In ancient Rome, the cult of the god Mercury was born when the state established commercial relations with other nations. At first, Mercury was the god of bread and grain trading, then he became the patron saint of shopkeepers and small sellers, retail and commercial success. The god Mercury with a large wallet was portrayed.
Officially, the pantheon of the ancient Roman gods, Mercury, the son of the supreme god Jupiter and the spring goddess Maya Mayestas, was admitted in about 495 BC. In the May Ides of this year, a temple dedicated to the deity was consecrated on Aventin Hill in Rome, and May 15 was the day of the festival in honor of the god Mercury. Merchants praised the god of commerce, made sacrifices and irrigated themselves with water from a sacred spring, thus washing away the guilt for lying and fraud.
Over time, the Greek god Hermes was identified with Mercury, and then the second became the messenger and messenger of the gods, guide of souls, guardian of sailors and travelers. Since then, Mercury is a god in winged sandals, a winged travel cap, with a caduceus rod in his hands.
There is a myth about the appearance of a caduceus. When the god Mercury was still a newborn, he decided to steal the cows from Apollo, whose second pass was in Macedonia. Mercury, hiding from his mother, quietly got out of the cradle and headed for the exit from their grotto. There he found a turtle, caught it and made of his carapace and several bull strings his first kifaru lyre. The musical instrument Mercury (god) carried to bed, and he quickly, like the wind, flew into the valley where the flock of Apollo grazed. After some time, the golden-wise and silver-armed god found out who had abducted his cows. To be reconciled, Mercury gave him the beautiful sounds of the lyre. And Apollo gave the cane to Hermes. When the god of trade saw the serpent's lair and the snakes fighting in it, he threw a cane at them. Reptiles wrapped themselves around the staff, and the caduceus rod appeared - a symbol of reconciliation.
The ancient Romans believed that Mercury is a god, personifying the transition from one state to another, and therefore endowed him with various additional skills and responsibilities. So, he was sometimes called the Psycho-Pump - the guide of souls, because he accompanies the dead from the kingdom of the living into the underworld of Pluto. The quick-winged god helped people fall asleep, so another name appears - Oneykopomp - suggestive of dreams.
Mercury is not only the god of trade, but also the patron of deception, resourcefulness and theft, since all this allows money and goods to pass from one hand to another. Of course, Mercury is an intermediary god between ordinary mortals and the inhabitants of Olympus. He gives people the commands and desires of the gods, and back he brings prayers, gifts and offerings. Hermes was also the god of eloquence, conveying to the audience the thoughts of the speaker.
Over time, he became the patron of wrestling schools - gymnasiums, because during the struggle, athletes exchange their forces. Also supported by Mercury athletes and gymnasts. Statues depicting a fast god were erected in all places where sports were held.
Mercury is the most active and hardworking god, he has a lot of responsibilities, but for this he was a favorite of both the inhabitants of Olympus and mortals. People immortalized the name of Mercury, naming in its honor the fastest planet.