Hermes, the Greek god of commerce, thieves, and travelers, is known for his cunning and wit. He is often depicted as a messenger with wings on his sandals and helmet, carrying a caduceus – a staff with two snakes intertwined around it. However, even this powerful god has his fears.
Who is Hermes Afraid of?
According to Greek mythology, Hermes was afraid of only one thing – his mother, Maia. Despite being a powerful god himself, he had immense respect for his mother and feared her wrath.
Maia was one of the seven Pleiades in Greek mythology, known for their beauty and grace. She was also a nymph and the daughter of Atlas. When Zeus saw her beauty, he fell in love with her and fathered Hermes.
Hermes was born in a cave on Mount Cyllene in Arcadia. As soon as he was born, he showed signs of his mischievous nature by stealing Apollo’s cattle on the first day itself.
When Apollo found out about the theft, he confronted Hermes who denied any involvement. However, Apollo did not believe him and took him to Zeus for justice.
Zeus listened to both sides of the story but found no proof against Hermes. He then asked Hermes to return the cattle to Apollo as a gesture of goodwill.
Hermes obeyed Zeus’ command but feared that his mother would find out about his wrongdoings. He knew that Maia would be angry with him if she found out that he had stolen from Apollo.
Therefore, Hermes decided to hide from Maia by creating a diversion. He threw sticks around their house to make it seem like someone had broken in. When Maia heard the commotion outside their house, she rushed out to investigate.
Hermes used this opportunity to sneak into their home without being noticed by Maia. He then went straight to bed pretending to be asleep.
When Maia returned to their home, she found no evidence of a break-in. However, she noticed that Hermes was sleeping peacefully. She did not suspect anything and went back to her work.
Hermes breathed a sigh of relief and realized that he had successfully tricked his mother. From that day on, he knew that Maia was the only one he feared.
- Conclusion:
In conclusion, Hermes, the Greek god of commerce, thieves, and travelers was only afraid of his mother Maia. Despite being a powerful god, he respected his mother and feared her wrath. He even went to great lengths to hide from her when he stole Apollo’s cattle.
This mythological story teaches us the importance of respect and fear towards our mothers. No matter how powerful we become in life, we should always remember our roots and respect our parents.