Minerva.

SHE is likewise called Pallas, born of the brain of Iupi∣ter; she is the goddesse of Wisdome, Discipline, and Arms, and therefore called Bellona, and therefore translated into the number of the gods, because the invention of arts and sciences are attributed to her. The places ce∣lebrated to her deity, were Ithinas, a hill neer to Athens, where she had a Temple erected; the mountain P••eas, in Attica; in Aracinthus, a place in Aetolia, from which (as Statius writes) she was called Aracinthia. Pliny saith, that Nea, one of the Islands called Cyclades, was pecu∣liar to her. But Athens was her place of most honour, which City she is said to have built. From thence she hath the name of Athnaea, Attica, Cecropia, and Mosopia, Horace Carm. lib. 1. The great City called Alcomeneum, scituate in Boeotia, hath likewise by the Testament of the first founder submitted it selfe to her patronage. Of Scira, a Prophet of Elucina, she was called Sciras. The solemni∣zation of her festivals, were called Panathenea. There were certaine wrestling contentions, which Theseus in A∣thens, first instituted to this goddesse, as Plutarch hath de∣livered. She had likewise her Quinquatria yearly celebra∣ted, which were kept sacred five daies after the black day, (and therefore so called) the black day was immediately after the Ides: In her sacrifices it was their custome to offer a Goat, because as Pliny hath left recorded, The biting of the Goat is prejudiciall to the Olive tree, whose fruit Mi∣nerva best loveth; the very licking of the rind with their tongues makes it barren. She slew the beast Alcida, a mon∣ster that from his mouth and nostrils breathed fire. Aelianus writes, that when Alexander brought his army against The∣bes (amongst many other prodigies) that the image of Mi∣nerva, sirnamed Atalcomineides was burnt by a voluntary flame, no fire being neer it. At Assessum she had two Tem∣ples: Page  15 from that place she was called Minerva Assessia. From other places where she was worshipped, she took the name of Pallenides and Pedasia: Alea from her Temple amongst the Tegeates. Tutelaris she was called by the inhabitants of Chios, and honoured as an Oracle amongst the Aegyp∣tians; she had only a po•ch amongst the Scians. In some places her statues were covered with gold, in others they were of plain stone. She had a Temple in Sige∣um: three others, Si•adis, Aegis, and Crastiae: she was by some called Minerva Vrbana, and Minerva Isliadi. Herodo∣tus writeth, that when Xerxes transported his army into Greece, passing by Troy, and being perusing the antiqui∣ties thereof; and upon his departure thence, at the Altar of Minerva, he sacrificed a thousand oxen one day. Many things are fabled of her by Poets, as of her contention in weaving, with Arachne, which I purposely refer to her story as it fals in course. She is the Hieroglyphick of Wisdome, and therefore the Poet Martianus writes that she was born without a mother, because that in women there is scarce any wisedom to be found; in a Hymn upon Pallas he is thus read:

The Maclies and the Auses, are two nations that border upon the spacious Fen Tritonides: Their virgins in the yearly feast of Minerva, in celebrations of their rights to the goddesse, divide themselves into two armies, and fight one part against the other, with stones, clubs, and other weapons of hostility: such as perish in the conflict, they hold to be no true and perfect Virgins, because not pro∣tected by the goddess: But she that hath born her selfe the most valiant in the conflict, is by common consent of the rest▪ ••ichly adorned, and beautified with the best armour, according to the manner of the Greeks, her head beauti∣fied with a Corinthian crest or plume, and seated in a Cha∣rio• d•awn through the Tritonian Fen. They have it by tradition, that Minerva was the daughter of Neptune, and the Fen before named, and being reproved by her father, she ••ok it in such scorn, that she utterly rejected him and gave •he selfe to Iupiter, who adopted her his daughter. Zaleucus when •e commended his lawes to the Locrenses, to make them the better observed by the people, told them, Page  16Minerva had appeared to him, and did dictate and pro∣pose to him whatsoever he had delivered to them. The most famous of Poets, Homer, he mad Minerva a compani∣on of Vlysses in his travels; in whom he personated the most wise man amongst the Grecians, who freed him from all dangers, labours, and ship-wrecks, and brought him in safety to his Country, Parents, Queen, Sonne, and Subjects: thereby intimating, That by Wisedome and Knowledge, all difficult things may be easily undergone. This is that win∣ged horse Pegasus, by which Perseus subdued so many mon∣sters. This is that shield of Pallas, to which the Gorgons head being fastned, turns the beholders to stone, amazing the ignorant and unlearned. Agreeable to this is Homers first book of his Odyssae, the argument I give you thus in English:

Vlysses suffering ship-wreck,* and cast naked upon the shore of Pheacus, he was assisted further by her, as followes in the sixt and seventh arguments.

In all his negotiations and travels, Pallas was still his assistant, for Wisedome never forsakes any man in ne∣cessities: insomuch, that after he had freed his Court of his wives unruly •utors, having slain them all, and was now peaceably possest of his Kingdome, she was still constant to him in all his extremities. Which I will conclude with the foure and twentieth argument of Homers Odysse, and the last book.

Pallas hath been often invocated by the Poets, but a∣mongst infinite I will only instance one; and that for the elegancy. Homer in his long peregrination through Greece and other Countries, sometimes by sea, and sometimes by land, and by the reason of his blindnesse grooping his way, he hapned to passe by a place where Potters were at work, and setting such things as they had newly moulded into their furnace; who finding by his harp (for he seldome tra∣velled without it, being one of the best means he had to get his living) that he had some skill in Musick, intreated him that he would play them a fit of mi•th, and sing them a fine song; which if he would do, they would give him so many small pots and necessary drinking cups for his la∣bour, vailes that belonged to their trade. The conditions were accepted; and he presently to his harp sung this ex∣temporall ditty, called Caminus, or Fornax.

That the former writers might demonstrate unto us, Page  20 That humane actions are not altogether so governed by the force coelestiall, but that there is some place left open for mans prudence, and wisedome; and besides, to deliver unto us, how acceptable the knowledge of good things is to him who is the giver of all graces: they therefore left this expression to posterity, that Wisedome was the daugh∣ter of Jupiter, and born without a mother, since God is on∣ly wise, and men not so, but meerly in a similitude or sha∣dow. Therefore to manifest the power of Wisdome, they feigned her to come into the world armed, because the wise man respects not the injuries of Fortune, nor puts his trust in any worldly felicity, further then by counsell and pati∣ence to subdue the one, and moderate the other; stil pla∣cing his hopes in that fountaine from whence she first pro∣ceeded. Next, because the feare of the Lord is the be∣ginning of Wisedome, she is said to have combated Giants, the sonnes of the earth: such as in that Gigomantichia, would have pluckt Jupiter out of his throne; by which are intended the presumptions of nature, and the insolencies of men; who, all service and adoration to the divine powers neglected, are not affraid to make insurrection a∣gainst heaven it selfe. I may therefore conclude, that all humane wisedome different against the divine will, is vain and contemptible, since the good man is onely wise, and in the grace and favour or his Maker.