Homeric Hymn to Hermes (18)

Catalogue ID: 02-olympian-gods/112-homeric-hymn-hermes-18

Cycle: Olympian gods — Hermes / short Homeric Hymn

Version line: Homeric Hymn XVIII — brief birth praise of Cyllenian Hermes

Sources: Homeric Hymn to Hermes (18)

Source file: /workspace/greek-myth-catalogue/02-olympian-gods/112-homeric-hymn-hermes-18.md

Characters

Artemis — father who lay with Maia
Maia — shy Arcadian mother in the cave
The Hours — Cyllenian messenger; son of Zeus and Maia

Places

Maia’s shadowy cave — birthplace apart from the gods’ throng
Mount Cyllene — birth landscape rich in flocks

Themes

Narrative

Homeric Hymn 18 briefly sings Hermes, son of Zeus and Maia, ruler of Cyllene and Arcadia rich in flocks, immortal messenger, whom Maia bore after joining with Zeus—shy of the throng of gods in her shadowy cave. The singer hails the son of Zeus and Maia. There is no cattle-theft, no tortoise-lyre, no pact with Apollo—only parentage, place, and office. Catalogue it as Hermes’ short hymn-atom beside the long Hymn 4 narrative cycle.