Gods,Heroes,Myths Greek Mythology Homer's epics,Expeditions

One of the most important goddesses of the twelve Greek Gods. Her father was Zeus and her mother Metis. Her birth was made in a very original way. Zeus swallowed Metis, along with the child in the bowels, because of a prophecy that said that the son who would be born after Athena was to dethrone him. When the time of birth came they has to call for the help of Hephaestus. He then cracked open the skull of Zeus with an axe, from where Athena came out.

The properties of the goddess can be divided into two main categories: a) those who have her as the goddess of the war and b) to those who present her as a goddess of the peaceful arts and culture in general. Her martial character seems to be older. She was therefore the goddess of war, so she wore a helmet and the aegis. He also held spear and shield. He had taken part in the battle of the gods against the Titans (the Titanomachy) and defeated Enceladus. In the battles of mortals she would engage and help the heroes. Her protected were Achilles, Diomedes, Odysseus and his son Telemachus. She also helped Perseus to kill Medusa. She was also a goddess of a warlike music and was considered to be the inventor of the lumen. But she cursed it when she found that when it was being blown and played, it distorted the face. She taught people to tame horses and build ships. The Trojan Horse was under her protection and she was the one to give instructions for the construction of Argo.

While she was a goddess of war, she was also a goddess of peace. So she brought happiness to the mortals and protected their cities, especially Attica. In order to become the protector of Attica, she offered as a gift the olive tree, while Poseidon, who claimed it, had offered the horse. That is why the olive was her sacred and beloved tree. Together with peace he gave to people and all the goods coming from it. She therefore bestowed wisdom in politics and eloquence in the orators. She founded the Areos Pagos, which was a court, and introduced the first laws. She was vigilant for abiding by the laws and for justice.

She was the leader of the people's gatherings. He protected the mothers, the people's health, and even the weak and those who were wronged. She invented and taught all the female arts. She was the first to weave and created the veil of Hera. She also taught and protected all men's work. She also taught man to treat the plow and fire, to tie horses and oxen, to cultivate the earth and build ships. Finally, every type of art, higher and lower, was attributed to her. Sculpture, painting, architecture, pottery and all other related or auxiliary arts were protected by her.

Athena never married. She has always lived as a virgin. That is why the Athenians dedicated her the Parthenon. Many celebrations took place in her honor. The most important were Panathenaea. Symbols of the goddess were the olive tree, the owl, the cock and the snake.