Athena is the goddess of several different categories including wisdom, war, and crafts. She is one of the most well-known Olympian goddesses. Athena had a strange birth, followed by an odd life. Athena combines several personalities of different gods into one goddess with her traits of wisdom, power, and craftiness.
Athena’s interesting life started by a very strange birth. When Athena’s mother Metis was impregnated, Athena’s father, Zeus, swallowed her. (2) Soon Zeus had great head pains, so he got Hephaestus to cut open his head with an axe. (5) When he sliced open Zeus’s head, Athena emerged fully grown and with a set of armor on. (2) Even though Zeus had many other children, Athena became his favorite. (8) She had many half brothers and sisters to compete against for this title including Hermes, Hephaestus, Apollo, Ares, Hebe, Artemis, Aphrodite, Persephone, and Tityus. (3)
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Coming out of her father’s head might suggest that Athena was associated with the “activities of the head.” (8) Athena was the goddess of wisdom and was quite possibly the “wisest, most courageous, and certainly most resourceful of the Olympian gods.” (5) Athena was a strategist and a diplomat called upon to settle disputes between the gods.
(3) Using her immense amount of wisdom, she became a major problem solver in the war world. (8) Even though Athena may seem like she had a multiple personality disorder, the different parts of her wisdom actually serve to “balance each other out.”(8) A couple objects associated with the goddess include an owl which is a symbol of wisdom and an olive tree in which she gifted to
Athens.(5) Athena was also the goddess of war, the counterpart of Ares. She is a well-known goddess for her strategic warfare tactics.(1) Using her wisdom and tactics together, she was deceptive, crafty, and cunning in many ways.(8) Athena possessed many “prized qualities” of strength and cunningness in battle.(8) She was a naturally born war goddess that “inspired and fought alongside” the Greek heroes.(4) To the heroes, her aid was synonymous to a “military prowess”.(4) Athena also became the goddess of crafts. She was exceptional in the arts of spinning and weaving.(4) Being as crafty as she was, she also produced many inventions. A few of her many inventions include the chariot, the flute, the trumpet, the plow, and the rake.(7) Along with her inventions, she also taught men how to count and use numbers.(7) Athena used her amazing craftsmanship to help people discover “better ways of doing things.”(7) Athena was known to make the “most beautiful cloths of many colors” and also had the ability to use many different patterns in her work. (14) Athena was so confident in her craftsmanship that she and a mortal named Arachne had a competition to see whose skills were greater. Arachne was the one that was challenging Athena Athena to this competition. Athena was notified that Arachne was insulting her skills. When she was informed, she took the form of an elderly woman and appeared to Arachne. She told her that it is very rude to insult a goddess in that way. Arachne did not take heed to the warning, and Athena returned to her original form. Then, the competition was started when each of them attached their web to a beam. They each created pictures using their webs. Athena’s web showed them in their competition, while Arachne’s depicted the failures and shortcomings of gods and goddesses. Athena, finding no flaws in Arachne’s work, then destroyed the woman’s web and made her feel so much guilt that she went away and hung herself. Then Athena told her to live again, and Athena made her live as a spider.(6) Even though Athena may seem spiteful in this encounter, she was not as it seems.(7) Athena invented the flute to “imitate the wailing of the Gorgons” after Medusa’s death. (14) Many people wonder why Athena never played the flute even though she is the one who invented it. It is thought that Athena does not play it because of the way she looks when she plays it. When Athena saw her reflection while playing it, her “cheeks puffed out”(14) and she became “disgusted with her appearance.”(14) She was also made fun of by other gods and goddesses which made matters even worse for her. Disgusted, she threw out the flute and cast a spell on it for whoever would play it next.(14) This did not work well for Marsyus, who was the one that faced the consequences when he challenged Apollo to a music challenge.(14) Athena was known to have a great temper. She was not one to be “trifled with” as her transformation of Medusa into a gorgon demonstrates.(5) Medusa was a priestess of Athena. Being a priestess, she lived a “life of celibacy.”(13) Even though she was supposed to be devoted to this lifestyle, she was “wooed by Poseidon” and married him.(13) To be punished for this, Athena turned every strand of hair she had into a venomous serpent, and her eyes were turned into “blood-shot, furious orbs” and the once beautiful woman became a horrid beast with serpents for hair, otherwise known as a gorgon.(13) Athena did not only transform her into a gorgon, but also caused her death. After the transformation, Athena made Perseus kill her.(12) She sent his hand to Medusa’s throat with a sword, making him chop her head off.(12) After Medusa was beheaded, Athena kept Medusa’s head. (12) Medusa's head was placed on the shield of Athena after she received it. .(15) Despite causing harm to Medusa and Arachne, she also helped several people, one of which was Odysseus. During the war of the Greeks, he proved himself to be one of the “bravest and most cunning” out of all of their chiefs.(7) Despite the bravery and cunningness he had, he somehow “displeased” Poseidon so that when the war was over and everyone returned home to their families, Odysseus was not permitted to go.(7) For ten years he struggled to get home to his wife and child. Over the ten years, he had a shipwreck and had to face many “giants and all sorts of monsters.”(7) Through the whole time, Athena was his friend. (7) She “watched over him, and encouraged him.”(7) Every time he came across a challenge, she would teach him a new “trick” to help him continue living.(7) After he had “struggled” long enough, Athena delivered him home to his family, despite all the effort Poseidon gave to prevent it.(7) Athena was also a great help to Hercules as he had to do the twelve labors.(5) She “stood by his side” to help him and to comfort him.(14) Athena was the one who gave him the brazen cymbals to scare away the birds at Lake Stymphalos.”(14) Athena was also the one to accompany him on way from bringing Cerberus up from the underworld.(14) After Hercules’ death, Athena was the one that “welcomed him on the threshold of Olympus.”(14) To repay her for all the favors she did for him, he offered her the “golden apples of the Hesperides” after he won them.(14) Although Athena is well known for helping others, she is probably most well-known for her association with Athens. The city was named in her honor after she became the patroness after she gifted them the olive tree, symbolizing “peace and plenty.”(5) Athena and Poseidon both wanted to be the patron deity of Athens. They both gave gifts to Athens hoping to outdo each other and become the patron. Athena’s gift was the very first olive tree. Athens took a liking to her gift and found it very useful. Poseidon had it in his mind to outdo her. In his efforts, he struck the ground with his trident and water came out of the ground. The only problem was, he was god of the sea, so the water was salty. The people of Athens found the salty water to be useless. Athena’s gift of the olive tree was better for the use of the people, so the people favorited her and made her the patroness of Athens.(9) Ever since this event, she has been called “the mother, the mistress, and the guardian of the city.”(11) Today, there is a major temple standing in Athens called Parthenon, meaning virginity, which was dedicated to her.(15) There are also another two temples named in her honor at the Acropolis. Those two are Athena Nike and Erechtheum.(15) Even being the goddess of war, Athena supported the ideas of peace and wisdom. She made a significant difference in the lives of many gods, goddesses and heroes. Her friendly character allowed for her alliance with well-known heroes such as the two mentioned, Hercules and Odysseus. In today’s day and age, she legitimatizes women’s hopes and dreams to make an impact in the world. Imagine if all the people in the world took up the leadership qualities of Athena. Would we not live in a better place?
Greek mythology is something that everyone knows of, not only because it is so interesting, but because of the many gods and goddesses. One of the most well known goddesses being Goddess Athena who portrayed so many good characteristics. Although Goddess Athena is best known for wisdom, military skill, and crafts, she is also known for her mythological influence on the modern day world and her acts of heroism.
Athena was the goddess of war and wisdom. Daughter of Zeus and Metis, but born from only Zeus. Gaea the Earth goddess told Zeus that his child would u...
Athena is a very intricate and complex character who has a vital role in the epic poem. She is the Goddess of war and battle, a very interesting role for a female to possess. Because she is the Goddess of war, she has...
Divine intervention is often an integral part of ancient epic poetry as seen in Homer's The Odyssey. The role of the goddess Athena was an essential part of Odysseus's journey back to Ithaka. Athena also played a vital part in Telemakhos's life before the return of his father. Even Penelope is impacted by the help of the "grey-eyed" goddess, often inspiring Penelope to hold off the suitors as well as putting her to sleep when a situation became too difficult. Athena demonstrates that she is a critical component of development within the father Odysseus and his son Telemakhos as well as guiding Penelope as a beautiful mother waiting for the return of her husband.
Character of Athena in Homer's Odyssey Imagine living in another world and time, one where you were not only a god but could also take the form of any object or person that you chose. Athena, the daughter of Zeus, has this ability. Of all the characters in the Odyssey, the most interesting to me is Athena. In my opinion, she guides the main characters of the Odyssey in the right direction. She kind of looks over their shoulders and serves as a guardian angel. Athena makes Telemachos go to Pylos and Sparta. Athena says, "My advice to you is this, if you will let me advise you. Get the best
As a resident on Mount Olympus, Athena rightfully represents both intelligence and strategy (Grant, Hazel 83). Symbols that identify with the goddess include the owl for wisdom and the olive branch for peace (Athena or Minerva… 1). Athena was a goddess of war who preferred peace to fighting (Lies 47). The deity was depicted in full wartime armor, including a helmet and spear. However, despite her rough accessories, Athena also showed off extreme femininity in her clothing as well as features (Buxton 79). Athena was Zeus’s favorite daughter. Zeus, the king of the gods, allowed her to dress in his Aegis (Lies 47). The Aegis was a breastplate made of goatskin that bore the image of a gorgon to instill panic in foes (Buxton 79). She was born fully-grown and already dressed in her full outfit, ready for war. Furthermore, Athena was the only Olympian not born of a mother. She sprang directly from her father, Zeus’s, head (Lies 47). She was different from the others of her kind, which may be why she was so honored so highly in early Greece.
Throughout Athena’s appearances in the various mythological stories, she is a relatively static character. For begin, her role in Perseus’ Adventures (GHM 3.12.b.), in Apollodorus’ Library, portrays her entirely as a guardian angel of sorts, for it is the shield that she gave Perseus that allowed him to kill Medusa. “...and while Athena guided his hand and he looked with averted gaze on a brazen shield….” (GHM 2.4.3, pg 267). She is clearly benevolent if her character is taken at full value in this instance. However, in another work, Homer’s The Iliad, book 5 (GHM 3.8. Homer’s Gods and Heroes in Battle: Iliad, Book 5) Athena is much more war-like, no longer is she aiding an intrepid adventurer in a quest to rid evil; now she picks, among other gods, the sides of the Greeks (Achaeans).
Athena is the goddess everyone wants to have as guardian for his life. She went against her uncle Poseidon to fight for her Odysseus. At one point, we can even think that Athena is also in love to Odysseus because she has never him down. But the real truth is Athena is an amazing goddess who protect Odysseus no matter what because this is the Love she has for him
The people of Greece believed in mythology and believed they were blessed by the deity which inspired the artists’ creation of the spectacular sculptures including Athena Parthenos, the goddess of wisdom. Wisdom during this period was highly regarded. Most of the sculptures in Athens were made of different types of bronze. (See Figure 1.)
Athena was one of the twelve gods in Greek mythology that lived on Mount Olympus. She was the daughter of Zeus the ruler of all the gods and the god of the sky. Athena had many titles is Greek mythology but her two most influential were the goddess of war and the goddess of wisdom. Some of the stories that will be discussed in this paper have multiple versions to them depending on who is telling them or what culture is telling them.
The goddesses Played a vital role in Greek society for they were responsible for many aspects of Greek. life, i.e., a life of a child. birth, harvest, etc. Accompanying the 6 major goddesses (Hera, Athena, Aphrodite, Hestia, Demeter and Artemis) we have the lesser divinities such as the Muses, the Graces, the Fates, etc. The second level of women used in Greek mythology is that of the human.
As societies grow and diversify, the need for cultural role models expands proportionally, and these roles are filled by mythological deities. One such cultural icon is the mother goddess, who nourishes and guides mankind throughout life. Mother Goddesses typically represent femininity, in terms of their ties to creativity, birth, and fertility, as well as playing a key role in the cycle of life and maintaining dominance over their husbands. They also serve to represent the ideal traits of a women in a given culture, expressing how women should act and carry themselves. Within Greek mythology, there are many female deities that fit the role of a mother goddess, yet it is Demeter that truly embodies the role.
She came full grown from the mind of the man himself, Zeus. She was swift cunning and wise. Her strategy unmatched by any God or Goddess. She is the Goddess of wisdom war and of artisans. I, as an artisan admire her greatly. Now that you know a bit about the reason it
In Greek mythology, Athena whom Roman equivalent names Minerva is goddess of wisdom, war, courage, civilization, law and justice, handicrafts, and the arts. Because of her plentiful abilities, Greek people extremely worship her without doubt. In addition, her remarkable ability that influences to the modern life is wisdom. It is clearly shown in the education. There are many proofs of education that is forced by Athena.
She was married to the smith god, Hephaestus but he didn't really know since he worked late. Her and ares where big lovers and her husband didn't know. Since she was the god of love she had a lot of kids which were part gods of love. The reason she married Hephaestus he worked late and plus he wasn't the handsome god so she could get away with it