Le dieu Hermès et l’union des contraires

Abstract

The God Hermes and the Union of Opposites. By refocussing the study of Hermes on the union of opposites, the author wants to show the interest of a traditional approach seeking to identify the “ deeper self”, the individual “ logical union” of each divine essence. The various aspects of the god are, in fact, recomposed around this notion : Hermes appears like a pacifier between opposite forces. (Hence the symbol of Caduceus). Thus, he makes any communication and any relationship possible, enabling the circulation of riches (whether they take the form of flocks or words which constitute speech as associated to thought) : Hermes acts as a mediator. By associating the opposites in a circular approach, all in reversals (which is typical of mètis divinities), he is a “ key god”, which makes passage and redistribution possible, as unpredictable as it may be. Close to Aphrodyte and Eros as union god, he produces the lyre, the image of seductive feminity (Pandora) : he himself, a musician, is thought of as a cicada. Finally, he is closely associated to a tree goddess, kourotrophe (which can appear like a Pleiad, for instance Maia or Calypso.), who carries and feeds him : he is then compared with fire, which comes out from burnt wood as if he devoured it (hence, the concomitant image of the woodpecker, the iunx and the xylophagan lucan : Cerambos). God and goddess are associated to produce the symbol of the “ bull-tree”.