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an idol is in the Cxth book of the former, verfe 237, &c. 

 where the Trojans having been hard prefled by the valour of 

 Diomed, HecStor is enjoined by Helenus, as high prieft, to 

 repair to Troy, and there to diredl the Queen that a folemn 

 offering of gifts and vows be made to Minerva, in order to 

 propitiate the angry goddefs. Hedlor obeys, and Hecuba, as 

 inftrucfled by him, chufes from her wardrobe the richeft 

 and moll beautiful veil, which Ihe carries, with a fplendid 

 proceiTion of matrons, to the fane of Minerva, and, through 

 the means of the prieflefs Theano, lays it at the knees of th& 

 Goddefs— 



"H a apoi Ttf/rXov eX^O'cx, @ea.vu jcaXA/Trap'ijoj 

 Qr,Ke!/ Adrji/aivi; frrt yavouriv rjUKoixoio. 



Here we have an idol, which, however wholly undefcribed either 

 with regard to its form or material, we may fuppofe, from the 

 mention of its knees, to have been a human figure ; and this 

 idol was probably no other than the fatal and celebrated 

 palladium, as may be inferred as well from the part of the 

 city in which its flirine was placed — h TroXei ocxpt; — in the citadel, 

 as from the epithet Ipua-nfloXi, guardian of the city. 



Iloji'i 'ASiji/Kirj, epviTtTflcXi,'* STo, Qexcov, 



" O ! guardian 



• The beauty of this axpreflion, which, in my opinion, means GodJifs among Goddejfes,- 

 feems totally loft in the difFufe tranflation of Pope : 



" Oh awful Goddefs, ever dreadful maid, 



" Troy's ftrong defence, unconquer'd Pallas, aid !" 



