▁and ▁as ▁a ▁link ▁between ▁the ▁household ▁and ▁its ▁gods ▁with ▁the ▁gods ▁of ▁the ▁wider ▁community . ▁ ▁In ▁ 4 1 5 ▁BC , ▁when ▁the ▁A then ian ▁fleet ▁was ▁about ▁to ▁set ▁sail ▁for ▁Sy rac use ▁during ▁the ▁Pel op onn esian ▁War , ▁all ▁of ▁the ▁A then ian ▁her mai ▁were ▁v andal ized ▁one ▁night . ▁ ▁The ▁A then ians ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁believed ▁it ▁was ▁the ▁work ▁of ▁sab ote urs , ▁either ▁from ▁Sy rac use ▁or ▁from ▁the ▁anti - war ▁fa ction ▁within ▁Ath ens ▁itself . ▁S ocr ates ' ▁pup il ▁Al ci bi ades ▁was ▁sus pected ▁of ▁invol vement , ▁and ▁S ocr ates ▁indirect ly ▁paid ▁for ▁the ▁im pi ety ▁with ▁his ▁life . ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁mess enger ▁god ▁In ▁association ▁with ▁his ▁role ▁as ▁a ▁psych op omp ▁and ▁god ▁who ▁is ▁able ▁to ▁easily ▁cross ▁boundaries , ▁Herm es ▁is ▁prom in ently ▁worship ed ▁as ▁a ▁mess enger , ▁often ▁described ▁as ▁the ▁mess enger ▁of ▁the ▁gods ▁( since ▁he ▁can ▁convey ▁messages ▁between ▁the ▁divine ▁real ms , ▁the ▁under world , ▁and ▁the ▁world ▁of ▁mort als ). ▁As ▁a ▁mess enger ▁and ▁divine ▁her ald , ▁he ▁we ars ▁wing ed ▁sand als ▁( or , ▁in ▁Roman ▁art ▁influenced ▁by ▁E tr us can ▁dep ict ions ▁of ▁Tur ms , ▁a ▁wing ed ▁cap ). ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁she ph erd ▁god ▁ ▁Herm