Why Was Argus Killed by Hermes?

Argus was a giant with a hundred eyes that never slept. He was considered one of the most powerful beings in Greek mythology, feared by many for his ability to see all things.

However, Hermes, the messenger of the gods, had a mission to accomplish that required him to kill Argus. The question that arises is why did Hermes have to kill Argus?

The Story of Io

To understand why Hermes killed Argus, we need to go back to the story of Io. Io was a priestess of Hera, the wife of Zeus.

Zeus fell in love with Io and turned her into a cow to hide her from Hera’s wrath. Hera soon found out and sent Argus to watch over Io and prevent Zeus from seeing her again.

Why Did Hermes Get Involved?

Zeus could not let Hera harm Io or their unborn child, so he sent Hermes to rescue her. However, Argus was always on guard, and it seemed impossible for Hermes to free Io without being detected.

The Plan

Hermes came up with a plan and disguised himself as a shepherd. He then played beautiful music on his lyre, which caught the attention of Argus and put him into a deep sleep. Once he was asleep, Hermes took his sword and killed him.

Why Was Argus Killed?

The reason why Hermes killed Argus was that he was preventing Zeus from seeing Io and rescuing her from her cursed form as a cow. If Argus had remained alive and on guard, it would have been impossible for Zeus to save Io.

The Aftermath

After killing Argus, Hermes rescued Io and returned her back to human form. Hera was furious when she found out about what had happened but could not do anything about it.

The Eyes of Argus

To honor Argus, Hera took his eyes and placed them on the tail of her favorite bird, the peacock. This is why peacocks have beautifully patterned feathers on their tails that resemble eyes.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Hermes killed Argus to rescue Io and help Zeus save her from her cursed form. Argus was a powerful giant who had to be defeated to accomplish this mission. The story of Io and Argus is just one of the many fascinating tales in Greek mythology that we can learn from today.