Hermes: the Archetype of Youth

This week's podcast looks at Hermes, the messenger of the Greek gods, known as Mercury in Roman myth. We mainly focus on the story of Hermes' birth in the Homeric Hymn to Hermes, in which he manages to astonish and anger the god Apollo. Hermes is a liminal figure often connected with the Puer (Boy) archetype, representing youthful energy and enthusiasm. We discuss this archetype in a bit of detail, and its contrast with the Senex (Wise Old Man) archetype, as well as a bit about the alchemical Mercurius.