Writings of Minno about Minerva

Out of the Writings of Minno (See PLATE IV) ¹

Nyhellenia, who by her own name was called Minerva, was well set and almost as beloved by the Greeks as by our own folk, then came there some princes and priests upon her burgh and asked her where her estate lay.

Hellenia answered, my estate bear I about in my bosom, what I have inherited is love for wisdom, right and freedom, if I lose them, so am I like the least of your slaves.
Now give I advice for naught (freely). But then should I sell it.⁵

The gentlemen went away and called all laughing, “Your obedient servants, wise Hellenia.” Though therewith, they missed her intention when the folk that loved her and followed her used this name as a name of honour.
When they saw that they had missed their shot, then they accused her and said that she had bewitched the folk but our folk and the good Greeks knew always that it was insult.

Once came they and asked, if thou then art no witch, what dost then with the eggs which thou always hast with thee?

Minerva answered, these eggs are the symbol of Frya’s counsel wherein our future lies hidden and that of all mankind.
Time must brood them out and we must watch that no harm comes to them.

The priests (said) well said, but whereto serves the dog in thy other hand?

Hellenia answered, has the herdsman no sheepdog to hold his flock together? What the dog is, in the service of the shepherd, am I in Frya’s service.¹⁰
I must watch over Frya’s herd.

That we like, said the priests but what is the significance of the owl which ever sits above thy head;
is that light-shy animal perhaps a token of thy clairvoyance?

Nay, answered Hellenia, he helps me remember that there is a sort of person dwelling around the world who, even as he, make their homes in churches and caves, who root about in the gloom, though not as he, to help us from mice and other plagues but to plan ruses, to rob other people of their wits until they the better might grab them so as to make slaves of them and to suck their blood even as vampires do.

Once came they with a band of folk, a plague was come over the land, they said we all are to make offerings to the gods so that the plague may be prevented. Wilt thou not help us to still their pain or hast thou thyself brought the plague, over the land, with thy art.¹⁵

Nay, said Min-erva, but I know not no gods who are evil-doing;
therefore can I not ask if they will become better.
I know one god that is Wralda’s ghost;
but because he is good, does he thus no evil.

Whence comes evil, then woe, ask the priests.²⁰
All evil comes from you and from the stupidity of people who let themselves be taken by you.

“If thy god is so confounded good, why is not evil come to naught?” asked the priests.

Hellenia answered, Frya has brought us upon the way and Kroder, that is time, must do what is left over.
Before all disasters, is advice and help to be found which Wralda will that we ourselves seek so that we shall become strong and wise.
If we will not, then he lets us struggle out our bewilderment so that we may learn what follows after wise and after stupid deeds.²⁵

Then said a prince, I should ween it were better to prevent that.

It well may be, answered Hellenia, then when the people become tame as sheep, thou and the priests should (not only) want to guard them but shear them and lead them to the slaughter.

Furthermore, our godhead wants naught of us, he will that we help each other but he will also that everyone be free and wise.

That is also our will, therefore our folk chooses its princes, graves, advisors and all bosses and masters from the wisest of the good men so that everyone does his best to become wise and good.
Insodoing, shall we at once wit and teach folks that being wise and doing wisely alone lead to happiness.³⁰

That is like a judgement, said the priests, but if thou now meanest that plague comes through our stupidity, would then Nyhellina be so good as to teach us something of that new light whereof she is so proud.

Yes, said Nyhellinia, the raven and other birds come only to fall upon foul carrion but plague likes not only foul carrion but bad custom-habits and captivity.
Wilt thou now take the plague from this place and not to come again, then must thou do away with the captivity and it shall be pure within and without.

We will believe that thy judgement be good, said the priests, but tell us how we should impart it to the people who are under our power.

Then Hellenia stood up from her seat and quoth: The sparrows follow the sower, the folks, their good princes, therefore aughtst thou to begin with thyselves thus to make pure, that thou thy look, inward and outward, may direct without becoming ashamed of thine own mind.³⁵

But instead of making the folk pure, thou hast invented foul festivals wherein folk sip (beer and wine) so long, that they are at last like swine which root in the slime that they may atone for thy foul lusts.
The folk began to howl and to mock.
Therefore, she dared spin no more arguments.

Now should everyone ween, that they had called the folk into a bunch, so as to drive us altogehter from the land.
Nay, instead of chiding her, they went all the way from the near Greeks to the Alps to proclaim that it had pleased the all-highest God to send his wise daughter, Min-erva, surnamed Nyhellinia, among the people, from over the sea, with a cloud, to give the people good advice and, so that all people who hear her should become rich and happy, and once should become boss over all kingdoms of the Earth.⁴⁰

They spoke always advice which she never had given and told of wonders which she never had done.
Through trickery, they wist to make themselves master of our laws and customs and through sophism, wist they to alter and corrupt everything.

They put maids under their protection, who seemingly were under the protection of Festa, our first Honoured mother, but the light had they, themselves struck up and instead of making the maids wise and afterwards sending them among the people, to soothe the sick and teach the young, they made them dumb and dim by the light and they might not come out (in public).
Also were they used as advisors, though the advice was, by appearance, from their mouths, when their mouths were naught other than the callers (mouthpieces) through which the priests spoke out their wishes.

When Nyhellenia was dead, we wanted to choose another Mother, some would to Texland, there to request one.⁴⁵
But the priests, who again, had authority among the folk, would not abide that and denounced us as impious before the folk.