Fifteen Dogs

In ancient Greek mythology, Hermes is the son of Zeus by Maia, and god of travelers, prosperity, language, thieves, animal fertility, and trade. He also serves as messenger for the gods and escorts departed souls to the underworld. Though mischievous, Hermes was generally, but not exclusively, portrayed in the epics as benevolent to humans; for example, Hermes helped the Odyssey’s Odysseus during his journey home. Hermes’s role as helper of heroes appears in Fifteen Dogs both in his affection for humans and his ability to regard mortal creatures, human and dog, as playthings for his amusement. As an immortal, Hermes can never fully relate to humans or see them as equals, though he can still care for them deeply.

Hermes’s fascination with humans derives from his fascination with death, the one experience he can never have. A central tension in ancient Greek mythology is between life and death. They are opposing poles that balance and confer meaning on each other. Hermes acknowledges how death shapes human experience when he notes that awareness of death “darken[s] their pleasures” and “lighten[s] their despair” (170). Death creates an impenetrable barrier between mortals and immortals and is a source of power over mortals.

Hermes and Apollo act as foils for each other, representing opposing views of humans and their intelligence.