CLA204H5 Chapter Notes - Chapter 8-11: Homeric Hymns, Psychopomp, Sacred Prostitution
Document Summary
Hermes plays a role as a psychopompos ( soul guide ) , he leads dead into the house of hades. Hermes often called argeiphontes slayer of argus , argu isa hundred-eyed monster. Hymn to hermes" = tells birth and stores of this trickster god only several hours old, he already invented the lyre, stole the cattle of his brother apollo then lied about it to apollo and zeus. Apollo and hermes were social and political opposites: apollo, with fine herds of cow is rich and established, while hermes a helpless infant huddled in a cave, merely a god"s bastard son. Apollo god of aristocrats, stands for aristoi best men and hermes for kakoi bad guys . Poem seems to say that social classes of aristoi and kakoi look past their differences and seek common political interest (in this case lyre) Form sometimes only part-human, with hoofs and legs of a goat.
