sleepwalker

Chapter 18

10 more pages from The Tall Poppy: Gods of Egypt.

It is precisely this misunderstanding that led to Raphael being attributed with the attributes of Hermes. Take, for example, this stained-glass window from the Early 20th-century Chapel of St. Cornelius on Governors Island, New York. This is where we discover the original source of the misunderstanding: America...

It is there that one can see the caduceus with two snakes and wings, which is (incorrectly) used as a symbol of medicine instead of the rod of Asclepius, which depicts only a single snake. This usage became widespread, which is why in some depictions of the Archangel Raphael, it is precisely this symbol that can be seen

Although it cannot be denied that Raphael and Hermes share related archetypes, both are patrons of travellers and healers. One could also speak of their planetary connection, but that is another matter

If we’re talking about attributes that are more suited to Raphael, it’s the bowl of Hygieia, which I’ve already depicted here