HERMES

Word Search – Hermes

This exercise covers material
in d’Aulaires’ Book of Greek Myths, pp. 50-54

In this grid, find the words suggested by the clues at the bottom of the page.
The words may be backwards, forwards, horizontal, vertical, or diagonal.

1. Mother of Hermes
2. Location of the cave where Maia and Hermes lived (two words)
3. God of merchants, thieves, travelers, and shepherds
4. Color of the cows in Apollo's herd
5. Number of cows that Hermes stole from Apollo
6. What Hermes tied to the cows' tails to erase their tracks
7. The way that Hermes drove the cows out of the pasture to confuse Apollo
8. Number of cows that Hermes sacrificed to the Olympian gods
9. Number of strings on Hermes' musical instrument
10. The musical instrument that Hermes invented
11. The type of shell used for Hermes' musical instrument
12. The source of Apollo's knowledge about who had stolen his herd
13. Father of both Hermes and Apollo
14. The magic item that Apollo traded for Hermes' musical instrument
15. Distinguishing feature of Hermes’ hat and sandals
16. Another word for messenger
17. Goddess who was angry with Hermes over the death of her servant 21. Another name for a pile of
18. The item with which the gods cast their votes in Hermes' trial stones that guides
19. Monster whom Hermes had bored to death travelers
20. God to whom Hermes led the souls of the dead
137 Copyright 2007 American Classical League
May be reproduced for classroom use
 HERMES

Teacher’s Key
Word Search – Hermes

1. Maia
2. Mount Cyllene
3. Hermes
4. white
5. fifty
6. brooms
7. backward
8. two
9. seven
10. lyre
11. tortoise
12. oracle
13. Zeus
14. wand
15. wings
16. herald
17. Hera
18. pebble
19. Argus
20. Hades
21. cairn
138 Copyright 2007 American Classical League
May be reproduced for classroom use
 HERMES

Hermes Crossword
This exercise covers material in d’Aulaires’ Book of Greek Myths, pp. 50-54

Across
3. Mother of Hermes
5. How Apollo felt when he saw the tracks going into the field but not out
6. Hermes' Roman name
8. One gift with wings that Zeus gave to Hermes
11. The musical instrument that Apollo received in exchange for cows and a magic wand
12. Father of Hermes

Down
1. The animals that Hermes stole from Apollo
2. The messenger of the gods
4. The monster bored to death by Hermes
7. Another gift with wings that Zeus gave to Hermes
9. The god of music
10. What the gods threw toward Hermes if they thought he was innocent of a crime

Word Bank

Apollo hat Mercury

Argus Hermes pebbles
confused lyre sandals
cows Maia Zeus

139 Copyright 2007 American Classical League

May be reproduced for classroom use
 HERMES

Teacher’s Key
Hermes Crossword

140 Copyright 2007 American Classical League

May be reproduced for classroom use
 HERMES

Hermes Double Puzzle

This exercise covers material
in d’Aulaires’ Book of Greek Myths, pp. 50-54

Step 1: Unscramble each of the clue words by answering the

questions.

Step 2: To discover the secret phrase that applies to both

Hermes and Apollo, copy the letters in the
numbered squares into the squares with the same
number at the bottom of the page.

Question for Clue Word #1:
Question for Clue Word #2:
Question for Clue Word #3:
Question for Clue Words #4:
Question for Clue Word # 5:
What did Hermes steal from Apollo?
Who was Hermes’ mother?
Who was Hermes’ father?
What two “winged” items did Hermes wear?
How did Hera feel when she learned that Hermes
had bored Argus to death?

Clue Word #1: SOWC

2 7

Clue Word #2: MAAI

Clue Word #3: SZUE

6 5

Clue Words #4: DSTHANNASALAD

8 1 9

Clue Word #5: RAGNY

3 10

SECRET PHRASE

1 2 3 1 2 4 5 6 7 8 6 9 9 9 10 3 6
141 Copyright 2007 American Classical League
May be reproduced for classroom use
 HERMES

Mythological Names Rebus

Figure out the verbal rebus to find out what mythological character is
named.

1. Two of the three articles plus a slang way to say “no”

__________ + __________ + ____________ = _______________

2. A 3rd person object feminine pronoun plus the hypothetical plural of a 1st person object pronoun

__________ + __________ = _______________

3. What grows on your head plus a cheer

__________ + __________ = _______________

4. The musician Garfunkel’s first name plus Dorothy’s aunt plus the singular of are

__________ + __________ + ____________ = _______________

5. An article plus the musician Simon’s first name plus an expression of surprise

__________ + __________ + ____________ = _______________

6. A river in Italy plus what the past tense of “sigh” plus the opposite of “off”

__________ + __________ + ____________ = _______________

7. What you breathe plus the plural of “e”

__________ + __________ = _______________

8. A hair-style plus the opposite of “live” plus a drink

__________ + __________ + ____________ = _______________

9. An article plus an instrument of torture plus a part of your leg

__________ + __________ + ____________ = _______________

10. Neckwear plus 2000 pounds

__________ + __________ = _______________

142 Copyright 2007 American Classical League

May be reproduced for classroom use
 HERMES

Teacher’s Key
Hermes Double Puzzle
1. cows
2. Maia
3. Zeus
4. hat and sandals
5. angry

Secret Phrase: tortoise shell lyre

Teacher’s Key
Mythological Names Rebus
1. a + the + na = Athena

2. her + mes = Hermes

3. hair + rah = Hera

4. Art + Em + is = Artemis

5. a + Paul + oh = Apollo

6. Po + sighed + on = Poseidon

7. air + e’s = Ares

8. afro + die + tea = Aphrodite

9. a + rack + knee = Arachne

10. tie + ton = Titan

143 Copyright 2007 American Classical League

May be reproduced for classroom use
 HERMES

Musical Mythology

Mercury

(Tune: “Billy Boy”)

Can you fly very fast, Mercury, Mercury?

Can you fly very fast, darling Hermes?
Oh yes, I’m very fleet.
I’ve got wings upon my feet.
I’m a swift boy and no one could be faster.

Can you sing very well, Mercury, Mercury?

Can you sing very well, darling Hermes?
On the lyre I can play.
I make music every day.
I’m a swift boy and no one could be faster.

Can you tell where the cows of Apollo have gone?

Can you tell where they’ve gone, darling Hermes?
I could tell, but you see,
Then the blame would fall on me.
I’m a swift boy
And no one could be faster.

Liz Hubbard, Sagel, ID

Susan Hengelsberg, Perry, NY
Ann Edwards, Belle, MO

144 Copyright 2007 American Classical League

May be reproduced for classroom use
 HERMES

The Caduceus

Pronunciation: ka – dū – sē – us or ka – dū – shus

The caduceus, the “magic wand” which Apollo traded for Hermes’ lyre, is
depicted as a winged staff with two snakes wrapped around it. Since it
belonged to Hermes, the messenger of the gods, it was a symbol of
commerce and travel. He carried it whenever he carried messages from
Mount Olympus to earth, and with it he conducted the dead into the
underworld.

The Latin word caduceus is equivalent to the Greek word karykeion which means
“herald’s staff.” Originally, this staff had two white ribbons attached to it. It is
believed that these ribbons eventually became the snakes on the familiar modern
symbol. Another form of the karykeion included a horn formation at the top of the
staff made from snake heads. This version of the caduceus is reminiscent of the
symbol for the planet Mercury. The connection of the caduceus with medicine
began in the seventh century when alchemists consulted the position of the planets
in order to advise their patients.

There is another mythological story which involves a staff with snakes.

Asclepius, a son of Apollo who was mentored by Chiron, was a celebrated
physician. (See d’Aulaires’ Book of Greek Myths, pp. 98-99) His symbol, the
staff of Asclepius, consisted of a single serpent encircling a staff. Asclepius
received much of his information about curing disease from snakes. Patients of
Asclepius slept in special temples called Asclepieia because they believed that
they would be cured by doing so. Aesculapian snakes lived in the temples;
these harmless European snakes are brown with a yellow belly and are
particularly adept at climbing trees. After his death, Asclepius became a
constellation called Ophiuchus or Sepentarius, the “serpent-bearer.”

Both Hermes’ caduceus and the staff of Asclepius were used to advertise pharmacies
in the 17th and 18th centuries. In the 19th and 20th centuries, both symbols came to
represent medicine and healing.

In 1902, the caduceus became the official insignia for the Medical Department of the
United States Army.

145 Copyright 2007 American Classical League

May be reproduced for classroom use
 HERMES

Activities for Hermes and Apollo

1. Research ancient musical instruments and draw or make replicas.

2. Invent musical instruments using “found” objects. Hermes used what he had:
an empty shell.

3. Find out more about the relationship of the caduceus to medicine.

4. Find the myth about the origin of the constellation, Lyra. If possible, have a star watch to see it in the
sky. If that is not possible, make a model of Lyra by punching holes in the bottom of a tin can and
shine a light through the holes in a darkened classroom.

5. Make a listing of all the things associated with Hermes and another listing of all things associated
with Apollo.

6. Write songs Apollo might have sung when he played the lyre. Remember that the ancient songs didn’t
always rhyme and that they probably praised the beauty of nature.

7. Find out as much as you can about Hermes’ Roman name, Mercury. Why was the liquid in a
thermometer named for him? Does the nickname “quicksilver” seem appropriate?

8. Research the planet Mercury. Does the name seem appropriate? Why or why not?

9. Research the Apollo missions of NASA. Why were they named for the god associated with the sun?

Joette McDonald
Vermilion, OH

146 Copyright 2007 American Classical League

May be reproduced for classroom use
 HERMES

APOLLO AND HERMES

147 Copyright 2007 American Classical League

May be reproduced for classroom use