the Latin Confederacy. Jupiter Optimus Maximus was worshiped on the Capitoline Hill at Rome as guardian of the state and giver of victory in war, and to him generals returning victorious to celebrate a triumph offered the best of the spoils of war. Like Zeus, the Roman Jupiter was protector of right and truth and the sanctity of oaths.
CHAPTER III
HERA, ATHENA, HEPHÆSTUS
I. HERA (JUNO)
I sing of golden-throned Hera, whom Rhea bore, an immortal queen, in beauty preeminent, the sister and the bride of loud-thundering Zeus, the lady renowned, whom all the Blessed throughout high Olympus honor and revere no less than Zeus whose delight is in the thunder. (Homeric Hymn to Hera. Translation by Andrew Lang.)
As wife of the Supreme god, Hera was naturally the guardian of the marriage state. The bride sacrificed to her, and matrons of the city were the priestesses of her temple. At Samos the annual celebration of her marriage with Zeus was the greatest of festivals. By Zeus she had three children, Ares (Mars), god of war, Hephæstus (Vulcan), god of the forge, and Hebe, goddess of youth. Though Hebe was originally also cup-bearer to the gods, for some reason, perhaps because she slipped one day when pouring the nectar, she was displaced by Gan’y mede, a Trojan prince. Zeus saw the boy on earth and loved him for his boyish charm and beauty. Assuming the form of his royal eagle, the god came upon Ganymede When he was watching his flocks on Mt. Ida, and carried him off to Olympus to be his cup-bearer. This aroused Hera's anger, not only against her husband but against the whole race of Trojans, whom ever after she pursued with relentless hatred. Indeed all Zeus's favorites among mortals and his children by mortal wives were objects of jealous hate to Hera.
Fig. 7. Hera.
Fig. 8. Ganymede and the Eagle.
Iris was the wind-footed, fleet messenger of Hera, who bore her commands to other gods and to mortals. As she flew down from Olympus men knew of her coming by the many-colored trail she left behind her; for Iris was the rainbow, the symbol of connection between earth and heaven.
Greek artists conceived of Hera as a woman in the full bloom of her age, of majestic form and carriage, with a serene and beautiful face, a conception inspired by the ideal for which she stood, the queenly protector of wifehood and motherhood. As a matron she was portrayed clad in a long full garment, and on her head a crown. Often she held a scepter, sometimes a pomegranate, the symbol of fertility for women and plants. Beside her often appears the peacock, his tail adorned by the hundred Argus eyes. (See p. 26.)
Fig. 9. Head of Hera.
Corresponding to Hera as wife of Zeus, in Roman worship stood Juno, the wife of Jupiter. She too in old times had been the special guardian of women and the marriage-tie.
II. ATHENA (MINERVA)
Of all the children of Zeus the one who most resembled her father in nature and power and who most enjoyed his respect and confidence was the maiden goddess, Pallas Athena. The story of her birth is consistent with this special relation, since she sprang, fully grown and fully armed, from the head of Zeus.
Fig. 10. Athena (known as "Lemnian Athena").
Her did Zeus the counselor beget from his holy head all armed for war in shining golden mail, while in awe did the other gods behold it. Quickly did the goddess leap from the immortal head, and stood before Zeus, shaking her sharp spear, and high Olympus trembled in dread beneath the strength of the gray-eyed maiden, while earth rang terribly around, and the sea was boiling with dark waves, and suddenly brake forth the . foam. Yea, and the glorious son of Hyperion checked for long his swift steeds, till the maiden took from her immortal shoulders her divine armor, even Pallas Athena; and Zeus the counselor rejoiced. Hail to thee, child of ægis-bearing Zeus. (Homeric Hymn to Athena.)
Fig. 11. Birth of Athena from the head of Zeus.
The birth of Athena is a favorite subject with Greek artists. Zeus is represented seated upon his throne, while about him are others of the Olympian divinities. Before him stands the god of the forge, Hephæstus, still grasping in his hand the ax with which, to assist the miraculous birth, he has cleft the skull of Zeus. Athena stands beside her father, triumphant, brandishing her spear, her breast protected by the ægis, or sacred breast-plate, adorned with the head of the Gorgon Medusa. (See p. 209.) Originally, in the ancient nature myth, Athena seems to have represented the waters of heaven let loose from the clouds (represented by the head of Zeus) when the thunderbolt (the ax of Hephæstus) cleaves them. The dreadful Gorgon's head with its snaky locks, on the breast-plate, suggests the thunder-cloud and the forked lightning. At an [early time, however, Athena ceased to be regarded as a nature goddess and was worshiped as goddess of reason and practical wisdom, and as patroness of arts and crafts. On the other hand, she was the goddess of war-strategy, the defender of cities, especially her own city of Athens. As champion of civilization and justice, the almighty father granted it to her to wear his ægis. Thus she represents, as has been well said, "the warlike courage that gives peace, and the intellectual activity that makes it fruitful."
To Athena, as guardian of the city of Athens, was dedicated the Parthenon, the temple that crowns the height of the Acropolis. Here was the great gold and ivory statue by the sculptor Phidias, and hither each year the Athenians came in procession to offer to the goddess the new peplos or robe, woven by the women of Athens as an offering to the goddess of handicrafts.
Athena is represented as of strong and noble form, dressed in a long flowing garment. Her finely molded features express courage and high intellectuality. In addition to the ægis she usually wears a helmet, surmounted by a sphinx and griffins, and she holds in her hand a spear, or, frequently, a small winged figure of Victory. Other emblems are the snake and the owl. The emblem of the olive is given her as guardian of the city of Athens.
Fig. 12. Athena (known as "Minerva of Velletri").
When the great city of Athens was founded all the gods desired to have it as their own. Athena and Poseidon (Neptune) were recognized as having the best claim to it, and it was determined that of the two that one should be chosen who should give the best gift to the city. The twelve gods assembled to act as judges, and Cecrops, the king of Athens, served as a witness. The scene of the contest was the height of the Acropolis. Poseidon struck the rock with his trident and a salt spring gushed forth. Then Athena advanced and struck the rock with her spear; an olive tree sprang up. To Athena was adjudged the victory, for the olive was always a great source of wealth to the Athenian state. The sacred olive tree was preserved in the temple precinct, and the story of its miraculous sprouting in a night, when the Athenians returned to rebuild their citadel' after its burning in the Persian Wars, is told by Greek historians. To this day one may see,
