When Jupiter admonishes Venus to abandon attempts at war, he adds[235],
ταῦτα δ’ Ἄρηϊ θοῷ καὶ Ἀθήνῃ πάντα μελήσει.
There can be no doubt which of these two war-divinities was superior and which subordinate; the exploit of Diomed alone would avail to settle the question: but more direct evidence is to be found in the singular passage which describes Minerva as invested with the charge of chastising Mars, and in the mode after which, in the Fifteenth and Twenty-first Books, she herself recognises and fulfils the obligation of her office. (Il. v. 766. xv. 123–42).
Again, her name is connected with that of Vulcan as to his own special and sole art of working in metals. Twice in the Odyssey the silversmith is introduced in a simile, and he is called a man educated by these two[236];
ἴδρις, ὃν Ἥφαιστος δέδαεν καὶ Παλλὰς Ἀθήνη
τέχνην παντοίην.
Only in the arts of tissue and embroidery she seems to have no coadjutor. This probably is on account of their purely feminine character. But generally all the principles and foundations of art are hers. Thus she even teaches mensuration to the carpenter[237]:
ὅς ῥά τε πάσης
εὖ εἰδῇ σοφίης, ὑποθημοσύνῃσιν Ἀθήνης.
As some of her distinctive epithets, like ἐρυσίπτολις, φθισίμβροτος refer especially to war, so she has others which look either mainly or exclusively to the supreme care of political order. Such are ἀλαλκομένηις, λαόσσοος, and ἀγελείη (collector or leader of a people). It is the executory duty that is intrusted to Themis. She is the messenger, who summons the deities, and she both collects and dissolves human assemblies[238]: thus discharging a subordinate function, where Pallas is the presiding goddess. It is probably for this reason that, notwithstanding the strong political spirit of Homer, we find Themis act so secondary a part in Olympus.