Who is the messenger of the gods?

Who is the messenger of the gods? Hermes is the messenger and herald of the gods in Greek mythology.

Hermes was traditionally the son of Zeus and Maia, one of the Pleiades. As an Olympian deity, he carried messages between gods and mortals and could move quickly between the divine world, the human world, and the realm of the dead.

His winged sandals and winged hat symbolize speed, while the caduceus is his herald’s staff. Hermes also protected travelers, merchants, shepherds, thieves, athletes, and orators. In his role as psychopomp, he guided souls to the afterlife, a duty that made him more than a simple divine courier.

Hermes is also famous as a clever trickster. In the Homeric Hymn to Hermes, the newborn god steals Apollo’s cattle and invents the lyre. A common mix-up is confusing him with Iris, who also served as a divine messenger in some myths. His Roman counterpart was Mercury.