Mercury (Mythology)

MERCURY (Greco-Roman god)

A major god of the Roman religion, he is equal to Greek Hermes. The Messenger of the Gods, he is thus in charge of communication (including fortune-telling), eloquence, commerce, financial gain, travelers, boundaries, luck, trickery, and thieves. He also conducts souls to the underworld. Possibly a son of Jupiter (Greek Zeus), he is often seen holding the caduceus (the staff with intertwined snakes) in his left hand. (Through an error of symbology, this is associated with the medical profession today.)

• The planet is named for this messenger god because of the apparent speed of its motion across the sky.
• The element mercury, too, seems "fast," so was named for the planet, not the god.
• The adjective "mercurial" indicates rapid changeability.

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(Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons; CTTO)