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Hermes the Thief: The Evolution of a Myth

Hermes is a vital and complex figure in Greek mythology — trickster and culture hero, divine child and patron of stealthy action, master of magic words, seducer and whisperer. Shepherd, artisan, herald, musician, athlete, merchant — who is this tricky shape-shifter, confronting us at every turn?

In this classic, prescient work (first published in 1947 and foreshadowing all subsequent work greeting the return of the gods), Brown asks: Is Hermes the Thief the prototype from which, by extension and analogy, the Trickster was derived? Alternatively, is the notion of trickery the fundamental idea and theft merely a specific manifestation of it?

This thoughtful study will be of interest to anyone wishing a fresh view of an important, often misunderstood, character of Greek mythology.

  • Format
  • paperback
  • Pages
  • 164
  • Language
  • english
  • ISBN
  • 9780940262263
  • Genres
  • history, mythology, philosophy
  • Release date
  • 1990