Hermes gave Perseus winged sandals in the best-known account of the hero’s quest for Medusa.
The sandals allowed Perseus to travel through the air and helped him reach the remote place where the Gorgons lived. They were among several special items associated with his mission, alongside Athena’s reflective shield and a sword or sickle-like weapon supplied by a god.
In some versions, Perseus obtains equipment through the Graeae, the three old sisters related to the Gorgons. Details vary between ancient sources, but Hermes’s connection with the winged sandals is a standard feature of the Perseus story.
Hermes was the Olympian messenger and a god associated with travel, boundaries, and speed, making winged footwear particularly appropriate. The sandals should not be confused with the winged horse Pegasus, which appeared after Medusa’s decapitation.