"Do gods do that, take an interest in people who aren’t aware of them?"
Not the OP - What a fascinating question... JMG do you know of any references/stories to Minerva as 'protector'?
*** Many of Minerva’s tales in Ovid are included in a series that show the vengeance and anger of the gods. As a virginal goddess, Minerva is not featured in the stories that center around love.
These ideas of transformation were not originated by Ovid. They played a major role in earlier mythology and the Latin poet expanded upon these themes.
Because they fit so well into the exiting framework, Ovid’s original stories are often included in modern retellings of classical mythology. In some cases Metamorphoses survived where older written legends did not, leading his stories to be passed down as primary sources though they were later inventions. Because of this, the perception of Athena/Minerva has been highly influenced by her appearance in Metamorphoses. While she appears in earlier myths as a protective goddess, her wrath in Metamorphoses has led to her also being seen as a particularly vengeful and temperamental deity.
...Craftsmen in Britain embraced Minerva as a protective goddess to an even highly degree than they did in Rome. Many tools found from the period of Roman occupation show images of Minerva as the patroness of carpenters.
Jewellry from Britain often featured Minerva’s image and iconography as well. Hairpins, brooches, and signet rings from Roman Britain often showed Minerva in profile.
She was so popular in Britain that she was even featured in contexts that were entirely unique from her Roman worship. Coffins, for example, sometimes featured her imagery rather than more traditional Greco-Roman psychopomps. https://mythologysource.com/minerva-roman-goddess/
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branchandroot
Re: Minerva
Date: 2022-12-12 09:54 pm (UTC)Not the OP - What a fascinating question... JMG do you know of any references/stories to Minerva as 'protector'?
***
Many of Minerva’s tales in Ovid are included in a series that show the vengeance and anger of the gods. As a virginal goddess, Minerva is not featured in the stories that center around love.
These ideas of transformation were not originated by Ovid. They played a major role in earlier mythology and the Latin poet expanded upon these themes.
Because they fit so well into the exiting framework, Ovid’s original stories are often included in modern retellings of classical mythology. In some cases Metamorphoses survived where older written legends did not, leading his stories to be passed down as primary sources though they were later inventions.
Because of this, the perception of Athena/Minerva has been highly influenced by her appearance in Metamorphoses. While she appears in earlier myths as a protective goddess, her wrath in Metamorphoses has led to her also being seen as a particularly vengeful and temperamental deity.
...Craftsmen in Britain embraced Minerva as a protective goddess to an even highly degree than they did in Rome. Many tools found from the period of Roman occupation show images of Minerva as the patroness of carpenters.
Jewellry from Britain often featured Minerva’s image and iconography as well. Hairpins, brooches, and signet rings from Roman Britain often showed Minerva in profile.
She was so popular in Britain that she was even featured in contexts that were entirely unique from her Roman worship. Coffins, for example, sometimes featured her imagery rather than more traditional Greco-Roman psychopomps.
https://mythologysource.com/minerva-roman-goddess/