Hermes

From SourceryForge

Hermes, the messenger of the gods, was called Mercury by the Romans and was compared by the greeks to Djeheuty, whom they called Thoth. He was one of the many products of Zeus' affairs, his mother being Maia, a nymph that lived in a cave on mount Cyllene.

Hermes was the god of words, both truthful and false. He was the only olympian to gain his immortality through a contract, and was the only being allowed to go anywhere, down into Hades and up to Olympus. He invented the lute and gave it to Apollo as a gift, not long after Apollo had reached a settlement with him over a matter of some stolen cattle. He also invented the flute, which he traded for his famous wand, the Caduceus, and lessons in prophecy.

Cunning, slightly deceitful, this god was also the god of thieves. His cleverness also aided many a Greek hero, from Ulysses to Heracles. He also aided Ares by freeing him from a bronze jar some giants captured him in. He also retrieved Io for Zeus by defeating the Argus giant. He had the helmet of Hades, which made him invisible, and winged sandals. He led the dead down into the underworld, which was a good thing, because he was the only one that knew which road led there.