Hermes fastening his sandal

Hermes fastening his sandal, after Lysippos

Most ancient Greek sculptures are known to us from Roman copies. The Romans were great admirers of Greek art and they copied the original works, which were often melted down for the metal if they were made of bronze. This is perhaps what happened to the statue by the 4th-century Greek sculptor Lysippos from which this work was copied. This athletic figure of Hermes has the perfect proportions established by the Greek sculptors of the previous century, but Lysippos added a personal and realistic touch: Hermes, the messenger of the gods, is shown fastening his sandal like an ordinary human being. This could be why the Romans associated this figure with the mortal Cincinnatus, a statesman who fell from power and had no choice but to become a farmer, before he was called to save Rome from destruction.