Hermes is known as the comic relief archetype when it comes to Greek mythology, and one aspect that adds to his mischievousness is his kleptomaniac tendencies. When Hermes steals he doesn’t do it for comedic reasons, it is for his own personal gain, yet when he’s caught in this myth he is not punished cruelly or met with direct malice. In the myth Baby Hermes and the Theft of Apollo’s Cattle we see that an infant Hermes steals Apollo’s cattle solely because he craves meat, yet Zeus is amused whenever he witnesses Hermes denying Apollo’s accusations. This takes place directly after his birth, so it is formative in how he will be perceived in later myths. His crimes and reactions to getting caught are laughed at, which then shows the audience