▁H omer ic ▁ep ith et ▁with ▁a ▁much - deb ated ▁meaning ▁– ▁probably ▁" swift , ▁good - running ." ▁But ▁in ▁the ▁H ymn ▁to ▁Herm es ▁E ri ou ni os ▁is ▁et ym olog ized ▁as ▁" very ▁benef icial ." ▁ ▁Ch rys or app is , ▁" with ▁golden ▁wand ," ▁a ▁H omer ic ▁ep ith et . ▁ ▁Trade ▁▁ ▁Ag ora eus , ▁of ▁the ▁ag ora ; ▁belonging ▁to ▁the ▁market ▁( Ar ist oph anes ) ▁ ▁Emp ol ai os , ▁" eng aged ▁in ▁traffic ▁and ▁commerce " ▁ ▁Herm es ▁is ▁sometimes ▁dep icted ▁in ▁art ▁works ▁holding ▁a ▁pur se . ▁ ▁Dol ios ▁ ▁Dol ios , ▁" tr icky ". ▁ ▁No ▁cult ▁to ▁Herm es ▁Dol ios ▁existed ▁in ▁Att ica , ▁of ▁this ▁Ath ens ▁being ▁the ▁capital , ▁and ▁so ▁this ▁form ▁of ▁Herm es ▁seems ▁to ▁have ▁existed ▁in ▁speech ▁only . ▁ ▁The ▁god ▁is ▁ambigu ous . ▁ ▁According ▁to ▁prominent ▁folk lor ist ▁Y ele azar ▁Me letin sky , ▁Herm es ▁is ▁a ▁de ified ▁trick ster ▁and ▁master ▁of ▁th ieves ▁(" a ▁pl under er , ▁a ▁cattle - ra ider , ▁a ▁night - watch ing " ▁in ▁Hom ers ' ▁H ym ns ) ▁and ▁de ception ▁( E ur ip ides ) ▁and ▁( poss ibly ▁evil ) ▁tr icks ▁and ▁trick eries , ▁cra fty ▁( from ▁lit . ▁god ▁of