Ἑρμῆς Hermes, the Lat. Mercurius, son of Maia and Zeus; messenger of the gods (διάκτορος) ; giver of good luck (ἐριούνιος, ἀκάκητα) ; god of all secret dealings, cunning, and stratagem (δόλιος) ; bearing a golden rod (χρυσόρραπις) ; conductor of defunct spirits (ψυχοπομπός, πομπαῖος) ; tutelary god of all arts, of traffic, markets, roads (ἀγοραῖος, ἐμπολαῖος, ὅδιος, ἐνόδιος) , and of heralds. His bust, mounted on a four-cornered pillar, was used to mark boundaries. —Proverb., κοινὸς Ἑρμῆς shares in your luck! Theophr.: cf. ἕρμαιον.