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MINERVA, MYNERVA, MYNERVE. Minerva was the Roman goddess of commerce, industry, and schools. At a very early stage of the development of her myth, she took on the attributes of the Greek goddess Pallas Athena and became the goddess of war, wisdom, weaving, and embroidery. The owl, Athena's bird, was also transferred to Minerva, whom Virgil represents as goddess of war and handicrafts (Aeneid VII.805-806; Met II.563, 752-756).

Like Virgil, Chaucer uses the names Minerva and Pallas interchangeably. The wisdom of Minerva/Pallas was a medieval commonplace and appears in BD 1072. Pandarus swears by Minerva, patron of Troy, Tr II.232. Troilus appeals to "Minerva, the white," Tr II.1062, when he sits down to write his letter to Criseyde. The phrase seems to have no significance, except perhaps for the rhyme. "Antigone the white" appears in Tr II.887, also at the end of the line. The wooden horse, by which many Trojans will die, is offered to Minerva, LGW 930-933. [Pallas]

Minerva appears once, medially, Tr II.1002; Mynerva, a spelling variant, appears once, in final rhyming position, BD 1072; Mynerve, also a spelling variant and three syllables, with final syllabic -e, appears twice, Tr II.232; LGW 932.


Ovid, Met, ed. and trans. F.J. Miller, I: 98-99; 112-113; Virgil, Aeneid, ed. and trans. H.R. Fairclough, II: 58-59.
From CHAUCER NAME DICTIONARY
Copyright © 1988, 1996 Jacqueline de Weever
Published by Garland Publishing, Inc., New York and London.

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