Mercury, the Roman equivalent of the Greek god Hermes, was identified by the petasus which he wore on his head, by the winged sandals which gave him speed in flight, and by the caduceus, that magic wand given to him by Apollo, which he carried in his hand. Mercury assumed many roles but the one which Giovanni chose to portray was that of messenger of the gods. The statue is rather aptly known as The Flying Mercury, for we see him speeding through the skies, Aeolus, the wind god, serves as a pedestal, and the figure, supported on the slender shaft of Aeolus' breath, appears to be propelled forward and upward as the wave of motion passes from one leg to the other. Through his marvelous knowledge of anatomy, the sculptor was able to isolate that moment when the exhilaration of the runner's effort is at its highest peak. The placement of the arms is somewhat contrived but their position results in a fascinating controposto (twist of the body), balanced design, nobility of bearing, and rhythm of movement.