Eire'ne
(
Εἰρήνη).
1. The goddess of peace.
After the victory of Timothcus over the Lacedaemonians, altars were erected to her at Athens at the public expense. (Corn. Nep.
Timoth. 2;
Plut. Cim. 13.) Her statue at Athens stood by the side of that of Amphiaraus, carrying in its arms Plutus, the god of wealth (
Paus. 1.8.3), and another stood near that of Hestia in the Prytaneion. (1.18.3.) . At Rome too, where peace (Pax) was worshipped, she had a magnificent temple, which was built by the emperor Vespasian. (Suet.
Vespas. 9 ;
Paus. 6.9.1.)
The figure of Eirene or Pax occurs only on coins, and she is there represented as a youthful female, holding in her left arm a cornucopia and in her right hand an olive branch or the staff of Hermes. Sometimes also she appears in the act of burning a pile of arms, or carrying corn-ears in her hand or upon her head. (Hirt,
Mythol. Bilderb. ii. p. 104.)