Hermes

Hermes redresses the gap in modern English scholarship on this fascinating and complex god, presenting its readers with an introduction to Hermes’ social, religious and political importance through discussions of his myths, iconography and worship. It also brings together in one place an integrated survey of his reception and interpretation in contemporaneous neighbouring cultures in antiquity as well as discussion of his reception in the post-classical periods up to the present day. This volume is an invaluable resource for anyone wanting to explore the many facets of Hermes’ myth, worship and reception.

“"Hermes, messenger of the gods, guide for the dead, deity of the marketplace, all-round trickster and protector of thieves, is hard to pin down. If there is one quality that defines him, though, it is his gentleness, his lightness of touch. Arlene Allan herself covers a lot of ground lightly, offering a svelte introduction to the ancient cults of Hermes, his role in myth, and his reception from antiquity to the present. I thoroughly recommend this book." - Barbara Graziosi, Durham University, UK "Allan succeeds in categorizing and illustrating the many and varied aspects of Hermes/Mercury to the reader. She has comprehensively searched the ancient literary sources for references to this deity and presents them clearly ... she has managed to show the different facets of the God Hermes from his childhood on. The book is recommended for all who want to learn about Hermes and Mercury and are interested in the figure's reception from the Middle Ages to the present day." - B”

"Hermes, messenger of the gods, guide for the dead, deity of the marketplace, all-round trickster and protector of thieves, is hard to pin down. If there is one quality that defines him, though, it is his gentleness, his lightness of touch. Arlene Allan herself covers a lot of ground lightly, offering a svelte introduction to the ancient cults of Hermes, his role in myth, and his reception from antiquity to the present. I thoroughly recommend this book."

- Barbara Graziosi, Durham University, UK

"Allan succeeds in categorizing and illustrating the many and varied aspects of Hermes/Mercury to the reader. She has comprehensively searched the ancient literary sources for references to this deity and presents them clearly ... she has managed to show the different facets of the God Hermes from his childhood on. The book is recommended for all who want to learn about Hermes and Mercury and are interested in the figure’s reception from the Middle Ages to the present day."

- Bärbel Ruhl, University of Marburg, Germany, Bryn Mawr Classical Review 2019

Arlene Allan is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Classics at the University of Otago, New Zealand. Her research and teaching interests include Ancient Greek socio-religious history, Athenian drama and the interface between Graeco-Roman religion and early Christianity. She is co-author, with Ian C. Storey, of A Guide to Ancient Greek Drama (2005, rev’d 2nd edn 2014) and sole author of several articles and book chapters in these subject areas.

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