|
Athens certainly derived its name from Minerva, who in Greek is
called 'Aqhnh, and Varro points out the following reason why it was
so called. When an olive-tree suddenly appeared there, and water
burst forth in another place, these prodigies moved the king to send to
the Delphic Apollo to inquire what they meant and what he should do.
He answered that the olive signified Minerva, the water Neptune,
and that the citizens had it in their power to name their city as they
chose, after either of these two gods whose signs these were. On
receiving this oracle, Cecrops convoked all the citizens of either sex
to give their vote, for it was then the custom in those parts for the
women also to take part in public deliberations. When the multitude
was consulted, the men gave their votes for Neptune, the women for
Minerva; and as the women had a majority of one, Minerva conquered.
Then Neptune, being enraged, laid waste the lands of the
Athenians, by casting up the waves of the sea; for the demons have no
difficulty in scattering any waters more widely. The same authority
said, that to appease his wrath the women should be visited by the
Athenians with the three-fold punishment, that they should no longer
have any vote; that none of their children should be named after their
mothers; and that no one should call them Athenians. Thus that
city, the mother and nurse of liberal doctrines, and of so many and so
great philosophers, than whom Greece had noticing more famous and
noble, by the mockery of demons about the strife of their gods, a male
and female, and from the victory of the female one through the women,
received the name of Athens; and, on being damaged by the vanquished
god, was compelled to punish the very victory of the victress, fearing
the waters of Neptune more than the arms of Minerva. For in the
women who were thus punished, Minerva, who had conquered, was
conquered too, and could not even help her voters so far that,
although the right of voting was henceforth lost, and the mothers could
not give their names to the children, they might at least be allowed to
be called Athenians, and to merit the name of that goddess whom they
had made victorious over a male god by giving her their votes. What
and how much could be said about this, if we had not to hasten to other
things in our discourse, is obvious.
|
|