I think the picture is of Hermes flying (see his winged shoes!)
Hermes (Mercury in Roman) is the great messenger of
the gods and is a guide to the underworld. Hermes was the son of Zeus and Maia.
He was known as a trickster and an inventor. He even invented fire! (Without
fire, we wouldn’t be here today. Scary!) His symbols were the rooster and the
tortoise. He is usually wearing a winged cap, winged shoes, and holding his
staff, called kerykerion. He was clever, athletic, bold, determined, and
powerful (as a magician).
Hermes
Infant Story:
In a cave on Mt.Cyllene, when Hermes was still an infant, his mother set him down in his cradle and went to sleep. But Hermes got out of the cradle and went far away to Pieria. In Pieria, Apollo’s herds of cows were grazing, Hermes stole Apollo’s cows. He drove them home (not in a car!) and was smart enough to make them walk backwards, so no one could follow their tracks. (Smart baby, huh?) He also found a tortoise that he killed and cleaned.
When he returned home, he sacrificed two cows to the Olympians. (This part gets gross) He put the intestines of the cows into the dead tortoise’s shell, inventing the first lyre (an instrument that you blow through to make music). The tired infant then climbed back into his cradle and went to sleep.
When Apollo found out that his cows were stolen, he found Hermes and told Hermes mother what he had done. At first, Maia, Hermes mother, didn’t believe Apollo. But, Apollo proved that Hermes had stolen his cows, so Maia took Hermes to Zeus. Zeus told Maia to return the cows to Apollo.
But, Hermes started to play the lyre and Apollo was enchanted by the beautiful music. So, Apollo let Hermes keep the cattle.
In a cave on Mt.Cyllene, when Hermes was still an infant, his mother set him down in his cradle and went to sleep. But Hermes got out of the cradle and went far away to Pieria. In Pieria, Apollo’s herds of cows were grazing, Hermes stole Apollo’s cows. He drove them home (not in a car!) and was smart enough to make them walk backwards, so no one could follow their tracks. (Smart baby, huh?) He also found a tortoise that he killed and cleaned.
When he returned home, he sacrificed two cows to the Olympians. (This part gets gross) He put the intestines of the cows into the dead tortoise’s shell, inventing the first lyre (an instrument that you blow through to make music). The tired infant then climbed back into his cradle and went to sleep.
When Apollo found out that his cows were stolen, he found Hermes and told Hermes mother what he had done. At first, Maia, Hermes mother, didn’t believe Apollo. But, Apollo proved that Hermes had stolen his cows, so Maia took Hermes to Zeus. Zeus told Maia to return the cows to Apollo.
But, Hermes started to play the lyre and Apollo was enchanted by the beautiful music. So, Apollo let Hermes keep the cattle.
