty FF2 / NR / MD EMT-P Peter Laws NREMT-P Biology; The Unity and Diversity of Life by Starr and Taggert pg # 418.

Please contact us via Why Caduceus Is Used as a Medical Symbol | Gizmodo India Why Caduceus Is Used as a Medical Symbol Nandini Sharma Apr 30, 2014, 04.31 PM IST Design Image Credit It has been an age-old practice to use traditional Greek symbols in the modern era. Not only does it add a feel-good classic touch, but more often than not, these Greek symbols have some kind of relation with the fields they represent. However, sometimes they are misinterpreted and continued to be used to the point that they are accepted and used worldwide, leaving no, or a little chance for the mistake to be corrected. Such is the case with two Greek symbols: the Caduceus and the Rod of Asclepius. The former is the staff (rod) carried by Hermes in the Greek mythology. Hermes was the God of transition and boundaries and is often associated with the trade and commerce fraternity. His staff, also known as Kērukeion, is a rod entwined by two snakes, often with wings. Now this is the symbol most of you can relate with the medical field, seeing it on the boards of hospitals and visiting cards of doctors.

This confusion is because of another similar, yet distinguished, symbol of the Rod of Asclepius, the staff carried by Asclepius. He is the Greek god associated with healing and medicine. The symbol carries a single snake wrapped on a rod, with no wings on it. Greek mythologists often associate the snake with renewal of youth because a snake is known to shed its old skin. The confusion seems to have been because of the link Hermes is supposed to have with the alchemy, the science of chemistry. There are some medical organisations that still use the Rod of Asclepius as their symbols, but still, a majority of the medical organisations use, and have continued to use, Caduceus as their symbols. Professor Daniel P. Summasy, Professor of Medicine and Ethics in the Department of Medicine and Divinity School, University of Chicago, explains what people who know the difference between the two symbols go through when they see Caduceus being used in the medical field: It is hard to trust a profession that cannot even get its symbols straight. Most physicians in the United States think that the symbol of their profession is something called the Caduceus. But this is actually not true.

[...] Historians have discovered that someone in the U.S. Army Medical Corps mistook the Caduceus for the Aesculapion and introduced the Medical Corps' symbol at the beginning of the twentieth century. Soon thereafter, everyone in the United States was emulating the mistake. ~A Balm for Gilead: Meditations on Spirituality and the Healing Arts. Well, after a genius has so intricately explained the whole concept, we rest our case. Picture by: Thinkstock Greek Symbols and their translations and meanings Tweet The Minotaur In Greek mythology, the Minotaur was a creature that was part man and part bull.[1] It dwelt at the center of the Labyrinth, which was an elaborate maze-like construction[2] built for King Minos of Crete and designed by the architect Daedalus and his son Icarus who were ordered to build it to hold the Minotaur. The historical site of Knossos is usually identified as the site of the labyrinth. The Minotaur was eventually killed by Theseus. "Minotaur" is Greek for "Bull of Minos." The bull was known in Crete as Asterion, a name shared with Minos's foster father.

Labrys is the term for a doubleheaded axe, known to the Classical Greeks as pelekys or sagaris, and to the Romans as a bipennis. The labrys symbolism is found in Minoan, Thracian, Greek, and Byzantine religion, mythology, and art, dating from the Middle Bronze Age onwards. The labrys also appears in African religious symbolism and mythology (see Shango). The labrys was formerly a symbol of Greek fascism. Today it is sometimes used as a symbol of Hellenic Neopaganism. As an LGBT symbol it represents lesbianism and female or matriarchal power. The Mano Fico The mano fico, also called figa, is an Italian amulet of ancient origin. Examples have been found from the Roman era, and it was also used by the Etruscans. Mano means "hand" and fico or figa means "fig," with the idiomatic slang connotation of a woman's genitals. (An English slang equivalent might as well be "vagina hand.") It represents a hand gesture in which the thumb is thrust between the curled index and middle fingers in obvious imitation of hetorsexual intercourse.

The asclepius wand, or asclepius rod is is an ancient Greek symbol associated with astrology and with healing the sick through medicine. The rod of Asclepius symbolizes the healing arts by combining the serpent, which in shedding its skin is a symbol of rebirth and fertility, with the staff, a symbol of authority befitting the god of Medicine. The snake wrapped around the staff is widely claimed to be a species of rat snake, Elaphe longissima, also known as the Aesculapian or Asclepian snake. It is native to southeastern Europe, Asia Minor, and some central European spa regions, apparently brought there by Romans for their healing properties. The Solar Cross or Sun Cross features a circle around a cross, the solar cross has many variations including the one on this page. It is an ancient symbol; carvings of which were found in 1980 on the bases of Bronze-age burial urns at Southworth Hall Barrow, Croft, Cheshire, England and the urns date back to circa 1440 BC.

This symbol has been used throughout history by different religions, groups and families (as a Japanese samurai family crest), eventually working its way into Christian iconography. Fasces, a plurale tantum, from the Latin word fascis, symbolizes summary power and jurisdiction, and/or "strength through unity".[2] The traditional Roman fasces consisted of a bundle of white birch rods, tied together with a red leather ribbon into a cylinder, and often including a bronze axe (or sometimes two) amongst the rods, with the blade(s) on the side, projecting from the bundle. It was used as a symbol of the Roman Republic in many circumstances, including being carried in processions, much the way a flag might be carried today. The Omphalos - An omphalos is an ancient religious stone artifact, or baetylus. In Greek, the word omphalos means "navel" (compare the name of Queen Omphale). According to the ancient Greeks, Zeus sent out two eagles to fly across the world to meet at its center, the "navel" of the world.

Omphalos stones used to denote this point were erected in several areas surrounding the Mediterranean Sea; the most famous of those was at the oracle in Delphi. The Cornucopia - Also known as the Horn of Plenty, the Cornucopia is a Greek symbol of harvest abundance, prosperity and nourishment. It is depicted as a spiraling horn-shaped basket filled with grains and fruits produced by the bountiful Earth. The Cornucopia symbol traces its history to the Greek mythology, when the God Zeus was fed as an infant by a goat, Amalthea with her milk. Later on, Zeus rewarded Amalthea by placing her in heaven as a constellation (Capricorn) and gave her horn to his nurses assuring them of an unending supply of everything they desired from it. The Gorgon In Greek mythology, a so called gorgon, transl. gorgo or gorgon, "terrible" or, according to some, "loud-roaring" was a vicious female monster with sharp fangs who was a protective deity from early religious concepts.

Her power was so strong that anyone attempting to look upon her would be turned to stone; therefore, such images were put upon items from temples to wine kraters for protection. The Gorgon wore a belt of serpents that intertwined as a clasp, confronting each other. There were three of them: Medusa, Stheno and Euryale. Only Medusa was mortal, the other two are immortal. The labyrinth In Greek mythology, the Labyrinth (Greek labyrinthos) was an elaborate structure designed and built by the legendary artificer Daedalus for King Minos of Crete at Knossos. Its function was to hold the Minotaur, a creature that was half man and half bull and was eventually killed by the Athenian hero Theseus. Daedalus had made the Labyrinth so cunningly that he himself could barely escape it after he built it. Theseus was aided by Ariadne, who provided him with a fateful thread, literally the "clew", or "clue", to wind his way back again. The bowl of Hygeia The “Bowl of Hygeia” symbol is the most widely recognized international symbol of pharmacy.

In Greek mythology, Hygeia was the daughter and assistant of Aesculapius (sometimes spelled Asklepios), the God of Medicine and Healing. Hygeia's classical symbol was a bowl containing a medicinal potion with the serpent of Wisdom (or guardianship) partaking it. This is the same serpent of Wisdom, which appears on the caduceus, the staff of Aesculapius, which is the symbol of medicine. Zeus - In Greek mythology, Zeus is the "Father of Gods and men" who ruled the Olympians of Mount Olympus as a father ruled the family. He was the god of sky and thunder in Greek mythology. His Roman counterpart was Jupiter and his Etruscan counterpart was Tinia. Zeus was the child of Cronus and Rhea, and the youngest of his siblings. In most traditions he was married to Hera, although, at the oracle of Dodona, his consort was Dione: according to the Iliad, he is the father of Aphrodite by Dione. Aphrodite - Aphrodite is the Greek goddess of love, beauty, and sexuality. Her Roman equivalent is the goddess Venus.

Historically, her cult in Greece was imported from, or influenced by, the cult of Astarte in Phoenicia. According to Hesiod's Theogony, she was born when Cronus cut off Uranus' genitals and threw them into the sea, and from the sea foam (aphros) arose Aphrodite. Apollo - Apollo is one of the most important and diverse of the Olympian deities in Greek and Roman mythology. The ideal of the kouros, Apollo has been variously recognized as a god of light and the sun; truth and prophecy; medicine, healing, and plague; music, poetry, and the arts; and more. Apollo is the son of Zeus and Leto, and has a twin sister, the chaste huntress Artemis. The Asclepius Wand, often confused with the Caduceus wand of Hermes, is the true symbol of the medical profession. Sun Cross - The sun cross, or more commonly known as the sun wheel, a cross inside a circle. Mano Fico Symbol - The mano fico, also called figa, is an Italian amulet of ancient origin. Examples have been found from the Roman era, and it was also used by the Etruscans.

Whether made as an apotropaic gesture or worn as an amulet, the mano fico is used for magical protection against the evil eye. Gorgon Symbol - In Greek mythology, the Gorgon was a terrifying female creature. It derives from the Greek word gorgos, which means "dreadful." While descriptions of Gorgons vary across Greek literature, the term commonly refers to any of three sisters who had hair of living, venomous snakes, and a horrifying visage that turned those who beheld it to stone. Traditionally, while two of the Gorgons were immortal, Stheno and Euryale, their sister Medusa was not, and was slain by the mythical hero Perseus. Labrys - This was a Greek weapon and used for both ceremonial and combatant use. In a modified form the double-axe was used as ceremonial insignia by what is generally known as Vichy France and was called a Gallique Francisque, or French Gallic - axe being understood. Hercules Knot - Known variously as the Knot of Hercules, Heracles Knot, Love Knot and Marriage Knot, the Hercules Knot is a wedding symbol that stands for undying love and commitment.

This knot made with two entwined ropes is considered to represent the legendary fertility of God Hercules. Though it was initially used in ancient Egypt as a healing charm, the knot became more popular among the ancient Greeks and Romans as a love token and a protective amulet. It was incorporated into the bride’s protective girdle which the groom ceremonially untied. The Hercules Knot is believed to be the origin of ‘tying the knot’, a phrase that means getting married. Caduceus - The Caduceus is an ancient symbol of commerce and trade, and is related with negotiation and eloquence. It is associated with Hermes, the quick and cunning Greek God who is an emissary of the gods, conductor of souls into afterlife, and protector of travelers, merchants and herdsmen. The Caduceus also symbolizes wisdom and spiritual awakening in the Hermetic tradition. The Caduceus features a winged staff with two serpents entwined around it. It has sometimes been used mistakenly as a symbol of medicine in place of the Rod of Asclepius, which has a single snake and no wings.

The battle of the Serpents - RHEDESIUM THE BATTLE OF THE SERPENT'S We have seen here ( ) in the introduction that Cherisey may have been referring obliquely to the Rod of Aesculapius in the title of his poem 'The Red Serpent'. Delving into the mythology of this artifact and other 'serpent rods' presents to us an array of confusing aspects regarding serpents and rods. It is a veritable battle of the serpents! But careful analysis shows that the Rod of Aesculapius is not the caduceus or any other object. The Rod of Aesculapius is one object only but its attributes have a certain commonality of themes found in later myths for all other 'rod's'. Here i would like to discuss these themes and mythologies surrounding the Rod of Aesculapius and then see whether we are any nearer to understanding the mind of Cherisey. Or was Cherisey indeed just leading us all a merry dance? The Caduceus The term caduceus finds its origin in the Sanskrit word Karu meaning a singer, or a poet.

It is taken from the Greek Doric meaning a "herald" or "official messenger", a person who was an important figure in diplomatic negotiations. The term derived from "bâton de héraut' which means "Staff of the Herald" from which the Latin word caduceus comes. In fact, the caduceus is a kind of scepter indicating the function of the wearer/owner. The caduceus was the staff carried by Hermes in Greek mythology. The same staff was also borne by heralds in general, for example Iris. Iris is the personification of the rainbow and messenger of the gods. She is also known as one of the goddesses of the sea and the sky. Iris also linked the gods to humanity. The caduceus is a short staff entwined by two serpents, sometimes surmounted by wings. In Roman iconography it was often depicted being carried in the left hand of Mercury, the messenger of the gods, guide of the dead and protector of merchants, shepherds, gamblers, liars, and thieves.

In comparative mythology the caduceus for Lewis Richard Farnell (1909), when he studied the cult of Hermes , was a staff that originally had "two snakes [that] had simply developed out of ornaments of the shepherd's crook used by heralds as their staff." This view has been rejected by later authors pointing to parallel iconography in the Ancient Near East. It has been argued that the staff or wand entwined by two snakes was itself representing a god in the pre-anthropomorphic era. William Hayes Ward (1910) discovered that symbols "similar to the classical caduceus sometimes appeared on Mesopotamian cylinder seals. He suggested the symbol originated some time between 3000 and 4000 BCE, and that it might have been the source of the Greek caduceus. A.L. Frothingham incorporated Dr. Ward's research into his own work, published in 1916, in which he suggested that the prototype of Hermes was an "Oriental deity of Babylonian extraction" represented in his earliest form as a snake god.

From this perspective, the caduceus was originally representative of Hermes himself, in his early form as the Underworld god Ningishzida, "messenger" of the "Earth Mother". ( ). The Ningishzida (sum: d nin-g̃iš-zid-da) is also a Mesopotamian deity of the underworld. Ningishzida is the earliest known symbol of snakes twining (some say copulating) around an axial rod. It predates the Caduceus of Hermes, the Rod of Asclepius and the staff of Moses by more than a millennium. One Greek myth of origin of the caduceus is part of the story of Tiresias, who found two snakes copulating and killed the female with his staff. However, Wadjet - 'the Green One', the serpent Goddess of Lower Egypt from the Pre-dynastic period demonstrates the earliest known representation of a single serpent entwined around a pole – in this case a papyrus reed ( ). The "libation vase of Gudea" with the dragon Mushussu, dedicated to Ningishzida (21st century BC short chronology). The caduceus is interpreted as depicting the god himself.

( Hermes hastens bearing his kerukeion, on an Attic lekythos, ca 480-470 BC, attributed to the Tithonos Painter. The question is - who in classical mythology was the true owner of the Caduceus? The answer is not so simple: Apollo? Asklepios? Hermes? In reality, each of these gods can claim ownership! But as i think you can see from the above - the overlapping themes of this 'Heralds Staff' is that it represents a person who is a messenger of the gods, who provide links between the gods and humanity, are guide's of the souls of the dead and those with power in the Underworld. Hermes Caduceus Hermes is the messenger of the Greek Gods of the Olympians. Son of Zeus and Maia, he received numerous awards: he is, among other things, the guide of travellers, the conductor of souls of the dead, god of theft and deceit, skill and cunning and, finally, the shepherd god. Initially, the attribute of Hermes was his lyre which he shared with his half-brother Apollo against the caduceus.

However the Homeric hymn to Hermes relates how Hermes offered his lyre fashioned from a tortoise shell as compensation for the cattle he stole from his half brother Apollo. Apollo in return gave Hermes the caduceus as a gesture of friendship. The association with the serpent thus connects Hermes to Apollo, as later the serpent was associated with Asclepius, the "son of Apollo". The association of Apollo with the serpent is a continuation of the older Indo-European dragon-slayer motif. Wilhelm Heinrich Roscher (1913) pointed out that the serpent as an attribute of both Hermes and Asclepius is a variant of the "pre-historic semi-chthonic serpent hero known at Delphi as Python", who in classical mythology is slain by Apollo. The caduceus of Hermes is often found with two wings attached to the top. The wings symbolize travel, trade, courier and obviously have nothing to do with medicine or health. The two snakes facing each other is a very old symbol whose history dates back to around 2600 BC in Babylon. Initially, the 'symbol' could have been a stick with branches that were intertwined with snakes, probably due to an oriental influence.

In Greece, a legend tells that Hermes first discovered the power of his magic wand when he used it to separate two snakes engaged in mortal combat. The snakes immediately stopped the fight, twined around the stick and kissed. Thus the caduceus of Hermes became the symbol of peace and neutrality, that is how the Romans sent to the Carthingians a messenger carrying a spear and a caduceus of Hermes, asking them to choose between war and peace. We must see the intertwining snakes that face each other, the balance of opposing forces used by the hermetic discipline and in alchemy, to describe the concept of unity in opposition. The Rod of Asclepius is entirely different, starting with the most obvious difference - there is only one snake on the Rod of Asclepius. Rod of Asclepius In Greek mythology, the Rod of Asclepius (⚕; sometimes also spelled Asklepios or Aesculapius), also known as the asklepian, is a serpent-entwined rod wielded by the Greek god Asclepius, a deity associated with healing and medicine. It is frequently confused with the staff of the god Hermes, the caduceus.

The caduceus is an emblem (where emblem means a pictorial image, abstract or representation, that epitomizes a concept— or that represents a person, such as a king or saint. An emblem also crystallises in concrete, visual terms some abstraction: a deity, a tribe or nation, a virtue or a vice. An emblem is also an object or a representation of an object) in ancient Greek mythology. The Rod of Asclepius takes its name from the god Asclepius, a deity associated with healing and medicinal arts in Greek mythology. The serpent and the staff appear to have been separate symbols that were combined at some point in the development of the Asclepian cult. The significance of the serpent has been interpreted in many ways; sometimes the shedding of the skin of the snake and its renewal is emphasized as symbolizing rejuvenation, while other assessments centre on the serpent as a symbol that unites and expresses the dual nature of the work of the physician, who deals with life and death, sickness and health. The Asclepius legend says that one day, Asclepius seeing a snake coming towards him, extended his stick in it's direction. The animal wrapped itself around the stick.

Asclepius hit the ground and killed the beast. A second snake suddenly appeared, holding in it's mouth, a mysterious grass with which he resuscitated the other reptile back to life. Asclepius was then under the revelation of medicinal herbs and their healing benefits. Today, much confusion has developed between the two types of caduceus and the origin's of this dilemma lies perhaps in the rivalry of Apollo - Hermès in Greek Mythology. However, it is clear that the 'medical' caduceus bears no wings and is one snake alone, as it appears in the statues of Asklepios. The confusion is also maintained by the fact that Apollo had the first caduceus, he donated it to his son Asklepios but he also exchanged it against the lyre of Hermes! What is strange is that the Rod of Ascelepius has been likened to be also the Rod of Moses. The Rod of Moses According to the Book of Exodus in the Bible, the staff used by Moses (called a rod in the King James Bible) was by his side throughout important milestones in the narrative.

Amongst these milestone events or "miracles of the exodus" the bible describes that the staff was used to produce water from a rock, invoke plagues on the Egyptians, and on several occasion was transformed into a snake and back. The Midrash (a homiletic method of biblical exegesis) states that the staff was passed down from generation to generation and was in the possession of the Judean kings until the First Temple was destroyed. It is unknown what became of the staff after the Temple was destroyed and the Jews were exiled from their land. This is interesting because it suggests that some believed the Rod was an actual artifact. According to a document in the archives of the Hagia Sophia this is the Rod of Moses - Moses's staff is on display today at the Topkapı Palace, Istanbul, Turkey. Other commentators have suggested that the Rod of Ascelepius is really the Nehushtan, a sacred object consisting of a serpent wrapped around a pole mentioned in the Bible in the Book of Numbers (Numbers 21:6-9). Again this suggests that some think this was a real object of a specific time and place.

The section in the Book of Numbers reads as follows: Then the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died. And the people came to Moses and said, "We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD and against you. Pray to the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us." So Moses prayed for the people. And the LORD said to Moses, "Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live." Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live. Many biblical scholars have debated this verse and the artifact: "Mainstream scholars suggest that the image of the fiery serpent served to function like that of a magical amulet. Magic amulets or charms were used in the ancient Near East to practice a healing ritual known as sympathetic magic in an attempt to ward off, heal or reduce the impact of illness and poisons. Copper and bronze serpent figures have been recovered, showing that the practice was widespread .....

The plague of serpents remained an ongoing threat to the community and the raised bronze serpent was an ongoing reminder to each individual for the need to turn to the healing power of God. It has also been proposed that the bronze serpent was a type of intermediary between God and the people that served as a test of obedience, in the form of free judgment, standing between the dead who were not willing to look to God’s chosen instrument of healing, and the living who were willing and were healed. Thus, this instrument bore witness to the sovereign power of Yahweh even over the dangerous and sinister character of the desert. In 2 Kings 18:4, a bronze serpent, alleged to be the one Moses made, was kept in Jerusalem's Temple sanctuary. The Israelites began to worship the object as an idol or image of God, by offering sacrifices and burning incense to it, until Hezekiah was made King. Hezekiah referred to it as Nehushtan and had tore it down. Scholars have debated the nature of the relationship between the Mosaic bronze serpent and Hezekiah’s Nehushtan, but traditions happen to link the two". ( ).

According to the Jewish Encyclopeadia the Nehushtan was: Bronze figure of a serpent which was broken in pieces by Hezekiah at the beginningof his reign (II Kings xviii. 4). It was identified with the bronze serpent raised by Moses in the desert in order to heal the Israelites from the bites of the poisonous serpents to which they were exposed (Num. xxi. 4-10). The Rabbis regarded the word "Nehushtan" as in the dual number, and believed that sacrifice to it involved the loss both of the present and of the future life (Midr. Esfah in Yalḳ., Num. 764). In the baraita Ber. 10b, which was incorporated in the Mishnah (Pes. iv. 8), the additional information is given that the destruction of the bronze serpent was applauded by the people. Modern exegesis holds two different opinions in regard to the meaning of the word Nehushtan, which is explained either as denoting an image of bronze, and as entirely unconnected with the word "naḥash" (serpent), or as a lengthened form of "naḥash" (comp.

νεεσθάν in the Septuagint), and thus as implying that the worship of serpents was of ancient date in Israel. The assumption that the tradition about "Nehushtan" is not older than the time of Hezekiah is, however, not contested. ( ). In the Jewish Virtual Library is the following: "NEHUSHTAN (Heb. ןָּתְשֻחְנ), the name of the *copper serpent which King Hezekiah broke into pieces ( II Kings 18:4). The name suggests both its serpentine shape (naḥash) as well as the material (neḥoshet) of which it was made. Since the smashing of the copper serpent parallels the shattering of the pillars and the cutting down of the Asherah (ibid.), it was probably located in the Temple court in Jerusalem. It was thus one of the cultic symbols of the people who assembled in the Temple courts.

Like the local shrines (bamot), however, and like the two other objects named in the verse, it was illegitimate in the Deuteronomic view, in accordance with which Hezekiah abolished the former and destroyed the latter (ibid.). The Nehushtan probably stood in the Temple court, and the people believed that it had the power of curing sicknesses. Serpents are also associated with fertility. In this respect the copper serpent differed from the *cherubim, whose location was in the innermost sanctum of the Temple, hidden from human sight. Some scholars hold that the copper serpent in Jerusalem was set near "the stone of Zoheleth ("the crawler's [i.e., serpent's] stone"), which is beside En-Rogel" ( I Kings 1:9), that is, outside the Temple enclosure. However, there are no grounds for connecting the copper serpent with the stone of Zoheleth. At the latter, sheep and oxen were sacrificed (ibid.), whereas only meal-offerings were offered to the copper serpent.

The account in Numbers 21:6–9 states that its form was that of a saraf, traditionally, a "fiery serpent." It probably had wings, for so serafim are described in the Bible (cf. Isa. 14:29; 30:6). Herodotus (2:75; 3:109) also states that in his day people told of the existence of flying serpents in the Arabian desert. Some scholars assume that the copper serpent entered the Israelite cult as a Canaanite heritage and only popular belief ascribed it to Moses, but this is to assume that we know more about "popular" vs. "official" religion in ancient Israel than we do. (For the problem of "official" vs. "popular," see Berlinerblau.) M. Noth contends that this tradition is somewhat later than the others associated with the Exodus from Egypt, since it can only have arisen after David had captured Jerusalem. H. Gressmann suggested that Moses adopted the copper serpent from the Midianites, but this has been rejected by other scholars.

Ackerman believes that Asherah was connected with serpents so that the destruction of Asherah and the serpent would likewise be connected. Note that Nehushta, a name similar to that of the serpent, was borne by the mother of King Jehoiakin ( II Kings 24:8)" ( ). Again - Nehushta (Hebrew, NChShThN, "brass object") is the serpent of brass made by Moses and placed on a pole (Numbers 21:8-9) to cure the Israelites of the venomous bites of the fiery serpents in the wilderness. The word Nehushtah "thing of brass" contains a Hebrew pun, the first three letters, NChSh, mean "serpent" and the final two, ThN, mean "dragon." The Nehushta was a brazen thing a name of contempt given to the serpent Moses had made in the wilderness (Num.

21:8), and which Hezekiah destroyed because the children of Israel began to regard it as an idol and "burn incense to it." The lapse of nearly one thousand years had invested the "brazen serpent" with a mysterious sanctity; and in order to deliver the people from their infatuation, and impress them with the idea of its worthlessness, Hezekiah called it, in contempt, "Nehushtan," a brazen thing, a mere piece of brass (2 Kings 18:4). In Christian interpretation, the lifting up of the brass serpent on a pole is generally held to be a prefigurement of Christ, to cure humanity from the "snakebite" of original sin. By Hebrew gematria there is some basis for this assumption, the numerical value of MShICH, "Messiah" and NChSh "serpent" are identical, 358. (see image below). During the second centuries CE the serpent was worshipped with reverence by the Christian Gnostic sects of the Ophites and Naasseners. These sects worshipped the Biblical serpent of the Garden of Eden that gave knowledge to Adam and Eve.

The serpent was cnsidered the hero because he supplied "gnosis" to the first people which God, considered the demiurge, kept from them. Then Yahweh sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. The people came to Moses and said, ‘We sinned when we spoke against Yahweh and against you. Pray that Yahweh will take the snakes away from us.’ So Moses prayed for the people. Yahweh said to Moses, ‘Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.’ So Moses made a bronze snake… on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten… and looked at the bronze snake, he lived.” - Numbers 21:6-9 Conclusions After reading much of Cherisey's words i think it is entirely possible that on one level we are meant to see in the Red Serpent (Serpent Rouge) the Rod of Ascelepius. There are several reason's i use to support my argument: 1) Making the central verse of the poem Serpent Rouge Ophiuchius.

2) Rendering that verse as the central moment when the poet discovers 'the secret' viz a viz: "Here is the proof that I knew the secret of the Seal of SOLOMON, that of this QUEEN I have visited the hidden residences". The fact that the secret is related to a Seal of Solomon (i.e. a Jewish artifact perhaps?). 3) From Cherisey' s writings we have seen that he refers to the treasure of Solomon repeatedly and also to historical events which are linked to elements of that Solomonic treasure. The treasure was looted by King Alaric 410AD secondarily to Titus in AD70. He also mentions in other Priory propaganda a so called Gold Cross of Toledo which is supposed to have been thought by the Merovingian kings to have been made for King Solomon. What Cherisey actually wrote was the following: "Childebert, enthralled by this display, entered into talks with Aimoin & obtained the nvaluable tunic.

The new temple Childebert later built was intended to shelter the sacred relic and was dedicated to Vincent: it also had the name of Holy Cross in remembering a cross of gold that Childebert obtained and which he thought had belonged to King Solomon'. The drawback here of course is that the Rod of Ascelepius/Moses/Brazen Serpent is never at any time described as being shaped like a cross, so maybe these ideas of the two artifacts are unconnected. We have also seen above that A staff was passed down from generation to generation and was in the possession of the Judean kings until the First Temple was destroyed. It is unknown what became of the staff after the Temple was destroyed and the Jews were exiled from their land. This is interesting because it suggests that some believed the Rod was an actual artifact and perhaps was later looted by King Alaric from Rome, if Titus had collected Temple of Solomon furniture which may have later included an artifact associated with Moses. 5) I also suggest that the properties of the caduceus, the Rod of Ascelepius, the Rod of Moses/Brazen Serpent that is given to 'owners' of these rods/wands have some similarities i.e.

that they become somehow protector of souls in the underworld etc. This is a point Cherisey continues to make throughout some of his Priory propaganda and his suggestions about what Sauniere may have been up to. The Rod of Moses or the Nehushtan, if they are real artifacts and of course if they survived, were items said to have been kept with the Temple furniture in Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem. The Oxford Essential Guide to Ideas & Issues of the Bible (American Edition) admits that – “The line between idol representations and permissible cultic objects may at points seem unclear; the ark, with its gold cherubim, was not considered an idol but a manifestation of God’s presence; similarly, ambiguous were the teraphim, the ephod, the Nehushtan or bronze serpent, and the oxen supporting the molten sea in Solomon’s Temple. The criterion for illicit use of such cultic objects apparently lay in whether they were worshiped directly as manipulable substitutes for Yahweh” (p. 210).

Moses and Aaron at the Ark The First Temple with its furniture Moses and the Menorah: Images inside the synagogue of Dura Europos Gigantic statues of cherubims in the Holy of Holies inside God's temple - was the Brazen Serpent kept here? Commanded by God to be made: The brazen serpent - a type of Christ. The above may all be very well and good. But it is all conjecture. Cherisey did not choose to spell it all out clearly to us. He used word play and games to lead us this merry dance about what his thoughts were on Sauniere's activities. It is only one section of a myriad of 'clues' and suggestions Cherisey put forward. The point is, that unfortunatly, these speculations do not really help in getting us closer to Sauniere and what he was doing. Indeed none of this may be relevant at all. It is entirely possible that Cherisey grafted on to the 'story of Sauniere' something not related to him at all but was a handy vehicle for Cherisey to use.

And there are many problems with the idea of a surviving ancient relic even 'surviving', let alone it being linked to Sauniere. There is also currently no evidence of a relic being linked to Sauniere. It would appear to be all in the mind of Cherisey. Has he given us the necessary keys to fathom it out? Who knows? Even then, if the solution is an artifact once kept in the Temple of Solomon which somehow survived and was later looted - will it ever be enough to explain the whole affair of Rennes? Caduceus - Rod of Hermes - DNA - Crystalinks Caduceus - Rod of Hermes Caduceus is a winged staff with two snakes wrapped around it. It was an ancient astrological symbol of commerce and is associated with the Greek god Hermes, the messenger for the gods, conductor of the dead and protector of merchants and thieves. It was originally a herald's staff, sometimes with wings, with two white ribbons attached. The ribbons eventually evolved into snakes in the figure-eight shape. The number eight is important to the practitioners of judicial astrology. In some cases, depictions of the Greek kerykeion can be radically different from that of the traditional caduceus.

These representations will feature the two snakes atop the wand (rod), crossed to create a circle with the heads of the snakes resembling "horns." In this form, it looks remarkably similar to the symbol for the planet Mercury - while Mercury the god is the Roman name for Hermes, who carries the kerykeion, or caduceus. In some cases, depictions of the Greek kerykeion can be radically different from that of the traditional caduceus (as in the picture at right). These representations will feature the two snakes atop the wand (rod), crossed to create a circle with the heads of the snakes resembling "horns." In this form, it looks remarkably similar to the symbol for the planet Mercury - while Mercury the god is the Roman name for Hermes, who carries the kerykeion, or caduceus. In the seventh century, the caduceus came to be associated with a precursor of medicine, based on the Hermetic astrological principles of using the planets and stars to heal the sick.

As a symbol for medicine, the caduceus is often used interchangeably with the Rod of Asclepius (single snake, no wings), although learned opinion prefers the Rod of Asclepius, reserving the caduceus for representing commerce. Historically, the two astrological symbols had distinct meanings in alchemical and astrological principles. Some medical organizations join the serpents of the caduceus with rungs to suggest a DNA double-helix. The symbol's origins are thought to date to as early as 2600 BC in Mesopotamia, and there are several references to a caduceus-like symbol in the Bible, namely in Numbers 21:4�9, and 2 Kings 18:4. During the Exodus, Moses was instructed by God to fashion a pole upon which he was to position a serpent made of bronze; when looked upon, this Nehushtan, as it was called in Hebrew, would spare the lives of the Israelites stricken by venomous snake bites.

The intent was that people would look upward and be reminded to pray to God, but eventually the meaning was forgotten and this symbol was apparently worshiped by the Hebrew people until the reign of Hezekiah as described in 2 Kings 18:4.Walter Burkert has two figures in his book which show a rod with two intertwined snakes winding around a central axis from Mesopotamia in 2200 BC, and a similar image from Crete in 700 BC. Related Files The Greek God Hermes: Facts, Myths & Symbols - Video & Lesson Transcript | Study.com The Greek God Hermes: Facts, Myths & Symbols Watch short & fun videos Start Your Free Trial Today An error occurred trying to load this video. Try refreshing the page, or contact customer support. You must create an account to continue watching Register for a free trial Are you a student or a teacher? I am a student Start Your Free Trial To Continue Watching As a member, you'll also get unlimited access to over lessons in math, English, science, history, and more. Plus, get practice tests, quizzes, and personalized coaching to help you succeed. Coming up next: Battle at Thermopylae: Definition & Map You're on a roll.

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As time went on, he was also associated with luck, shepherds, athletes, thieves, and merchants. Often depicted as swift and youthful, Hermes was believed to be responsible for guiding departed souls to the underworld. The name 'Hermes' literally means 'boundary marker.' In fact, in ancient Athens, many boundary markers (usually just stone piles) were decorated by a bust of Hermes. Since he was identified with gymnastics, his image was usually located at the entrance to gymnasiums. This god was also the patron of invention, art, literature, trade, and travel. In many myths, he was a cunning trickster, who used his intellect to outsmart the other gods. Some myths state that he was the father of the half-goat, half-human Pan. Myths of Hermes One of the most enduring myths about Hermes as a trickster involved the theft of his older brother Apollo's cattle. According to legend, shortly after birth, Hermes secretly left his home and hid the cattle of Apollo (god of the sun). In order to ensure the cattle would not leave tracks, he made each one a set of four boots. Hermes then went back into his home without alerting his mother.

Of course, when questioned by Apollo, Hermes acted innocently. However, Apollo didn't believe the youth and proceeded to take him to Zeus. Instead of punishing Hermes, Zeus laughed at the whole affair. Recognizing what cunning and speed was needed to accomplish the cattle theft, he made Hermes the messenger of the gods. According to the ancient historian Thucydides, stealing the cattle of a neighbor was a common practice among shepherds in communities that relied on livestock herding. Originally, stealing cattle was considered a means of survival and not a dishonorable venture. This also explains why Hermes was known as the patron god of shepherds and thieves. Often, Hermes was presented as providing help to humans and demigods (half-human, half-god). In another myth, he assisted Perseus in his quest to slay the monster Medusa. Hermes gave Perseus his winged sandals, which helped him free Princess Andromeda. Hermes often helped his father Zeus, as well. In one famous incident, Zeus, known for his marital indiscretions, fell in love with a mortal woman named Io.

When Zeus's wife, Hera, learned of their affair, she turned Io into a cow and ordered a giant named Argus to stand watch over her. Argus was described as having hundreds of eyes covering his body. This presented a problem because the giant could leave some eyes open while he slept. Zeus enlisted the help of Hermes who used his magic staff to put all of Argus' eyes to sleep. Hermes then killed the giant. ×

Question: In Greek mythology, which character carried a rod called "a caduceus"? (kad-oo-see-us)
Answer: Hermes