Mercury/Hermes

[Haribol]

So, I feel strongly that this is where I’m supposed to learn about, and that it would benefit (forgive my arrogance) us if come to a better understanding of these planetary energiers.

 

But I think it would be more proper to ask you what these things about, instead of me writing a borderline scizho essay.

 

Appreciate you.

[Apech]

1 hour ago, Surya said:

So, I feel strongly that this is where I’m supposed to learn about, and that it would benefit (forgive my arrogance) us if come to a better understanding of these planetary energiers.

 

But I think it would be more proper to ask you what these things about, instead of me writing a borderline scizho essay.

 

Appreciate you.

A bit of synchronicity here as I was thinking of starting a thread on Hermes/ Mercury, Thoth and Woden.  As these gods were thought of in antiquity as being equivalent.

 

 

[Haribol]

1 hour ago, Apech said:

A bit of synchronicity here as I was thinking of starting a thread on Hermes/ Mercury, Thoth and Woden.  As these gods were thought of in antiquity as being equivalent.

Even more synchronicity, I was about to throw Odin and Toth into the mix as well, but was a little a out of my depth. But Odin is the god of the runes (magic/mysteries), a shamanic figure (his name means divine/inspired fury or something along those lines) and is the god of the berserkers/werewolfes and kings. The amount of European nobles that thraced their lineage to Odin during medival times, is countless.

 

He also has two brothers, Villi and Ve (Will and the sacred/temple), so perhaps there is som alchemy going on here. 
 

Yet another curiousity, I’ve recently developed a great friendship with a pilgrim and archeologist named Bård. If you look in to the etymology of that word, it is the same as boundary and to bind (as in binding the ingroup together). That bind and boundary are so closely related, seems paradoxical to quite a few, I think. It once did for me, as well.  But now it makes perfect sense: a nation without a border is not a nation. 
 

Ofc, if you have eyes to see and hears to hear, everyone is welcome. But if there are werewolves running around I’ll lock my door… I’ll make an exception for Proffesor Lupin tho. If he has taken is elixir, that is.

 

 

[Apech]

2 hours ago, Surya said:

Even more synchronicity, I was about to throw Odin and Toth into the mix as well, but was a little a out of my depth. But Odin is the god of the runes (magic/mysteries), a shamanic figure (his name means divine/inspired fury or something along those lines) and is the god of the berserkers/werewolfes and kings. The amount of European nobles that thraced their lineage to Odin during medival times, is countless.

 

He also has two brothers, Villi and Ve (Will and the sacred/temple), so perhaps there is som alchemy going on here. 
 

Yet another curiousity, I’ve recently developed a great friendship with a pilgrim and archeologist named Bård. If you look in to the etymology of that word, it is the same as boundary and to bind (as in binding the ingroup together). That bind and boundary are so closely related, seems paradoxical to quite a few, I think. It once did for me, as well.  But now it makes perfect sense: a nation without a border is not a nation. 
 

Ofc, if you have eyes to see and hears to hear, everyone is welcome. But if there are werewolves running around I’ll lock my door… I’ll make an exception for Proffesor Lupin tho. If he has taken is elixir, that is.

 

 

Someone said - I can’t remember who , that all magic is either binding or unbinding spells.  Your Bard / boundary would fit with this.

 

Odin is an interesting god - his original name meant something like king of the frenzy or perhaps inspiration.  
 

 

[Nungali]

Ahhhh .... one of  my 'patrons'   .   I have written many posts here on the benefits  and necessity of 'having'  Mercury  .  For a Magician , Mercury is of prime importance . 

 

Let's  dive into the deep end first    

 

 

 

 Majesty of the Godhead, Wisdom-crowned Thoth, Lord of the Gates of the Universe: Thee, Thee we invoke!

O Thou of the Ibis head: Thee, Thee we invoke!

Thou who wieldest the Wand of Double Power: Thee, Thee we invoke!

Thou who bearest in Thy left hand the Rose and Cross of Light and Life: Thee, Thee we invoke!

O Thou whose head is as an Emerald, and Thy Nemyss as the night sky-blue! Thou whose skin is of flaming orange, as though it burned in a furnace: Thee, Thee we invoke!

Behold, I am yesterday, to-day, and the brother of The Morrow! I am born again and again. Mine is the unseen force from which the Gods are sprung; that giveth life unto the dwellers in the watch-towers of the Universe.

I am the charioteer of the East, Lord of the Past and the Future. I see by mine own inward light; Lord of Resurrection, who cometh forth from the dusk, and whose birth is from the House of Death.

O ye two divine hawks upon your pinnacles, who keep watch over the Universe! Ye who company the bier unto the House of Rest. Ye who pilot the Ship of Ra, ever advancing onwards unto the heights of Heaven!

Lord of the Shrine which standeth in the centre of the Earth!

Behold He is in me and I in Him!

Mine is the radiance in which Ptah floateth over his firmament.

I travel upon high.

I tread upon the firmament of Nu.

I raise a flashing flame with the lightning of mine eye, ever rushing forward in the splendour of the daily glorified Ra, giving my life to the dwellers of Earth.

If I say “come up upon the mountains,”

The Celestial waters shall flow at my word;

For I am Ra incarnate,

Khephra created in the flesh!

I am the image of my Father Tmu, Lord of the City of the Sun!

The God who commands is in my mouth;

The God of Wisdom is in my heart:

My tongue is the sanctuary of Truth:

And a God sitteth upon my lips!

My word is accomplished each day, and the desire of my heart realises itself, like that of Ptah when he creates his works.

I am Eternal; therefore everything acts according to my designs, and everything obeys my words.

Therefore I say unto Thee: come forth unto me from thine abode in the Silence, unutterable Wisdom, All-light, All-power! Thoth, Hermes, Mercury, Odin, by whatever name I call Thee, Thou art still un-named and nameless to Eternity! Come thou forth, I say, and aid and guard me in this Work of Art.

Thou, Star of the East that didst conduct the Magi! Thou art the same, all present in Heaven and in Hell. Thou that vibratest betwixt the Light and the Darkness. Rising, descending; changing ever, yet ever the same!

The Sun in Thy Father!

Thy Mother the Moon!

The Wind hath borne Thee in its bosom!

And Earth hath nourished the changeless Godhead of Thy Youth.

Come Thou forth, I say, come Thou forth

And make all spirits subject unto me!

So that every spirit of the firmament,

And of the Ether,

Of the Earth,

And under the Earth,

On dry land,

And in the Water,

Of whirling Air,

And of rushing Fire,

And every spell and scourge of God, may be obedient unto Me!

 

 

 

 

        

Edited Wednesday at 10:10 PM by Nungali

[Nungali]

[Nungali]

 

 

(  I stumbled upon this site when looking for this image ^  - some might find it interesting ;  

 

https://www.iconsofkmt.com/personal-gods          )  

[Nungali]

I'll continue working through a bit more of an introduction , on the 'energy' of Mercury ,  relating to its planetary energy ,  then  astrological energies . After that I will add some more on the Deity aspects ( the Gods associated with Mercury ) and how it may affect us personally (ie in our natal charts and transits { current astrological influences ) . 

 

One thing that stands out in all this is Mercury's   special , magical 'electric'  powers , in that Mercury being the basic 'magical force' and 'patron' of magicians , infers some unseen and influential energy that can be 'directed' .  The 'raw form' of this energy is also apparent in Uranus ( the 'higher octave '  of Mercury  -  as Uranus is the 'pairing' of that outer { transpersonal } planet with Mercury as the inner

{ personal }  planet ) .  

 

[ Side note :   they planets are arranged in  two triangles  with two planets acting as pillars , 'valve' or a gateway between them ;

Personal and inner planets  -   Venus and Mars   ( a polarity  or 'base line ' )  with Mercury as the balance or apex .

Transpersonal and outer planets  -  Neptune and Pluto    with  Uranus .

Gateway pair -  Saturn and Jupiter ( ' expansion and contraction '  ) .  ]

 

The unusual  thing about  planet Mercury is its magnetic field ; 

 

'' Mercury has a weak, global, dipolar magnetic field, which is about 1% the strength of Earth's. It is generated by a dynamo mechanism in its core, similar to Earth's, but is weaker because the planet's core cooled and solidified more quickly. This magnetic field interacts with the solar wind to create "magnetic tornadoes".  

 

• Origin: 

  The field is thought to be generated by a dynamo effect in the planet's liquid outer core, where convection currents of molten iron create the magnetic field. 

   

• Interaction with solar wind: 

  Despite its weakness, the magnetic field is strong enough to create a magnetosphere around Mercury, deflecting the solar wind. When the solar wind's magnetic field reconnects with Mercury's, it can create "magnetic tornadoes" that channel solar wind plasma down to the planet's surface. 

   

What we have is the Solar Systems magnetic field interacting with Mercury's magnetic field  to create magnetic tornadoes  that suck in  solar plasma into the surface . 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury's_magnetic_field#:~:text=The magnetic field is about,solar wind%2C inducing a magnetosphere.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interplanetary_magnetic_field

 

- Venus and Mars do not have significant magnetic fields  and although Mercury's seems weak compared to Earth's  (  1 . 1  %  )  

 

'' Because Mercury's magnetic field is weak while the interplanetary magnetic field it interacts with in its orbit is relatively strong, the solar wind dynamic pressure at Mercury's orbit is also three times larger than at Earth. ''

 

The interaction between these two forces ; 

 

 

         

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Nungali]

 

 

Astrological Mercury.

 

(    I am  using an AI summary here as   well as  when I read through it , it seems good and outlines what I already know  , it seems a fair summary ... but I will add comments ) .

 

'' In astrology, Mercury is the planet of communication, intellect, and adaptability, representing how we think, learn, and interact with the world. It governs mental processes, logical thinking, and verbal and written expression, while also influencing short-distance travel, commerce, and dexterity. The sign and house position of Mercury in a birth chart reveal one's learning style, communication skills, and daily decision-making abilities. 

 

Core qualities

• Communication: Mercury rules all forms of expression, from casual conversation to writing and public speaking.

( a common motif was Thoth as the 'scribe ' 

 

Djehuty ( Thoth )  recording at the 'Weighing of the Heart' .  ) 

• Intellect: It represents reasoning, logic, analytical thinking, and the ability to process information.
• Adaptability: Associated with quickness and versatility, Mercury signifies adaptability and mental agility.
• Learning: It is connected to learning, curiosity, and acquiring knowledge.
• Commerce: Mercury has a strong association with trade, business, and all forms of exchange.

( One reason might be that the first writings were about recording such information )

• Mobility: It governs short-distance travel, such as driving, and the flow of messages. 
•  ( Mercury has the qualities of the psychopomp - one who can travel between heaven and hell   and a guide of the soul to  the afterlife .)

 

Another aspect where this energy is revealed is in alchemy ; Mercury being part of the   base triad along with Sulfur and Salt .  As it does in  balancing the inner planetary personal  forces of the psyche , so it is considered in alchemy ;

 

• Androgynous Principle: In the alchemical concept of the three principles (Salt, Sulfur, and Mercury), mercury acts as the spiritual and active intermediary between the feminine principle of Salt and the masculine principle of Sulfur, representing a non-binary function.  ( relating to Venus and Mars ) . 

For me the most important aspect is how it can work in our psyche as a balancing and mediating agent  for the other 'volatile or surrendering'  aspects .  . . .   but I already have a lot of posts on that scattered over DBs . 

[Haribol]

14 hours ago, Apech said:

Someone said - I can’t remember who , that all magic is either binding or unbinding spells.  Your Bard / boundary would fit with this.

 

Odin is an interesting god - his original name meant something like king of the frenzy or perhaps inspiration.  
 

 

Could you expand a little on the binding and unbinding aspect, please? 

On Odin:
The name gandalf from lotr is taken from Voluspa (prophecy of the seers). Gandalf start outs as Gandalf the grey. Not to different Odin, the wanderer with a stick on a constant search for wisdom. There was no thing he was not willing to sacrifice for wisdom and protection of is kin. 

 

 

After Gandalv the grey died to Balrog, he was reborn as Gandalv the white. Pre-reformarion, we norsemen referred to Christ as «hvite-krist». 
 

Odin to sacrificed himself to himself:

 

 

Odins quest for the runes

Spoiler

134.
I counsel thee, Stray-Singer, accept my counsels,
they will be thy boon if thou obey'st them,
they will work thy weal if thou win'st them:
growl not at guests, nor drive them from the gate
but show thyself gentle to the poor.

135.
Mighty is the bar to be moved away
for the entering in of all.
Shower thy wealth, or men shall wish thee
every ill in thy limbs.

136.
I counsel thee, Stray-Singer, accept my counsels,
they will be thy boon if thou obey'st them,
they will work thy weal if thou win'st them:
when ale thou quaffest, call upon earth's might --
'tis earth drinks in the floods.
Earth prevails o'er drink, but fire o'er sickness,
the oak o'er binding, the earcorn o'er witchcraft,
the rye spur o'er rupture, the moon o'er rages,
herb o'er cattle plagues, runes o'er harm.

Odin's Quest after the Runes

137.
I trow I hung on that windy Tree
nine whole days and nights,
stabbed with a spear, offered to Odin,
myself to mine own self given,
high on that Tree of which none hath heard
from what roots it rises to heaven.

138.
None refreshed me ever with food or drink,
I peered right down in the deep;
crying aloud I lifted the Runes
then back I fell from thence.

139.
Nine mighty songs I learned from the great
son of Bale-thorn, Bestla's sire;
I drank a measure of the wondrous Mead,
with the Soulstirrer's drops I was showered.

140.
Ere long I bare fruit, and throve full well,
I grew and waxed in wisdom;
word following word, I found me words,
deed following deed, I wrought deeds.

141.
Hidden Runes shalt thou seek and interpreted signs,
many symbols of might and power,
by the great Singer painted, by the high Powers fashioned,
graved by the Utterer of gods.

142.
For gods graved Odin, for elves graved Daïn,
Dvalin the Dallier for dwarfs,
All-wise for Jötuns, and I, of myself,
graved some for the sons of men.

143.
Dost know how to write, dost know how to read,
dost know how to paint, dost know how to prove,
dost know how to ask, dost know how to offer,
dost know how to send, dost know how to spend?

144.
Better ask for too little than offer too much,
like the gift should be the boon;
better not to send than to overspend.
........
Thus Odin graved ere the world began;
Then he rose from the deep, and came again.

 

 
@Nungali thanks a lot, I’ll get back to you after reading it : )

Edited 20 hours ago by Surya

[Apech]

1 hour ago, Surya said:

Could you expand a little on the binding and unbinding aspect, please? 
 

 

 

 

  Reveal hidden contents

134.
I counsel thee, Stray-Singer, accept my counsels,
they will be thy boon if thou obey'st them,
they will work thy weal if thou win'st them:
growl not at guests, nor drive them from the gate
but show thyself gentle to the poor.

135.
Mighty is the bar to be moved away
for the entering in of all.
Shower thy wealth, or men shall wish thee
every ill in thy limbs.

136.
I counsel thee, Stray-Singer, accept my counsels,
they will be thy boon if thou obey'st them,
they will work thy weal if thou win'st them:
when ale thou quaffest, call upon earth's might --
'tis earth drinks in the floods.
Earth prevails o'er drink, but fire o'er sickness,
the oak o'er binding, the earcorn o'er witchcraft,
the rye spur o'er rupture, the moon o'er rages,
herb o'er cattle plagues, runes o'er harm.

Odin's Quest after the Runes

137.
I trow I hung on that windy Tree
nine whole days and nights,
stabbed with a spear, offered to Odin,
myself to mine own self given,
high on that Tree of which none hath heard
from what roots it rises to heaven.

138.
None refreshed me ever with food or drink,
I peered right down in the deep;
crying aloud I lifted the Runes
then back I fell from thence.

139.
Nine mighty songs I learned from the great
son of Bale-thorn, Bestla's sire;
I drank a measure of the wondrous Mead,
with the Soulstirrer's drops I was showered.

140.
Ere long I bare fruit, and throve full well,
I grew and waxed in wisdom;
word following word, I found me words,
deed following deed, I wrought deeds.

141.
Hidden Runes shalt thou seek and interpreted signs,
many symbols of might and power,
by the great Singer painted, by the high Powers fashioned,
graved by the Utterer of gods.

142.
For gods graved Odin, for elves graved Daïn,
Dvalin the Dallier for dwarfs,
All-wise for Jötuns, and I, of myself,
graved some for the sons of men.

143.
Dost know how to write, dost know how to read,
dost know how to paint, dost know how to prove,
dost know how to ask, dost know how to offer,
dost know how to send, dost know how to spend?

144.
Better ask for too little than offer too much,
like the gift should be the boon;
better not to send than to overspend.
........
Thus Odin graved ere the world began;
Then he rose from the deep, and came again.

 

 

 

I think I heard this from Alan Chapman but he was quoting someone possibly Crowley.

 

The way I see it is if magic is effecting change in accordance with the will, then in casting a spell you are either binding energy to your intent, or releasing energy which is bound to another intent (eg. banishment and so on).

 

My interest in these three gods is not so much how similar they are - or what it is that connects them - but their differences.  The character of Thoth is so much different to Hermes/Mercury and even more Odin - and yet they represent the same (similar) roles in their own systems.  I also like Odin/Woden because of his two birds thought and memory - especially as I am trying to conduct a kind of defence of thoughts against the (debased) Eastern dismissal of thought.  I would go as far as to say the attitude to thought and thinking in some Buddhist and Daoist circles is something of a kind of brainwashing.  I think certain teachers do not want their students to progress but to sit at their feet is sheeplike obedience and part of this is getting them to shut off their minds.

 

 

[Nungali]

It is often said that  ^  is an 'eastern thing '  .  Like  'do not ask questions' and if you do and get an answer, certainly do not question any answers !   One might run up against that in traditional eastern martial arts .   I did a study on the whys and wherefores of why that might be so .    '' Coincidentally ''    (or not )  those societies are tightly hierarchical . 

 

In a way, it also reminds me about that Christian fellow at work  who would discuss things with us  (or not .... eventually  ) he ran out of answers and came back with  ' logic and reason are the tools of doubt encouraged by the Devil '    .          

 

You might note  I left Odin out of my above posts .... I do realise the common association , but for me  he doesnt 'fit in' in the 'box'  . 

 

I also inserted Djehuty / Thoth ( the Greek translation )  as  that supplied some input into the later  Greek ides of Thoth which eventually got mixed in with Hermes , that later became associated with the Roman 'Mercury '. The close association between Thoth and Mercury seems to have come with Herodotus  ( and eventually produced 'Hermes Trismegistus' ) , but Plato didnt agree  ( Plato doesnt seem to be a fan of mixing the Gods of different cultures together ) . 

 

Here is an interesting view on how this melding together  caused other problems ;

 

https://networkologies.wordpress.com/2011/12/30/how-hermes-trismegistus-warped-the-history-of-philosophy-or-why-nobody-reads-plotinus-today/

 

Binding   

 

  ''  ... Most scholars derive Hermes from Greek ἕρμα (herma),^[15] 'stone heap'...However, the stone etymology is also linked to Indo-European *ser- ('to bind, put together'). ''  

 

Aside from the idea that Hermes came into ancient Greek via Egypt / Thoth , some claim a Mesopotamian influence ; '' similar or identical to Ningishzida, a god who served as mediator between humans and the divine, especially Ishtar, and who was depicted in art as a caduceus.^[21][22] ''

 

^{Hermes and Pan ?}

 

^'' According to a theory that has received considerable scholarly acceptance, Hermes originated as a form of the god Pan, who has been identified as a reflex of the Proto-Indo-European pastoral god *Péh₂usōn,^[27][28] in his aspect as the god of boundary markers. The PIE root *peh₂ 'protect' also shows up in Latin pastor 'shepherd' (whence the English pastoral). A zero grade of the full PIE form (*ph₂usōn) yields the name of the Sanskrit psychopomp Pushan, who, like Pan, is associated with goats.^[29] Later, the epithet supplanted the original name itself and Hermes took over the role of psychopomp and as god of messengers, travelers, and boundaries, which had originally belonged to Pan, while Pan himself continued to be venerated by his original name in his more rustic aspect as the god of the wild in the relatively isolated mountainous region of Arcadia. In later myths, after the cult of Pan was reintroduced to Attica, Pan was said to be Hermes's son.^{[28][30]  ... ''}

 

^{Mercury as a Roman God was one of the main 12 Gods  ( 6 female and 6 male )  .  he does seem a latter edition . Unlike Plato, the Romans  did not mind 'mixing things up '.  Mercury seems very close to Hermes, being a Roman version of the Greek God ;}

 

^'' When they described the gods of Celtic and Germanic tribes, rather than considering them separate deities, the Romans interpreted them as local manifestations or aspects of their own gods, a cultural trait called the interpretatio romana. Mercury, in particular, was reported as becoming extremely popular among the nations the Roman Empire conquered; Julius Caesar wrote of Mercury being the most popular god in Britain and Gaul, regarded as the inventor of all the arts.^[11] This is probably because, in the Roman syncretism, Mercury was equated with the Celtic god Lugus, and in this aspect was commonly accompanied by the Celtic goddess Rosmerta. Although Lugus may originally have been a deity of light or the sun (though this is disputed), similar to the Roman Apollo, his importance as a god of trade made him more comparable to Mercury, and Apollo was instead equated with the Celtic deity Belenu ''

 

There are some slight differences . 

 

Feature	Hermes (Greek)	Mercury (Roman)
Origin	Greek mythology	Roman mythology
Primary Roles	Messenger of the gods, herds, trade, thieves, athletics, roads, souls of the dead	Messenger of the gods, commerce, trade, wealth, fertility
Portrayal	Often portrayed as a trickster and thief	More emphasis on the business and commercial aspects; a guide to the dead (psychopompos)
Symbols	Winged sandals (talaria), winged helmet (petasos), caduceus (herald's staff)	Winged sandals, winged helmet, caduceus
Namesake	Planet Mercury was originally named Hermes by the Greeks, who renamed it when it appeared as a morning star.	Named after the Roman god Mercury, who was the messenger of the gods.

 

 

So ;  if we 'throw Odin and Thoth into the mix as well '  , yes it is difficult to see close similarities  - it seems more like having a certain number of cultural boxes and trying to fit the various Gods of each culture into one of those boxes  * .  But if we stick to the title ; Hermes and Mercury, they are  more closely related and are more able to be talked about as similar energies . 

 

* 

eg. ;

http://www.thelemapedia.org/index.php/Tree_of_Life:Godforms

 

eg. ;  

 

8 Hod

• Egyptian (Selection)—Anubis
• Egyptian (Practical)—Thoth
• Hindu—Hanuman
• Scandinavian—Odin, Loki
• Greek—Hermes
• Roman—Mercury
• Christian—God the Holy Ghost (as Comforter and Inspirer of Scripture), God the Healer of Plagues

[Apech]

34 minutes ago, Nungali said:

It is often said that  ^  is an 'eastern thing '  .  Like  'do not ask questions' and if you do and get an answer, certainly do not question any answers !   One might run up against that in traditional eastern martial arts .   I did a study on the whys and wherefores of why that might be so .    '' Coincidentally ''    (or not )  those societies are tightly hierarchical . 

 

In a way, it also reminds me about that Christian fellow at work  who would discuss things with us  (or not .... eventually  ) he ran out of answers and came back with  ' logic and reason are the tools of doubt encouraged by the Devil '    .          

 

You might note  I left Odin out of my above posts .... I do realise the common association , but for me  he doesnt 'fit in' in the 'box'  . 

 

I also inserted Djehuty / Thoth ( the Greek translation )  as  that supplied some input into the later  Greek ides of Thoth which eventually got mixed in with Hermes , that later became associated with the Roman 'Mercury '. The close association between Thoth and Mercury seems to have come with Herodotus  ( and eventually produced 'Hermes Trismegistus' ) , but Plato didnt agree  ( Plato doesnt seem to be a fan of mixing the Gods of different cultures together ) . 

 

Here is an interesting view on how this melding together  caused other problems ;

 

https://networkologies.wordpress.com/2011/12/30/how-hermes-trismegistus-warped-the-history-of-philosophy-or-why-nobody-reads-plotinus-today/

 

Binding   

 

  ''  ... Most scholars derive Hermes from Greek ἕρμα (herma),^[15] 'stone heap'...However, the stone etymology is also linked to Indo-European *ser- ('to bind, put together'). ''  

 

Aside from the idea that Hermes came into ancient Greek via Egypt / Thoth , some claim a Mesopotamian influence ; '' similar or identical to Ningishzida, a god who served as mediator between humans and the divine, especially Ishtar, and who was depicted in art as a caduceus.^[21][22] ''

 

^{Hermes and Pan ?}

 

^'' According to a theory that has received considerable scholarly acceptance, Hermes originated as a form of the god Pan, who has been identified as a reflex of the Proto-Indo-European pastoral god *Péh₂usōn,^[27][28] in his aspect as the god of boundary markers. The PIE root *peh₂ 'protect' also shows up in Latin pastor 'shepherd' (whence the English pastoral). A zero grade of the full PIE form (*ph₂usōn) yields the name of the Sanskrit psychopomp Pushan, who, like Pan, is associated with goats.^[29] Later, the epithet supplanted the original name itself and Hermes took over the role of psychopomp and as god of messengers, travelers, and boundaries, which had originally belonged to Pan, while Pan himself continued to be venerated by his original name in his more rustic aspect as the god of the wild in the relatively isolated mountainous region of Arcadia. In later myths, after the cult of Pan was reintroduced to Attica, Pan was said to be Hermes's son.^{[28][30]  ... ''}

 

^{Mercury as a Roman God was one of the main 12 Gods  ( 6 female and 6 male )  .  he does seem a latter edition . Unlike Plato, the Romans  did not mind 'mixing things up '.  Mercury seems very close to Hermes, being a Roman version of the Greek God ;}

 

^'' When they described the gods of Celtic and Germanic tribes, rather than considering them separate deities, the Romans interpreted them as local manifestations or aspects of their own gods, a cultural trait called the interpretatio romana. Mercury, in particular, was reported as becoming extremely popular among the nations the Roman Empire conquered; Julius Caesar wrote of Mercury being the most popular god in Britain and Gaul, regarded as the inventor of all the arts.^[11] This is probably because, in the Roman syncretism, Mercury was equated with the Celtic god Lugus, and in this aspect was commonly accompanied by the Celtic goddess Rosmerta. Although Lugus may originally have been a deity of light or the sun (though this is disputed), similar to the Roman Apollo, his importance as a god of trade made him more comparable to Mercury, and Apollo was instead equated with the Celtic deity Belenu ''

 

There are some slight differences . 

 

Feature	Hermes (Greek)	Mercury (Roman)
Origin	Greek mythology	Roman mythology
Primary Roles	Messenger of the gods, herds, trade, thieves, athletics, roads, souls of the dead	Messenger of the gods, commerce, trade, wealth, fertility
Portrayal	Often portrayed as a trickster and thief	More emphasis on the business and commercial aspects; a guide to the dead (psychopompos)
Symbols	Winged sandals (talaria), winged helmet (petasos), caduceus (herald's staff)	Winged sandals, winged helmet, caduceus
Namesake	Planet Mercury was originally named Hermes by the Greeks, who renamed it when it appeared as a morning star.	Named after the Roman god Mercury, who was the messenger of the gods.

 

 

So ;  if we 'throw Odin and Thoth into the mix as well '  , yes it is difficult to see close similarities  - it seems more like having a certain number of cultural boxes and trying to fit the various Gods of each culture into one of those boxes  * .  But if we stick to the title ; Hermes and Mercury, they are  more closely related and are more able to be talked about as similar energies . 

 

* 

eg. ;

http://www.thelemapedia.org/index.php/Tree_of_Life:Godforms

 

eg. ;  

 

8 Hod

• Egyptian (Selection)—Anubis
• Egyptian (Practical)—Thoth
• Hindu—Hanuman
• Scandinavian—Odin, Loki
• Greek—Hermes
• Roman—Mercury
• Christian—God the Holy Ghost (as Comforter and Inspirer of Scripture), God the Healer of Plagues

 

The Romans (Tacitus??) called Woden Mercurius ... so I'd like to keep him in the mix for now.

 

 

[Nungali]

1 minute ago, Apech said:

 

The Romans (Tacitus??) called Woden Mercurius ... so I'd like to keep him in the mix for now.

 

 

 

Oh sure .... I was just explaining why I didnt include him in my post .    And I think we can see why the Romans had that proclivity to  syncretism 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interpretatio_graeca#Interpretatio_romana

[Haribol]

9 hours ago, Apech said:

I also like Odin/Woden because of his two birds thought and memory - especially as I am trying to conduct a kind of defence of thoughts against the (debased) Eastern dismissal of thought.  I would go as far as to say the attitude to thought and thinking in some Buddhist and Daoist circles is something of a kind of brainwashing.  I think certain teachers do not want their students to progress but to sit at their feet is sheeplike obedience and part of this is getting them to shut off their minds.

[Apech]

1 hour ago, Haribol said:

You’ll go blind reading in the dark like that.