Son of Hermes

Summary of Son of Hermes

This novel tells the story of Argon, a fictional General-in-Chief of Argos, one of the Greek city-states in the fifth century BC, along with Athens, Sparta, and others. Argon was abandoned as an infant and discovered by a shepherd named Cleonos, who raised him as a son. From an early age, Cleonos had trained Argon as a musician and in the playing of the flute, and in the composition of songs. He was also trained in martial arts, and it was his success in the Pan Hellenic Games in Nemea that captured the notice of the Argian King. His fighting prowess led to his eventual promotion to the leader of the Argian military forces. Thus, the character of Argon is shaped by the contrasting influences of music and violence.

 The story is mainly driven by the historic struggle of the Greeks against the great Persian armies of Darius and Xerxes and is structured around the five great Greek-Persian military conflicts: The Battle of Marathon (490BC), Thermopylae (480BC), Artemission (480BC), Salamis (480BC), and Platea (479BC. Between these great battles, the personal and political conflicts of Argon and other characters unfold, including the rivalries between Sparta and Athens, and other intrigues. Running parallel to the intense military action of the novel is the personal struggles of Argon to find love and a measure of spiritual peace from his bloody past on the field of battle.