Mercury - the god of trade and the patron of swindlers

In ancient Rome, the cult of the god Mercury was born when the state established trade relations with other peoples. At first Mercury was the god of grain business and grain trade, then he became the patron of shopkeepers and small sellers, retail trade and commercial success. The god Mercury was depicted with a large purse.

Officially, in the pantheon of the Roman gods, Mercury, the son of the supreme god Jupiter and the spring goddess Maya Mayestas, was adopted approximately in 495 BC. In the May holidays of this year in Rome on the hill of Aventine the temple dedicated to the deity was consecrated, and on May 15 it was the day of the festival in honor of the god of Mercury. Traders praised the god of trade, offered sacrifices and irrigated themselves with water from a sacred spring, thus washing away the blame for lies and fraud.

Over time, the Greek god Hermes was identified with Mercury, and then the second became a messenger and messenger of the gods, the guide of souls, the keeper of seafarers and travelers. Since then Mercury - the god in winged sandals, a winged road cap, with a rod-caduceus in his hands.

There is a myth about the appearance of a caduceus. When the god Mercury was still a newborn, he decided to steal from Apollo cows, which second pass in Macedonia. Mercury, hiding from his mother, quietly got out of the cradle and headed for the exit from their grotto. There he found a turtle, caught it and made his first lyre-kifar from a shell and several bull-strings. Musical instrument Mercury (God) carried to bed, and he quickly, like the wind, flew to the valley where the herd of Apollo was grazing. After a while, the golden-haired and silver-haired god found out who had stolen his cows. To be reconciled, Mercury gave him the beautiful sounds of lyre. And Apollo donated a cane to Hermes. When the god of trade saw a snake's lair and snakes fighting in it, he threw a cane at them. Reptiles wrapped around the staff, and there was a rod-caduceus - a symbol of reconciliation.

The ancient Romans believed that Mercury is a god, personifying the transition from one state to another, and therefore endowed him with various additional skills and responsibilities. So, he was sometimes called Psychopomp, the conductor of souls, because he accompanies the dead from the realm of the living into the underworld of Pluto. The fast-winged god helped people fall asleep, so there is another name - Onykopomp - suggestive dreams.

Mercury is not only the god of trade, but also the patron of deceit, resourcefulness and theft, because all this allows money and goods to pass from one source to another. Of course, Mercury is a mediator between ordinary mortals and the inhabitants of Olympus. He conveys the commands and desires of the gods to people, and back brings prayers, gifts and sacrifices. Was Hermes and the god of eloquence, giving listeners thought of the speaker.

Over time, he became the patron of schools of wrestlers - gymnasiums, because during the struggle the athletes exchange their strength. Also supported by Mercury athletes and gymnasts. Statues depicting a fast god, were installed in all places where sports were held.

Mercury is the most active and active God, he has many duties, but for this he was a favorite of both the inhabitants of Olympus and mortals. People immortalized the name of Mercury, naming in his honor the fastest planet.