Hermes

Hermes was the Greek god of commerce and the messenger of the gods. He was the son of Zeus and Maia.

Hermes was known for his wits and intelligence and would assist Zeus in making important decisions. He was also quite the trickster, and as a baby he stole the cows of his older brother, the sun god Apollo; he made up for this by crafting the lyre for Apollo.

Hermes's symbols were the caduceus, a winged staff adorned with snakes, his winged sandals and traveler's cap, and the rooster.

Because of Hermes' position in the Greek pantheon, he would often come to earth to aid heroes. For example, when Perseus was on his quest to kill Medusa, Hermes gave him his winged shoes to help him travel to Medusa's island and also advised him to seek out the Stygian nymphs, the beautiful goddesses who kept the weapons he needed for his battle with the monster.

Hermes also brings the souls of newly dead to the shores of Underworld rivers, where they continue their journey to the land of the dead with or without the aid of Charon.