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Latin via Ovid
Chapter 3
Minerva et Arachne
Mythological Background:
Birth and Character of Athena (Minerva)
Minerva and Arachne
Related Myths: Medusa, satyrs and Perseus
Legends associated with the region of Lydia
Latin via Ovid Chapter 3
Minerva et Arachne
Birth of Athena (Greek:
Minerva = Roman)
• Zeus (Jupiter) took as his
wife Metis (an abstract
name meaning “wisdom”)
• When Metis was about to
give birth, Zeus swallowed
her into his belly because it
was told to Zeus that Metis
would bear exceptional
children: Athena, the equal
of her father in might and
good counsel, and a son
who would become king of
the gods and men
Latin via Ovid Chapter 3
Minerva et Arachne
• When Athena was born,
either Hephaestus or
Prometheus or Hermes
split Zeus’ head with an
axe, and Athena
(Minerva) sprung from
Zeus’ head, fully-grown
and in full armor,
whooping a war cry
• The myth’s aetiology
seems to be the physical
manifestations of a
thunderstorm
Latin via Ovid Chapter 3
Minerva et Arachne
• The birth of Athena (Minerva) was immortalized
by the Greek sculptor Pheidias in the east
pediment of the goddess’ great temple, the
Parthenon (Parthenos, meaning virgin, was a
standard epithet of Athena)
Latin via Ovid Chapter 3
Minerva et Arachne
• The theme of the west
pediment of the
Parthenon was the
victory of Athena over
Poseidon for control of
Athens and Attica: she
gave the city the gift of
the olive tree
• The city of Athens
celebrated the day of
Athena’s birth every year
with a festival: the
Panathenaea, in honor
of their patron deity
Latin via Ovid Chapter 3
Minerva et Arachne
The Parthenon on the Acropolis in Athens.
Latin via Ovid Chapter 3
Minerva et Arachne
A reconstruction model showing the
Parthenon on the Acropolis in Athens.
Latin via Ovid Chapter 3
Minerva et Arachne
• A cross-section of the
front of the Parthenon
illustrating the various
decorative elements
in the architecture of
the building.
• NOTE the “pediment”
where the sculpture
would have appeared.
Latin via Ovid Chapter 3
Minerva et Arachne
Characteristics
of the
goddess
Athena:
• Athena (Minerva)
is often
represented in art
with her attributes
as a war goddess:
helmet, spear,
and shield (the
aegis, on which
the head of the
gorgon Medusa is
depicted)
Latin via Ovid Chapter 3
Minerva et Arachne
Chryselephantine statue of Athena
Athena stands holding a Nike (Victory) on her right
hand that extends forward from the elbow, as if offering
Nike to the Athenian citizens. With her left hand she
supports her shield which shelters a snake as it rests
on the ground, and her lance that rests on her left
shoulder.She is dressed with an Attica peplos, and on
her head she wears a richly decorated helmet with a
sphinx at the apex and two Pegasi on each side. Her
breastplate is adorned with snakes and the head of
Medusa at the center.
Minerva’s owl in a Greek tile
Latin via Ovid Chapter 3
Minerva et Arachne
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Athena’s title as “Tritogeneia” is
obscure and explanations are
conjectural; it seems to refer to
her originally being a goddess of
water or the sea
Soon after her birth, Athena
(Minerva) was raised by Triton,
who had a daughter, Pallas
Athena and Pallas used to
practice the arts of war together
One time they quarreled, and as
Pallas was about to strike Athena,
Zeus intervened; Pallas was
startled, and Athena took
advantage of the surprise and
wounded and killed Pallas;
Athena, in honor of her friend,
took the name Pallas for herself
Latin via Ovid Chapter 3
Minerva et Arachne
Minerva and Arachne
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The story of Minerva and
Arachne bears testimony to
the importance of Athena as
patroness of women’s
household arts, especially of
spinning and weaving
Ovid gives his account in
Metamorphoses 6.5-145
NOTE that Minerva disguises
herself as an old woman: one
of the anthropomorphic gods’
abilities to alter their
appearance
It is an aetiological myth:
giving an explanation of the
origin of the spider’s skill in
weaving its web
Latin via Ovid Chapter 3
Minerva et Arachne
Athena (Minerva) and Related
Myths:
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Athena is a goddess of many
specific arts, crafts and skills
(military, political, and domestic),
as well as the deification of
wisdom and good counsel;
She is skilled in the taming and
training of horses and inventor
of the flute;
Athena threw it away soon after
she began to play it because it
distorted her beautiful features;
Marsyas, the satyr, picked up
the instrument
Latin via Ovid Chapter 3
Minerva et Arachne
Athena (Minerva) and Related
Myths: Satyrs
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Satyrs were attendants of the god
Dionysus/Bacchus (Greek/Roman)
Mainly human in form with bestial
aspects: horse’s tail, legs of a goat
Lustful, fond of revelry
Silenus was a wise old satyr and the
tutor of Dionysus
In Roman mythology satyrs= fauni
(pl.; faunus, s.)
Depiction of the flaying of Marsyas, who lost
his flute playing contest with Apollo playing
the lyre with the Muses as judges: another
instance of hybris punished by the gods
Latin via Ovid Chapter 3
Minerva et Arachne
Athena (Minerva) and
Related Myths: Medusa
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Medusa was one of three sisters
(Stheno and Euryale-both
immortal) known as the Gorgons
Medusa had snakes for hair and if
you looked her in the eyes, she
would turn you to stone
Latin via Ovid Chapter 3
Minerva et Arachne
Athena (Minerva) and
Related Myths: Medusa
•
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Medusa was slain by the
mythological hero Perseus
When Perseus cut off Medusa’s
head, the winged horse Pegasus
sprung from her neck
Latin via Ovid Chapter 3
Minerva et Arachne
Athena (Minerva) and
Related Myths: Medusa
• Perseus supposedly gave
Medusa’s severed head to
the goddess Minerva
(Athena), who put it in the
center of her shield, the
aegis
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Minerva et Arachne
Athena (Minerva) and Related Myths: Arachne in Lydia
•
Arachne, puella perita in lana, in Lydia habitat
Latin via Ovid Chapter 3
Minerva et Arachne
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The Lydians were the first people
to coin money
Lydian rulers include:
Gyges, who is said to have
possessed a ring that would make
the wearer invisible;
Link to that legend:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gyges_
of_Lydia
The legend of Gyges is also retold
by the Greek Philosopher Plato in
his dialogue The Republic:
http://platodialogues.org/tetra_4/republic/gyg
es.htm
Plato founded a school called the
“Academy” in 5th century B.C.
Plato (ca. 427 - 347 B.C.)
Athens
Latin via Ovid Chapter 3
Minerva et Arachne
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Other rulers of Lydia included King Croesus, whose wealth was famous
throughout the ancient world; even today you might say “as rich as
Croesus”
Croesus used his wealth to construct and decorate the Temple of Artemis at
Ephesus, which became one of the “Seven Wonders of the Ancient World:”
http://www.kusadasi.biz/historical-places/temple-of-artemis.html
Latin via Ovid Chapter 3
Minerva et Arachne
• In Phrygia, a region near
Lydia, lived the legendary
King Midas, who was so
greedy that he wished that
everything he touched
would turn to gold,but his
wish was flawed (he didn’t
think about touching food);
another example of
unmitigated hybris, also
punished by the gods
Latin via Ovid Chapter 3
Minerva et Arachne
King Midas
Temple of Artemis
Link to article on Ancient Anatolia (Lydia) from Encyclopedia Britannica
On-line: http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-44372/Anatolia