Hermes and His Role in the Odyssey

In Greek mythology, Hermes is known as the messenger of the gods. He is the son of the God Zeus, and of Maia, the daughter of the titan Atlas. As the special servant and courier of Zeus, Hermes had winged sandals and a winged hat and bore a golden caduceus, or magic wand, entwined with snakes and surmounted by wings. He guided the souls of the dead to the underworld and was believed to possess magical power over sleep and dreams. Hermes was also the god of commerce and the protector of traders and herds, a natural enough connection when cattle were the standard of value. As the deity of athletes, he protected gymnasiums and stadiums and was believed to be responsible for both good luck and wealth. Despite his virtuous characteristics, Hermes was also a dangerous foe, a trickster, and a thief. 

On the day of his birth he stole the eagle of his brother, the sun god Apollo, obscuring their trail by making the herd walk backward. When confronted by Apollo, Hermes denied the theft the brothers were finally reconciled when Hermes gave Apollo his newly invented lyre, fashioned out of a tortoise's shell. Of all the Gods, he is the shrewdest and most cunning, in fact he is the master thief.  He is represented in Greek mythology as being a handsome and agile youth who is graceful and swift of motion. He appears more often in the tales of mythology than any other god. Hermes' role in the Odyssey is a minor one. His first appearance is in Book V, in which he brings Zeus' command to Calypso. 

Send him back in haste. His life may not in exile go to waste. His destiny, his homecoming, is at hand, when he -shall see his dearest, and walk on his land. (Book V, 118