MINERVA--PALLAS ATHENA.
_Ques._ Who was Minerva?
_Ans._ She was the goddess of wisdom and of war. She had no mother,
but sprang full armed from the head of Jupiter.
_Ques._ How is Minerva represented?
_Ans._ As clothed in complete armor. She has a golden helmet on her
head, holds a lance in her right hand, and her left rests upon a
shield to which is affixed the head of Medusa. The cock and the owl
are also represented on the shield.
_Ques._ Why was Minerva said to have sprung full armed from the head
of Jupiter?
_Ans._ The poets signify by this, that wisdom comes direct from the
deity.
_Ques._ Why is Minerva sometimes crowned with olive?
_Ans._ Because the olive is the emblem of peace, and war should only
be made that a secure peace may follow; also because she bestowed the
olive on men.
_Ques._ On what occasion did Minerva give the olive to men?
_Ans._ When Cecrops built a new city, Neptune and Minerva contended
about its name; and it was resolved that whichever of the two deities
should confer the most useful gift on man, might give a name to the
city. Neptune struck the ground with his trident, and a horse
appeared; but Minerva caused an olive to spring out of the earth. The
latter was judged the more useful gift; and Minerva named the city,
calling it Athe´na or Athens, after her own name in Greek.
_Ques._ What was the Palladium?
_Ans._ When the Trojans were building the temple and castle of Minerva
in Troy, a statue of the goddess fell from heaven into the castle,
which was still unroofed. The oracle of Apollo declared that Troy
would be safe so long as this statue, called Palladium, from Pallas, a
name of Minerva, remained within the walls. When the Greeks besieged
Troy, they found that all their efforts to take the city were of no
avail; they determined, therefore, to steal the Palladium. Ulysses and
Diome´des crept into the city through the common sewers, and brought
away the image. Troy was soon afterwards taken and destroyed. Minerva
was a virgin, and was the patroness of modest and virtuous women.
_Ques._ Did Minerva excel only in the art of war?
_Ans._ No; she invented the distaff and spindle, and excelled in
every branch of female industry. The fate of Arach´ne shows how much
she prized her reputation for skill in embroidery.
_Ques._ Who was Arach´ne?
_Ans._ She was a maiden of Lydia, who had the presumption to challenge
Minerva to a trial of skill in weaving. The goddess wrought into her
work the most beautiful designs, but it would seem that Arach´ne's
performance surpassed hers: for Minerva, seeing it, was fired with
envy, and struck the unhappy maiden on the face with her shuttle.
Arach´ne could not endure this insult, and hung herself from a beam.
Minerva immediately changed her into a spider, and permitted her to
live only that she might weave unceasingly.
_Ques._ Why was the owl chosen as the bird of Minerva?
_Ans._ Because this bird sees in the dark; and wisdom distinguishes
what is hidden from common eyes.
_Ques._ What is the story of Medu´sa's head?
_Ans._ Medusa was one of three sisters, the daughters of Phorcus.
These maidens were called Gorgons, and were all immortal, except
Medu´sa. The latter was at one period distinguished for her personal
beauty, and particularly for her flowing hair; but having offended
Minerva, that goddess changed her locks into serpents, and rendered
her appearance so frightful that all who beheld her were changed to
stone. The hero Perseus undertook an expedition against the Gorgons,
and as he saw the whole country around covered with figures of men and
animals changed into stone by the sight of the monster, he was obliged
to use great precaution to avoid the same misfortune. He looked,
therefore, not at Medu´sa, but at her reflection in his polished
shield, and when he perceived that she was asleep, Minerva guiding his
sword, he struck off her head. Mercury had lent Perseus his wings, and
as he flew over the Lybian desert bearing Medu´sa's head, the blood
fell upon the burning sands, and produced the serpents which have ever
since infested that region. From the blood of Medu´sa, also, when her
head was cut off, sprang the famous winged horse called Peg´asus. This
wonderful steed flew to Mount Helicon, the residence of the Muses,
where, by striking the earth with his foot, he produced the fountain
Hippocre´ne. All who drank of its waters were inspired by the Muses
with a poetic spirit. Perseus went through many other adventures in
which Medu´sa's head did him good service, by changing his enemies
into stone. He afterwards gave the head to Minerva, who fixed it on
her shield.