MINERVA, in ancient mythology, was a goddess worshipped by the Romans under that name, and by the Greeks under that of Athene, or Pallas Athene. According to the earliest traditions among the Greeks, Athene was the daughter of Zeus. Homer says nothing of the mode of her birth; but Hesiod and other authorities say that she sprung from the head of Zeus after that god had swallowed his wife Metis. Various other legends concerning the origin of Athene were afterwards current, which arose, in all probability, from local traditions, or from the identification of the Greek Athene with similar deities of foreign nations. In the Greek religion Athene seemed to represent the union of power and wisdom. Thus she appears in Homer as the patroness and protectress of all those heroes who were distinguished for wisdom or courage, such as Achilles, Ulysses, Diomedes, and others. She is likewise represented as the deity of agriculture, and the giver of the olive to the citizens of Athens, the city called after her name; as the inventress of all sorts of arts and contrivances; as the protectress of cities and states; and the upholder of law and order. Although a warlike deity, she was not regarded, like Ares, as bloodthirsty and delighting in war for its own sake; but rather as succouring and en-
couraging the defenders of the righteous cause, and as resisting and checking the mere brute strength of the god of war. The Roman goddess Minerva, who was identified with the Greek Athene, was represented as possessed of the same attributes. Her name seems to be derived from the same root as meas and monere. Minerva accordingly appears as the impersonation of wisdom, learning, and mental power. In Rome she was worshipped as one of the three Capitoline deities, and a festival was celebrated in her honour on the 19th of March, called Quinquatrus or Quinquatria, on account of its taking place on the 5th day after the Ides of that month. Minerva was also believed to have been the inventress of numbers; and a nail was annually driven into the wall of her temple to mark the number of the years. To this virgin deity calves untouched by the yoke were sacrificed, and the spoils of war were often dedicated. Minerva is generally represented as an armed virgin of masculine mould and majestic bearing, with sky-coloured eyes and an earnest countenance, wearing a plumed helmet on her head and an egis round her breast, and holding in her right hand a spear, and in her left the round Argolic shield faced by the petrifying head of Medusa.