Of Boundaries and the Travelers Who Cross Them
I’m a fan of Greek and Roman mythology. This weekend, while trying to take a couple of minutes off from the grind of daily grad student life, I decided to open my copy of Bulfinch’s Mythology and do some exercising.
But, I couldn’t find any stories about one of my favorites: Hermes (or Mercury, if you fall on the side of the Romans).
So, I turned to the 21st century fountain that is Wikipedia. Here’s the first line:
“Hermes (Greek ʽἙρμῆς IPA: [herˈmeːs]), in Greek mythology, is the Olympian god of boundaries and of the travellers who cross them, of shepherds and cowherds, of orators and wit, of literature and poets, of athletics, of weights and measures and invention and commerce in general, and of the cunning of thieves and liars.”
Fist, I’m not sure how you leave one with credentials like this out of a mythology anthology, and second: look at that first item: god of boundaries and of the travelers who cross them.
Wow. Who knew? The Greeks were prepared for every situation, I tell you.
So, now as I cross into new realms, and push into new territories—both physical and virtual, structural and temporal—I’ll be sure to invoke the appropriate muse and to remember Hermes, unlike my dear Bulfinch (which usually doesn’t disappoint, by the way, itself traveling many boundaries of time).
As a matter of fact, next time I cross any type of boundary, I’ll make sure I’m armed with my Bulfinch, just to make sure even if omitted, Hermes will protect it, grant approval, and approve safe passage.