Merchants are one of the classic rulerships of Mercury:
Lilly said:
"He generally signifies all literated men, Philosophers, Mathematicians, Astrologians, Merchants, Secretaries, Scriveners, Diviners, Sculptors, Poets, Orators, Advocates, School-masters, Stationers, Printers, Exchangers of Money, Atturneys, Emperours, Embassadours, Commissioners, Clerks, Artificers, generally Accomptants, Solicitors, sometimes Theeves, pratling muddy Ministers, busie Sectaries, and they unlearned; Gramarians, Taylors, Carriers, Messengers, Foot-men, Userers. "
Think about him astrologically. He is FAST! Really fast and erratic. Because of the small orbital path, his movements seem more unpredictable (regular retrogrades) and he is always close to the Sun. In Arabic astrology he is often depicted as a Wazir, an assistant to a Shah or a Sultan, because he attends the Sun. Then stir in the mythological material (not just Greek) that informs astrology... A thief, a writer, an adviser, a psychopomp, a swindler, a bard, a wizard, a pimp.
There's something inherently androgynous about him. He is friendly with Jupiter in much the same way Venus is friendly with Mars, which always makes me think there's a bit of catamite (i.e. Renaissance rendering of Ganymede) in him. He adapts to EVERY situation:
Lilly said:
"We may not call him either Masculine or Feminine, for he is either the one or other as joyned to any Planet; for if in Conjunction with a Masculine Planet, he becomes Masculine; if with a Feminine, then Feminine, but of his own nature he is cold and dry, and therefore Melancholly; with the good he is good, with the evil Planets ill."
And in consideration of his androgyny, don't forget Alchemy... you have Salt and Sulphur coming in the Empress and Emperor... so his quicksilver is important here too. His watery dryness (connecting/dividing), his earthy liquid (in the astrology sense and alchemical sense). How could he be anything but a liar if noone can understand or predict him? For that matter, how can anyone speak truth at all?
There's definitely a showbiz quality about him, a razzmatazz snakeoil vibe that undercuts all the ponderous New Age interpretations that treat him like Gandalf the White. The Projective geometry emphasizes this too, the ruthless dimensionality of it. The illusion of turbulent but controlled motion.
I think juggler is a critical name to remember for him and the airborne symbols are part of that.
Juggling is transitive. You cannot juggle unless you have a relationship to other objects; it's a relationship with the world around you that is manipulative and entertaining and possibly pointless. The Magus-as-juggler is from the get-go a relationship with the Universe... which in Qabalistic terms is perfect, for the Tree and the B. A little leap from Kether. How do you create the Universe.
Bereshit! If a Bereshits in the woods does anyone see it?
Only if you've created them. Why does the One become many?: in order to experience otherness. It's celebratory. So of course that leap down is both madness (Fool) and magic (Magus). A role that can only exist if there IS a world beyond yourself.
Also worth considering are his decans: Lord of Worry, Lord of Abundance, Lord of Wealth, Lord of Science, Lord of Swiftness. Does it get more Mercury than that?!