Hermes is the god of merchants, travelers, and thieves. He is the son of Zeus and Maia and the great grandfather of Odysseus. He serves as the Messenger of the Gods. After Odysseus and the crew arrive on an island after escaping from Poseidon, Hermes appears to offer help to Odysseus and defeat Circe. While Hermes is often painted as trickster who likes to amuse himself with manipulating humans and other gods, he is actually a very sincere character.