Les sandales d’Hermès, I: les καλὰ πέδιλα homériques d’Hermès

Winged or not, sandals constitute an accessory which is associated with Hermes at least as often as his famous staff. In fact, his sandals accompany him almost all the time and they seem inseparable both from his character and his manner of locomotion. Going beyond the archaic Greek interest in objects, especially divine accessories, this article clarifies the way in which sandals came to be an integral part of Hermes’ equipment, showing that they are linked with his unique status as dieu passeur rather than his role as divine messenger.