Page:Myth, Ritual, and Religion (Volume 2).djvu/271

Rh the walls he saved the city of Tanagra from a pestilence. The Arcadians also represented him carrying a ram under his arm. As to the phallic Hermæ, it is only certain that the Athenian taste agreed with that of the Admiralty Islanders in selecting such unseemly images to stand beside every door. But the connection of Hermes with music (he was the inventor of the lyre, as the Homeric Hymn sets forth) may be explained by the musical and poetical character of old Greek shepherd life.

If we could set aside the various elemental theories of Hermes as the storm-wind, the twilight, the child of dawn, and the rest, it would not be difficult to show that one moral conception is common to his character in many of its varied aspects. He is the god of luck, of prosperity, of success, of fortunate adventure. This department of his activity is already recognised in Homer. He is giver of good luck. He is "Hermes, who giveth grace and glory to all the works of men." Hence comes his Homeric name,, the luck-bringer. The last cup at a feast is drunk to his honour "for luck." Where we cry "Shares!" in a lucky find, the Greek cried "Hermes in common!" A godsend was. Thus among rough shepherd-folk the luck-bringing god displayed his activity chiefly in making fruitful the flocks, but among city -people he presided over the mart and the public assembly, where he gave good fortune, and