Abstract

Investigation on Hermes. What is the secret of Hermes' success in all the ages, even beyond the far away ancient classic season? The essay recalls the extraordinary nature of the gods' messenger evoked in the Homeric Hymn: Hermes is the first god to achieve the Olympic divine condition by agreement (and not through immediate acknowledgement), and he is described as versatile, fast-minded, sly, eloquent, persuasive and swindler. However there are also other features in Hermes, sung by Homer and Hesiod: for instance his activity of accompanying the souls of the deads (Hermes Psychopompos), through which he becomes the messenger of Hades, the underworld's master. All the considered characteristics converge to make Hermes the prototype of the communicator, the god who protects and invents the communication itself – from writing to musical instruments – intended as a chance for human beings to promote innovation and change. Described by Mircea Eliade as the closer god to the human kind (“companion of the man” in Homer's Iliad), Hermes is seen as complementary to all the other divinities, in the same way communication is complementary to all human activities.

Autore Pugliese

• Cristante Stefano

Tutti gli autori

• S. Cristante

Titolo volume/Rivista

H-ERMES

Anno di pubblicazione

2013

ISSN

2284-0753

ISBN

Non Disponibile

Numero di citazioni Wos

Nessuna citazione

Ultimo Aggiornamento Citazioni

Non Disponibile

Numero di citazioni Scopus

Non Disponibile

Ultimo Aggiornamento Citazioni

Non Disponibile

Settori ERC

Non Disponibile

Codici ASJC

Non Disponibile