Mercury
by Gloria Ssali
Title
Mercury
Artist
Gloria Ssali
Medium
Drawing - Drawing
Description
Mercury ( /ˈmɜrkjʉri/; Latin: Mercurius listen (help•info)) was a messenger,[1] and a god of trade, the son of Maia Maiestas and Jupiter in Roman mythology. His name is related to the Latin word merx ("merchandise"; compare merchant, commerce, etc.), mercari (to trade), and merces (wages).[2] In his earliest forms, he appears to have been related to the Etruscan deity Turms, but most of his characteristics and mythology were borrowed from the analogous Greek god, Hermes. Latin writers rewrote Hermes' myths and substituted his name with that of Mercury. However, there are at least two myths that involve Mercury that are Roman in origin. In Virgil's Aeneid, Mercury reminds Aeneas of his mission to found the city of Rome. In Ovid's Fasti, Mercury is assigned to escort the nymph Larunda to the underworld. Mercury, however, fell in love with Larunda and made love to her on the way; this act has also been interpreted as a rape. Larunda thereby became mother to two children, referred to as the Lares, invisible household gods.
Mercury has influenced the name of many things in a variety of scientific fields, such as the planet Mercury, and the element mercury.[3] The word mercurial is commonly used to refer to something or someone erratic, volatile or unstable, derived from Mercury's swift flights from place to place. He is often depicted holding the Caduceus in his left hand. The caduceus has also become the symbol of paramedics worldwide.
Mercury did not appear among the numinous di indigetes of early Roman religion. Rather, he subsumed the earlier Dei Lucrii as Roman religion was syncretized with Greek religion during the time of the Roman Republic, starting around the 4th century BC. From the beginning, Mercury had essentially the same aspects as Hermes, wearing winged shoes talaria and a winged petasos, and carrying the caduceus, a herald's staff with two entwined snakes that was Apollo's gift to Hermes. He was often accompanied by a cockerel, herald of the new day, a ram or goat, symbolizing fertility, and a tortoise, referring to Mercury's legendary invention of the lyre from a tortoise shell.
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November 14th, 2011
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Comments (16)
Xueling Zou
Wow, love the symbolic expression you created into your drawing, Gloria! Breath taking!! Thank you for leaving your nice feedback on my "Curtain Call", I do appreciate it!!
Dean Harte
very nice addition to your already great portfolio Gloria, love the great amount of detail - great job!
Lourry Legarde
This drawing has a "Wow: factor, Gloria! I admire your drawing skills and your creative work! This is very intricate and so interesting! It looks difficult too!
Sharon Burger
You do such inticate designs and do them so beautifully, but even more you go on to educate as well. Great job Gloria.