Above is the Greek god Hermes, also known as Mercury by the Romans.  He was the messenger of the gods, and was himself the god of commerce, travel, and thievery. He traveled with great swiftness, aided by the wings he wore on his sandals and his cap.  He was usually portrayed carrying a staff, entwined by copulating serpents, called the kerykeion (by the Greeks), or more familiar in its Latinized form (from the Roman’s), the caduceus.  Hermes was a son of Zeus (supreme Greek god) and the father of Pan (Greek god of woods, fields, and flocks, having a human torso and head with a goat's legs, horns, and ears).

Speaking of the ancient Greeks and Romans both cultures believed that a muscular body and small penis were attractive, as illustrated by the art and sculpture of the time.  A large penis was considered “barbaric” as in the classical sense of the word, “uncivilized.”  So the cartoon isn’t accurate as a historical representation, but I still think it’s funny.

One final note, on the subject of large penises, the Greeks and Romans had another god, Priapus (prī-ā'pəs), who was the god of procreation, guardian of gardens and vineyards, and personification of the erect penis.  He was portrayed in ancient times as having an enormous penis and according to the Bloomsbury Dictionary of Myth, in the city of Athens combined Hermes and Priapus and depicted him as above.  So in Athens, at least, the cartoon was accurate.

Live Long and Prosper,
-DMG

Please check out the Dud's Erotica web site at: http://dudserotica.com/

"priapus." The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004. Answers.com 21 Dec. 2008. http://www.answers.com/topic/priapus

"priapus." Wikipedia. Wikipedia, 2008. Answers.com 21 Dec. 2008. http://www.answers.com/topic/priapus

"Hermes." Wikipedia. Wikipedia, 2008. Answers.com 21 Dec. 2008. http://www.answers.com/topic/hermes

“penis size” Skinner, Marilyn B.  (2005) SEXUALITY IN GREEK AND ROMAN CULTURE.  Blackwell Publishing, LTD., Massachusetts, United Kingdom, Australia.