Painting of 1570 by Diego Velazquez entitled "Mercury and Argos."
Click on image for full size
courtesy of the Museo Nacional del Prado, Madrid, Spain.
Mercury
Mercury was the messenger-god of
Jupiter, and was the god of
games, of business, and of story telling. He was the offspring
of the god Jupiter and Maia. Maia herself was one of the Pleiades
who were the
daughters of the titan Atlas. Mercury was identified with the Greek god Hermes.
Shop Windows to the Universe Science Store!
Our
online store includes
books on science education,
classroom activities in The Earth Scientist,
mineral and
fossil specimens, and
educational games!
You might also be interested in:
How did life evolve on Earth? The answer to this question can help us understand our past and prepare for our future. Although evolution provides credible and reliable answers, polls show that many people turn away from science, seeking other explanations with which they are more comfortable.
...more
In Roman mythology Jupiter was the king of heaven and Earth and of all the Olympian gods. He was also known as the god of justice. He was named king of the gods in the special meeting that followed his
...more
Gaea, or Mother Earth, was the great goddess of the early Greeks. She represented the Earth and was worshipped as the universal mother. In Greek mythology, she created the universe and gave birth to both
...more
Hades was the god of the underworld. One day, while he was riding through the field of battle, the goddess Aphrodite had her companion Eros playfully shoot an arrow into the heart of Hades. Struck by Eros
...more
Neptune was the name that ancient Romans gave to the Greek god of the sea and earthquakes, Poseidon. Neptune was depicted as a bearded man with long hair, holding a trident and accompanied by dolphins
...more
Pluto was the god of the underworld. One day, while he was riding through the field of battle, the goddess Venus had her companion, Cupid, playfully shoot an arrow into the heart of Pluto. Struck by Cupid's
...more
Poseidon was the Greek god of the sea and earthquakes. Poseidon was depicted as a bearded man with long hair, holding a trident. He had a very bad temper. The symbol of Poseidon's power was the three pronged
...more
In Greek mythology, Cronus was the son of Uranus and Gaea. He lead his brothers and sisters in a revolt against their father and became the king of the gods. He married the Titan Rhea. They had a total
...more
