Never Alone

Hermes Martia saeculi voluptas, Hermes omnibus eruditus armis, Hermes et gladiator et magister, Hermes turbo sui tremorque ludi, Hermes, quem timet Helius, sed unum, Hermes, cui cadit Advolans, sed uni, Hermes vincere nec ferire doctus, Hermes subpositicius sibi ipse, Hermes divitiae locariorum, Hermes cura laborque ludiarum, Hermes belligera superbus hasta, Hermes aequoreo minax tridente, Hermes casside languida timendus, Hermes gloria Martis universi, Hermes omnia solus et ter unus. Hermes, the age’s delight to the Sons of Mars; Hermes, schooled in all weapons; Hermes, gladiator and trainer both; Hermes, the confusion and terror of his own school; Hermes, whom, but whom alone, Helius fears; Hermes, whom, but whom alone, Advolans goes down before; Hermes, skilled to vanquish without slaying; Hermes, himself his own substitute; Hermes, fount of wealth to seat-contractors; Hermes, the darling and passion of gladiators’ women; Hermes, proud with the warrior’s spear; Hermes, threatful with the sea-trident; Hermes, terrible in the drooping casque; Hermes, the pride of Mars in every shape; Hermes is all things in his single self, and trebly one.

Martial, Epigrams, Book 5, XXIV
English translation by Walter C. A. Ker

Gérard de Lairesse, Hermes Ordering Calypso to Release Odysseus, 1665. Courtesy of Cleveland Museum of Art.