Athena

Greek Goddess of Wisdom and War

Athena, also referred to as Athene, is a very important

goddess of many things. She is goddess of wisdom, courage,
inspiration, civilization, law and justice, strategic warfare,
mathematics, strength, strategy, the arts, crafts, and skill.

She is known most specifically for her strategic skill in warfare

and is often portrayed as companion of heroes and is the
patron goddess of heroic endeavour.

Athena was born from Zeus after he experienced an enormous

headache and she sprang fully grown and in armour from his
forehead. She has no mother but one of the most commonly
cited stories is that Zeus lay with Metis, the goddess of crafty
thought and wisdom, and then swallowed her whole as he
feared she will give birth to a child more powerful than him
because of a prophecy – but she had already conceived.

Facts about Athena

Athena was the Goddess of War, the female counterpart of Ares.

She was the daughter of Zeus; no mother bore her. She sprang from Zeus’s head, full-grown and clothed
in armor.

She was Zeus’s favorite child.

According to Homer’s account in the Iliad, Athena was a fierce and ruthless warrior. In the Odyssey, she
was angry and unforgiving. In the course of the Trojan War, she struck Ajax with madness.

Known for protecting civilized life, she was the Goddess of the City.

According to some sources, Athena was praised for her compassion and generosity.

Athena was a patron of the arts and crafts, especially when it came to spinning and weaving.

In later poetry, Athena embodied wisdom and rational thought.

Athena served as a guardian of Athens, where the Parthenon served as her temple.

Zeus trusted her to wield the aegis and his thunderbolt.

Her most important festival was the Panathenaea, which was celebrated annually at Athens.
She is referred to in poetry as “gray-eyed.”

The owl was her bird, and the olive tree was hers.

She turned the weaver Arachne into a spider after the mortal woman insulted Athena and the Olympian
gods.

Athena reared Ericthonius, son of Hephaestus. He was half man, half serpent. Athena put the infant in a
chest and gave it to others to watch over, forbidding them to open it. When they did, she drove them
mad as punishment.

She is one of three virgin goddesses; the other two were Hestia and Artemis.

Athena invented the flute, but she never played it.

Hermes and Athena went to the aid of Perseus in his quest to kill Medusa. Looking directly at Medusa
would turn any man to stone, so Athena provided Perseus with her polished shield. Using it, he was able
to see Medusa as if looking in a mirror. Again, Athena guided his hand as he cut off Medusa’s head with
his sword.

Hera and Athena fought against Paris in the Trojan War since he had awarded the Golden Apple to
Aphrodite.

The sacred image of Athena, a wood statue called the Palladium, protected the Trojans as long as they
had it.

Odysseus and Diomedes executed a plan to steal the image, greatly encouraging the Greeks in their
hopes to end the long-suffering war.

Athena helped Hercules when, as a part of his penance, he was required to drive away the Stymphalian
birds. She got them moving, and Hercules shot them.

goddess of : War, Wisdom, Crafts, Battle Strategies

Symbols: Owls, Olive trees, Snakes, Aegis, Armor, Helmets, Spears, Gorgoneion

Sacred animals: Snow Owl, Crow

Parents: Zeus and Metis

Consort: None

Children: None
Birth of Athena

Zeus and Metis are Athena's parents. Being the father, Zeus learned that Metis' children would
overthrow him like he had overthrown his father. Afraid of this, he swallowed Metis. Unknowing that
Metis was pregnant, she gave birth to Athena inside Zeus, and trained her. Zeus had a splitting headache,
and asked the god of forge and fire, Hephaistos, to cut open his skull. Smashing Zeus' head with his
mighty ax, Hephaistos split Zeus' skull, and out sprung Athena, dressed in full battle armor.

Rivalry with Poseidon

Athena has a rivalry with Poseidon. Her rivalry with Poseidon started with Athens. They both wanted to
be patron of the city, and thus gave gifts. A saltwater fountain was Poseidon's gift, while the olive tree
was from Athena. They chose the olive tree due to its usefulness. Not long after, an earthquake hit
Athens, destroying all olive trees in the area. Her rivalry with Poseidon continues when Athena caught
lovers Poseidon and Medusa showing affection in her own temple. That sort of behavior is a big sign of
disrespect so Athena turned Medusa so hideous that no one could or would ever look at her again.
Poseidon exacted retribution from Athena by massacring several Athenians, until they built an Acropolis,
honoring Athena and Poseidon.

Thus Athena was officially the patron goddess of Athens, unofficially, it belonged to Poseidon as well. Not
long afterward, Theseus, a son of Poseidon became King of Athens.

Athena and Arachne

Arachne was known for her skills in weaving. Arachne was known far and wide for weaving great and
splendid rugs. She was taught by Athena, but claimed to have not and to be much better than she.
Athena had favored her, and needed to know herself if this boasting was real. She disguised herself as an
old woman, and asked her. As soon as Arachne boasted, she transformed back to her normal form.
Athena challenged Arachne to a weaving contest. They had both woven gorgeous rugs, but Athena's was
better. Arachne's had a controversial picture of the Olympians on it, and Athena turned her into a spider
so she would weave forever..

Athena and Hephaestus

According to Apollodorus, Athena visited the blacksmith Hephaestus to buy weapons from him, but he
was so overcome by desire for her that he tried to seduce her in blacksmith workshop. Determined to
maintain her virginity, Athena fled, pursued by Hephaestus. He caught Athena and tried to rape her, but
she fought him off. During the struggle, his semen fell on her thigh, and Athena, in disgust, wiped it away
with a scrap of wool and flung it to the earth. As she fled, Erichthonius was born from the semen that fell
to the earth. Another version recounts how Hephaestus wished to marry Athena, who, like himself was a
patron of smiths because Athena refused his hand as, according to some account she found his limp ugly.