The Adventures of Hermes, God of Thieves

by Murielle Szac

  The messenger of the gods then hurried to his brother Hephaestus to convince him to come with him quickly. He went back with him to the beach where Zeus was writhing with pain.

  “Take your axe, my brother,” Hermes said to him, “and go and split Zeus’ head open to release the pain!”

  And so the mighty god raised his formidable axe and cleaved Zeus’ skull in two. At that very instant the earth shook and Hermes and Hephaestus saw an extraordinary thing: a woman in full armour was coming out of Zeus’ skull!

  “Look,” Hephaestus exclaimed, “it is the goddess Athena!”

  The young woman wore a helmet and armour, and she bore a spear, all made of metal. She held herself straight and was casting a proud gaze upon the world around her. Zeus seemed completely relieved. He did not once look at Hermes and Hephaestus, but took the young female warrior in his arms. Seeing Zeus hold her tight against his heart, Hermes understood why Athena would always be the favourite daughter of the master of Olympus: Zeus had brought her into the world himself. Hermes and Hephaestus went discreetly away. Hermes had no idea that another extraordinary meeting awaited him.

  To be continued…

  EPISODE 32

  IN WHICH HERMES MEETS PROMETHEUS

  Previously: Hermes has understood where his father’s intelligence comes from: he has seen Zeus swallow Metis, who is herself the essence of intelligence. Shortly afterwards, he witnessed the birth of Athena, who came clad in full armour out of Zeus’ head.

  What Hermes especially enjoyed were the great feasts on Mount Olympus. Zeus liked to entertain guests, and numerous gods, goddesses and nymphs were invited to his table. Often, during those banquets, which could well last an entire day, Apollo would sing, accompanied by his nine Muses. Nymphs would sometimes dance. Hermes wandered about everywhere, observing each guest and learning to recognize them all. One day his attention was caught by a guest quite unlike all the others. The newcomer wore his hair long, letting it fall loose on his back. His face was full of nobility. His thick black eyebrows overarched two piercing eyes which never lowered their gaze. This guest was sitting on Athena’s right, and she never ceased to whisper in his ear. On the goddess’ left side was another stranger, who behaved quite differently. He talked a great deal and was always restive; he would stand up, sit down again, laugh and clap his hands very loudly. Hermes slipped behind his aunt Hestia, who was organizing the order of the courses.

  “Who is the guest with the very proud gaze?” he asked her. “And what is the name of the one next to him who will not sit still?”

  Hestia leant towards him and answered in his ear: “He is called Prometheus. He is the only Titan to have chosen your father’s camp at the time of the war of the gods. This is why Zeus receives him at his table. The nervy one sitting on his right is his brother Epimetheus. At Prometheus’ request, Zeus receives him as well.”

  Throughout the remainder of the banquet Hermes did not stop spying on Prometheus’ table. Everything that went on around the Titan astonished him. Athena’s attitude, first of all, was quite startling. She, the goddess of Wisdom and Knowledge, rarely talked with the other gods. She had a passion for the science of the stars, for that of numbers, for medicine and for the science of thought, and she preferred to read or study. Even when she agreed to attend a banquet, she would always be seen talking to the owl perched on her shoulder, for she scorned her neighbours at table and did not speak to them. And yet here she was, engaged in a passionate discussion with Prometheus! Hermes could not hear their conversation, but he could see Athena’s face becoming animated, he could see the eyes of Prometheus sparkle. Hermes surprised them several times poring hard over a manuscript, scribbling mathematical formulae. There was no doubt: Athena had finally found someone who was intelligent enough to share all her knowledge.

  Hermes noticed also that Zeus’ attitude was different towards Prometheus. The complicity between his beloved daughter and this guest seemed to annoy Zeus. Yet when he spoke to Prometheus, he did so with great respect. And Prometheus responded to the master of Olympus without ever lowering his eyes. Never had Hermes seen Zeus show respect towards another person. Nor had he ever seen anyone address themselves to Zeus without bending their head low. Hermes was fascinated by Prometheus’ pride.

  His brother Epimetheus, on the contrary, never ceased to flit about like a butterfly all day long. He went from one pleasure to the next, skipped from one spectacle to the other, moved from one conversation to a new one, talking wild nonsense.

  “He still has no more brains than a sparrow, that one,” said a voice behind Hermes. It was his uncle Poseidon.

  Hermes smiled timidly at the old bearded man. “You know them, uncle?” he asked in a small voice.

  “Oh, do I indeed!” sighed Poseidon. “And if I were in your father’s place, I would be wary of Prometheus. Do you know what their names mean? Epimetheus means ‘scatterbrain, he who does not think ahead’. Prometheus, however, means ‘the one who has foresight, he who thinks things out’. He showed us well enough the full extent of his intelligence when he had to make up for his brother’s stupidity at the time he created mankind… Prometheus, however, will not easily submit to authority. Zeus would do well to remember that…”

  With these words, Poseidon walked away. Hermes was shaking with excitement. So it was Prometheus, and not his father, who had created men? Hermes left the palace immediately and set off towards Pausania’s home.

  To be continued…

  EPISODE 33

  IN WHICH HERMES WITNESSES THE CREATION OF MAN

  Previously: Hermes has met a fascinating individual called Prometheus. He has learnt that he was the creator of mankind, and he has decided to witness the birth of man.

  Hermes went to find Pausania as eagerly as ever. The old woman was weaving with the wool she had spun sitting by the entrance to her cave. Hermes watched for a few long moments in silence the precise shuffling back and forth of the shuttle on the weaving loom. It was a gentle and soothing motion. He was thinking about what he had come to ask. It was Pausania who spoke first:

  “You seem very pensive, my boy,” she said. “Are you afraid of what you have come to seek today? You seem hesitant…”

  Hermes lifted up his head and answered: “Nurse, O beloved nurse, I am dying to witness the birth of the first man. But my father, the god of gods, is absent from that story, this is what troubles me.”

  Pausania gave one of her mysterious smiles: “Who knows, perhaps he is present in it, perhaps not. It is for you to find out!”

  She had pushed her work away. Hermes laid his head softly on the old woman’s lap and closed his eyelids. Once he reopened his eyes, Hermes found himself in half-darkness. He was lying on the bare earth, an earth of dry clay, hard and grey, which crumbled into dust under his fingers. Not far from him, a large form detached itself from the sky. His eyes became slowly more accustomed to the lack of light and he began to see better what was going on around him. The form was squatting down looking attentively at something placed on the ground. Hermes crept a little closer. From the broad shoulders, the long floating hair, Hermes recognized Prometheus. What the Titan was looking at was a round lump, a simple lump of black earth between his bare feet. Hermes saw him dip his hands in a jar full of water, then take the lump and begin kneading it gently. It seemed to consist of some of this hard and grey clayey soil mixed with a little water. Prometheus was concentrating hard on what he was doing. His movements were slow and certain. He pressed and squeezed the lump of earth for a long moment with his fingers, as though he were still thinking, then he began to stretch it and stretch it even more. Under his fingers, a body was taking shape. This body soon had a round head and four legs. Prometheus looked at it, not yet fully satisfied. “No, no,” he murmured through his teeth. “This won’t do.” He shook his head, threw back a strand of hair which had slid between his eyes, and set back to work.

  Hermes did not let those kneading hands out of his sight. He was fascinated by what wa
s taking shape before him. Prometheus had taken hold of the body to which he had just given birth. With infinite care, he was setting it upright, was pulling it upwards. Two of the legs remained placed on the ground, but the other two were raised up. Prometheus sculpted those two forelegs and they became arms. Next, he tilted the head delicately upwards, and then stopped. “There,” he said in a ringing voice, “you are the only living creature capable of looking at the sky. You are made in the image of the gods!” Throughout that time, his brother Epimetheus was also inventing new creatures. Zeus had asked the two brothers to create the earth’s inhabitants. Epimetheus was to invent the animals and Prometheus was to create man. Zeus had entrusted them with a bag containing all that they were going to need so that these future living beings might be able to fend for themselves. Epimetheus had been hasty and had acted as usual without thinking ahead. He began by inventing a bird. Then he put his hand into the great bag and took out some feathers. “I give you these feathers so that you may fly,” he said. Then he created a snail and he took a shell out of the bag. “I give you this shell so that you may hide inside it if you are attacked,” he said. Then he created a hedgehog, drew some quills out of the bag and gave them to it. “I give you these quills so that you may defend yourself,” he said. He then fashioned a lion and gave him claws and teeth; a serpent, and he endowed it with venom; a hare, to which he offered speed; a bull, to which he granted horns. Some animals received fur to fight the cold; others scales and fins in order to live underwater. After a while, Zeus’ bag was empty. Epimetheus, very satisfied with himself, then went to see what his brother Prometheus had created.

  He found Prometheus on his doorstep, squatting on his heels. Epimetheus leant over his brother’s shoulder and discovered the creature to which Prometheus had just given birth.

  “What is it?” he asked, rather startled.

  “It is man,” replied Prometheus, without taking his eyes off his creature. “And you? What progress have you made?”

  “All done!” replied Epimetheus triumphantly. “I have finished everything, given everything away!”

  Prometheus turned sharply round: “What? You have nothing more to hand out?!” he cried. “And man, whom I was charged to create, what have you put aside for his protection?” Epimetheus had forgotten to put aside anything whatsoever! Prometheus turned towards his human creature. He gazed at it, naked and defenceless as it was.

  He bent down low and said: “Man, I offer you intelligence—”

  “But you don’t have the right!” cried his brother, scared. “We are not authorized to give what belongs only to the gods!”

  Prometheus did not even spare him a glance. He continued to look at man with infinite tenderness. Then he said: “Be on your way, my son. And above all, always stand erect!”

  To be continued…

  EPISODE 34

  IN THE COURSE OF WHICH PROMETHEUS SHOWS THAT HE IS VERY CUNNING

  Previously: Hermes has just witnessed the birth of the first man created by Prometheus. And Prometheus has offered man intelligence, which is reserved for the gods alone.

  As he returned home, Hermes’ heart was still full with all that he had just experienced. He now understood what it was that had fascinated him so much when he had met Prometheus: the Titan was the only one who had no fear of Zeus. Hermes was troubled by this, but also secretly delighted by it.

  When he arrived at Olympus, he found the palace in a state of great unrest. At Prometheus’ own request, the council of the gods had been called up in all haste. Hermes slipped inside the hall at the very moment when Zeus was asking Prometheus to come closer.

  “What do you want from me, Prometheus?” asked the god of gods.

  In a clear voice, Prometheus gave this reply: “O great Zeus, master of Olympus, the men on earth need food. If you will allow them to raise cows and to eat their flesh, they shall share with you every animal that is slaughtered. And wishing to honour you as highly as possible, they have charged me with the task of asking you to choose the cuts that you prefer. I have slaughtered a cow on their behalf and I have separated the cuts into two piles, which you can see here before you. From now on, every time that they slaughter a cow, they will reserve for you the share which you yourself will choose today, and they shall content themselves with the other pieces.”

  Prometheus stopped talking and allowed Zeus to observe the two piles. The first was irresistibly mouth-watering. It was covered with luscious white fat and bones stuck out. The second was altogether revolting. Pieces of gut and shreds of stomachs covered this pile, exuding a vile stench. Zeus did not hesitate for a second and pointed to the first pile with his finger. “Poor mankind,” thought Hermes, “they will only be allowed the very worst cuts from now on…” Prometheus bowed respectfully. Yet Hermes had the time to perceive a mischievous twinkle in his gaze. Content, Zeus descended from his throne and approached the pile he had selected. Imagine his surprise when he discovered, underneath all that plump fat, a pile of bones, without the slightest shred of meat on them! The fine-looking pile contained nothing but bones. He turned towards the revolting heap next to it, pushed back the entrails with his sword, and discovered under that mass of gut all the meat! Astonished murmurs were heard across the hall, followed by some restrained laughter. The great Zeus had been utterly and completely fooled… From then on men would feast on the fine flesh of every slaughtered cow, while Zeus would have to content himself with the bare bones. He scanned the room with his eyes to find Prometheus, but the latter had disappeared.

  A red glimmer flashed across the eyes of the master of Olympus. His wrath exploded. “He who dares to trick me must be punished!” he yelled. “If this is how things are, then I shall take fire away from men. From now on, I will never again send my thunderbolt to earth. The storm will never more burn a single tree. They shall be deprived of fire and be condemned to eat their meat raw. And I do not wish Prometheus to appear before me ever again.” Zeus then left the council of the gods in a rage of fury. For the first time, and in spite of Metis’ presence inside him, someone else’s cunning had been stronger than his own.

  The gods left the hall murmuring among themselves. Hermes came across Poseidon, who said to him in his usual surly tone: “You see, I was right when I told you that your father ought to be wary of this Prometheus.” And yet Poseidon seemed to rather enjoy the god of gods’ misadventure. Hermes flew away to reflect upon what he had just seen. He could not refrain from admiring the way in which the Titan had deceived his father. Yet he was deeply concerned about the future of Prometheus and that of mankind.

  To be continued…

  EPISODE 35

  IN WHICH PROMETHEUS STEALS FIRE FROM THE GODS

  Previously: Prometheus has managed to deceive Zeus. From now on, mankind would not lack food. In retaliation, however, Zeus has taken fire away from them.

  A great sadness reigned upon earth. Until then, the fire had kept men warm, had kept the wild animals at bay, it had cooked their food. Since Zeus had taken fire away from them, human beings were dying one after the other. The cold was fierce; it bit through their skin and killed those who were weakest among them. At night, the wild animals took advantage of the darkness to draw near the compounds and devour them. They had to feed themselves with raw meat, like animals. They were doomed.

  One night, when Hermes was not sleeping, he saw a shadow slither onto one of the palace terraces. Another shadow came out of the palace and joined the first. Hermes flew noiselessly up to them and listened.

  “How sad you look, my friend,” a female voice murmured. “Things are not as grim as you say.”

  A male voice replied to her: “Alas, yes, things are very grim indeed! Men are dying one after the other. Soon there will be none left on earth!”

  At these words, Hermes recognized Prometheus. He certainly lacked no pluck to dare return to Olympus in this manner! The one who had come surreptitiously to join him had to be Athena.

  “But what would you propose to
do?” Athena was asking. “It is very risky to go against my father’s will…”

  Prometheus whispered a few words into Athena’s ear, but Hermes could not hear what he was saying. Then the two shadows separated and Hermes returned to his room.

  On the following nights, Hermes wandered about the palace, yet nothing happened. One morning, he ran into Athena in one of the palace corridors and asked her with an air of feigned innocence:

  “Have you any news of your friend Prometheus?”

  The goddess hardly looked at him and replied drily: “Friend? What friend? You are talking nonsense, my poor Hermes.”

  He was beginning to wonder whether he might not have dreamt it all, when one night something happened. It was a night of black darkness, one of those nights when Selene, the goddess of the Moon, must have fallen asleep and forgotten to take the moon out on her chariot. Hermes, who was fluttering about the palace before going to bed, heard the leaves rustle. Prometheus had come to join Athena.

  “Have you brought what we need?” Athena was whispering.

  “Yes, yes,” replied the Titan.

  “Well then, follow me,” said the goddess of Wisdom. She led Prometheus towards a secret door of the palace.

  Athena pushed gently at the door and gestured to Prometheus to follow her. Astonished, Hermes saw the banished Titan enter stealthily into the palace. What was he planning to do? Hermes slipped in quietly behind them.

  Once inside, the two conspirators headed towards the centre of the palace. They entered like shades the room situated at the very heart of the palace, the room of the sacred fire. Here goddess Hestia looked after the fire of the gods throughout the entire night. Her task was never to let it die out by stoking it up constantly with wood, and also to keep an eye on it. Prometheus had taken hold of a heavy jar, intending to knock Hestia senseless. Yet that was not going to be necessary: the goddess of the Hearth had fallen asleep. Prometheus immediately bent down over the fire, took out from his tunic a sort of hollow stalk, and slipped some embers inside the hollow. Then he went away once more, as silently as he had come. Hermes was relieved: Prometheus did not wish to take the place of the god of gods; what interested him was to save his children, the human beings.