Respecting this Libyan Athena, it is As the protectress of agriculture, Athena is re-
farther related, that she was educated by the river- presented as the inventor of the plough and rake:
god Triton, together with his own daughter Pallas.
farther related, that she was educated by the river- presented as the inventor of the plough and rake:
god Triton, together with his own daughter Pallas.
William Smith - 1844 - Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities - a
After a delay oc-
against those who sided with Athanasius; and he casioned by the importunate prayers of the people
hinself, after some abortive attempts to remove on behalf of their beloved teacher, Arbanasius was
him in a more quiet manner, was obliged once for the fifth time expelled from Alexandria. llis
more to flee from Alexandria in the midst of last exile, however, was short. In the space of a
dreadful atrocities committed by Syrianus, a crea- few months, he was recalled by Valens himself,
ture of the emperor's. The primate retired to the for reasons which it is now impossible to penetrate;
Egyptian deserts, whence he wrote a pastoral and from this time to the date of his death, A. D.
address to his persecuted flock, to comfort and 373, he seems to have remained unmolested. He
strengthen them amidst their trials. His enemies continued to discharge the laborious duties of his
meanwhile had appointed to the vacant primacy ofhce with unabated energy to the last; and after
one George of Cappadocia, an illiterate man, whose holding the primacy for a term of forty-six years,
inoral character was far from blaneless. The new during which he sustained unexampled reverses
archbishop commenced a ruthless persecution against with heroic fortitude, and prosecuted the great
the orthodox, which seems to have continued, with purpose of his life with singular sagacity and reso-
greater or less severity, during the whole of his lution, he died without a blemish upon his name,
ecclesiastical administration. The banished primate full of years and covered with honour.
was affectionately entertained in the monastic re- The following eulogium was extorted by his
treats which had already begun to multiply in the merits from the pen of an historian who seldom
deserts of Egypt; and he employed his leisure in lavishes praise upon ancient or modern defenders
composing some of his principal works. His place of orthodoxy :-“ Amidst the storms of persecu-
of retreat was diligently sought for by his enemies; tion, the Archbishop of Alexandria was patient of
but, through his own activity and the unswerving labour, jealous of fame, careless of safety; and
fidelity of his friends, the monks, the search was though his mind was tainted by the contagion of
always unsuccessful in the year 361, Constan- fanaticism, Athanasius displayed a superiority of
tius, the great patron of the Arians, expired. He character and abilities, which would have qualified
was succeeded by Julian, commonly called the him, far better than the degenerate sons of Con-
Apostate, who, at the commencement of his reign, stantine, for the government of a great monarchy.
ordered the restoration of the bishops banished by His learning was much less profound and extensive
Constantius. This was rendered the easier in the than that of Eusebius of Caesares, and his rude
case of Athanasius, inasmuch as George the Cappa- eloquence could not be compared with the polished
docian was slain, at that very juncture, in a tumult oratory of Gregory or Basil; but whenever the
raised by the heathen population of the city. Once primate of Egypt was called upon to justify his
more reinstated in his office, amidst the jorful ac- sentiments or his conduct, his unpremeditated
clamations of his friends, Athanasius behared with style, either of speaking or writing, was clear,
lenity towards his humbled opponents, while he forcible, and persuasive. ” (Gibbon, Decline and
vigorously addressed himself to the restoration of Fall, &c. ch. xxi. vol. iii. pp. 351, 352, Milman's
ecclesiastical order and sound doctrine. But, after edition. ) Erasmus's opinion of the style of Atha-
all his reverses, he was again to be driven from liis nasius seems to us more just and discriminating
charge, and again to return to it in triumph. The than Gibbon's :-“ Erat vir ille saeculo tranquillis-
heathens of Alexandria complained against him to the simo dignus, dedisset nobis egregios ingenii facun-
emperor, for no other reason, it would seem, than diaeque suae fructus. Habebat enim vere dotem
bis successful zeal in extending the Christian faith. illam, quam Paulus in Episcopo putat esse prae-
Julian was probably aware that the superstition he cipuam, tò didaktIKÓv ; adeo dilucidus est, acutus,
was bent upon re-establishing had no enemy more sobrius, adtentus, breviter omnibus modis ad do-
fornidable than the thrice-exiled archbishop: he cendum appositus. Nihil habet durum, quod offen.
therefore banished him not only from Alexandria, dit in Tertulliano : nihil È FIDEIKTIKOV, quod vidimus
but from Egypt itself, threatening the prefect of in Hieronymo; nihil operosum, quod in Hilario :
that country with a heavy fine if the sentence were nihil laciniosum, quod est in Augustino, atque
not carried into execution. Theodoret, indeed, etiam Chrysostomo : nihil Isocraticos numeros, aut
affirms, that Julian gave secret orders for inflicting Lysiae compositionem redolens, quod est in Grego-
the last penalties of the law upon the hated prelate. rio Nazianzeno : sed totus est in explicanda re. "
He escaped, however, to the desert (A. D. 362), The most important among the works of Atba-
having predicted that this calamity would be but nasius are the following:-“ Oratio contra Gentes;"
of brief duration ; and after a few months'conceal- “ Oratio de Incarnatione ; " " Encyclica ad Epis-
ment in the monasteries, he returned to Alexan- copos Epistola ;” “ Apologia contra Arianos ;"
dria on receiving intelligence of the death of Julian. “ Epistola de Nicaenis Decretis ;" Epistola ad
By Jovian, who succeeded to the throne of the Episcopos Aegypti et Libyae ;' Apologia ad
empire, Athanasius was held in high esteem. Imperatorem Constantium ;” “ Apologia de Fuga
When, therefore, his inveterate enemies endeavour- sua ;" Historia Arianorum ad Monachos ; "
ed to persuade the emperor to depose him, they “Orationes quatuor contra Arianos ;" * Epistolae
were repeatedly repulsed, and that with no little quatuor ad Serapionem ;" “ Epistola de Synodis
asperity. The speedy demise of Jovian again de- Arimini et Seleuciae ;" Vita Antonii ; " " Li-
prived Athanasius of a powerful protector. During ber de Incarnatione Dei Verbi et c. Arianos. "
.
»
## p. 397 (#417) ############################################
ATHANASIUS.
397
ATIIENA.
The carliest edition of the collected works of The chief sources of information respecting the
Athanasius appeared, in two volumes, folio, at life of Athanasius arc found in his own writings ;
Heidelberg, ex officina Commeliniana, Á. d. 1600. next to these, in the ecclesiastical histories of so
The Greek text was accompanied by the Latin crates, Sozomen, and Theodoret. The materials
version of Peter Nanning (Nannius); and in the afforded by these and other writers have been col-
following year an appendix issued from the same lected, examined, and digested with great learning
press, contiining notes, various readings, indices, and fidelity by Montfaucon, in his « Vita Sancti
&c. , by Peter Felckmann. ' Those who purchase Athanasii,” prefixed to the Benedictine edition of
this edition should take care that their copies the works of this father, and by Tillemont, in his
contain the appendix. The Paris edition of 1627, Mémoires pour servir à l'Histoire Ecclésiastique,
and the Leipzig of 1686 (which professes, but un- vol. viii. , Paris edition of 1713. [J. M. M. ]
truly, to have been published at Cologne), are not ATHANA'SIUS ('Alavéolos), of Alexandria,
held in much estimation; and the latter is very a presbyter of the church in that city, was a son
inaccurately printed. The valuable Benedictine of Isidora, the sister of Cyril of Alexandria. He
edition of Athanasius was published at Paris, A. D. was deprived of his office and driven out of Alex-
1698, in three volumes, folio. The learned editor, andria and Egypt by the bishop, Dioscurus, from
Montfaucon, was at first assisted in preparing it whom he suffered much persecution. There is ex-
by James Loppinus ; but his coadjutor dying when tant a small work of his, in Greek, against Dios-
no more than half of the first volume was finished, curus, which he presented to the council of Chal-
the honour of completing the edition devolved upon cedon, A. D. 451. (Concil. vol. iv. p. 405. )
Montfaucon. Many of the opuscula of Athanasius There were various other ecclesiastical writers
were printed, for the first time, in the second of the name of Athanasius, of whom a list is given
volume of Montfaucon's “ Collectio Nova Patrum in Fabric. Bibl. Gruec. vol. viii. p. 174.
et Scriptorum Graecorum,” Paris, A. D. 1706. ATHANA'SIUS SCHOLASTICUS. 1. A
The most complete edition of the works of Atha- Graeco-Roman jurist, who practised as an advo-
nasius is that published at Padua, a. D. 1777, in cate at Emesa, and was contemporary with
four volumes, folio. The first three volumes con- and survived Justinian. He published in Greek
tain all that is comprised in the valuable Benedic- an epitome of Justinian's Novella; and this work,
tine edition of 1698; the last includes the sup- long known to the learned to exist in manuscript
plementary collections of Montfaucon, Wolf, Maffei, in the royal libraries of Vienna and Paris, was first
and Antonelli.
given to the world by G. E. Heimbach, in the first
The following list includes the principal English volume of his 'Avékoota, Leipz. 1838. It was pro-
translations from the works of Athanasius :—* St. bably the same Athanasius who wrote a book de
Athanasius's Four Orations against the Arians ; Criminibus, of which there was a manuscript in the
and his Oration against the Gentiles. Translated library of Ant. Augustinus. (G. E. Heimbach, De
from the original Greek by Mr. Sam. Parker. ” Basilicorum Origine Fontibus Scholiis, &c. , Leipz.
Oxford, 1713. Athanasius's intire Treatise of the 18:25, p. 41. )
Incarnation of the Word, and of his bodily ap- 2. A Graeco-Roman jurist, who wrote scholia
pearance to us, translated into English by W. on Eustathius after the publication of the Basilica.
Wbiston, in his “ Collection of ancient Monu- (Leunclav. Jus Gr. Rom. vol. ii. p. 207; Heim-
ments relating to the Trinity and Incarnation,” bach, de Basilic. Orig. &c. p. 44. ) [J. T. G. )
London, 1713. The same collection also contains ATHENA (Αθήνη or 'Αθηνά), one of the
a translation of Athanasius's Life of Antony the great divinities of the Greeks. Homer (N. v.
Monk, which was first published in 1687. The 880) calls her a daughter of Zeus, without any
Epistles of Athanasius in defence of the Nicene allusion to her mother or to the manner in which
definition, and on the Councils of Ariniinum and she was called into existence, while most of the
Seleuceia, together with his first Oration against later traditions agree in stating that she was born
the Arians, have been recently translated, with from the head of Zeus. According to Hesiod
notes, by the Rev. J. H. Newman, Oxford, 1842. (Theog. 886, &c. ), Metis, the first wife of Zeus,
The other three Orations, translated by the same was the mother of Athena, but when Metis was
writer, are shortly to appear ; and other works of pregnant with her, Zeus, on the advice of Gaea
Athanasius on the Arian controversy are advertised and Uranus, swallowed Metis up, and afterwards
as preparing for publication.
gave birth himself to Athena, who sprang from his
For a complete list of the genuine, doubtful, and head. (Hesiod, l. c. 924. ) Pindar (Ol. vii. 35,
supposititious works of Athanasius, see Fabricius, &c. ) adds, that Hepbaestus split the head of Zeus
Bibl. Graeca, vol. viii. pp. 184-215, ed. Harles. The with his axe, and that Athena sprang forth with a
most important of his genuine writings are those mighty war-shout. Others relate, that Prometheus
(both historical and doctrinal) which relate to the or Hermes or Palamaon assisted Zeus in giving
Arian controversy. It is hardly necessary to observe birth to Athena, and mentioned the river Triton
that the creed commonly called Athanasian was not as the place where the event took place. (Apollod.
composed by the archbishop of Alexandria. (See i. 4. & 6 ; Schol. ad Pind. Ol. vii. 66. ) Other
Gerardi Vossii, Dissertatio de Symbolo Athanasiano, traditions again relate, that Athena sprang from
Opp. vol. vi. pp. 516–522 ; W. E. Tentzelii, Ju- the head of Zeus in full armour, a statement for
ducia eruditorum de Symbolo Athanasiano. ) It has which Stesichorus is said to have been the most
been ascribed to Vigilius of Tapsus, Vincent of ancient authority. (Tzetz. ad Lycoph. 355 ; Phi-
Lerins, Hilary of Poictiers, and others ; but its lostr. Icon. ii. 27; Schol. ad Apollon. iv. 1310. )
real author is unknown. The " Synopsis Sacrae All these traditions, however, agree in making
Scripturae," which is included in the writings of Athena a daughter of Zeus; but a second set re-
this eminent father, has no claim to be considered gard her as the daughter of Pallas, the winged
his; though, in itself, it is a valuable relic of an-giant, whom she afterwards killed on account of
tiquity.
his attempting to violate her chastity, whose skin
## p. 398 (#418) ############################################
399
ATHENA.
ATHENA.
а
she used as her aegis, and whose wings she fasten- a divinity of a purely ethical character, and not
ed to her own feet. (Tzetz. ad Lycoph. l. c. ; Cic. the representative of any particular physical power
de Nat. Deor. ini. 23. ) A third tradition carries us manifested in nature; her power and wisdom ap
to Libya, and calls Athena a daughter of Poseidon pear in her being the protectress and preserver of
and Tritonis. Athena, says Herodotus (iv. 180), the state and of social institutions. Everything,
on one occasion became angry with her father and therefore, which gives to the state strength and
went to Zeus, who made her his own daughter. prosperity, such as agriculture, inventions, and in-
This passage shews more clearly than any other dustry, as well as everything which preserves and
the manner in which genuine and ancient Hellenic protects it from injurious influence from without,
myths were transplanted to Libya, where they such as the defence of the walls, fortresses, and
were afterwards regarded as the sources of Hel barbours, is under her iminediate care.
lenic ones.
Respecting this Libyan Athena, it is As the protectress of agriculture, Athena is re-
farther related, that she was educated by the river- presented as the inventor of the plough and rake:
god Triton, together with his own daughter Pallas. she created the olive tree, the greatest blessing of
(Apollod. iii. 12. $ 3. ) In Libya she was also Attica, taught the people to yoke oxen to the
said to have invented the flute; for when Perseus plough, took care of the breeding of horses, and
had cut off the head of Medusa, and Stheno and instructed men how to tame them by the bridle,
Euryale, the sisters of Medusa, lamented her death, her own invention. Allusions to this feature of
while plaintive sounds issued from the mouths of her character are contained in the epithets Bovbera,
the serpents which surrounded their heads, Athena Boapula, dyploa, intia, or yalvitis. (Eustath.
is said to have imitated these sounds on a reed. ad Hom. p. 1076 ; Tzetz. ad Lycoph. 520; Hesych.
(Pind. Pyth. xii. 19, &c. ; compare the other ac- s. r. 'Itria ; Serv. ad Aen. iv. 402; Pind. Ol. xii.
counts in Hygin. Fab. 165; Apollod. i. 4. § 2 ; | 79. ) At the beginning of spring thanks were
Paus. i. 24. § 1. ) The connexion of Athena with offered to her in advance poxapotúpia, Suid. s. r. )
Triton and Tritonis caused afterwards the various for the protection she was to afford to the fields.
traditions about her birth-place, so that wherever Besides the inventions relating to agriculture,
there was a river or a well of that name, as in others also connected with various kinds of science,
Crete, Thessaly, Boeotia, Arcadia, and Egypt, the industry, and art, are ascribed to her, and all her
inhabitants of those districts asserted that Athena inventions are not of the kind which men make by
was born there. It is from such birth-places on a chance or accident, but such as require thought
river Triton that she seems to have been called and meditation. We may notice the invention of
Tritonis or Tritogeneia (Paus. ix. 33. & 5), though numbers (Liv. vii. 3), of the trumpet (Bockh, ad
it should be observed that this surname is also ex- Pind. p. 344), the chariot, and navigation. (AE-
plained in other ways ; for some derive it from an Turia. ] In regard to all kinds of useful arts, she
ancient Cretan, Aeolic, or Boeotian word, Tpitu, was believed to have made men acquainted with
signifying “ head," so that it would mean “ the the means and instruments which are necessary
goddess born from the head," and others think for practising them, such as the art of producing
that it was intended to commemorate the circum- fire. She was further believed to have invented
stance of her being born on the third day of the nearly every kind of work in which women were
month. (Tztez. ad Lycoph. 519. ) The connexion employed, and she herself was skilled in such
of Athena with Triton naturally suggests, that we work : in short Athena and Hephaestus were the
have to look for the most ancient seat of her wor-great patrons both of the useful and elegant arts,
ship in Greece to the banks of the river Triton in Hence she is called épzám (Paus. i. 24. § 3), and
Boeotia, which emptied itself into lake Copais, and later writers make her the goddess of all wisdom,,
on which there were two ancient Pelasgian towns, knowledge, and art, and represent her as sitting on
Athenae and Eleusis, which were according to the right hand side of her father Zeus, and sup
tradition swallowed up by the lake. From thence porting him with her counsel. (Hom. Od. xxii.
her worship was carried by the Minyans into 160, xviii. 190; Hymn. in Ven. 4, 7, &c. ; Piut.
Attica, Libya, and other countries. (Müller, Cim. 10; Ovid, Fast. iii. 833; Orph. Hymn. xxxi.
Orchom. p. 355. ) We must lastly notice one 8; Spanh. ad Callim. p. 643; Horat. Carm. i.
tradition, which made Athena a daughter of Ito- 12. 19; comp. Dict. of Ant. under 'Aonvaia and
nius and sister of Iodama, who was killed by Xanxeia. ) As the goddess who made so many
Athena (Paus. ix. 34. § 1; Tzetz. ad Lycoph. 355), inventions necessary and useful in civilized life,
and another according to which she was the she is characterized by various epithets and sur-
daughter of Hephaestus.
names, expressing the keenness of her sight or
These various traditions about Athena arose, as the power of her intellect, such as OTTIMÉTIS,
in most other cases, from Iocal legends and from οφθαλμίτις, οξυδερκής, γλαυκώπις, πολύβουλος,
identifications of the Greek Athena with other | πολύμητες, and μηχανίτις.
divinities. The common notion which the Greeks As the patron divinity of the state, she was at
entertained about her, and which was most widely Athens the protectress of the phratries and houses
spread in the ancient world, is, that she was the which formed the basis of the state. The festival
daughter of Zeus, and if we take Metis to have of the Apaturia had a direct reference to this par-
been her mother, we have at once the clue to the ticular point in the character of the goddess. (Dict.
character which she bears in the religion of Greece ; of Ant. s. v. Apaturia. ) She also maintained the
for, as her father was the most powerful and her authority of the law, and justice, and order, in the
mother the wisest among the gods, so Athena was courts and the assembly of the people. This notion
a combination of the two, that is, a goddess in was as ancient as the Homeric poems, in which she
whom power and wisdom were harmoniously is described as assisting Odysseus against the law.
blended. From this fundamental idea mas be de- less conduct of the suitors. (Od. xiii. 394. ) She
rived the various aspects under which she appears was believed to have instituted the ancient court
in the ancient writers. She seems to have been of the Areiopagus, and in cases where the votes of
## p. 399 (#419) ############################################
ATHENA.
ATIIENA.
399
the judges were equally divided, she gave the a legend which may have arisen at the time when
casting one in favour of the accused. (Aeschyl. thc lonians introduced the worship of Apollo into
Eum. 753; comp. Paus. i. 28. $ 5. ) The epithets Attica, and when this new divinity was placed in
which have reference to this part of the goddess's some family connexion with the ancient goddess of
character are åžiónOLVOS, the avenger (Paus. iii. 15. the country. (Müller, Dor. ii. 2. & 13. ) Lychnus
§ 4), Bouraia, and dyvpaia. (iii. 11. $ 8. ) also is called a son of Hephaestus and Athena
As Athena promoted the internal prosperity of | (Spanheim, ad Callim. p. 641. )
the state, by encouraging agriculture and industry, Athena was worshipped in all parts of Greece,
and by maintaining law and order in all public and from the ancient towns on the lake Copais her
transactions, so also she protected the state from worship was nitroduced at a very early period into
outward enemies, and thus assumes the character Attica, where she became the great national divi.
of a warlike divinity, though in a very different nity of the city and the country. Here she was
sense from Ares, Eris, or Enyo. According to | afterwards regarded as the 9εά σώτειρα, υγίεια, and
Homer (N. v. 736, &c. ), she does not even bear Taiwvia, and the serpent, the symbol of perpetu:]
arms, but borrows them from Zeus; she keeps renovation, was sacred to her. (Paus. i. 23. & 5,
men from slaughter when prudence demands it (n. 31. $ 3, 2. $ 4. ) At Lindus in Rhodes her wor-
i. 199, &c. ), and repels Ares's savage love of war, ship was likewise very ancient. Respecting its
and conquers him. (v. 840, &c. , xxi. 406. ) She introduction into Italy, and the modifications which
does not love war for its own sake, but simply on her character underwent there, see MINERVA.
account of the advantages which the state gains in Among the things sacred to her we may mention
engaging in it; and she therefore supports only such the owl, serpent, cock, and olive-tree, which she
warlike undertakings as are begun with prudence, was said to have created in her contest with Posei-
and are likely to be followed by favourable results. don about the possession of Attica. (Plut. de Is. et
(x. 244, &c. ) The epithets which she derives from Os. ; Paus, vi. 26. & 2, i. 24. & 3; Hygin. Fab. 164. )
her warlike character are αγελεία, λαφρία, άλκιμάχη, | At Corone in Messenia her statue bore a crow in
Taboooos, and others. In times of war, towns, its hand. (Paus. iv. 34. & 3. ) The sacrifices offered
fortresses, and harbours are under her especial care, to her consisted of bulls, whence she probably de
whence she is designated as ερυσίπτολις, αλαλκομε- rived the surname of ταυροβόλος (Suid. s. υ. ), rams,
νηΐς, πολιάς, πολιούχος, ακραία, ακρία, κληδούχος, and cows. (Ηom. ΙΙ. ii. 550; Ov. Met. iv. 754. )
TTUMATTIS, apouaxópua, and the like. As the pru- Eustathius (ad Hom. I. c. ) remarks, that only female
dent goddess of war, she is also the protectress of animals were sacrificed to her, but no female lambs.
all heroes who are distinguished for prudence and In Ilion, Locrian maidens or children are said to
good counsel, as well as for their strength and va- have been sacrificed to her every year as an atone
lour, such as Heracles, Perseus, Bellerophontes, ment for the crime committed by the Locrian Ajax
Achilles, Diomedes, and Odysseus. In the war of upon Cassandra; and Suidas (s. v.
against those who sided with Athanasius; and he casioned by the importunate prayers of the people
hinself, after some abortive attempts to remove on behalf of their beloved teacher, Arbanasius was
him in a more quiet manner, was obliged once for the fifth time expelled from Alexandria. llis
more to flee from Alexandria in the midst of last exile, however, was short. In the space of a
dreadful atrocities committed by Syrianus, a crea- few months, he was recalled by Valens himself,
ture of the emperor's. The primate retired to the for reasons which it is now impossible to penetrate;
Egyptian deserts, whence he wrote a pastoral and from this time to the date of his death, A. D.
address to his persecuted flock, to comfort and 373, he seems to have remained unmolested. He
strengthen them amidst their trials. His enemies continued to discharge the laborious duties of his
meanwhile had appointed to the vacant primacy ofhce with unabated energy to the last; and after
one George of Cappadocia, an illiterate man, whose holding the primacy for a term of forty-six years,
inoral character was far from blaneless. The new during which he sustained unexampled reverses
archbishop commenced a ruthless persecution against with heroic fortitude, and prosecuted the great
the orthodox, which seems to have continued, with purpose of his life with singular sagacity and reso-
greater or less severity, during the whole of his lution, he died without a blemish upon his name,
ecclesiastical administration. The banished primate full of years and covered with honour.
was affectionately entertained in the monastic re- The following eulogium was extorted by his
treats which had already begun to multiply in the merits from the pen of an historian who seldom
deserts of Egypt; and he employed his leisure in lavishes praise upon ancient or modern defenders
composing some of his principal works. His place of orthodoxy :-“ Amidst the storms of persecu-
of retreat was diligently sought for by his enemies; tion, the Archbishop of Alexandria was patient of
but, through his own activity and the unswerving labour, jealous of fame, careless of safety; and
fidelity of his friends, the monks, the search was though his mind was tainted by the contagion of
always unsuccessful in the year 361, Constan- fanaticism, Athanasius displayed a superiority of
tius, the great patron of the Arians, expired. He character and abilities, which would have qualified
was succeeded by Julian, commonly called the him, far better than the degenerate sons of Con-
Apostate, who, at the commencement of his reign, stantine, for the government of a great monarchy.
ordered the restoration of the bishops banished by His learning was much less profound and extensive
Constantius. This was rendered the easier in the than that of Eusebius of Caesares, and his rude
case of Athanasius, inasmuch as George the Cappa- eloquence could not be compared with the polished
docian was slain, at that very juncture, in a tumult oratory of Gregory or Basil; but whenever the
raised by the heathen population of the city. Once primate of Egypt was called upon to justify his
more reinstated in his office, amidst the jorful ac- sentiments or his conduct, his unpremeditated
clamations of his friends, Athanasius behared with style, either of speaking or writing, was clear,
lenity towards his humbled opponents, while he forcible, and persuasive. ” (Gibbon, Decline and
vigorously addressed himself to the restoration of Fall, &c. ch. xxi. vol. iii. pp. 351, 352, Milman's
ecclesiastical order and sound doctrine. But, after edition. ) Erasmus's opinion of the style of Atha-
all his reverses, he was again to be driven from liis nasius seems to us more just and discriminating
charge, and again to return to it in triumph. The than Gibbon's :-“ Erat vir ille saeculo tranquillis-
heathens of Alexandria complained against him to the simo dignus, dedisset nobis egregios ingenii facun-
emperor, for no other reason, it would seem, than diaeque suae fructus. Habebat enim vere dotem
bis successful zeal in extending the Christian faith. illam, quam Paulus in Episcopo putat esse prae-
Julian was probably aware that the superstition he cipuam, tò didaktIKÓv ; adeo dilucidus est, acutus,
was bent upon re-establishing had no enemy more sobrius, adtentus, breviter omnibus modis ad do-
fornidable than the thrice-exiled archbishop: he cendum appositus. Nihil habet durum, quod offen.
therefore banished him not only from Alexandria, dit in Tertulliano : nihil È FIDEIKTIKOV, quod vidimus
but from Egypt itself, threatening the prefect of in Hieronymo; nihil operosum, quod in Hilario :
that country with a heavy fine if the sentence were nihil laciniosum, quod est in Augustino, atque
not carried into execution. Theodoret, indeed, etiam Chrysostomo : nihil Isocraticos numeros, aut
affirms, that Julian gave secret orders for inflicting Lysiae compositionem redolens, quod est in Grego-
the last penalties of the law upon the hated prelate. rio Nazianzeno : sed totus est in explicanda re. "
He escaped, however, to the desert (A. D. 362), The most important among the works of Atba-
having predicted that this calamity would be but nasius are the following:-“ Oratio contra Gentes;"
of brief duration ; and after a few months'conceal- “ Oratio de Incarnatione ; " " Encyclica ad Epis-
ment in the monasteries, he returned to Alexan- copos Epistola ;” “ Apologia contra Arianos ;"
dria on receiving intelligence of the death of Julian. “ Epistola de Nicaenis Decretis ;" Epistola ad
By Jovian, who succeeded to the throne of the Episcopos Aegypti et Libyae ;' Apologia ad
empire, Athanasius was held in high esteem. Imperatorem Constantium ;” “ Apologia de Fuga
When, therefore, his inveterate enemies endeavour- sua ;" Historia Arianorum ad Monachos ; "
ed to persuade the emperor to depose him, they “Orationes quatuor contra Arianos ;" * Epistolae
were repeatedly repulsed, and that with no little quatuor ad Serapionem ;" “ Epistola de Synodis
asperity. The speedy demise of Jovian again de- Arimini et Seleuciae ;" Vita Antonii ; " " Li-
prived Athanasius of a powerful protector. During ber de Incarnatione Dei Verbi et c. Arianos. "
.
»
## p. 397 (#417) ############################################
ATHANASIUS.
397
ATIIENA.
The carliest edition of the collected works of The chief sources of information respecting the
Athanasius appeared, in two volumes, folio, at life of Athanasius arc found in his own writings ;
Heidelberg, ex officina Commeliniana, Á. d. 1600. next to these, in the ecclesiastical histories of so
The Greek text was accompanied by the Latin crates, Sozomen, and Theodoret. The materials
version of Peter Nanning (Nannius); and in the afforded by these and other writers have been col-
following year an appendix issued from the same lected, examined, and digested with great learning
press, contiining notes, various readings, indices, and fidelity by Montfaucon, in his « Vita Sancti
&c. , by Peter Felckmann. ' Those who purchase Athanasii,” prefixed to the Benedictine edition of
this edition should take care that their copies the works of this father, and by Tillemont, in his
contain the appendix. The Paris edition of 1627, Mémoires pour servir à l'Histoire Ecclésiastique,
and the Leipzig of 1686 (which professes, but un- vol. viii. , Paris edition of 1713. [J. M. M. ]
truly, to have been published at Cologne), are not ATHANA'SIUS ('Alavéolos), of Alexandria,
held in much estimation; and the latter is very a presbyter of the church in that city, was a son
inaccurately printed. The valuable Benedictine of Isidora, the sister of Cyril of Alexandria. He
edition of Athanasius was published at Paris, A. D. was deprived of his office and driven out of Alex-
1698, in three volumes, folio. The learned editor, andria and Egypt by the bishop, Dioscurus, from
Montfaucon, was at first assisted in preparing it whom he suffered much persecution. There is ex-
by James Loppinus ; but his coadjutor dying when tant a small work of his, in Greek, against Dios-
no more than half of the first volume was finished, curus, which he presented to the council of Chal-
the honour of completing the edition devolved upon cedon, A. D. 451. (Concil. vol. iv. p. 405. )
Montfaucon. Many of the opuscula of Athanasius There were various other ecclesiastical writers
were printed, for the first time, in the second of the name of Athanasius, of whom a list is given
volume of Montfaucon's “ Collectio Nova Patrum in Fabric. Bibl. Gruec. vol. viii. p. 174.
et Scriptorum Graecorum,” Paris, A. D. 1706. ATHANA'SIUS SCHOLASTICUS. 1. A
The most complete edition of the works of Atha- Graeco-Roman jurist, who practised as an advo-
nasius is that published at Padua, a. D. 1777, in cate at Emesa, and was contemporary with
four volumes, folio. The first three volumes con- and survived Justinian. He published in Greek
tain all that is comprised in the valuable Benedic- an epitome of Justinian's Novella; and this work,
tine edition of 1698; the last includes the sup- long known to the learned to exist in manuscript
plementary collections of Montfaucon, Wolf, Maffei, in the royal libraries of Vienna and Paris, was first
and Antonelli.
given to the world by G. E. Heimbach, in the first
The following list includes the principal English volume of his 'Avékoota, Leipz. 1838. It was pro-
translations from the works of Athanasius :—* St. bably the same Athanasius who wrote a book de
Athanasius's Four Orations against the Arians ; Criminibus, of which there was a manuscript in the
and his Oration against the Gentiles. Translated library of Ant. Augustinus. (G. E. Heimbach, De
from the original Greek by Mr. Sam. Parker. ” Basilicorum Origine Fontibus Scholiis, &c. , Leipz.
Oxford, 1713. Athanasius's intire Treatise of the 18:25, p. 41. )
Incarnation of the Word, and of his bodily ap- 2. A Graeco-Roman jurist, who wrote scholia
pearance to us, translated into English by W. on Eustathius after the publication of the Basilica.
Wbiston, in his “ Collection of ancient Monu- (Leunclav. Jus Gr. Rom. vol. ii. p. 207; Heim-
ments relating to the Trinity and Incarnation,” bach, de Basilic. Orig. &c. p. 44. ) [J. T. G. )
London, 1713. The same collection also contains ATHENA (Αθήνη or 'Αθηνά), one of the
a translation of Athanasius's Life of Antony the great divinities of the Greeks. Homer (N. v.
Monk, which was first published in 1687. The 880) calls her a daughter of Zeus, without any
Epistles of Athanasius in defence of the Nicene allusion to her mother or to the manner in which
definition, and on the Councils of Ariniinum and she was called into existence, while most of the
Seleuceia, together with his first Oration against later traditions agree in stating that she was born
the Arians, have been recently translated, with from the head of Zeus. According to Hesiod
notes, by the Rev. J. H. Newman, Oxford, 1842. (Theog. 886, &c. ), Metis, the first wife of Zeus,
The other three Orations, translated by the same was the mother of Athena, but when Metis was
writer, are shortly to appear ; and other works of pregnant with her, Zeus, on the advice of Gaea
Athanasius on the Arian controversy are advertised and Uranus, swallowed Metis up, and afterwards
as preparing for publication.
gave birth himself to Athena, who sprang from his
For a complete list of the genuine, doubtful, and head. (Hesiod, l. c. 924. ) Pindar (Ol. vii. 35,
supposititious works of Athanasius, see Fabricius, &c. ) adds, that Hepbaestus split the head of Zeus
Bibl. Graeca, vol. viii. pp. 184-215, ed. Harles. The with his axe, and that Athena sprang forth with a
most important of his genuine writings are those mighty war-shout. Others relate, that Prometheus
(both historical and doctrinal) which relate to the or Hermes or Palamaon assisted Zeus in giving
Arian controversy. It is hardly necessary to observe birth to Athena, and mentioned the river Triton
that the creed commonly called Athanasian was not as the place where the event took place. (Apollod.
composed by the archbishop of Alexandria. (See i. 4. & 6 ; Schol. ad Pind. Ol. vii. 66. ) Other
Gerardi Vossii, Dissertatio de Symbolo Athanasiano, traditions again relate, that Athena sprang from
Opp. vol. vi. pp. 516–522 ; W. E. Tentzelii, Ju- the head of Zeus in full armour, a statement for
ducia eruditorum de Symbolo Athanasiano. ) It has which Stesichorus is said to have been the most
been ascribed to Vigilius of Tapsus, Vincent of ancient authority. (Tzetz. ad Lycoph. 355 ; Phi-
Lerins, Hilary of Poictiers, and others ; but its lostr. Icon. ii. 27; Schol. ad Apollon. iv. 1310. )
real author is unknown. The " Synopsis Sacrae All these traditions, however, agree in making
Scripturae," which is included in the writings of Athena a daughter of Zeus; but a second set re-
this eminent father, has no claim to be considered gard her as the daughter of Pallas, the winged
his; though, in itself, it is a valuable relic of an-giant, whom she afterwards killed on account of
tiquity.
his attempting to violate her chastity, whose skin
## p. 398 (#418) ############################################
399
ATHENA.
ATHENA.
а
she used as her aegis, and whose wings she fasten- a divinity of a purely ethical character, and not
ed to her own feet. (Tzetz. ad Lycoph. l. c. ; Cic. the representative of any particular physical power
de Nat. Deor. ini. 23. ) A third tradition carries us manifested in nature; her power and wisdom ap
to Libya, and calls Athena a daughter of Poseidon pear in her being the protectress and preserver of
and Tritonis. Athena, says Herodotus (iv. 180), the state and of social institutions. Everything,
on one occasion became angry with her father and therefore, which gives to the state strength and
went to Zeus, who made her his own daughter. prosperity, such as agriculture, inventions, and in-
This passage shews more clearly than any other dustry, as well as everything which preserves and
the manner in which genuine and ancient Hellenic protects it from injurious influence from without,
myths were transplanted to Libya, where they such as the defence of the walls, fortresses, and
were afterwards regarded as the sources of Hel barbours, is under her iminediate care.
lenic ones.
Respecting this Libyan Athena, it is As the protectress of agriculture, Athena is re-
farther related, that she was educated by the river- presented as the inventor of the plough and rake:
god Triton, together with his own daughter Pallas. she created the olive tree, the greatest blessing of
(Apollod. iii. 12. $ 3. ) In Libya she was also Attica, taught the people to yoke oxen to the
said to have invented the flute; for when Perseus plough, took care of the breeding of horses, and
had cut off the head of Medusa, and Stheno and instructed men how to tame them by the bridle,
Euryale, the sisters of Medusa, lamented her death, her own invention. Allusions to this feature of
while plaintive sounds issued from the mouths of her character are contained in the epithets Bovbera,
the serpents which surrounded their heads, Athena Boapula, dyploa, intia, or yalvitis. (Eustath.
is said to have imitated these sounds on a reed. ad Hom. p. 1076 ; Tzetz. ad Lycoph. 520; Hesych.
(Pind. Pyth. xii. 19, &c. ; compare the other ac- s. r. 'Itria ; Serv. ad Aen. iv. 402; Pind. Ol. xii.
counts in Hygin. Fab. 165; Apollod. i. 4. § 2 ; | 79. ) At the beginning of spring thanks were
Paus. i. 24. § 1. ) The connexion of Athena with offered to her in advance poxapotúpia, Suid. s. r. )
Triton and Tritonis caused afterwards the various for the protection she was to afford to the fields.
traditions about her birth-place, so that wherever Besides the inventions relating to agriculture,
there was a river or a well of that name, as in others also connected with various kinds of science,
Crete, Thessaly, Boeotia, Arcadia, and Egypt, the industry, and art, are ascribed to her, and all her
inhabitants of those districts asserted that Athena inventions are not of the kind which men make by
was born there. It is from such birth-places on a chance or accident, but such as require thought
river Triton that she seems to have been called and meditation. We may notice the invention of
Tritonis or Tritogeneia (Paus. ix. 33. & 5), though numbers (Liv. vii. 3), of the trumpet (Bockh, ad
it should be observed that this surname is also ex- Pind. p. 344), the chariot, and navigation. (AE-
plained in other ways ; for some derive it from an Turia. ] In regard to all kinds of useful arts, she
ancient Cretan, Aeolic, or Boeotian word, Tpitu, was believed to have made men acquainted with
signifying “ head," so that it would mean “ the the means and instruments which are necessary
goddess born from the head," and others think for practising them, such as the art of producing
that it was intended to commemorate the circum- fire. She was further believed to have invented
stance of her being born on the third day of the nearly every kind of work in which women were
month. (Tztez. ad Lycoph. 519. ) The connexion employed, and she herself was skilled in such
of Athena with Triton naturally suggests, that we work : in short Athena and Hephaestus were the
have to look for the most ancient seat of her wor-great patrons both of the useful and elegant arts,
ship in Greece to the banks of the river Triton in Hence she is called épzám (Paus. i. 24. § 3), and
Boeotia, which emptied itself into lake Copais, and later writers make her the goddess of all wisdom,,
on which there were two ancient Pelasgian towns, knowledge, and art, and represent her as sitting on
Athenae and Eleusis, which were according to the right hand side of her father Zeus, and sup
tradition swallowed up by the lake. From thence porting him with her counsel. (Hom. Od. xxii.
her worship was carried by the Minyans into 160, xviii. 190; Hymn. in Ven. 4, 7, &c. ; Piut.
Attica, Libya, and other countries. (Müller, Cim. 10; Ovid, Fast. iii. 833; Orph. Hymn. xxxi.
Orchom. p. 355. ) We must lastly notice one 8; Spanh. ad Callim. p. 643; Horat. Carm. i.
tradition, which made Athena a daughter of Ito- 12. 19; comp. Dict. of Ant. under 'Aonvaia and
nius and sister of Iodama, who was killed by Xanxeia. ) As the goddess who made so many
Athena (Paus. ix. 34. § 1; Tzetz. ad Lycoph. 355), inventions necessary and useful in civilized life,
and another according to which she was the she is characterized by various epithets and sur-
daughter of Hephaestus.
names, expressing the keenness of her sight or
These various traditions about Athena arose, as the power of her intellect, such as OTTIMÉTIS,
in most other cases, from Iocal legends and from οφθαλμίτις, οξυδερκής, γλαυκώπις, πολύβουλος,
identifications of the Greek Athena with other | πολύμητες, and μηχανίτις.
divinities. The common notion which the Greeks As the patron divinity of the state, she was at
entertained about her, and which was most widely Athens the protectress of the phratries and houses
spread in the ancient world, is, that she was the which formed the basis of the state. The festival
daughter of Zeus, and if we take Metis to have of the Apaturia had a direct reference to this par-
been her mother, we have at once the clue to the ticular point in the character of the goddess. (Dict.
character which she bears in the religion of Greece ; of Ant. s. v. Apaturia. ) She also maintained the
for, as her father was the most powerful and her authority of the law, and justice, and order, in the
mother the wisest among the gods, so Athena was courts and the assembly of the people. This notion
a combination of the two, that is, a goddess in was as ancient as the Homeric poems, in which she
whom power and wisdom were harmoniously is described as assisting Odysseus against the law.
blended. From this fundamental idea mas be de- less conduct of the suitors. (Od. xiii. 394. ) She
rived the various aspects under which she appears was believed to have instituted the ancient court
in the ancient writers. She seems to have been of the Areiopagus, and in cases where the votes of
## p. 399 (#419) ############################################
ATHENA.
ATIIENA.
399
the judges were equally divided, she gave the a legend which may have arisen at the time when
casting one in favour of the accused. (Aeschyl. thc lonians introduced the worship of Apollo into
Eum. 753; comp. Paus. i. 28. $ 5. ) The epithets Attica, and when this new divinity was placed in
which have reference to this part of the goddess's some family connexion with the ancient goddess of
character are åžiónOLVOS, the avenger (Paus. iii. 15. the country. (Müller, Dor. ii. 2. & 13. ) Lychnus
§ 4), Bouraia, and dyvpaia. (iii. 11. $ 8. ) also is called a son of Hephaestus and Athena
As Athena promoted the internal prosperity of | (Spanheim, ad Callim. p. 641. )
the state, by encouraging agriculture and industry, Athena was worshipped in all parts of Greece,
and by maintaining law and order in all public and from the ancient towns on the lake Copais her
transactions, so also she protected the state from worship was nitroduced at a very early period into
outward enemies, and thus assumes the character Attica, where she became the great national divi.
of a warlike divinity, though in a very different nity of the city and the country. Here she was
sense from Ares, Eris, or Enyo. According to | afterwards regarded as the 9εά σώτειρα, υγίεια, and
Homer (N. v. 736, &c. ), she does not even bear Taiwvia, and the serpent, the symbol of perpetu:]
arms, but borrows them from Zeus; she keeps renovation, was sacred to her. (Paus. i. 23. & 5,
men from slaughter when prudence demands it (n. 31. $ 3, 2. $ 4. ) At Lindus in Rhodes her wor-
i. 199, &c. ), and repels Ares's savage love of war, ship was likewise very ancient. Respecting its
and conquers him. (v. 840, &c. , xxi. 406. ) She introduction into Italy, and the modifications which
does not love war for its own sake, but simply on her character underwent there, see MINERVA.
account of the advantages which the state gains in Among the things sacred to her we may mention
engaging in it; and she therefore supports only such the owl, serpent, cock, and olive-tree, which she
warlike undertakings as are begun with prudence, was said to have created in her contest with Posei-
and are likely to be followed by favourable results. don about the possession of Attica. (Plut. de Is. et
(x. 244, &c. ) The epithets which she derives from Os. ; Paus, vi. 26. & 2, i. 24. & 3; Hygin. Fab. 164. )
her warlike character are αγελεία, λαφρία, άλκιμάχη, | At Corone in Messenia her statue bore a crow in
Taboooos, and others. In times of war, towns, its hand. (Paus. iv. 34. & 3. ) The sacrifices offered
fortresses, and harbours are under her especial care, to her consisted of bulls, whence she probably de
whence she is designated as ερυσίπτολις, αλαλκομε- rived the surname of ταυροβόλος (Suid. s. υ. ), rams,
νηΐς, πολιάς, πολιούχος, ακραία, ακρία, κληδούχος, and cows. (Ηom. ΙΙ. ii. 550; Ov. Met. iv. 754. )
TTUMATTIS, apouaxópua, and the like. As the pru- Eustathius (ad Hom. I. c. ) remarks, that only female
dent goddess of war, she is also the protectress of animals were sacrificed to her, but no female lambs.
all heroes who are distinguished for prudence and In Ilion, Locrian maidens or children are said to
good counsel, as well as for their strength and va- have been sacrificed to her every year as an atone
lour, such as Heracles, Perseus, Bellerophontes, ment for the crime committed by the Locrian Ajax
Achilles, Diomedes, and Odysseus. In the war of upon Cassandra; and Suidas (s. v.
