FLORA DOMESTICA. 



according with the general belief: he describes Minerva as 

 representing the contest in embroidery : 



" She made the story of the old debate, 



Which she with Neptune did for Athens try; 

 Twelve gods do sit around in royal state, 

 And Jove in midst, with awful majesty, 

 To judge the strife between them stirred late : 

 Each of the gods by his like visnomy 

 Eathe to be known, but Jove above them all, 

 By his great looks and power imperial. 



Before them stands the god of seas in place 



Claiming that sea-coast city as his right, 



And strikes the rocks with his three-forked mace ; 



Whenceforth issues a warlike steed in sight, 



The sign by which he challengeth the place. 



That all the gods, which saw his wondrous might, 



Did surely deem the victory his due : 



But seldom seen, forejudgment proveth true. 



Then to herself she gives her Jgide shield 



And steel-head spear, and morion on her head, 



Such as she oft is seen in warlike field : 



Then sets she forth how with her weapon dread 



She smote the ground, the which straightforth did yield 



A fruitful olive-tree, with berries spread, 



That all the gods admired ; then all the story 



She compassed with a wreath of olives hoary." 



MUIOPOTMOS. 



All Attica is covered with Olives ; it is the tree most 

 valued there, says the Abbe Barthelemy : no person is al- 

 lowed to cut down more than two in the year, unless it be 

 for religious purposes; and any one who transgresses in 

 this respect, is obliged to pay, for every tree, a hundred 

 drachmas to the accuser, and another hundred to the royal 

 treasury, from which a tenth is deducted for the treasury 

 of Minerva. 



Little plantations of Olives are often seen surrounded 

 by a hedge : these do not belong to the proprietor of the 



