C H A P. XL
O f the EreEiheum—-fem pleof Neptune — temple o f Minerva Polias
Story o f Pandrofos — Prefent fa te o f the temples o f Neptune
and Minerva — O f the Pandr fium — Pujmefs o f the 'virgins
called Canephori— -Images o f Minerva-— 1 be trecfury— In—
fcriptians.
W E proceed now to the clufter of ruins' on the north fide o f
the parthenon, containing, the Ereftheum and the temple o f
Pandrofos, daughter o f Cecrops.
N eptune and Minerva* once rival deities* we’re joint and
amicable tenants ,of the Ereftheum, in which was an. altar o f
Oblivion. The building was double# a partitiqn--waE dividing, it
into two temples, which fronted different Ways; One was the
temple of Neptune Ercdtheus, the other1 of Minerva Polias.
The latter' was entered by a fquare portico- connected with d
marble ffereen, which fronts toward the propyleas. The door
<?f the cell was on the left hand* andat thefarther end O f the
paffage was a door leading down into the Pandrofeuto, which
was contiguous.
B efore the temple o f Neptune Eredtheus was ah- altar; o f
Jupiter the fupneme% on which no living thing was facrifieed*
bat they ofibred cakes Without wine. Within it was the altar
o f Neptune and Ere&heus * and two, belonging to Vulcan and a
hero named Bates,, who had tranfmitted the priefthood to hia
pofterity, which were called Butadse. On the walls were paint'-
ings o f this illuftrious family, from which the prieftefs o f
Minerva Polias was alfo taken. It was aflerted that Neptune
had ordained the well of fait water and the figure of a trident
in the rock, to be memorials o f his contending for the country.
The
Si
The former; Paufanias; remarks, was no great wonder, for éther
wellsy Of a fimilar nature were found iM&ndj but this*- when
the fouth wind blew, afforded the' found of waves.
T hf. temple of Minerva Polias was dedicated by all Attica, and
poflefied the mod an tient ftatue of the goddefs; The demi or towns
had other deities, but their zeal for her differed no diminu-tion:-
The itnage, which they placed in the; acropolis, then the city, was
ip after agps not only reputed confummately holy* but belie ved to
have fallen down from heaven in the reign of Erichthonius. It
was guarded by a large ferpent, which was regularly ferved with
ofieringS'Of honied cakes for his food. ' This divine reptile was
ofi great fagaorty, and attained to an- extraordinary age-.! H e
wifely withdrew from the temple, when in, danger from the-
Medes * and, it is fkid,: was living, in the fecondr century. Before
the ftatue was an. owl j and a golden lamp. This continued
burning day and night. It was* contrived by a curious artift,.
named Callimachus,, and did not require to-be replenifhed with
oil oftener'than once a year. A brazen, palm-tree*> reaching to'
the- roof, received its fmoke. Arifiion had let the holy flame
expire, while- Sylia befieged. him, and was abhorred for his>
impiety. The original olive-tree* faid to have been produced»
by Minerva, was 'kept in this temple. When the Medes fet
fire to the acropolis,' it ,was eopfumed ; but, they aflerted, on
the following day, was found to have fhot up again as much as»
a cubit. It- grew low and crooked, but was efteemed.very holy*
T h e prieftefs o f Minerva was not allowed to eat of the new
cheefe o f Attica j and, among her perquifites, was a meafure ofi
wheat,. and one of bari^y* for3, ©very birth and burifli; T h is
temple was again burned when Caliias was Archon *, twenty,
four years after the death of Pericles. Near it was the tomb o f
Cecrops, and- within i t Eredtheus- was- buried.
I t was related in fhe mythology of Athens* that- Minerva
intruded to Aglauros, Herfe, and Pandrofos, a cheft ; which*
* Before Ghrifl,- 404,*' Pericles died of- the' plague in the 4th OJymp. 87.
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