Greco-Roman

Dear nameless slug,

I have a non-slug question for you, and please don't let your answer contain any references to cabbages or beer, because I really don't like either one. The question is this: is Mercury a greek god or a Roman one? My friend and I have a bet going, and it's for something much better than beer.

~greek godless

Dear Grodless,

The answer is simple, so I'll give it back to you in questions. But first, look at it this way: we seem to revere the Greek gods in literature, but our calendar? Roman (with minor modifications). Our language (well, your language)? More Latin-based than Greek, though both carry an influence. This brings us to the naming of things...things such as planets.

Jupiter? Roman (his Greek counterpart is Zeus). Venus? Yes indeed, a Roman goddess (Aphrodite's equivalent, more or less). Now let me see, wasn't there a Greek god called Hermes? Messenger type with winged sandals, if I recall correctly. Who could his counterpart have been?

I hope this means you've won your bet. If not, at least you won't cry in your beer.

~A nameless slug in the Pacific Northwest