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Athena

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Divinities

   Helmeted Athena, of the Velletri type. Roman copy (1st century) of a
   Greek original by Kresilas, c. 430 BC
   Enlarge
   Helmeted Athena, of the Velletri type. Roman copy (1st century) of a
   Greek original by Kresilas, c. 430 BC

   In Greek mythology, Athena ( Greek: Ἀθηνᾶ, Athēnâ, or Ἀθήνη, Athénē;
   Doric: Ἀσάνα, Asána) was the goddess of civilization, specifically
   wisdom, weaving, and crafts . Athena's wisdom encompasses the technical
   knowledge employed in weaving, metal-working, but also includes the
   cunning intelligence ( metis) of such figures as Odysseus. The owl and
   the olive tree are sacred to her.

   She is attended by an owl, wears a goatskin breastplate called the
   Aegis given to her by her father, Zeus, and is accompanied by the
   goddess of victory, Nike. She is often shown helmeted and with a shield
   bearing the Gorgon Medusa's head, a votive gift of Perseus. Athena is
   an armed warrior goddess, and appears in Greek mythology as a helper of
   many heroes, including Heracles, Jason, and Odysseus. She never had a
   consort or lover, and thus was often known as Athena Parthenos ("Athena
   the virgin"), hence her most famous temple, the Parthenon, on the
   Acropolis in Athens. In her role as a protector of the city, Athena was
   worshipped throughout the Greek world as Athena Polias ("Athena of the
   city"). She had a special relationship with Athens, as is shown by the
   etymological connection of the names of the goddess and the city.

   Athena is associated with Athens, a plural name because it was the
   place where she presided over her sisterhood, the Athenai, in earliest
   times. Athena was probably already a goddess in the Aegean in
   prehistoric times. There is evidence that in early times, Athena was an
   owl herself, or a bird goddess in general. In Book 3 of the Odyssey,
   she takes the form of a sea-eagle. Her tasseled aegis may be the
   remnants of wings: she is depicted with wings on Archaic red-figure
   pottery.

   In the Olympian pantheon, Athena was remade as the favorite daughter of
   Zeus, born fully armed from his forehead after he swallowed her mother,
   Metis. The story of her birth comes in several versions. In the one
   most commonly cited, Zeus lay with Metis, the goddess of crafty thought
   and wisdom, but immediately feared the consequences. It had been
   prophesied that Metis would bear children more powerful than the sire,
   even Zeus himself. In order to forestall these dire consequences, Zeus
   transformed Metis into a fly and swallowed her immediately after lying
   with her. He was too late: Metis had already conceived a child. Metis
   immediately began making a helmet and robe for her fetal daughter. The
   hammering as she made the helmet caused Zeus great pain and Prometheus,
   Hephaestus, Hermes or Palaemon (depending on the sources examined)
   cleaved Zeus's head with the double-headed Minoan axe (the labrys of
   the Great Goddess). Athena leaped from Zeus's head, fully grown and
   armed, and Zeus was none the worse for the experience.

   Fragments attributed to the semi-legendary Phoenician historian
   Sanchuniathon, said to have written before the Trojan war, make Athena
   instead the daughter of Cronus, a king of Byblos who is said to have
   visited 'the inhabitable world' and bequeathed Attica to Athena.

Name, etymology and origin

   The Athena Giustiniani, a Roman copy of a Greek statue of Pallas Athena
   (Vatican Museums)
   Enlarge
   The Athena Giustiniani, a Roman copy of a Greek statue of Pallas Athena
   (Vatican Museums)

   Athena's name is possibly of Lydian origin. It may be a compound word
   derived in part from Tyrrhenian "ati", meaning "mother" and the name of
   the Hurrian Goddess " Hannahannah" shortened in various places to
   "Ana". In Mycenaean Greek, she possibly appears in a single inscription
   in the Linear B tablets: A-ta-na-po-ti-ni-ja /Athana potniya/ appears
   on a text from the Late Minoan II-era "Room of the Chariot Tablets" in
   Knossos, the earliest Linear B archive anywhere. Though this phrase is
   often translated as "Mistress Athena", it literally means "the potnia
   of At(h)ana", which perhaps means "the Lady of Athens"; it is uncertain
   whether there is any connection to the city of Athens. We also find
   A-ta-no-dju-wa-ja /Athana diwya/, the final part being the Linear B
   spelling of what we know from ancient Greek as Diwia (Mycenaean di-u-ja
   or di-wi-ja) "divine" Athena was also a weaver and the god of crafts.
   (see dyeus).

   In his dialogue Cratylus, Plato gives the etymology of Athena's name
   based on the view of the ancient Athenians, from A-theo-noa (A-θεο-νόα)
   or E-theo-noa (H-θεο-νόα) meaning "the mind of God" (Cratylus 407b).
   Plato, and also Herodotus, noted that the Egyptian citizens of Sais in
   Egypt worshipped a goddess whose Egyptian name was Neith; they
   identified her with Athena. ( Timaeus 21e), ( Histories 2:170-175).

Epithets and cult titles

   In poetry from Homer onward, Athena's most common epithet is glaukopis
   (γλαυκώπις), which is usually translated "bright-eyed" or "with
   gleaming eyes". It is a combination of glaukos (γλαύκος, meaning
   "gleaming," "silvery," and later, "bluish-green" or "gray") and ops
   (ώψ, "eye," or sometimes, "face"). It is interesting to note that glaux
   (γλαύξ, "owl") is from the same root, presumably because of its own
   distinctive eyes. The bird which sees in the night is closely
   associated with the goddess of wisdom: in archaic images, she is
   frequently depicted with an owl perched on her head. In earlier times,
   Athena may well have been a bird goddess, similar to Lilitu and/or the
   goddess depicted with owls, wings and bird talons on the Burney relief,
   a Mesopotamian terracotta relief of the early second millennium BCE..

   In the Iliad (4.514), the Homeric Hymns and in Hesiod's Theogony, she
   is given the curious epithet Tritogeneia. The meaning of this term is
   unclear. It seems to mean " Triton-born," perhaps indicating that the
   sea-god was her father according to some early myths,or, less likely,
   that she was born near Lake Triton in Africa. Another possible meaning
   is "triple-born" or "third-born," which may refer to her status as the
   third daughter of Zeus or the fact she was born from Metis, Zeus and
   herself; various legends list her as being the first child after
   Artemis and Apollo, though other legends identify her as Zeus' first
   child.

   In her role as judge at Orestes' trial on the murder of his mother,
   Clytemnestra (which he won), Athena won the epithet Athena Areia.

   She was often referred to as Pallas Athena (Παλλάς Αθηνά). The epithet
   derived from an ambiguous figure named Pallas, sometimes male,
   sometimes female, never mentioned apart from Athena. The goddess killed
   Pallas, in some versions by mistake, for instance in a Pelasgian
   version of her birth myth Pallas was the playmate who Athena killed by
   mistake in a game battle, after that taking the name of Pallas as a
   sign of mourning . In the Homeric Hymn to Hermes, Pallas was the father
   of the moon goddess Selene. In other versions Pallas was one of the
   Gigantes killed by her in the Gigantomachy; forever after she wore the
   goatskin fringed with chthonic serpents of Pallas, as the protective
   aegis. She may have absorbed and supplanted Pallas more gently: Walter
   Burkert says "she is the Pallas of Athens, Pallas Athenaie, just as
   Hera of Argos is Here Argeie. For the Athenians, Burkert notes, she was
   simply "the Goddess", he theos, certainly an ancient title.

   Athena was given many other cult titles. She had the epithet Athena
   Ergane as the patron of craftsmen and artisans. With the epithet Athena
   Parthenos ("virgin"), Athena was worshipped on the Acropolis,
   especially in the festival of the Panathenaea. With the epithet Athena
   Promachos she led in battle. With the epithet Athena Polias ("of the
   city"), Athena was the protectress of Athens and its Acropolis, but
   also of many other cities, including Argos, Sparta, Gortyn, Lindos, and
   Larisa. In each of these cities her temple was frequently the major
   temple on the acropolis.

   Athena was often equated with Aphaea, a local goddess of the island of
   Aegina, located near Athens, once Aegina was under Athenian control.

Athena in classical art

   Athena depicted on the obverse side of a coin of Attalus I
   Enlarge
   Athena depicted on the obverse side of a coin of Attalus I

   Athena is classically portrayed wearing full armor, with the helmet
   raised high on the forehead like a hat; she carries a spear and a
   shield with the head of the gorgon Medusa mounted on it. It is in this
   standing posture that she was depicted in Phidias's famous lost gold
   and ivory statue of her, 36 feet tall, the Athena Parthenos in the
   Parthenon. Athena is also often depicted with an owl (a symbol of
   wisdom) sitting on one of her shoulders. The Mourning Athena is a
   relief sculpture that dates around 460 BC and portrays a tired,
   emotional Athena. In earlier, archaic portraits of Athena in
   vase-paintings, the goddess retains some of her Minoan character, such
   as great birdwings.

   Apart from her attributes, there seems to be a relative consensus in
   sculpture from the fifth century onward as to what Athena looked like.
   Most noticeable in the face is perhaps a high nose with a high bridge
   that seems like a natural extension of the forehead. The eyes are
   typically somewhat deeply set. The lips are usually full but the mouth
   is fairly narrow, usually just slightly wider than the nose. The neck
   is somewhat longish. The net result is a serene, somewhat aloof beauty.

History

Birth

   Hesiod's Theogony gives the following account of Athena's birth: Metis
   (wisdom) was Zeus' first wife. It was fated that she would have a
   daughter as strong and powerful as her father and that she would then
   have a son destined to rule the gods. Zeus, fearing that his son would
   overthrow him, tricked Metis and swallowed her. He ingested her and
   therefore her wisdom so that she might advise him in matters. However
   the immortal child Metis was pregnant with was not harmed, and Athena
   was born from his head after he had married Hera. Giving birth to
   Athena required Hephaestus taking his hammer and chisel and carving
   open Zeus's skull, so Athena could spring forth from her father's head.
   Hera was so annoyed at this that she gave birth to Hephaestus by
   herself. The son was never born and Zeus stayed as supreme ruler of
   Mount Olympus.

   A fuller version says: Zeus lay with Metis, the goddess of crafty
   thought, but immediately feared the consequences.It had been prophesied
   that Metis would bear children more powerful than the father, and this
   includes even Zeus himself. In order to forestall these dire
   consequences, Zeus played a game with Metis. She transformed into many
   creatures, big and small. When Metis transformed into a fly, Zeus
   swallowed her immediately after lying with her. He was too late: Metis
   was already pregnant. Metis immediately began making a helmet and robe
   for her fetal daughter. The hammering as she made the helmet caused
   Zeus great pain and Hephaestus cut open Zeus's skull with the
   double-headed Minoan axe (labrys). Athena leaped from Zeus's skull,
   fully grown and armed, and Zeus was none the worse for the
   experience.This is the most common version of her birth.

   Aside from Hesiod's account given above, there is another version of
   her birth of Pelasgian origin, accounting for her epithet Tritoneia;
   according this version Athena was born near the lagoon Tritonis in
   Libya and was raised by three nymphs. There are a very few references
   to her being the child of a giant named Pallas---hence her name "Pallas
   Athena"---but these are atypical.

Erichthonius

   Helmeted Athena with the cista and Erichthonius in his serpent form.
   Roman, 1st century (Louvre Museum)
   Enlarge
   Helmeted Athena with the cista and Erichthonius in his serpent form.
   Roman, 1st century ( Louvre Museum)

   According to Apollodorus, Hephaestus attempted to rape Athena but was
   unsuccessful. His semen fell on the ground, and Erichthonius was born
   from the Earth, Gaia. Athena then raised the baby as a foster mother.
   Alternatively, the semen landed on Athena's leg, and she wiped it off
   with a piece of wool which she tossed on the ground. Erichthonius arose
   from the ground and the wool. Another version says that Hephaestus
   wanted Athena to marry him but she disappeared on his bridal bed; he
   ejaculated onto the ground instead. Athena left the baby to three
   sisters, Herse, Pandrosa and Aglaura in a small box and warned them
   never to open it. Aglaula opened the cista which contained the infant
   and future-king, Erichthonius, in the form of a serpent The sight
   caused Herse and Pandrosa to go insane and they threw themselves off
   the Acropolis'.

   An alternative version of the same story is that while Athena was gone
   to bring a mountain to use in the Acropolis, two of the willful sisters
   opened the box. A crow witnessed the opening and flew away to tell
   Athena, who fell into a rage and dropped the mountain (now Mt.
   Lykabettos) . The crow was not spared from her wrath, and it is
   believed Athena was the one who turned their feathers black. Herse and
   Pandrosa once again went insane and threw themselves to their deaths
   off a cliff. Jane Harrison (Prolegomena) finds these to be versions of
   a simple cautionary tale to discourage young girls from opening the
   cista that they carried, not knowing its contents, in connection with
   the Thesmophoria.

   Erichthonius later became King of Athens and implemented many
   beneficial changes to Athenian culture. During this time, Athena
   frequently protected him.

Aglaura

   There is another version of the myth, told in Ovid's Metamorphoses in
   which Hermes falls in love with Herse. Herse, Aglaura and Pandrosa go
   to the temple to offer sacrifices to Athena. Hermes demands help from
   Aglaura to seduce Herse. Aglaura in exchange demands money from Hermes
   who gives her the money of sacrifice and seduces Herse. Athena in
   punishment for Aglaura's greed asks the Envy to corrupt her feelings.
   Envy obeyed her commands and she infested Herse. Aglaura turns to
   stone.

Athens

   Athena competed with Poseidon to be the patron deity of Athens, which
   was yet unnamed in this telling. They agreed that each would give the
   Athenians one gift and that the Athenians would choose the gift they
   preferred. Poseidon struck the ground with his trident and a spring
   sprung up; this gave them a means of trade and water, but it was salty
   and not very good for drinking. Athena, however, offered them the first
   domesticated olive tree. The Athenians (or their king, Cecrops)
   accepted the olive tree and along with it Athena as their patron, for
   the olive tree brought wood, oil and food. This is thought to
   commemorate a clash between the inhabitants during Mycenaean times and
   newer immigrants. It is interesting to note that Athens at its height
   was a significant sea power, defeating the Persian fleet at the Battle
   of Salamis near Salamis Island in 480 BC. Athena was also the patron
   goddess of several other cities, notably Sparta. In an alternate
   version, Poseidon invents the first horse. Athena's gift is still
   chosen.

Arachne

   A woman named Arachne once boasted that she was a superior weaver to
   Athena, the goddess of weaving. Athena appeared to her disguised as an
   old woman and told Arachne to repent for her hubris but Arachne instead
   challenged Athena to a contest. Athena threw off her disguise and the
   contest began. Athena wove a depiction of the conflict with Poseidon
   over Athens, while Arachne wove a depiction making fun of Zeus and his
   many wives. Athena was furious at her skill (the contest was never
   decided) and her choice of subject (after all, she is Zeus's favorite
   daughter.) Enraged, she destroyed Arachne's work and transformed her
   into the first spider, which forever weaves a silk web to catch its
   food.

Perseus and Medusa

   Athena guided Perseus in eliminating Medusa, a dangerous unreformed
   relic of the old pre-Olympian order, and she was awarded the grisly
   trophy that turned men to stone, for her shield.

   She wears the aegis, a goatskin shield which had a fringe of snakes.
   When Perseus killed the gorgon Medusa, whose face turned men to stone,
   he gave the gorgon head to Athena, and the goddess placed it on her
   aegis. This is a protective measure, for the Medusa's head retained its
   petrifying power even after her death.

   It was however Athena who made Medusa into what she was. Medusa was the
   only beautiful sister of the three Gorgons, but, Medusa had sex with —
   or was raped by — Poseidon in Athena's temple. Upon discovery of the
   desecration of her temple, Athena changed Medusa's form to match that
   of her sister Gorgons as punishment. Medusa's hair turned into snakes,
   meeting her gaze would turn all living creatures to stone, and Athena
   also caused her lower body to morph, as well as granting her the power
   of petrification as to hinder all chances of her ever having intimacy
   with a man.

Heracles

   Athena instructed Heracles how to remove the skin from the Nemean Lion,
   by using the lion's own claws to cut through its thick hide. The lion's
   hide became Heracles' signature garment, along with the olive-wood club
   he used in the battle. Athena also assisted Heracles on a few other
   labors.

   She also helped Heracles defeat the Stymphalian Birds, along with
   Hephaestus.

Tiresias and Chariclo

   In one version of the Tiresias myth, Athena blinded Tiresias after he
   stumbled onto her bathing naked. His mother, Chariclo, begged her to
   undo her curse, but Athena could not do so; she gave him the ability of
   prophecy instead.

Odysseus

   Odysseus' cunning and shrewd nature quickly won Athena's favour, though
   she is unable to help him during his journey home from Troy until he
   washes up on the shore of an island where Nausicaa is washing her
   clothes. She appears in Nausicaa's dreams to ensure the princess
   rescues Odysseus and eventually sends him to Ithaca. Athena, herself,
   appears in disguise to Odysseus upon his arrival. She initially lies
   and tells him Penelope, his wife, has remarried and Odysseus is
   believed to be dead, though Odysseus lies to her, seeing through her
   disguise. Pleased with his resolve and shrewdness, she reveals herself
   to him and tells him everything he needed to know in order to win back
   his kingdom. She disguises him as an elderly man so that he will not be
   noticed by the Suitors or Penelope and she helps Odysseus defeat his
   suitors and end the feud against their relatives.

Athena in post-classical culture

   Athena (Minerva) is the subject of the $50 1915-S Panama-Pacific
   commemorative coin. At 2.5 troy oz (78 g) gold, this is the largest (by
   weight) coin ever produced by the U.S. Mint. This was the first $50
   coin issued by the U.S. Mint and no higher was produced until the
   production of the $100 platinum coins in 1997. Of course, in terms of
   face-value in adjusted dollars, the 1915 is the highest denomination
   ever issued by the U.S. Mint.

   A full-scale replica of the Parthenon has stood in Nashville,
   Tennessee, which is known as the Athens of the South, for over a
   century. In 1990, a great replica of Phidias' statue of the goddess was
   added, over 41 feet (12.5 m) tall and gilded.

   The state seal of California features an image of Athena (or Minerva)
   kneeling next to a brown grizzly bear.[

   The name Athena is used by two characters in both the original
   Battlestar Galactica and the reimagined series.
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