Mercury (mythology) 1

Mercury (mythology)

Silver statuette of Mercury, a Berthouville treasure

Mercury (  /ˈmɜrkjʉri/; Latin: Mercurius listen) was amessenger who wore winged sandals,[1] and a god of trade,merchants, and travel, the son of Maia Maiestas and Jupiter inRoman mythology. His name is related to the Latin word merx("merchandise"; compare merchant, commerce, etc.), mercari (totrade), and merces (wages).[2] In his earliest forms, he appears tohave been related to the Etruscan deity Turms, but most of hischaracteristics and mythology were borrowed from the analogousGreek god, Hermes. Latin writers rewrote Hermes' myths andsubstituted his name with that of Mercury. However, there are atleast two myths that involve Mercury that are Roman in origin. InVirgil's Aeneid, Mercury reminds Aeneas of his mission to foundthe city of Rome. In Ovid's Fasti, Mercury is assigned to escort thenymph Larunda to the underworld. Mercury, however, fell in lovewith Larunda and made love to her on the way; this act has alsobeen interpreted as a rape. Larunda thereby became mother to twochildren, referred to as the Lares, invisible household gods.

Mercury has influenced the name of many things in a variety ofscientific fields, such as the planet Mercury, and the elementmercury.[3] The word mercurial is commonly used to refer to something or someone erratic, volatile or unstable,derived from Mercury's swift flights from place to place. He is often depicted holding the caduceus in his left hand.

HistoryMercury did not appear among the numinous di indigetes of early Roman religion. Rather, he subsumed the earlierDei Lucrii as Roman religion was syncretized with Greek religion during the time of the Roman Republic, startingaround the 4th century BC. From the beginning, Mercury had essentially the same aspects as Hermes, wearingwinged shoes talaria and a winged petasos, and carrying the caduceus, a herald's staff with two entwined snakes thatwas Apollo's gift to Hermes. He was often accompanied by a cockerel, herald of the new day, a ram or goat,symbolizing fertility, and a tortoise, referring to Mercury's legendary invention of the lyre from a tortoise shell.

Mercury (mythology) 2

Hendrick Goltzius: Mercury, with hissymbols

Like Hermes, he was also a messenger of the gods and a god of trade,particularly of the grain trade. Mercury was also considered a god of abundanceand commercial success, particularly in Gaul. He was also, like Hermes, theRomans' psychopomp, leading newly-deceased souls to the afterlife.Additionally, Ovid wrote that Mercury carried Morpheus' dreams from the valleyof Somnus to sleeping humans.[4]

Syncretism

When they described the gods of Celtic and Germanic tribes, rather thanconsidering them separate deities, the Romans interpreted them as localmanifestations or aspects of their own gods, a cultural trait called theinterpretatio Romana. Mercury in particular was reported as becoming extremelypopular among the nations the Roman Empire conquered; Julius Caesar wrote ofMercury being the most popular god in Britain and Gaul, regarded as theinventor of all the arts.[5] This is probably because in the Roman syncretism,Mercury was equated with the Celtic god Lugus, and in this aspect wascommonly accompanied by the Celtic goddess Rosmerta. Although Lugus may

originally have been a deity of light or the sun (though this is disputed), similar to the Roman Apollo, his importanceas a god of trade made him more comparable to Mercury, and Apollo was instead equated with the Celtic deityBelenus.[4]

Romans associated Mercury with the Germanic god Wotan, by interpretatio Romana; 1st-century Roman writerTacitus identifies him as the chief god of the Germanic peoples.[6]

In Celtic areas, Mercury was sometimes portrayed with three heads or faces, and at Tongeren, Belgium, a statuette ofMercury with three phalli was found, with the extra two protruding from his head and replacing his nose; this wasprobably because the number 3 was considered magical, making such statues good luck and fertility charms. TheRomans also made widespread use of small statues of Mercury, probably drawing from the ancient Greek traditionof hermae markers.

Names and epithetsMercury is known to the Romans as Mercurius and occasionally in earlier writings as Merqurius, Mirqurios orMircurios, had a number of epithets representing different aspects or roles, or representing syncretisms withnon-Roman deities. The most common and significant of these epithets included:• Mercurius Artaios, a combination of Mercury with the Celtic god Artaios, a deity of bears and hunting who was

worshiped at Beaucroissant, France.[7]

• Mercurius Arvernus, a combination of the Celtic Arvernus with Mercury. Arvernus was worshiped in theRhineland, possibly as a particular deity of the Arverni tribe, though no dedications to Mercurius Arvernus occurin their territory in the Auvergne region of central France.[7]

• Mercurius Cissonius, a combination of Mercury with the Celtic god Cissonius, who is written of in the areaspanning from Cologne, Germany to Saintes, France.[7]

• Mercurius Esibraeus, a combination of the Iberian deity Esibraeus with the Roman deity Mercury. Esibraeus ismentioned only in an inscription found at Medelim, Portugal, and is possibly the same deity as Banda Isibraiegus,who is invoked in an inscription from the nearby village of Bemposta.[8]

• Mercurius Gebrinius, a combination of Mercury with the Celtic or Germanic Gebrinius, known from aninscription on an altar in Bonn, Germany.[7]

Mercury (mythology) 3

• Mercurius Moccus, from a Celtic god, Moccus, who was equated with Mercury, known from evidence at Langres,France. The name Moccus ("pig") implies that this deity was connected to boar-hunting.[7]

• Mercurius Visucius, a combination of the Celtic god Visucius with the Roman god Mercury, attested in aninscription from Stuttgart, Germany. Visucius was worshiped primarily in the frontier area of the empire in Gauland Germany. Although he was primarily associated with Mercury, Visucius was also sometimes linked to theRoman god Mars, as a dedicatory inscription to "Mars Visucius" and Visucia, Visicius' female counterpart, wasfound in Gaul.[7][9]

Mercury's netVulcan created a net out of unbreakable steel so that he could catch Venus, the goddess of beauty, and Mars, the godof war, in the act of making love. He was jealous of their relationship, because Venus was his wife. Vulcan managedto catch them but, afterwards, Mercury stole the net from the blacksmith god so that he could catch Cloris, a nymphwhom he admired. Cloris was tasked with flying after the sun while it rose and scattering lilies, roses and violetsbehind it. Mercury lay in wait for at least several days until he caught her wing in the net over an unnamed greatriver in Ethiopia. Mercury then gave the net to the temple of Anubis at Canopus to protect the sacred spot. InLudovico Ariosto's Orlando Furioso, the net is stolen 3,000 years later by Caligorant, who goes on to destroy thetemple and the city.[10]

WorshipMercury's temple in the Circus Maximus, between the Aventine and Palatine hills, was built in 495 BC. This was afitting place to worship a swift god of trade and travel, since it was a major center of commerce as well as aracetrack. Since it stood between the plebeian stronghold on the Aventine and the patrician center on the Palatine, italso emphasized the role of Mercury as a mediator.Because Mercury was not one of the early deities surviving from the Roman Kingdom, he was not assigned a flamen("priest"), but he did have a major festival on May 15, the Mercuralia. During the Mercuralia, merchants sprinkledwater from his sacred well near the Porta Capena on their heads.

Popular Culture• DC Comics character The Flash borrows some aspects of his appearance and powers from Mercury. The Flash

possesses tremendous speed, and similarly to Mercury's helmet and sandals, he wears a winged mask & boots.The original Golden Age Flash, Jay Garrick, wore the same metal winged helmet that Mercury is often depictedwearing.

• The now defunct Mercury car brand was named after the Roman god. The first logo the Mercury brand used [11]

was a side profile of Mercury's head, complete with winged helmet.

Mercury (mythology) 4

References[1] "Theoi.com" (http:/ / www. theoi. com/ Olympios/ Hermes. html). Theoi.com. . Retrieved 2012-01-09.[2] Mike Campbell. "Meaning, Origin and History of the Name Mercury" (http:/ / www. behindthename. com/ name/ mercury). Behind the

Name. . Retrieved 2012-01-09.[3] “Mercury and hazel” (http:/ / sites. google. com/ site/ abimepublications/ home/ volume-2---preface) explores the analogies of mercury in

mythology, metallurgy and astronomy, and the traditional association of mercury with the fast-growing hazel tree.[4] Littleton, C. Scott (Ed.) (2002). Mythology: The Illustrated Anthology of World Myth and Storytelling (pp. 195, 251, 253, 258, 292). London:

Duncan Baird Publishers. ISBN 1-904292-01-1.[5][5] De Bello Gallico 6.17[6][6] Germania 9[7] Green, Miranda J. (1992). Dictionary of Celtic Myth and Leg,end (pp. 148–149). London: Thames and Hudson. ISBN 0-500-01516-3.[8] Alarcão, Jorge de (1988). Roman Portugal. Volume I: Introduction (p. 93). Warminster: Aris and Phillips.[9] Espérandieu, E. (1931). Recueil Général des Bas-relief, Statues et Bustes de la Germanie Romaine. Paris and Brussels.[10] Ariosto, Ludovico. Orlando Furioso, Canto XV Lines 47–64. Oxford: Oxford UP, 1998.[11] http:/ / 3. bp. blogspot. com/ -pBucXPadIhE/ TZGSS8SNudI/ AAAAAAAACDM/ qVIBjCOp4tM/ s1600/ logo-mercury. jpg

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Article Sources and ContributorsMercury (mythology)  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=524782953  Contributors: ***Ria777, 2.17, 2600:1003:B01B:BDC3:0:0:0:103, 7th Legion, ARS.Mercurian, Abtinb,Acroterion, Adam sk, Ahoerstemeier, Aitias, Alansohn, Alex '05, AlexiusHoratius, Anclation, Andre Engels, Andrewcaleb, Animum, Antandrus, Aranel, Art LaPella, AznBurger, BD2412,Bacchiad, Bagatelle, Bart133, Beetstra, Billinghurst, Bongwarrior, Brion VIBBER, Bryan Derksen, Butko, ByakkoChan, CalicoCatLover, CanisRufus, Caoanroad4800, Challisrussia,Chase@osdev.org, Chris the speller, Clarkk, Closedmouth, Coastergeekperson04, Conversion script, Courcelles, Crablogger, Crazysane, Cxz111, Cybercobra, Cyberscythe, Cynwolfe, Dainushka,David.Monniaux, Davidiad, Dbachmann, Deflective, Dgw, Drj, Dudethatchangesstuff, Dycedarg, Dysmorodrepanis, Echuck215, EditingManiac, Editor at Large, Eekerz, Emaha, Enviroboy,Epbr123, Eranb, Euphoreus, Frecklefoot, Fumitol, Future Perfect at Sunrise, Gawdismydaddy, GeorgeOrr, Gheuf, Ginohhh, Gobiman, Graham87, GreatWhiteNortherner, Gutsul, Hadal,HamburgerRadio, HereToHelp, Hu, I Feel Tired, Icairns, Ilikepie2221, IronGargoyle, Iwfi, J.delanoy, J04n, JHunterJ, Jason Garrick, Jaw1233, Jic, John Price, Jolex123654, Josef se, Josh Parris,Kaangluv, Kablammo, Kaiba, Karen Johnson, Katalaveno, Keber, Kimse, Kubigula, Kungfuadam, Kwamikagami, Leafyplant, Lee Daniel Crocker, Lewisswinger, Lighthead, Lightmouse,LittleJerry, LonelyMarble, Looxix, Lotje, Loupiotte, M-le-mot-dit, Materialscientist, Mattis, Mazordude, Mercury McKinnon, Mermaid from the Baltic Sea, Michael Hardy, Midnightblueowl,MightyWarrior, Minesweeper, MithrandirAgain, Mottenen, N2e, NantonosAedui, Neko244, NellieBly, Noweee, Ohiostandard, Olivier, Omnipaedista, Oneiros, Ottawa4ever, Panipood, Pearle,Peter Harriman, Pmanderson, Poeloq, Poolkris, Possum, Ptolemy Caesarion, PuzzletChung, QuartierLatin1968, R'n'B, ROBE0191, Radon210, RandomCritic, RapidReferenceWriter, Razor2988,Rdsmith4, Recognizance, Renato Caniatti, Rtdixon86, Rursus, SD5, SSSN, Sarahbithia, Sax Russell, Scelestus, Serph, Shanerowell11, Shikai shaw, Shinpah1, Silence, Simon Peter Hughes,SiobhanHansa, Slowking Man, Snek01, Some jerk on the Internet, SpigotMap, Sprazizi, Srowell12, Srowell20, Srowell21, Srowell24, Srowell57, Ss1506, Stephen Gilbert, SuperHamster,Surtsicna, SusanLesch, SwissWatch, Tataryn77, Teapot123456, Techman224, The Man in Question, The Singing Badger, TheRingess, Thehouseballs, Thisis0, Tide rolls, TimBentley, TrevorMacInnis, Trixie899, Tucci528, Tyciol, Uncle Dick, VictorianMutant, Vultur, Waelder, Wayne Slam, Wetman, Whateley23, Who then was a gentleman?, Wiglaf, Wiki alf, Will Beback Auto,William Avery, Woohookitty, Wsobokta, Wwicki, Yekrats, ZayZayEM, Zeimusu, Zen611, Zundark, Саша Стефановић, 373 anonymous edits

Image Sources, Licenses and ContributorsFile:P1030419 - Copie (2).JPG  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:P1030419_-_Copie_(2).JPG  License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0,2.5,2.0,1.0 Contributors: User:Clio20File:Loudspeaker.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Loudspeaker.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: Bayo, Gmaxwell, Gnosygnu, Husky, Iamunknown,Mirithing, Myself488, Nethac DIU, Omegatron, Rocket000, Shanmugamp7, The Evil IP address, Wouterhagens, 23 anonymous editsImage:Mercurybyhendrickgoltzius.jpeg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Mercurybyhendrickgoltzius.jpeg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: Bukk, Mattes, Mcke,RHorning, Ranveig, Shakko, Vincent Steenberg, Xenophon

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