Why Did Hermes Kill Argos?

Hermes, the Greek God of trade, thieves, and travelers, is often depicted as a messenger with winged sandals and a staff. He was known for his cunning and trickery, but why did he kill Argos?

To understand this story, we must first learn about Argos. He was a giant with 100 eyes that never slept. He was hired by Hera, the queen of the gods and wife of Zeus, to watch over Io, a nymph whom Zeus had transformed into a cow to hide her from Hera’s wrath.

Hermes was sent to rescue Io from Argos’ watchful gaze. To do this, he used his trickery to lull Argos to sleep by telling him a long and boring story about flutes. As soon as Argos closed all of his eyes in boredom, Hermes killed him with his sword.

This act enraged Hera because Argos was her faithful servant. She ordered her son Echidna to avenge the death of her loyal watcher. Echidna mated with Typhon and gave birth to many monstrous creatures like Cerberus and Chimera.

But why did Hermes kill Argos? Some say it was simply because he needed to rescue Io on Zeus’ orders. Others believe that there was more to it than that.

According to Greek mythology expert Robert Graves, Hermes’ killing of Argos represented the triumph of intellect over brute force. Argos symbolized the power of surveillance while Hermes represented cunning and intelligence.

In killing Argos, Hermes proved that he could outsmart even the most vigilant watchdogs by using his wits instead of sheer strength or power.

In conclusion, while there are many interpretations of why Hermes killed Argos in Greek mythology, it is clear that this act represents the victory of intellect over brute force in some way. It also highlights Hermes’ cunning nature as the messenger god who could get things done through cleverness rather than physical strength.