Final answer:
Hermes' sandals in Greek mythology possessed the 'magic' of flight, illustrating the concept of 'sympathetic magic' through imitation. These sandals allowed the hero Perseus to fly and reflect the cultural reverence for divine artifacts and their magical abilities in ancient Greek stories and iconography.
Step-by-step explanation:
The 'magic' related to Hermes' sandals is derived from ancient Greek mythology, where these sandals are often associated with the ability to fly. Hermes, known as Mercury in Roman mythology, was the messenger of the gods, and his sandals were imbued with magical properties that granted him swift movement across the skies. This can be considered a form of 'sympathetic magic,' deriving from the idea that the sandals created a desired change (flight) by imitating birds.
In Greek myths, the magical attributes of the gods' possessions, such as Hermes' sandals or Athena's reflective shield, played crucial roles in famous stories. For instance, Perseus used Hermes' winged sandals to fly over Medusa and avoid her petrifying gaze while looking only at her reflection in Athena's shield. This exemplifies the concept of 'sympathetic magic' through the law of similarity, as the sandals allowed Perseus to mimic the action of flight, a change he desired to achieve his goal.
It's noteworthy that the magical use of Hermes' sandals isn't isolated to Perseus' tale but is a recurrent theme in various stories across ancient Greek literature and iconography. Representations of gods and their powerful artifacts, such as the Nike statue on the parapet of the Temple of Athena Nike, highlight the cultural significance of divine magic in Greek history.