Athena

Not to be confused with Pallas, the Titan.

Athena is the Olympian goddess of wisdom and war and the patroness of the city of Athens. The daughter of Zeus and Metis, she was born from her father’s head already in armor (Hesiod, Theogony 886–900, 924–926). A virgin deity, she was also the goddess of handicrafts, especially spinning and weaving. In Homer, she is the goddess who helps and advises heroes, above all Odysseus, and even Ares suffers defeat at her hands.

Athena’s Role

Athena's Name

Athena’s name is the same word as the name of the city of Athens (in Greek, Athene and Athenai). The ancient sources that tell of the contest for Attica say that the city took its name from the goddess after she won the land: “Athena, therefore, called the city Athens after herself” (Apollodorus, Library 3.14.1). In Latin she was Minerva, whose festival Ovid places in March (Fasti 3.809–834).

Athena's Portrayal and Symbolism

Homer dresses Athena for war in the fifth book of the Iliad. She lets fall the embroidered robe she had made with her own hands, puts on the tunic of Zeus, takes up a heavy spear and fits on a golden helmet (Iliad 5.733–747). Over her shoulders she throws the tasselled aegis, ringed with Fear and decorated with Strife, Strength and Pursuit, and on it “the head of the dread monster, the Gorgon” (Iliad 5.738–742). Not even the lightning of Zeus can prevail against this aegis (Iliad 21.400–401).

The Gorgon’s head came to Athena from Perseus. After killing Medusa, he gave the head to Athena, who fixed it in the middle of her shield (Apollodorus, Library 2.4.3). In Pausanias’ description of her great statue on the Acropolis, the head of Medusa is worked in ivory on her breast, she holds a Victory in one hand and a spear in the other, a shield lies at her feet, and a serpent near the spear is said to be Erichthonius (Pausanias 1.24.7).

Ovid makes the owl Athena’s bird. In the Metamorphoses the crow complains that she was driven from Minerva’s protection and ranked below “the bird of night”, and that Nyctimene, changed into an owl, had taken her place of honour (Ovid, Metamorphoses 2.562–595).

Athena's Epithets

Athena was one of the most important Olympian gods and she was known by many epithets. The oldest texts give her glaukopis, “bright-eyed” (Hesiod, Theogony 888, 895, 924), Tritogeneia (Theogony 895, 924; Iliad 4.515) and Atrytone, “the Unwearying” (Theogony 925). The Homeric Hymn to Athena calls her “Pallas Athena”, a virgin, a “saviour of cities” (erysiptolis) and a strong goddess (Hymn 28.1–3). Homer also calls her Alalcomeneis (Iliad 4.8). Her temple on the Acropolis was that of Athena Polias, “of the City” (Pausanias 1.27.1), and the Athenians were the first to give her the surname Ergane, “the Worker” (Pausanias 1.24.3).

Athena’s Early Life

The Birth of Athena

Athena’s mother was Metis, whom Hesiod calls Zeus’ first wife and wiser than all gods and mortals. When Metis was about to bear Athena, Zeus deceived her with cunning words and put her into his own belly, on the advice of Gaea and Uranus, so that no other god would hold the kingly office: after the gray-eyed daughter, Metis was destined to bear a son who would be king of gods and men. Zeus then bore Athena himself, “from his head” (Hesiod, Theogony 886–900, 924–926). Apollodorus adds that Metis had changed into many shapes to avoid Zeus, and that when the time of the birth came, Prometheus or, as others say, Hephaestus split Zeus’ head with an axe, and Athena leapt out fully armed beside the river Triton (Library 1.3.6).

Pindar likewise has Hephaestus open the head with a bronze axe; Athena “cried aloud with an exceeding cry” and Uranus and Gaea trembled (Olympian 7.35–38). In the Homeric Hymn to Athena, she springs from Zeus’ holy head shaking her sharp spear, great Olympus reels, the earth cries out and the sea is stirred up, and the Sun stops his horses until she takes the armor from her shoulders; Zeus rejoiced (Hymn 28.4–16).

Athena’s Childhood Friend Pallas

Apollodorus tells that Athena was brought up by Triton, who had a daughter named Pallas. Both girls practiced the arts of war, but once they quarrelled. When Pallas was about to strike a blow, Zeus held out the aegis in fear, Pallas looked up, and Athena wounded her and killed her. Athena grieved, and made a wooden image of Pallas, which she set beside Zeus; it later became the Palladium (Library 3.12.3). “Pallas” is also Athena’s regular name in Homer (for example Iliad 1.200), and a giant named Pallas was among her opponents in the battle with the Giants (Library 1.6.2).

Athena, Goddess of Wisdom

Athena, The Virgin Goddess

Aphrodite, says the Homeric Hymn to Aphrodite, cannot persuade the hearts of three goddesses: Athena, Artemis and Hestia. Athena takes no pleasure in the works of Aphrodite, but loves war, the works of Ares, battles and the care of splendid crafts (Hymn 5.7–32). The Hymn to Athena calls her a “revered maiden” (Hymn 28.3). She had no consort and, in the ancient sources, no children of her own.

The nearest the sources come to a child of Athena is Erichthonius, whom she fostered. Apollodorus says that Athena came to Hephaestus wanting weapons made. Hephaestus fell in love with her and pursued her, but she would not submit, and his seed fell on her leg. She wiped it off with wool and threw it on the ground, and from the earth Erichthonius was born. Athena reared him in secret, shut him in a chest and entrusted it to Pandrosus, forbidding her to open it. Her sisters opened it and saw a serpent coiled around the child (Library 3.14.6).

Athena, the Patron of Athens

Athena and Poseidon both claimed Attica. According to Apollodorus, Poseidon came first and struck the middle of the Acropolis with his trident, producing a sea that is called Erechtheis. Athena then came, called Cecrops to witness that she had taken possession, and planted an olive tree, which was still shown in the Pandrosium. Zeus appointed the twelve gods as judges; they gave the country to Athena because Cecrops testified that she had planted the olive first. In his anger Poseidon flooded the Thriasian plain (Library 3.14.1).

Herodotus knew the same story as the explanation for what stood on the Acropolis in his day. In the shrine of Erechtheus were an olive tree and a pool of salt water, which the Athenians said Poseidon and Athena had put there as tokens when they contended for the land. When the Persians burned the sanctuary in 480 BC, a shoot a cubit long sprang from the stump of the olive on the following day (Herodotus 8.55). Herodotus also reports that a large snake was said to live in the sanctuary and guard the Acropolis, and the Athenians left it a monthly offering of a honey-cake (8.41).

Athena, the Patroness of Handicrafts

Athena was a master of crafts. In the Iliad she makes her own embroidered robe with her hands (Iliad 5.734–735), and the ambrosial robe that Hera puts on to beguile Zeus was also Athena’s work (Iliad 14.178–179). The Homeric Hymn to Aphrodite says that she was the first to teach craftsmen on earth to make chariots and carts inlaid with bronze, and that she taught the soft-skinned maidens in their homes to make splendid works and put the skill in each one’s mind (Hymn 5.12–15). In the same spirit, Apollodorus says that Jason’s shipbuilder Argus built the Argo on Athena’s advice, and that she fitted a speaking timber from the oak of Dodona into its prow (Library 1.9.16).

Athena and the Myth of Arachne

The most famous story that connects Athena with weaving is the story of Arachne, told by Ovid. Arachne was a Lydian girl so skilled at weaving that she denied that she had learned from Athena and challenged the goddess to a contest. Athena came to her disguised as an old woman and advised her to yield; Arachne refused, and the goddess revealed herself. On her loom Athena wove her own contest with Poseidon for Attica, and in the four corners examples of mortals punished for defying the gods. Arachne wove scenes of the gods’ love affairs with mortals. Athena could find no fault in the work; in her anger she tore the cloth, and struck Arachne on the head with her shuttle. Arachne tried to hang herself, but Athena took pity and changed her into a spider (Ovid, Metamorphoses 6.1–145).

Athena, the Helper of Heroes

Athena was the helper of many heroes. In the Iliad she recalls that Zeus often sent her down from heaven to rescue Heracles when Eurystheus’ labors wore him down (Iliad 8.362–369). She guided Perseus together with Hermes on his journey for the Gorgon’s head (Apollodorus, Library 2.4.2), and gave Bellerophon the golden bridle with which he tamed Pegasus (Pindar, Olympian 13.63–82). She advised the builder of the Argo for Jason (Library 1.9.16), and gave half of the dragon’s teeth that Cadmus had sown at Thebes to Aeetes, who set Jason to sow them (Library 1.9.23). Most of all she was the protector of Odysseus. In the Odyssey she appears to him on Ithaca disguised as a young shepherd and then helps him hide his treasure and plan his revenge on the suitors (Odyssey 13.221–440).

Athena in War and Myth

Athena and Ares

Athena is a war goddess, but Homer does not treat her as he treats Ares. Zeus tells Ares that he is the most hateful of the gods on Olympus, because strife, wars and battles are always dear to him (Iliad 5.890–891). In the Iliad Athena takes the reins from Diomedes’ charioteer and drives the chariot against Ares, guiding the hero’s spear into his belly (Iliad 5.826–863). Later, when the gods fight each other, Ares strikes at her aegis, and she knocks him down by hurling a boulder at his neck (Iliad 21.391–408). She also holds Achilles back from drawing his sword on Agamemnon, grasping him by his yellow hair (Iliad 1.188–222).

Athena in the Trojan War

Athena sided with the Greeks. Apollodorus lists her among the three goddesses in the contest of beauty that led to the Trojan War: she promised Paris victory in war, Hera sovereignty over all men, and Aphrodite the hand of Helen; Paris chose Aphrodite (Epitome 3.2). In the Iliad, Paris is described as the man who offended the goddesses and gave the prize to Aphrodite (Iliad 24.25–30), and Athena is the enemy of Troy throughout the poem. When Hector is about to meet Achilles, she appears to him as his brother Deiphobus and persuades him to stand and fight (Iliad 22.214–247).

Athena and the Giants

In the battle of gods and Giants, Athena threw the island of Sicily on the fleeing Enceladus, and killed the giant Pallas, flaying him and using his skin to protect her own body (Apollodorus, Library 1.6.2).

Athena and Tiresias

Callimachus tells how Athena loved the Theban nymph Chariclo, the mother of Tiresias. When Chariclo was bathing with her, Tiresias, still a youth, came to the fountain thirsty from hunting with his hounds and saw what he should not have seen. Athena took away his sight; she could not give it back, but gave him the gift of prophecy and a long life instead (Callimachus, Hymn 5, The Bath of Pallas).

Athena and musical instruments

Pindar says that Athena made the many-voiced music of the flute, to imitate the cry of lament that came from the jaws of the Gorgon Euryale after Perseus had killed her sister Medusa (Pythian 12). According to Apollodorus, she later threw the pipes away because they disfigured her face when she played, and the satyr Marsyas found them (Library 1.4.2). Pausanias saw on the Acropolis a statue group of Athena striking Marsyas because he had picked up the flutes she had thrown away (1.24.1).

Athena and snakes

Snakes are connected to Athena in several ancient stories. The infant Erichthonius was found coiled in a serpent’s embrace (Library 3.14.6), and a serpent stands beside her spear in her statue on the Acropolis, said to be Erichthonius (Pausanias 1.24.7). Herodotus reports that the Athenians believed that a large snake lived in the Acropolis as its guardian (8.41).

Athena Sources

Hesiod, Theogony 886–900, 924–926 (birth); Homeric Hymns 5 (to Aphrodite) 7–32 and 28 (to Athena); Homer, Iliad 1.188–222, 1.200, 4.8, 4.515, 5.733–747, 5.826–863, 5.890–891, 8.362–369, 14.178–179, 21.391–408, 22.214–247, 24.25–30, and Odyssey 13.221–440; Pindar, Olympian 7.35–38, Olympian 13.63–82 and Pythian 12; Callimachus, Hymn 5; Apollodorus, Library 1.3.6, 1.4.2, 1.6.2, 1.9.16, 1.9.23, 2.4.2–3, 3.12.3, 3.14.1, 3.14.6 and Epitome 3.2; Herodotus 8.41, 8.55; Pausanias 1.24.1, 1.24.3, 1.24.7, 1.27.1; Ovid, Metamorphoses 2.562–595, 6.1–145 (Arachne) and Fasti 3.809–834.

See Also: Arachne, Odysseus, Athens, Metis, Poseidon, Zeus, Hephaestus, Erichthonius