"Jupiter said that he would let the one who brought the greatest gift to
the people have the honor of naming the place. And then such strife
began as you can hardly imagine. Poseidon put his wits at work and
called together all his friends for counsel. At last his gift was ready
for the day on which they were to appear before Jupiter.
"Minerva, as she was the goddess of wisdom, needed no such help as
Poseidon had asked and received. Her plans were ready in a moment and
she was waiting for the great day.
"When that day came all the people of the nameless city gathered
together to see what was to be brought them. As they were seated on the
side of mountain, on the top of which stood Jupiter, King Poseidon
appeared on the plain before them, leading a wonderful black horse. It
was covered with gold armor. It pawed the ground and stamped with its
hoofs, and looked like the leader of a grand army. The people shouted
and would have declared for Poseidon without waiting for his rival, but
Jupiter quieted them.
[Illustration: MINERVA. From a Roman statue.]
"Then the goddess came forward on the plain. She was beautiful, tall,
stately. She seemed to be holding something very small in her hand.
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