Have you ever wondered if Hermes, the Greek god of commerce, was married to Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty? In this article, we’ll explore the mythological background of these two deities and their relationship with each other.
Who are Hermes and Aphrodite?
Hermes is one of the twelve Olympian gods in Greek mythology. He is primarily known as the messenger god who would deliver messages between mortals and gods. He was also known as the god of commerce, thieves, travelers, and even literature.
On the other hand, Aphrodite is the goddess of love, beauty, passion, fertility and pleasure. She was born from sea foam after Cronus castrated his father Uranus and threw his genitals into the sea.
Did Hermes marry Aphrodite?
There is no evidence to suggest that Hermes married Aphrodite in Greek mythology. In fact, Aphrodite was married to Hephaestus – the god of fire and metalworking.
However, there are several stories that suggest a romantic relationship between Hermes and Aphrodite. One such story involves Hermes stealing Apollo’s cattle and then seducing Aphrodite with their meat. Another story tells how they had a son together named Hermaphroditus.
The Story of Apollo’s Cattle
In this story, Hermes saw Apollo’s cattle grazing in a field one day while he was out on a walk. Being mischievous as he was known to be, he decided to steal them. To hide his tracks from Apollo’s wrathful anger when he found out about it later on, he put bark shoes on all four feet of the cows so that they would leave no footprints behind.
After successfully stealing them without anyone noticing anything amiss at first glance (thanks largely due to those clever shoes!), Hermes cooked up a feast of the cattle meat and invited Aphrodite to join him. The goddess was so taken by the delicious meal that she fell in love with Hermes.
The Story of Hermaphroditus
Another story involves Aphrodite giving birth to a child with Hermes named Hermaphroditus. This child was born with both male and female genitalia, hence the name hermaphrodite.
According to the myth, Hermaphroditus was bathing in a pond when he was spotted by the water nymph Salmacis. She fell in love with him and tried to seduce him, but he rejected her advances. In retaliation, Salmacis prayed to the gods that they would merge their bodies together so that they could never be separated.
The gods granted her wish and Hermaphroditus became permanently fused with Salmacis, creating a being neither fully male nor fully female.
Conclusion
While there is no evidence that Hermes married Aphrodite, there are several stories that suggest a romantic relationship between them. Whether or not these tales hold any truth is up for debate, but what is certain is that these two gods played important roles in Greek mythology and continue to fascinate us today.
So there you have it – the story of Hermes and Aphrodite’s relationship! Whether you believe it or not, one thing is for sure: Greek mythology never ceases to amaze us with its fascinating tales of love, betrayal, and everything in between.