Mercurius, The sonne of Iupiter by Maia, whom poets faine to haue wings on his heade and feete, to signifie, that talke (which is represented by % person of Mercurie) doth quicklie passe through the ayre. He is fained to be a messenger of Gods, because that bp speech and wordes things are declared. He was counted God of eloquence, merchandize, feats of actiuitie, and theft also. He first inuented the Harpe, and on his sister Venus begat Hermaphroditus that was bothe man and woman,
Lewis and Short: Latin dictionary
Mercŭrĭus, ii, m., = *(ermh=s, Mercury, the son of Jupiter and Maia, the messenger of the gods; as a herald, the god of dexterity; in speaking, of eloquence; the bestower of prosperity; the god of traders and thieves; the presider over roads, and conductor of departed souls to the Lower World: Mercurius a mercibus est dictus. Hunc etenim negotiorum omnium aestimabant esse deum, Paul. ex Fest. p. 124 Müll.; Cic. N. D. 3, 22 sq.; id. Verr. 2, 5, 72, 185; id. Arat. 277; Caes. B. G. 6, 17; Verg. A. 4, 222; Hor. C. 1, 10, 1; Ov. F. 5, 663 sqq.: stella Mercurii, the planet Mercury: infra hanc autem stella Mercurii est, ea sti/lbwn appellatur a Graecis, Cic. N. D. 2, 20, 54; so, stella Mercurii, id. Univ. 9; also simply Mercurius, id. Rep. 6, 17, 17: dies Mercurii or Mercuris,
Wednesday
, Inscr. Murat. 402, 7.—Appel. gen. plur.: Mercuriorum, Tert. Spect. 1, 11 fin.—B.Transf., the withers of draught-cattle, between the neck and the back (post-class.), Veg. Vet. 2, 59; 4, 3.—II. In partic. A. Aqua Mercurii, a fountain in the via Appia, Ov. F. 5, 673.— B. Tumulus Mercurii, near Carthago nova, Liv. 26, 44.—C. Promontorium Mercurii, in Africa, in Zeugitana, near Carthage, now Capo Bon, Liv. 29, 27; Plin. 3, 8, 14, 87.
