Note 262 — ARRIAN ON COURSING.
William Dansey translation
c. xxxvi.
Oneirocrit. L. ii. c. 35.
Ejusdem c. 37.
Οἱ δὲ ἀμφὶ τὰς τέχνας πονούμενοι. The different bodies or colleges of artificers had their particular tutelary deities. Pausanias in Arcadicis mentions a temple of Minerva Machinatrix: ἔστι δὲ Ἀθηνᾶς ἱερὸν ἐπίκλησιν Μαχανίτιδος, ὅτι βουλευμάτων ἐστὶν ἡ θεὸς παντοίων καὶ ἐπιτεχνημάτων εὑρέτις. The connexion of Minerva and Vulcan with handicrafts is noted by Artemidorus: Ἀθηνᾶ χειροτέχναις ἀγαθὴ διὰ τὴν προσηγορίαν, Ἐργάνη καλεῖται γάρ——Ἥφαιστος ... χειρώναξι ἀγαθὸς πᾶσι:—and by Oppian:
Halieut. L. ii. 21.
δοῦρα δὲ τεκτῄνασθαι, ἀναστῆσαί τε μέλαθρα, φάρεά τ’ ἀσκῆσαι μήλων εὐανθέϊ καρπῷ Παλλὰς ἐπιχθονίους ἐδιδάξατο. ——Ἡφαίστῳ δὲ μέλει ῥαιστήριος ἱδρώς.
Juno tells Latona that Vulcan’s skill as an artificer, is a counterpoise to his claudicant deformity:Lucian. Deor. Dial. Juno et Latona. ἀλλ’ οὗτος μὲν ὁ χωλὸς, ὅμως χρήσιμός γε ἐστὶ, τεχνίτης ὢν ἄριστος, κ. τ. λ.