Hermes Coloring Pages
Welcome to our Hermes coloring pages section.
Hermes was the speedy messenger of the Greek gods, zipping around in his winged sandals with his golden winged wand (called the caduceus). He was also a bit of a trickster. When he was only a few hours old, he snuck out of his cradle, invented the lyre, and stole fifty of his big brother Apollo’s cattle. Not a bad first day!
The images of baby Hermes aren't just for fun... his time as a baby is a big part of Greek mythology. He was naughty!
When Hermes was only a few hours old, he found a tortoise, stretched strings tight across its empty shell, and invented the lyre. Then he crept off and stole fifty of Apollo's cattle. When he was caught, baby Hermes swore he didn't even know what a cow was. Clever tricks like that made him the Greek god of thieves.
Apollo loved the lyre so much that he traded his cattle for it and gave Hermes the caduceus, a golden wand with wings on top. When Hermes tossed it between two fighting snakes, they stopped fighting and wrapped around it for good.
Zeus gave Hermes a winged silver cap and silver wings for his feet, and made him herald of the gods. Whenever a job needed speed or skill, Hermes got it. He led three goddesses to Paris, tied Prometheus to a mountain, and freed Io from her hundred-eyed guard. When Zeus visited earth in disguise, Hermes usually came along.
On his long trip home from Troy, Odysseus got help from Hermes twice. When the witch Circe turned his men into pigs, Hermes gave him a magic herb called moly so her spells wouldn't work on him. Later, after the nymph Calypso had kept Odysseus on her island for seven years, Zeus sent Hermes to tell her to let him go.
At the beginning of his adventures, young Perseus got help from the gods including Hermes and Athena.
Hermes was often shown helping mortal heroes... this time he lent Perseus his winged sandals!
Herme's harpe:
When Perseus set out to slay Medusa, the gods lent him their gifts. Hermes gave him the harpe, a curved sword sharp enough to cut through a Gorgon's tough scales. With one quick stroke, Perseus cut off Medusa's head. In some versions, the sword came from the Maidens of the West instead.
Weapons of the Greek gods coloring pages
Print the story of baby Hermes and his first-day adventures, plus five coloring pages to go with it.