Pallas
(
Παλλάς), a surname of Athena. In Homer this name always appears united with the name Athena, as
Παλλὰς Ἀθήνη or
Παλλὰς Ἀθηναίν ; but in later writers we also find Pallas alone instead of Athena. (
Pind. O. 5.21.) Plato (
Cratyl. p. 406) derives the surname from
πάλλειν, to brandish, in reference to the goddess brandishing the spear or aegis, whereas Apollodorus (
1.6.2) derives it from the giant Pallas, who was slain by Athena.
But it is more probable that Pallas is the same word as
πάλλαξ, i. e. a virgin or maiden. (Comp. Tzetz.
ad Lyc. 355.) Another female Pallas, described as a daughter of Triton, is mentioned under PALLADIUM.
[
L.S].