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In the golden nays 0f glory, When on e a rth the goQS did dv-1ell, it" . " ~-.:___~/; · / ~ !. 1 When, c.s told in HorJeric story, / •• \ • · -~ { · Right did rule, and ell was well, 1 - -- ; ,\_ On the heights of gren t ulympus, , · , ! ·:.::.,~·.·\ In the palr:.ce ~f his sire, ·-::--: -....~.~ ~: ·· ~ :.Fed tm nc?tar Qf Hymettus., ~ - =c .... ; - ; CrPtwned Wl th every henrt 1 s def3 ire, ~ -~ .~",_~:;:~~> Liv e d a lad, · , ~ ~ Ngnc so gl&d, ',. { ~ ··.·.:/ Hermes, loved by man nnd gFrd, {;/ / \ / ""' /./ Hermes, sen ~f Maia sweet, . 1: ·"--- _ .. .,-He rmcs, of the ma;:;ic rod, ·I ' \.--, ~ Hermes, of the winged feet. 1
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Still supe rbly towers Olympus, Still ;1oth lovely Greece abide, ,-" \ . \ ' ) Be es s ci.ll hum en ]:It- Hymettus. Gath 1 ring Sweets like nane beside, \\ , ,, ., But n ·:> longer, snvc in story, \ ·.. -- I . !. ./ ___ ·.·\ ·. \ [' Live th ~.J gods ofH<"me r 1 s l2y, . \\ ··: , . ./ . : '\ ' v::m:tsh3d .1s t~ e ir a ncient glbry, 1 '· ' . lI Vanished. the v who vnce :"leld sway, 1 • !:~~~ , save c;nc, :~ :> \ · ~· HEJ alone,. , \ .\ \ ~ He:-rmcs, lives, the god of health, ·_. .' . \ "'-Hermes, god ::;. f tenderness, ,' ; , - --\ , ..i~errnes , gc; d l)f wondrC"us wealth, -"_~ ~~e rmcs, god e:f happiness.
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Some of the r::o3t ch~rrnin£; r:1:·ths in Grecicn li te.ra.ture connected VTith Hermes. .lcoording to one t"-le, ~e 1.' 2.9 the gr:-:nds.on ~f A1H.:-.s, \'Jh<? ~ e.s you v1~l rcc.:.,.ll. ,_-:c--s c~ mighty ·gic.nt rrho c :-.. rr icd the M~ :-'.vcns on h~s shoulders. A tl::-.s hf\.d seven lovely d::-.nghters, r.ll of r1:1om Perc sought in mf'..rr:iagc , by both gods <:.n6 heroes but thes e youilg girls ~ere not C'ttrccted to ['_hy of the suitor3, b~t ettached the~ :3.:1vc s "-S virgin compc.nions ·of th,e Huntress Artemis. It ,r.rc. s r1hilc t]Jey ':'ere in 2-ttendc.n?e Ul)On her 2t one time thE'.t they were pursued by th .: r:nghty hunter, Or1on. In r;.nswcr to their p r r:: ·.r ers to be sn.ved fron: hiD, Zeus ch['_nged the m~idens into doves. , or Plcib~cs. If you will loo1t <-' t the sl~y som9 bright November night; you will find Orion still in h•t pu;rsui t. You v:ill be c.ble to sec, honcver only six of the Plc i ~ des,for b~~ the time tt.cy hP.d r:t ttr~ine a to the dignity of .:'. pJ~cc c..mong tho stars, they hno. c~ ll be en mr.rrted> c.nd, r.ri th one excE;:pt ion, to go.:.s. The exception h2d c,. morte.l ')1usb.?.l1.d r-.nd T.'as so ashs~med of' t he ['1 · 1 i:-..nce thr t she kceJ:is f. h h'.y8 m~ the l>r· ck~ro und . By far the lov!ic s t of t he sev en sisters was Kni~. the cl c~es t, i7ho Y t>.n the love of , Zeus hi.msolf and be.arune by h im the mother of Herme s .~ So lovely ur. s she thr..t the Rom2.ns n amed the month of Il<'-Y in her honor e nd 9ffered sacrifices during the entire period, reserving, ho~over, the 25th as ~ speci~l day for the wor~hip of her son Hermes. Our r:,:~y Dey festiv2..ls 2. ll trace their origin bnck to those enrl~r times, end. st popu.lo.r IJO.S the celebration thc:.t the eurly Christip.n Church found 'it nccesst:'.ry to set r.·sidc· th~t Vlho'lcmonth to the honor the Virt;in. On the h :.st Sundny in I:e..y, n hich is, of course, the nearest to the 25th, the children of .!1ome cr:rry the Virgin 1 s str-.tue in solemn process ion 2.nd deck 1 t u ith gr'.rlP.nds. According to · legend, Hermes rius born in c cnve of !:It• . Cylltme· in Arco.din, . one of the most nttrno'tivc provinces _,f Greece • . The most .ancient seut of worship in honor of the god was in this sr..mc Arc~din, ~nd thence the cult spreqd to Athens ~nd fin~lly to nll p a rts of Greece. Lnter he · ~ns 2..do?ted by the Rom~ns, but under the name of :.Ic rcur~r, end in the Eternc..l City c.re m!.'.ny b c::?.utiful statues of him in mnrblc c.nd bronze. f..mong t!lc eost · f~mous is the on~ lin the Cup ito line Collection; e. crude sketch · i s g iv.en on the first pc.ge of this PHOElliX . His stc.tue ~7c..s pcrhc.ps the most co:r:'ln;on throughout Greece, for, O";Jing te the feet, tl~c.t he ·pa ~ s up:?osed to be the guc.rdi n.n of a ll 1Inyf3rers, bis image ~ns set ~P ~ t fr e qnent i nterv~ ls clang ~11 ro~ds, ct gc..rden gates nnd o.t the d o o r ::~ of h ou se s. Ti.1ese l 12ttcr n ere usur:ll ~r only the bust, invariably mounted. 0 11 L squt:. re column, since the numb e r POUR was sc.cr.ed to him. In t he f11ll length :Jtetues he is usuclly re p ~ r esented with the u inged CQP, the ~ in g e~ sandals er feet, and the steff ~hich he bore ns the messenger of t h e gods. The fest i vels celc: br.: ted in · his hQnor \Jere cr. llc d Herm:::.c c. T:1.e sncrifices offered to l: im ·:1 erc ince11Sc, honey, cr.kes ,pigs, o.nd es?e ci c.lly l c..mbs and young g~cts. Hermes r:2 s ranked cs one of the T'.-~e lv Il'l'J.Ulort r?.. ls or the o-re c. t OJ.ymoic Gods. r:c seeras o.lmost c. l l.·r.:.ys to h2ve be en rcpr~sented c~c:-·ymith, ~ t ·.i-.. d it is notic e~tble thLt t~e things offered to rim n rc lnrGely those th ~ t cppe ul p c. rticul ( rly to the young ,c.::.kes nnu s1:eets. J:.mrmg the things s~cred to Hermes P-re the pr.:.lm tree -;-::1 ich he is :s a id to hr:.ve orl, g inf1...te d •. the ntlrn\>erF:ouR ~: nd the torto i:Je,. fr om ~.-ihosc s he ll ~:c m::.d.e th~ lyre, ::.s set fcrt i. in tl~ e f ollorTing p rett~' lcc;end. of ~rc
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_Long ego, in 2 cav e of t ~e beautiful blue h ills of thr ~ot~s l and , u l~ttle _ bri ~ht -eye d ba b: : ~y f~ at usleep . He s l c~~n 1oft ly an~ 2~ sue~tly ~n h1s r~c k crodle as the little no v - a -d ay b~bies do 'lpon t r1e 1.r. dm·: ny Pl.l~o rs; Ior t l1e ·7bees hummed his 11. ll ab~T , an d the b i rd ~. :.nd moun t 2 1.ns sung h 1s cra dle so~gs . '.;he cr..ve W[!. S filled ·;; i th sv.ree t Jccnts from flowery fields, n1~d n o passerby Jistu rbed the little sleepe :
acrrnes .
Hermes wa s t~e so~ of ~eus; a~d bein g the chil d of s o grc~t a fat h er, wns of course quite d i ffe r en~ fr on other ch ildren . In~ iced , he v:na a very v;o:nd.eri\ll baby, fo:r ~, r.. an he nns but four da.ys old, 1 ~rept out of the c ave;_ tl:en stood ttp, ~.no a fter n fe w triL~ls be e~n wal k· wg a~ong t~e soft sana. , ana by anC by he bngan to talk. He t c~ lk cd to the b1.rds, 1.nsects, and flo-.rr rs, 2.na they t alked to h irn, c 1 though in e. different l::m~uge. E'verything '·e.s n ev1 an d be~.utiful, an d He rmes t·es very hc,ppy. . He clapped. his d imp:;,ec. hant._s vThen he sni7 c: torte ise ere e'f)ing slonly townrd the nr>. ter . . "Stop," Sr.:. id h e c nV."here a re ~TOU going, little tortoi se? I rnll go to on. But the tortoise did not '!"' ish to talk , nor di d he c e r e for conpany; but he stopped ~na blinke 1 h is srnull bright eyes ct the blue -eyed little boy. "Ah, you c.re silent non ," crie d Hermes; "but by c.nd b y you shall sing more S17eet'ly t'tun the birds. '' But the tortoise h nd no time to think a bo ut the matter, for Hermc s kj.lled it, and. t t.~king i ts shell, stre tc hed skin ucross it, then stretched strings ~cross the skin. So the poor, s il ent little tortoise list its life th a t its shell might be used in n ~king a musical instrument. Hermes m~de ea ch str).ng give a different tone; end, much plec sed P ith his uork, he began t o sing ~nd to plcy. Everyth ing else rTus- silent .c.s the sound of the l yre trembled in t 1;.e P ir; nnd us the so·fT srreet music nttrc.cted their ::ttent ion, tl:e b1.rds h op ped a bQut Herr:1es, 'lnd the mi.nc.ls dre11 net:~ to ll. s t en. He snng o= t he ocec.n, n ith its ·1hi te c:rested \"JaVes; of the S['.nd :r beach a nd :Dink-1 ined shells. But he sung best of all c.bout his 31'eut fe. ther, Zeus, <:.nd of his be autiful mo ther,. dc ia. By und b:... he t;rcw t 'i re<i of t:1is pleasant occupat ion, o.nd, l oo}:ine e.bout him, saw on t h0 f?..rr-nv;:::.y h il13 the 171: i te oxqn of Apollo, qu ietly grazing. He t 1:ov.Jh t t~u;. t it "'O l':.l d lJe gre2 t sport to drive the o=en fron hill to hill. He kne'\7 he could .:;ho...-· J..;hco 1rhere t he greenest 3~c~ sses grew. Apollo ht:"d so '!Jlf'..Yl:i 0.x.r:m ) surely he V'Oulu not miss 2 fe \: . ':'hus did Hermes try to oe.se his !'n.m6. , f0r ..,_·1 -thougl: no one ho.d told him th2. t it vJould not be ri g ht t o .rive the oxen r:r:my, he rec:.lly fe lt that i t n ould not be tre ~ tin c Lpollo f ~ irl y . After lookin g o.t tnc ox en for scr:..e time, he decio.e d to he lp himself. · Sly little H e rmes ~~ In orde r th Qt Lpo llo should n(\t f 1nd nh ich "-iP..Y they had gone, he tieP, t n i gs t.o h i s · ~wn s !lft feet nn<i to those of the oxen, then c.ro7e them b y n c rooJ:ed p r'.th to f'. fmr-a\'Tay ce.ve . ~Ic did not feel quite cor:fo rtc:ble a bou t it nhen he came to his co.ve end ,Tent ba ck to i1is cradle,- for he vras s till the bo.by Hermes, Qlthough Jo aly o.n~ cunning. He did not feel quit e ri ght ~ b~ tt the oxen . His conocicnce troubled him. He could n C'l t t; l ecp. He begrm to wi sh he LC! t' . -not t 2::en them. : . . :_:>ollo vms ver ~' ' ·n:;r;y when he folmd h is oxen missing . J i s usu.D-ll y c;ood temper r:o.;;; dre ~d:[ ;;. ll y ruffl c6 7 o.nd he r·ent c bout in a ..;reQt hurry , [ s k ing ev c r ;;bo ·'ly : - bout the lost cnimnl s; but no one had ·JBlOe :nthem.
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At leng1lh be c~me to an old man who had rrntched Heroes an he_drove the cattle oway. _At first the olC.. man ref1sed to tell cny-·· thlng ; but when !.pollo prom1sed him fruitful vi nes unc'. c~oc h~' rvc:+ . , the old man "'C.~ so ple:...sed :;h~-~ he t ol d _~_;>ollo vrhct ~'1e h~~ s e n,- h w c. little boy in th a .>·c::..: ffin hi s h cn ds hod Criven then ~r:·ny ove r tee l1il J ~T ow , ".._~) Ollo ~~ne n -- ,~10 :;he 1 i ~~ -li le bo-· '2.!5, r n c ' ·en"t ~· t un ·c -~o the cave _-v:hcre ln 7 HE· r mcs, p re tend ina to be asleep. \Tnen Ap~llo 2sked for hl.S 0xen, Hermes covered his e .Jes nnd ears, and ref· ~ed t o J~::. l k; but 1'..?ollo co~"'{ed anti til re r. tene.d. \Finally h e went to Zeus, ,,·ho ·;c.C.c Herme~ l;Q come P i ·ch .:";pella <:.nG. ::;c ttl e.. the ·c. i.sY) 1.te. 3c , :h e .:::n:--:·". ~ ., 't ~ -lm- .:;o d enc.., 'G.1e nt.ug,1 y :Ierme3 ,.. <.:nt ·cocether to the... ::: ~ec.t 11.:111 ~· · hc::- -e c. "i ~- ) ~ c;o~s anc s~C. C'.esses '.'r ere WQitin ;; (~rin k inG nec-~<.>r ' O.nc: ec. ·Li i :-tG c.. 'J::- c .::;i ~' ri!nle ·che ):-et'Gy H~be. servo c:: them ")f;litel ·r. How the gods rnd g0G~e sse s i ~u~heC ~h e n Lp oll0 s~i e ~~ct t~e littl, ~aby-b~J, Hermes, hae s to l~ n his ~ a t tle\ 3ut uh n Zc u : s~t f. lrn"mcs) ycu must ~ive ba.Jk th0 c.:1::·n end ·:;ut t hem , .. utn t:1c hi ll:: id. ~ ·)e.G, ~ ~. Jcu:t -: ~[\c.in , there w~. s no t1the1· v:c.y ·.: u L~ o ; ~ ~ ·;:;he cnttJ.P- v"Tcr e ):r~u ::;:tt . 'j: o::. c.:lC. 'G7hc::1 L:> tllo ~13ain vi::itEc. t !'le c ;l Y t. of TI:e!TJ~a·, ~hc r c ··wus ) eaoe r.mrl fr iend.~ hi) be;;· r e~n th (;m. . HeE"mes shovre6: LpollG :1.i~ lyre , and rthen L'") J l lo sr· e"" "u h i D hand ac,:·ross the strings, even the l ittle \:rav es on the blue se~ stopped ch~s ing one another to listen ; th e~ t~ey too sLng the same song, and they sing it to this day.. Hermes opened his eyes with wa-nder, then exclaimed, "Apollo, you a re tn".ly the god of li ght and music; You ma y keep the lyre. It spe a ks o:L:ty to tho.3e who 1mow 1 ts tones; to a ll othe.rs . it is but nois ~ .. " Ap-ollo d i d not wish .to ta.k~ th e lyre vrithotit g iving something in return, so he gave Hennes n ~rand. t 'hicl: ha.d the por: e r of !:lak ing friends of t h ose ~ho h ad been enem~es, ~ n d of settling disputes. It i ~ called the Ce.duceus. · Ap ollo [1 lso gave to S:ennes the c£.re of his floc k s nnd if you will look for the!'l, you can see the \.' h i te oxen of Apollo in his gu-nny p ~ stures, fer Herm ~ s is t he -..,ind , Pnd the oxen a re the clouds , When Apollo ha~ gone with his l yre, Hcrrnes ·went out to tr~· the -vtand. ~inding tvro se r pents fi ghting ~n i lns:1ing the ground vrith their slender t _a ils, he tou~hc· d them 7f i th th e v;e: n l. , and they ti'Tine d the: selves loiHngl_y nbout it. ':':lln.' s, even now, doe s Hermes heal ;t ll difficulties. ~ Zeus wils g reat ly pl e:::. sed vr ith the pa r. c e ful endi ng . of the qu~ rrel. HP. made Herme s the truste d messenc e r of the eods, t n d g&ve hirr. c. winged cup rnd ·sn.n c.als .. 11
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The v;ord 1 c~ ducet:.s' !s f?C' L'~ n Cree:{ \-:ord th~ t means In the earl ;y· aays t £1e stuff was tied ~ th \7hi te ribbons, :-1hen bomtD by her~.lds, as a s ymb'J~!- of a truce, thus mo.Jdng possible Jotrrnun i c a tion betV7een con t end ::.n g F.nm ieS", L1 the event Of surrender en t1 th e part of one of the cvmba t[..:::-.ts, ~r ~ o pe~r.1i t of COJ?-I:e:rences look~n g towa rd the pea ceful settle'Il ent of d1ffHru.l t::t&s. It 1s probe.bly th l.s l Qtter thought th~ t is involved in the use of th e ~~d~ceu s 8 S a symbol l:n medical societies. r.rte Greeks ha d a goJ. of weu 1c1ne , knnlm a s. Aes~ulapius. Serpents were deer:e<I- sacreC. to hin~ , bot?- ?ecause they were considered a s~bol of renovnt1on, due prob Hbl y to tne1r frequent chant.;es of skin, anJ. a lso because they wc_rc sup!'~Sed to h2v e ~he p~wer of c', ~.scovering, he ~ l inB herbs. vvhen Ueil!rlCS ,. by rea.son of h l. S be l.ng the r gina tor Pnri pn tron of e y;m <: : . st ics, c ar:;e to be r" ::'('7.rde !1 a s the sp e cial 0 ~ iotector of heclth in gen e r c l, it ccne to pass be?ause of _the ·]tory of the serpents in t he le genQ abov e thut ~ny cons1.dered hlm a s ,'f
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