Zeus’ four most important sonsDionysos Ares Hermes Apollo

In early depictions, Hermes was already the god of shepherds (here depicted holding a sheep) but he was also (in contrast to his presentation in the Homeric Hymn to Hermes) bearded, a grown man, and not a baby.

As god of boundaries, Hermes was featured as a “herm”: a pillar topped with his bearded head and equipped with an apotropaic, erect phallus.

Even as “psychopompos” (he who leads souls to the underworld), Hermes is depicted as bearded

As “Argeiphontes” (slayer of Argos), Hermes is again shown bearded.

Hermes is the messenger god