ABSTRACT
This chapter provides some insight into the possible motivation for the elevation of the concept of kairos to the status of divinity at this time in the history of the Greek world. It examines the intellectual trends operative from the late sixth through the first half of the fifth century, while the third will take the form of an investigation into the attributes of the god beside whom Kairos' altar at Olympia was located—Hermes Enagonios. Contemporaneous with these changes in intellectual thought were organizational changes in the forms of government. Several poleis throughout the Greek world were ousting monarchies and tyrannies and adopting oligarchic and democratic systems of governance. The chapter argues that Hermes is a God intimately connected with agonistic settings, including warfare and athletics. The fact that he deliberately sets out to initiate a contest with Apollo in the Hymn is one of the points used in support of this argument.
