Represented by a beautiful and austere young woman, the goddess Athena, also known as Pallas Athena, is the Greek goddess of intelligence, war, the arts, justice and wisdom. She is among the 12 Olympian gods, also called the Pantheon.
In addition to Ancient Greece, it was revered in North Africa, India, the Iberian Peninsula, and the Greek colonies in Asia Minor. She is considered as the one who protects cities, goldsmiths, weavers and architects.
Athena's Story
Although Athena was considered the favorite daughter of Zeus, her birth story is somewhat curious. Fearing that, as the goddess grew up, she would take over his supreme post on Olympus, when Métis became pregnant he proposed a joke.
In it, defying the power of transfiguration, both should turn into animals. Innocently the goddess turned into a fly. At the same moment Zeus swallowed her, with the aim of preventing the birth of the daughter.
She went to the god's head and as time went by he began to experience unbearable pain. To try to alleviate it, she asked her son Hephaestus to give her an ax from the middle of the forehead.
To everyone's surprise, in the same place where the ax was stuck, the goddess Athena came out. As an adult, she donned her armor and helmet and carried her shield. She always carries a spear in her hand. But contrary to what many imagine, it does not represent war, but a strategy to win.
One of its symbols is the shield. The most sacred and powerful of Greek mythology, he is named Aegis and was given as a gift by his father, Zeus. When helping the hero Perseus to defeat Medusa, he began to use the monster's head on his shield.
She was protector of several heroes and of all Attica and several other Greek cities, of which the most prominent is the one that bears her name, Athens.
In it, during the 5th century a. C, a temple was built in his honor. It received the name of Parthenon, where in honor of the goddess, a festivity was held that received the name of Panatheneas.
Bellerophon's legend
Bellerophon was a hero of Greek mythology. Considered a demigod, he was the son of Poseidon with a human. However, the handsome warrior was adopted by Glaucus of Corinth.
One day, after committing a crime, he runs away to Tiryns. There he becomes a servant of King Proeto and lives under his protection. Queen Antéia, attracted by the young man's beauty, begins to make several advances to him. Fearing punishment from the king, he refuses her at every opportunity.
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Filled with hatred for the rejection, she decides to reverse the situation by denouncing Bellerophon to her husband, assuring her that he used to make countless indecent proposals to her. Enraged, Proeto deals with the death of the demigod with his father-in-law, Lobates, the king of Lydia.
To apply the punishment and ensure Bellerophon's death, Lobates sends him to face the Chimera, a hybrid monster that breathed fire from its mouth. Pegasus, the hero's flying horse, was responsible for taking him to meet the creature.
Known for being the protector of heroes, the goddess Athena gave him a golden rein with which he should tame the horse. With her, Pegasus guided him to the place where the Chimera was. Contrary to expectations, he killed the monster with a heart arrow and got out of the trap set against him alive.
city of athens
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The myth that deals with the name of the city originates from the dispute between two gods, Athena and her uncle, Poseidon. Whoever offered the best gift to the locals would be honored by giving him his name.
During the dispute, the god of the sea hit the ground with his trident, causing a horse and a source of sea water to emerge. Athena, in addition to taming the horse and making it a domestic animal, hit the ground with her spear and a beautiful tree, the olive tree, came out of the place.
The tree, considered one of the most noble plants, gave people food, oil and wood. The townspeople were in no doubt, and by unanimous decision she was deemed the winner, naming the town after her, Athena.
Athena and Minerva's Vow
Minerva's vote is a very used expression, even today. What few people know is that it originates from Greek mythology. According to myth, Orestes killed his mother to avenge his father's death.
He was then judged by the people of Athens. Considered the goddess of justice, Athena presided over the jury. When there was a tie, she cast the tie-breaking vote in favor of Orestes and declared him innocent. Therefore, to this day the tie-breaking vote bears that name.
Facts about the goddess Athena
- In Roman Mythology she is known as Minerva;
- She was considered by her father, Zeus, to be the most intelligent among all gods and human beings;
- She remained a virgin all her life, fearing that pregnancy would prevent her from participating in battles;
- Despite being a virgin, she had a son, the result of a rape by her brother Hephaestus. The baby was named Erichthonius and was later the first king of Athens;
- It was Athena, who was responsible for transforming the beautiful and young Medusa into a snake-haired monster. The goddess was very fond of seriousness and respect. To the
- to see Apollo and Medusa disrespected the altar of the holy temple, punished the young woman;
- He helped Perseus defeat Medusa, offering him a bronze shield and advising him not to look directly at the gorgon.
Want to see more? See the full list of Greek Gods: All Greek Gods
