Mercurius, ii, m., = Ἑρμῆς, 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 Mull.; Cic. N. D. 3, 22 sq.; Cic. 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 στίλβων 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.

— Transf., the withers of draught-cattle, between the neck and the back (post-class.), Veg. Vet. 2, 59; 4, 3.

— In partic. Aqua Mercurii, a fountain in the via Appia, Ov. F. 5, 673.

— Tumulus Mercurii, near Carthago nova, Liv. 26, 44.

— Promontorium Mercurii, in Africa, in Zeugitana, near Carthage, now Capo Bon, Liv. 29, 27; Plin. 3, 8, 14, § 87.