Why Did Hermes Go to Jail?

Hermes, the Greek god of commerce, communication, and thieves, is known for his cunning and trickery. However, one time he took it too far and ended up in jail. But why did Hermes go to jail?

Legend has it that Hermes once stole Apollo’s sacred cattle. To cover up his tracks, he made the cattle walk backward so that their hoof prints would appear to lead away from where they were actually taken. When Apollo discovered the theft, he was furious and demanded that Hermes return the cattle.

Hermes tried to deny any involvement in the theft but eventually confessed when Apollo threatened him with violence. However, instead of returning the cattle directly to Apollo, Hermes played another trick on him.

He killed two of the cattle and used their skins to make a lyre which he presented to Apollo as a gift. Apollo was so impressed with the beautiful music that he forgave Hermes for stealing his cattle.

But despite being forgiven by Apollo, Zeus (the king of gods) was not amused by Hermes’ actions. He sentenced Hermes to serve time in Tartarus – a dark and gloomy underworld prison reserved for the worst offenders.

While in Tartarus, Hermes was subjected to various tortures including being bound in chains and having his liver eaten by an eagle each day only for it to regenerate overnight. After serving some time in jail and enduring these tortures, eventually Zeus pardoned him after seeing how much he had suffered.

In conclusion, Hermes went to jail because of his thievery and deceitful ways. Despite ultimately being forgiven by Apollo and Zeus for his actions, he still had to pay the price for breaking divine laws.