Mousa, sing of Hermes, the son of Zeus and Maia, lord of Kyllene and Arkadia rich in flocks, the luck-bringing, messenger of the gods whom Maia bare, the rich-tressed Nymphe, when she was joined in love with Zeus... Zeus commanded that glorious Hermes should be lord over all birds of omen and grim-eyed lions, and boars with gleaming tusks, and over dogs and all flocks that the wide earth nourishes, and over all sheep; also that he only should be the appointed messenger to Hades, who, though he takes no gift, shall give him no mean prize... He consorts with all mortals and immortals: a little he profits, but continually throughout the dark night he cozens the tribes of mortal men. And so, farewell, Son of Zeus and Maia; but I will remember you and another song also.
Commentarius · Commentary
From the great Hymn to Hermes — the one in which the newborn god invents the lyre on his first day and rustles Apollo's cattle. The card keeps the opening and the passage in which Zeus settles the case; the narrative is omitted (seams […]).
And the settlement consists of an appointment, and the appointment is itemised: horses, hard-working mules, bright-eyed lions, white-tusked boars, dogs, sheep — "as many as the broad earth nourishes" — and lordship over all flocks for glorious Hermes.
That is, the thief is made warden of the herds. A suit about theft ends with the thief being given charge of what he stole, and this is not a punishment but a recognition of aptitude. Horace praises Mercury for exactly this combination and finds no contradiction in it (mercurius-003).
The last item is the most curious: to be "the one appointed messenger to Hades". Hermes' single exclusive posting is the one from which nothing can be got: Hades takes no gifts and returns nothing. The god of gain is granted a monopoly on the only unprofitable route.
Fons · Source
AuthorAnonymous (Homeric corpus)
WorkHomeric Hymns
Section4
Periodarchaic Greek (7th-4th c. BC)
Occasionexcerpts from the long Homeric Hymn to Hermes — opening invocation, Zeus's commission of Hermes over flocks and as messenger to Hades, and the closing salute
