English: Drawing by Adolphe Bouchet of a fresco depicting sacrifice to Pallas found in Pompeii, 1870. Translated Plate description: PLATE 130.

Against a pedestal rests an excessively long spear, emblem of Pallas; for Claudian, in his usual exaggeration, says that the spear of Minerva rises above the clouds (1):

Hastaque terribili surgens per nubila gyro. This goddess carries a long spear, adds Fulgence, quod sapiential lanyard verbo percutiat (2), "because the words of Wisdom have a long range."

On this same base is placed an escutcheon or an oval shield, of gold color, supported by a small Genius with a green chlamys, and representing, in a bas-relief, Pallas who immolates the giant Pallante, from whom he took his name (1), or, according to some authors (2), another Pallante, the father of the goddess Minerva, who was obliged to kill him to defend her modesty; forced to parricide, to escape incest! This shield is doubtless that of Minerva: it was, says Pliny, a custom well suited to excite virtue to represent on the shields of the heroes the image of the actions which had illustrated them (3). In front of the pedestal is a round altar on which a flame burns, and on which a stephanophoric [wreathed] Victory, winged, and girded with a white drapery, makes some libation with a small patera; this figure holds in the left hand a golden helmet; topped with a red plume. Victory, when not confused with Minerva (4), is considered the companion of this goddess: they were brought up together and entered Olympus together (5); together they fought against the giants (6). It is natural for Victory to make an offering to her protector.

A genie, girt with a small violet drapery, brings a lamb before the altar, and at the same time brings a small basket of leaves. At the back of the picture rises a building surrounded by olive trees, which must be the temple of Minerva-Victory, or the residence of her priests.

The fresco fragment relates to the same goddess: we see her with the helmet and the aegis, so controversial, but very clearly represented here. On one side we also see a hand, the index finger extended; on the other, the bust of a naked woman. Perhaps the whole painting represented the judgment of Paris, for which Venus, according to the account of Lucien (1), forced Minerva to remove her helmet, which could, she says, frighten the judge: she made her remove also doubtless, and with all the more reason, her formidable aegis. This index turned towards Minerva would therefore be the finger of one of her rivals.