Transcript Athena In mythical stories

ATHENA
 Athena, the Greek
goddess of wisdom,
war, the arts, industry,
justice and skill
 Daughter of Zeus and
Metis
Birth
 Zeus swallowed his first wife,
goddess of wisdom, Metis, in
fear of Metis would bear a son
mightier than himself, and thus
overthrown.
 Metis began to make a robe and
helmet for her daughter. The
hammering of the helmet caused
Zeus great pain in the form of
headaches and he cried out in
agony. Skilled Hephaestus ran to
his father and split his skull open
and from it emerged Athena,
fully grown and wearing her
mother's robe and helmet.
Attributes
 Compassion and mercy within the goddess were not
forgotten amongst her many duties.
 Athena was always eager to settle any conflict or confusion.
Whenever there was a criminal trial and the judges votes
were evenly split, Athena always voted in favor of freeing
the accused. This shows a side of Athena that was
sympathetic and understanding human error.
 She did not eat, drink, cry, or bleed.
 Athena is also known to be closely
 associated with the owl.
Attributes cont.
 Athena is credited with inventing the flute,
the trumpet, the earthenware pot, the plow,
the rake, the ox-yoke, the bridle, the chariot,
and the ship.
 She taught mathematics and various
women's arts such as cooking, weaving, and
spinning.
Story about Athens and the Olive Tree
 Athena and her uncle Poseidon were both very fond of a
certain city in Greece. Both of them claimed the city and it
was decided that the one that could give the finest gift
should have it.
 Poseidon struck the side of the cliff with his trident and a
spring welled up. The people marveled, but the water was
as salty as Poseidon's sea and it was not very useful.
 Athena's gift was an olive tree, which was better because it
gave the people food, oil and wood. Athena named her city
Athens.
Trojan War
 To prevent the Trojan War
Athena descended from
Olympus and walked between
the two armies, making both
sides swear oaths to keep the
peace.
 Unfortunately a Trojan soldier
named Pandaros, in an act of
great cowardice, violated his
oath and let loose his arrow,
thus starting the Trojan War.
 Athena, Goddess of strategy,
expressed her displeasure by
helping the other side to
emerge victorious.

Diomedes battles Aeneas in a scene from Homer's
Iliad. Aeneas is shown falling beneath the spear of
Diomedes, who is driven on by the goddess Athene,
arrayed with spear, helm and aigis cloak. Aphrodite
rushes on with arms outstretch to rescue her son
from the battle. However she will be wounded by
Diomedes and Athene in the process.
 Athena never had a consort or lover, and thus also
was known as Athena Parthenos, "Virgin Athena."
Her most famous temple, the Parthenon, on the
Acropolis in Athens takes its name from this title.
 Although she never had a husband or lover, she
did raise a son named Erichthonius, who was born
from the earth.
Athena In mythical stories
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Two Philosophical Creation Myths
The Five Ages of Man
The Birth of Athene
Zeus and Metis
Poseidon’s Nature and Deeds
Hermes’s Nature and Deeds
Aphrodite’s Nature and Deeds
Ares’s Nature and Deeds
Apollo’s Nature and Deeds
Artemis’s Nature and Deeds
Hephaestus’s Nature and Deeds
Athene’s Nature and Deeds
Zagreus
The Children of the Sea
The Giant’s Revolt
Atlas and Prometheus
Asclepius
Europe and Cadmus
Aeacus
Athamas
Perseus
Bellerophon
The Loves of Minos
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Theseus and Media
Oedipus
The Seven Against Thebes
The Trial of Orestes
The Pacification of the Erinnyes
Iphigeneia Among the Taurians
The Youth of Heracles
The Second Labour: The Lernaean Hydra
The Sixth Labour: The Stymphalian Birds
The Twelth Labour: The Capture of Cerberus
The Capture of Pylus
Auge
Deianeira
Heracles in Trachis
The Apotheosis of Heracles
The Argonauts Assemble
The Foundatin of Troy
Paris and Helen
The First Gathering at Auli’s
The Madness of Ajax
The Wooden Horse
The Sack of Troy
Odysseus’s Wanderings
Odysseus’s Homecoming
Recognizing Athena in
Imagery
 Portrayed wearing a full suit of
armor with helmet raised in
order for her face to be visible
 Carries a spear and shield with
the gorgoneion (the head of the
gorgon Medusa) at the center,
her aegis also has this symbol
on it
 Often depicted with an owl on
her shoulder
c. 450 B.C.
Recognizing Athena in
LIterature
 Goddess of Wisdom, war-goddess
 Associated with the teaching of crafts such as cooking and weaving
 “Although the goddess of war, she gets no pleasure from battle, as Ares and
Eris do, but rather from settling disputes, and upholding the law by pacific
means. She bears no arms in time of peace…Her mercy is great: when the
judges’ votes are equal in a criminal trial at the Areiopagus, she always
gives a casting vote to liberate the accused. Yet, once engaged in battle, she
never loses the day” (Athene’s Nature and Deeds, The Greek Myths)
 Epithets (titles):
 Parthenos- virgin
 Glaukopis- gleaming eyes, “grey-eyed”
 Tritogeneia- possibly meaning third-born, Athena is given this epithet in the
Illiad and Hesiod’s Theogony
 Was known to not be jealous, except for one instance when she discovered
that Arachne was more skilled in weaving than her and turned Arachne into
a spider
 Symbols: aegis, owl, olive tree
c. 530-520 B.C.