Hermes

Family: Greek names in Plutarch · Role: god · First appears: The History of Isis and Osiris, collected by Plutarch · Part 4

In Plutarch’s “Isis and Osiris,” Hermes played dice with Selene and won portions of her days, joining them to make five extra days. Plutarch says Isis was Hermes’s child, and that she and Osiris enjoyed each other in their mother’s womb, from which Aroueris sprang.

Later, when Typhon accused Horus of illegitimacy, Hermes assisted in establishing Horus’s legitimacy by a decree of the gods. Hermes also placed an ox’s head on Isis in place of a helmet.

Relationship record

Life events

• Hermes won portions of days from Selene and made five extra days.(The History of Isis and Osiris, collected by Plutarch · Part 4)
  • With: Selene
  • “Hermes, however, 'being also in love with the same goddess, in return for the favours which he had received from her, went and played at dice with Selene, and won from her the seventieth part of each day. These parts he joined together and made from them five complete days, and he added them to the three hundred and sixty days of which the year formerly consisted.”
• Hermes placed an ox's head on Isis in place of a helmet.(The History of Isis and Osiris, collected by Plutarch · Part 7)
  • With: Isis
  • “but Hermes came forward, and set upon her head the head of an ox instead of a helmet.”
• With Hermes's assistance, a decree of the gods established Horus's legitimacy after Typhon accused him of illegitimacy.(The History of Isis and Osiris, collected by Plutarch · Part 7)
  • With: Horus Typhon
  • “After this Typhon accused Horus of illegitimacy, but, by the assistance of Hermes, his legitimacy was fully established by a decree of the gods themselves.”

The History of Isis and Osiris, collected by Plutarch · Part 4

• child: Isis “As regards the fathers of these children, the first two are said to have been begotten by Helios, Isis by Hermes, and Typhon and Nephthys by Kronos.”

The History of Isis and Osiris, collected by Plutarch · Part 7

• protégé: Horus (Hermes assisted Horus in establishing his legitimacy.) “After this Typhon accused Horus of illegitimacy, but, by the assistance of Hermes, his legitimacy was fully established by a decree of the gods themselves.”

Also listed in Greek names in Plutarch — Minor Figures

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Extracted from the original text of Legends of the Gods. Made with Rho MD.