Dictionary Of God And Godedesses

HERYŠAF 123from a barrel and to bring King Priam of Troyinto conciliatory meeting with the Greek warhero Achilles after the death of Hector.Classical art depicts Hermes wearing wingedgolden sandals and holding a magical herald’s staffconsisting of intertwined serpents, the kerykeion.He is reputedly the only being able to find his wayto the underworld ferry of Charon and backagain. Hence he was sent to bring both PERSE-PHONE and Eurydice back from Hades. In companywith other Greek gods, Hermes is endowedwith not-inconsiderable sexual prowess which hedirects toward countryside nymphs and withwhich he also maintains a healthy and thrivingpopulation of sheep and goats! He was often representedin wayside shrines in the form of a phallicpillar or post which was regarded as a funerarymonument, hence the role of grave guardian.HermodMessenger god. Nordic (Icelandic). One of thesons of the Viking god OTHIN, he was sent toHel on a mission to obtain the release of the godBALDER, who had been slain by the blind godHod. The mission failed because only one creaturein the world, a hag (probably LOKI in disguise),failed to weep at Balder’s loss and Hermodreturned empty-handed. It may be argued thatHermod is less a deity than a demigod hero modeledon the Danish king of the Beowulf Saga. AlsoHeremod; Hermoth.HermusRiver god. Roman. A sanctuary has been identifiedat Sardis.HerneChthonic underworld god. Celtic (British) orAnglo-Saxon. Known locally from WindsorGreat Park, Berkshire, England, he equateswith the Welsh deities GWYNN AP NUDD andARAWN and is, according to legend, the leaderof the phantom hunt. Depicted with stag-likeantlers.HerosChthonic underworld god. Thracian. Depictedas a horseman. His image regularly appears onfunerary stelae.HerukaGod. Buddhist (Mahayana). One of the most populardeities in the pantheon, though probablyowing much to the influence of the Hindu godŠIVA. Originally an epithet for another Hindugod, GANESA, but in Buddhism seen as an emanationof AKSOBHYA. His SAKTI is NAIRAMATA andthe product of their liaison is nirvana (eternalbliss). Typically he stands upon a corpse. In northeasternIndia, Heruka is worshiped as a compassionategod. Attributes: club, flayed human skin,image of Aksobhya, jewel, knife, fifty skulls,sword, staff and teeth.HERYŠAF (he who is upon his lake)ORIGIN Egyptian. Primeval deity associated bothwith Osiris and Re.KNOWN PERIOD OF WORSHIP from circa 2700 BC,and probably earlier, until the end of Egyptianhistory (circa AD 400).SYNONYMS Arsaphes (Plutarch).CENTER(S) OF CULT Hnes (Ihnasya el-Medina)near Beni Suef.ART REFERENCES reliefs and sculptures includinga gold figurine held by the Boston Museum ofFine Arts.LITERARY SOURCES stela from Hnes later movedto Pompeii (Naples Museum).