In Greek mythology, Apollo was one of the 12 Olympian gods and Hermes was his half-brother. Apollo was the god of music, poetry, and prophecy while Hermes was the god of commerce and thieves. Despite being siblings, Apollo and Hermes had a complicated relationship that often led to misunderstandings.
One such incident occurred when Hermes stole Apollo’s sacred cattle. This incident left Apollo extremely upset with Hermes for his blatant act of theft. Let’s take a closer look at what happened and why Apollo was so angry with his brother.
The Incident
According to Greek mythology, Hermes saw a group of cows grazing in a field one day and decided to steal them. He took the cows to a nearby cave where he slaughtered two of them for food. He then used the remaining cows to make lyres, musical instruments that he gifted to Apollo.
When Apollo discovered that his cattle were missing, he became enraged. He searched frantically for them but could not find them anywhere. It wasn’t until he came across an old man who had witnessed the theft that he discovered that it was Hermes who had taken them.
Apollo immediately confronted Hermes about stealing his cattle. However, instead of apologizing for his actions, Hermes played dumb and acted innocent. This only made Apollo even more angry with him.
The Consequences
As punishment for stealing his cattle, Apollo demanded that Hermes return them immediately. He also demanded that Hermes pay him compensation for all the trouble he had caused him.
Hermes agreed to return the cows but refused to pay any compensation. Instead, he tried to appease Apollo by offering him the lyres he had made from the remaining cows as a gift.
This only made matters worse as Apollo felt insulted by this gesture. To him, it seemed like Hermes was mocking him by offering him something as trivial as musical instruments in exchange for his stolen cattle.
In the end, Apollo and Hermes did manage to reconcile their differences. However, the incident left a lasting impact on their relationship. From that day on, Apollo was always wary of Hermes and never fully trusted him again.
Conclusion
The story of Apollo and Hermes serves as a cautionary tale about the consequences of stealing and lying. It also shows how even family members can have complicated relationships that are often fraught with misunderstandings.
By stealing Apollo’s cattle, Hermes not only caused him a great deal of distress but also damaged their relationship. It was only through honesty and repentance that they were eventually able to make amends.
In conclusion, the story of why Apollo was upset with Hermes is a reminder that our actions have consequences. It’s important to always be truthful and honest in our dealings with others so as to avoid causing unnecessary harm or damaging relationships.