What is the goddess of wisdom in greek mythology

Athena In Greek Mythology — The Greek Goddess of Wisdom and Strategic Warfare

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Who is Athena in Greek Mythology?

ATHENA, sometimes Athene, was the Greek goddess of war, wisdom and craft and was the daughter of ZEUS and the Titaness Metis. Although Athena was a fierce virgin like ARTEMIS, she did not shun men but, on the contrary, delighted in being a city-goddess, most notably at Athens.

The Greeks always regarded Athena as an active goddess, involved in the affairs of men. She helped several Greek heroes such as BELLEROPHONE, JASON, HeraCLES, and PERSEUS. Also, it was she who eventually got ODYSSEUS back to the island of Ithaca, following his epic voyage home from the TROJAN WAR

One of the most influential and critical figures to appear throughout Greek mythology is the goddess Athena. But she also happens to be one of its most controversial deities because, at that time, she can appear as two entirely different people—both the villain and the hero of specific stories.

Athena was regarded as the goddess of numerous things, including wisdom, justice, strength, strategic warfare, and any skill ranging from artistic to craft. She was, of course, mainly known for two of these things. Her strategic skill in warfare, her wisdom, and it’s because of this association, you’d be hard-pressed to find any iconic or popular Greek stories that she doesn’t in some way feature in.

Athena’s vast popularity meant that her cultural, widespread, and often celebrated practices such as weaving, metalwork, and philosophy. The largest of these cults, of course, is located in Athens, not only because of the city’s importance but because that is where many people consider the name Athena to have come from in the first place.

The ancient Greeks would sometimes refer to Athena as “Pallas Athena”. The origins of the word Palace are still ambiguous. Some would argue that it was used to describe a young woman, whereas others believe something more combative means ‘brandish a weapon’.

When Athens called her Pallas Athena, this could be interpreted as referring to her as young Athena or even as Athena, the protector.

The exact meaning of the word is something that we can only really speculate about bu. Still, there’s the alternative belief that Pallas was an entirely separate entity slain by Athena.

In Ancient Greece, Pallas are a familiar name to see. So, it does make numerous appearances in several different stories as a handful of different people.

In one interpretation, Pallas is a giant slain by Athena, who then fled his skin as a trophy, wearing it as a cloak and an ever-present reminder of her victory. In another version, Pallas was Athena’s father, whom she killed when he attempted to assault her. Athena once again took his skin as a trophy.

So, there is a pattern forming in terms of taking a kill and turning it into a trophy, something to be proud of, and that is something you would expect from a warrior or Hunter of that given time. However, there is a version of this story that paints Athena in a far more positive manner.

In this story, Pallas was a childhood friend of Athena, accidentally slain during a sparring match between the two Athena. Of course, troubled and deeply saddened by the loss of a close friend, she took the name Pallas as a sign of respect and honour.

By doing this, Athena ensured that the name Pallas would never be forgotten, and neither would have fallen friend.

The Romans, of course, refers to Athena by a very different name. She was associated with the goddess Minerva, who many considered to be the Roman counterpart to the Greek Athena.

The Birth of Athena

We begin exploring the many stories of Athena with how she was born and the rather odd circumstances surrounding the entire situation. So, as many of you may already know, Athena is primarily regarded as the daughter of Zeus, but her mother isn’t something that we hear about too often.

Athena’s mother was a goddess known as Metis. A second-generation Titan that many associated with wisdom and craft, traits that she indeed passed down to her daughter. Metis was also considered the first real lover and spouse of Zeus, but as soon as they lay together, the same prophecy that haunted his father began to take hold of Zeus.

Uranus was overthrown by his son, Cronus, and the rest of his children. His father then told Cronus that the same thing would happen to him, so he swallowed his children to prevent it. But eventually, Zeus and the Olympians overthrew Cronus, causing history to repeat itself once again.

Uranus and Gaia then prophesized that Metis would bear Zeus children, more powerful and wiser than himself. Implying that they could one day possibly overthrow him as he had previously done to his father.

To stop this from happening, Zeus took a page out of his own father’s book. Swallowing Metis as a whole, but she had already conceived his child. We don’t hear much of Metis after this point onwards, so I think it’s safe to assume that she died sometime between being swallowed alive by Zeus and giving birth to Athena.

Zeus, however, began to experience excruciating headaches with no reason or explanation as to why. When the other gods and goddesses examined Zeus, they concluded that there might be something trapped inside.

They would then take an axe and cleaves uses opened to see what was inside, and from this gaping slit emerged Athena, fully grown and covered in armor from head to toe. The other gods were left speechless, admiring the goddess that was standing before them.

Over the years, historians and poets have made numerous claims about who Athena’s father could have been, but Zeus remains the most common answer to them all. There was, however, the notion that Athena was the first goddess to be conceived not from intercourse but through the presence of mind and thought.

But this idea of Zeus being the sole parent who conceived Athena did create some tension between himself and his wife, Hera. This led to her attempting the same thing. But it ultimately resulted in her giving birth to the misshape and deformed Hephaestus.

There are some accounts where Hephaestus was born long before Athena, and he was one of the gods responsible for opening Zeus’s head and freeing Athena.

This can get confusing, considering that Greek authors in mythology have several timelines that inherently contradict and clash with each other. But that’s not to say that either one of these stories is incorrect, more so that they were told at a different time in a different region.

The Story of Hephaestus and Athena

Whilst we are still on the topic of Athena and Hephaestus, there is one story that some of you may find either quite disturbing or rather amusing.

When the marriage between Aphrodite and Hephaestus had ended, he began to pursue Athena and make numerous advances that she would easily palm away. One day, during his routine rejection, Hephaestus got so excited—during what we can only assume was Athena resting away that he discharged on her thigh.

Athena, of course, disgusted and annoyed, wiped it off onto the ground, which of course wasn’t the ground; it was Gaia, who then fell pregnant and gave birth to the half serpent, a half-man known as Erichthonius, who would later become one of the great Kings of Athens.

If you are someone who’s wondered why Athena’s children are never mentioned, that’s because they never existed. Athena remained what many would consider a Virgin goddess, but there are some accounts where she took pity on Erichthonius because of the way he looked, adopted him, and raised him as her son.

I’d say that sounds weird, but it just sounds like a regular day Greek mythology.

The City of Athens

One of the most iconic stories featuring Athena involved Athens’s name and how she became its patron. The city that became Athens was founded by a half-man, half-snake creature, Cecrops. Cecrops would eventually become the King and named the city after himself, Cecropia. Under his reign, the city prospered greatly and was described as “so beautiful that it was a worthy home of a god”.

When the gods of Olympus saw this city, they argued over who would claim this territory.
The last two to settle this argument were, of course, Athena and her bitter rival Poseidon, who were both adamant that the patronage of the city should be an honour bestowed upon them.

To solve this dispute, Zeus decided that both Athena and Poseidon would give the King and his people a gift, and they would, in turn, determine who would be the patron.

Poseidon was first to present his gift to the King and his people. He took his Trident, and he slammed it down onto a Boulder, creating a spring from which emerged enough water that the people would never have to worry about drought again.

At first, Poseidon’s gift seemed like it couldn’t be matched by anything, but then the people realized that it was seawater, and it was practically useless in this.

Witnessing Poseidon’s failure, Athena then planted a single seed that would grow into an olive tree. The people of Cecropia overwhelmingly received this gift, not just because it provided them with food, oil, and firewood but also because the olive branch was a symbol of peace and stability.

With the gifts now received, the people of Cecropia had to choose between the two deities. But considering the two gifts that they were given and the overall practicality, Athena was chosen without hesitation. Thus, the cities name was changed to Athens to honour its new patron.

The sacred animal of Athens was then changed to an owl, and it would appear on both sides of coins as a symbol of wisdom as Athena, the patron. Olive trees would then be planted all around the city to replicate the gift given to them and encourage peace and prosperity.

Now, that’s not to say Athena as their new patron, the people of Athens didn’t encounter any problems because they certainly did. Poseidon’s gift may not have turned out the way he would have liked. But he identified a problem that Athens would face in the future. And drought is something that did plague Athens during the summer.

This does raise a few interesting questions as to what Poseidon could have done as a patron and what he would have named the city?

In the years that followed, it became common for scholars to argue as to which came first, whether Athena was named after the city or if the city was named after Athena. For the most part, they agreed that it was Athena who was named after this city.

Athena’s Involvements with the Greek Heroes

It is challenging to find a story of an iconic Greek hero that doesn’t involve Athena in some way, offering her guidance and counsel, which is why to many, she was considered the heroes patron.

Generally, in the heroes’ journey, they come across a problem that they cannot overcome, and this is often when we see Athena manifest and essentially save the day. In Perseus and Heracles’s stories, she appears to ensure that they are adequately equipped for their dangerous adventures.

Perseus

When Perseus was tasked with retrieving Medusa’s head, he was given various weapons and equipment to aid him. Still, it was Athena who gave him the Bronze Polished shield that he could use as a mirror, making it so he could gaze upon Medusa without being turned to stone.

When Bellerophon embarked on his journey to kill the Chimera, he first travelled to Athena’s Temple for counsel. Here, Athena gave him a Golden bridle, allowing him to tame Pegasus and completely change the entire battle’s dynamic.

Heracles

The most famous example of Athena as a patron and guide to Heroes is Heracles or Hercules, depending on which interpretation you’re most familiar with. Like Perseus, Heracles was a half-brother brother to Athena.

But there’s no doubt that she took an immense interest in this son of Zeus. From protecting and helping raise him as a child to ensuring that he was able to complete his 12 Labours and earn his redemption.

Over the years, Athena watched over Heracles, sometimes passively observing and intervening when she felt assistance was needed.

When Heracles needed to collect the golden apples from the Hesperides’ garden, he had the Titan Atlas collect them for him in some versions. In exchange, he would assume the Titans responsibilities in holding up the Sky. As strong as Heracles was, this was even beyond his capabilities. Athena will then intervene, assisting him in hoisting up the Sky until the Titans return.

We do see Athena intervene once again when Heracles face the Hydra, this time given him a Golden sword that he would use to cut off the Hydras last immortal head. For most of Heracles Labours, Athena is very much a spectator. She was acknowledging her brother’s desire to complete these Labours alone to earn his redemption. But she does, of course, intervene on numerous occasions.

If we consider that his Labours are continually being stacked against him by Hera and King Eurystheus, then Athena is essentially the great equalizer to Heracles’ story.

Odysseus

Another relatively well-known hero that Athena offered her guidance to, this time appearing in Homer’s work, where she guides Odysseus home and assists him in retaking his Kingdom.

But this scenario is slightly different from that of Heracles, where Athena assumes the older protective sister’s role. It is quite clear to us that she’s driven by emotion and the duty to protect her brother. Odysseus instead had to win the favour of Athena, which he did through his tactics.

Athena would appear to Odysseus on his journey home by entering his thoughts and guiding him, and then once again in person when back in Ithaca.

So, if you happen to be a hero back in ancient Greece, who needed assistance, the best thing you could do was earn the favour of Athena.

The Duality of Athena—the Hero and the Villain

On to what I think is the most interesting point of discussion, Athena’s duality—the hero and the villain.

Athena is a goddess that often people either hate or love, and that’s because she’s presented in two very different ways with two very different personalities. Most of this can be attributed to and explained by two viral stories—the story of Arachne and Medusa’s story.

What they seem to have in common is a theme of punishment. Or what many consider the in-just punishment of an undeserving individual.

What is lost on most people or what they just choose to ignore is that these stories have numerous interpretations. The Athena that you see in one story may not be the same goddess held in such high regard by the ancient Greek people.

It may be the interpretation of the Roman poet Ovid. This is an essential detail to consider because in both Ovid’s versions of Medusa and Arachne. Athena is too unsympathetic and heavily driven by emotion, jealousy, and anger—not precisely the pragmatic, common, wise goddess the ancient Greeks believed her to be.

Medusa is punished for being raped in Athena’s Temple and Arachne being the best over Athena in a weaving contest. My issue with these stories is just the two out of character for Athena.

We’ve established earlier that she can be driven by emotion concerning the story of Heracles. Still, Ovid’s depiction is just that of a bitter, jealous and irrational woman who’s extraordinarily unlikeable and honestly may as well be the villain of these stories.

To the ancient Greeks, Athena was a fair, just and wise protector. In Arachne’s story, when she completes her tapestry, Zeus punishes her and not Athena.

With the right key now disgraced and unable to weave, she attempts to commit suicide, but Athena takes pity upon her, transforming her into the first spider. In the form of spider webs, she can leave beautiful patterns just like she did with her tapestries.

The difference between these two stories is night and day. In Ovid’s interpretation, Athena is so angry that she loses the weaving contest that she beats Arachne before transforming her into a spider.

In the more traditional Greek versions, Arachne is punished by Zeus for her hubris. It’s in Athena who picks up the pieces and attempts to help directly the best she can.

The story of Medusa also does follow a similar trend. In Ovid’s version, Medusa is raped and then turned into a Gorgon to punish her. In the more traditional Greek interpretations, when Poseidon rapes Medusa, Athena transforms it into a gorgon to protect herself and ensure that it never happens again.

When you hear stories of Athena is the goddess of wisdom and a great protector through the ancient Greek people. Then you hear the interpretations of Ovid; it creates a disconnect because what you’re essentially saying is two different characters.

To the ancient Greeks, Athena is probably the most widely celebrated and valued of all the female deities, serving as patron to many Greek cities. Her origins do stretch back to the Mycenaeans, whose religion is shrouded in mystery. But we do know that Athena appeared as a goddess of protection and household crafting.

Athena did suffer somewhat of character assassination when Greece became Christianized. She went from the Virgin goddess, who everybody admired, to someone who is condemned as an immodest, an immoral person.

However, the Greeks did transfer many of these attributes to the Virgin Mary, which is why she was often seen wearing the gorgoneion and appearing as a warrior maiden.

Athena is a topic I can write about for several hours, and still, there would be depictions and stories that I forget to mention. But in the coming future, we will cover the entirety of Athena’s stories. But in the meantime, please do check out our other stories by viewing our recommended articles below.

Athena

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In ancient Greek religion, Athena was a goddess of war, handicraft, and practical reason. Essentially urban and civilized, Athena was probably a pre-Hellenic goddess later taken over by the Greeks. She was widely worshipped, but in modern times she is associated primarily with Athens, to which she gave her name and protection. The Romans identified her with Minerva.

Athena, the daughter of Zeus, was produced without a mother and emerged full-grown from his forehead. An alternative story was that Zeus swallowed Metis, the goddess of counsel, while she was pregnant with Athena so that Athena finally emerged from Zeus.

Athena is customarily portrayed wearing an aegis, body armor, and a helmet and carrying a shield and a lance.

Athena is associated with birds, particularly the owl, which became famous as the symbol of the city of Athens.

In Homer’s Iliad, Athena, as a war goddess, inspires and fights alongside the Greek heroes; her aid is synonymous with military prowess. Representing the intellectual and civilized side of war, she is the divine form of the heroic, martial ideal and personifies excellence in close combat, victory, and glory.

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Athena, also spelled Athene, in Greek religion, the city protectress, goddess of war, handicraft, and practical reason, identified by the Romans with Minerva. She was essentially urban and civilized, the antithesis in many respects of Artemis, goddess of the outdoors. Athena was probably a pre-Hellenic goddess and was later taken over by the Greeks. Yet the Greek economy, unlike that of the Minoans, was largely military, so that Athena, while retaining her earlier domestic functions, became a goddess of war.

She was the daughter of Zeus, produced without a mother, so that she emerged full-grown from his forehead. There was an alternative story that Zeus swallowed Metis, the goddess of counsel, while she was pregnant with Athena, so that Athena finally emerged from Zeus. Being the favourite child of Zeus, she had great power.

Athena’s association with the acropolises of various Greek cities probably stemmed from the location of the kings’ palaces there. She was thought to have had neither consort nor offspring. She may not have been described as a virgin originally, but virginity was attributed to her very early and was the basis for the interpretation of her epithets Pallas and Parthenos. As a war goddess Athena could not be dominated by other goddesses, such as Aphrodite, and as a palace goddess she could not be violated.

In Homer’s Iliad, Athena, as a war goddess, inspires and fights alongside the Greek heroes; her aid is synonymous with military prowess. Also in the Iliad, Zeus, the chief god, specifically assigns the sphere of war to Ares, the god of war, and Athena. Athena’s moral and military superiority to Ares derives in part from the fact that she represents the intellectual and civilized side of war and the virtues of justice and skill, whereas Ares represents mere blood lust. Her superiority also derives in part from the vastly greater variety and importance of her functions and from the patriotism of Homer’s predecessors, Ares being of foreign origin. In the Iliad, Athena is the divine form of the heroic, martial ideal: she personifies excellence in close combat, victory, and glory. The qualities that lead to victory are found on the aegis, or breastplate, that Athena wears when she goes to war: fear, strife, defense, and assault. Athena appears in Homer’s Odyssey as the tutelary deity of Odysseus, and myths from later sources portray her similarly as helper of Perseus and Heracles (Hercules). As the guardian of the welfare of kings, Athena became the goddess of good counsel, of prudent restraint and practical insight, as well as of war.

In post-Mycenaean times the city, especially its citadel, replaced the palace as Athena’s domain. She was widely worshipped, but in modern times she is associated primarily with Athens, to which she gave her name. Her emergence there as city goddess, Athena Polias (“Athena, Guardian of the City”), accompanied the ancient city-state’s transition from monarchy to democracy. She was associated with birds, particularly the owl, which became famous as the city’s own symbol, and with the snake. Her birth and her contest with Poseidon, the sea god, for the suzerainty of the city were depicted on the pediments of the Parthenon, and the great festival of the Panathenaea, in July, was a celebration of her birthday. She was also worshipped in many other cities, notably in Sparta.

Athena became the goddess of crafts and skilled peacetime pursuits in general. She was particularly known as the patroness of spinning and weaving. That she ultimately became allegorized to personify wisdom and righteousness was a natural development of her patronage of skill.

Athena

🦉 Athena :: Greek Goddess of Wisdom and War

Athena is the Olympian goddess of wisdom and war and the adored patroness of the city of Athens. A virgin deity, she was also – somewhat paradoxically – associated with peace and handicrafts, especially spinning and weaving. Majestic and stern, Athena surpassed everybody in both of her main domains. In fact, even Ares feared her; and all Greek heroes asked her for help and advice.

Athena’s Role

Athena’s Name

Athena’s name is closely linked with the name of the city of Athens. The Ancient Greeks debated whether she got her name after the city or the other way around. Modern scholars usually agree that the former was the case.

Athena’s Portrayal and Symbolism

In art and literature, Athena is usually depicted as a majestic lady, with a beautiful, but stern face, unsmiling full lips, grey eyes and a graceful build, emanating power and authority. She is always regally clad in either a chiton or a full armor. In the former case, she is sometimes represented with a spindle. In the latter case, she wears an elaborately crested Corinthian helmet and holds a long spear in one hand and an aegis in the other.

At the center of her aegis there’s oftentimes an image of a Gorgon’s head (Gorgoneion), symbolizing the gift she got from Perseus: the head of Medusa. Just like Medusa’s eyes, Athena’s shield can also turn her enemies to stone. As a symbol of her wisdom, there’s sometimes an owl flying in Athena’s vicinity or sitting on her shoulder; from time to time there may also be a snake or an olive branch.

Athena’s Epithets

Athena was one of the most important Olympian gods and she had many functions. Unsurprisingly, she was known under many different epithets. Some of the most famous were “Virgin,” “Pallas,” “The Unwearying One,” “The One of the City,” “The One with gleaming eyes” and “The One who fights in front.”

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The Birth of Athena

Athena was born in most miraculous circumstances. On learning that Metis’ next child may overthrow him, Zeus swallowed his first wife who was already pregnant with Athens. When the time came, Zeus started feeling tremendous headaches. As even he couldn’t bear them, Hephaestus struck him with his axe and – lo and behold! – Athena leapt out of Zeus’ head, fully armed and with a cry so mighty and fearsome that Uranus and Gaea were shaken to their bones with terror. Zeus was delighted and full of pride.

Athena’s Childhood Friend Pallas

As a child, Athena had a friend she loved above all. Her name was Pallas and she was all but her equal in the art of war. However, one day, as they were practicing some martial exercises, Athena accidentally killed her friend. Grief-stricken and in an attempt to preserve her memory, she added her friend’s name to her own. That’s why many people know Athena as Athena Pallas.

Athena, Goddess of Wisdom

Athena, The Virgin Goddess

Just like Artemis and Hestia, Athena was never swayed by love or passion. Consequently, she never had any children. Some say that Erichthonius was an exception, but, in fact, Athena was only his foster-mother. True, Hephaestus did try to violate her, but she fought him off, so he spilled his semen over the Earth, after which Gaea was impregnated. When Erichthonius was born, Athena took him under her wing, just like she would do afterward with another cult hero, Heracles.

Athena, the Patron of Athens

Poseidon and Athena had a much-publicized quarrel over who deserves to be the patron of the most prosperous Ancient Greek city, Athens. Poseidon claimed that the city would benefit more from him than Athena and to prove this, he struck his trident into a rock, creating a seawater stream which welled up in the Temple of Erechtheion on the north side of the Acropolis. Smart as she was, Athena did nothing spectacular: she merely planted an olive tree. However, the first king of Athens, Cecrops – who was the judge of the contest – realized that the olive tree was much more beneficial, since it gave the Athenians fruit, oil and wood.

Athena, the Patroness of Handicrafts

Athena was a master artisan. As much as she was the women counterpart of Ares as a war goddess, she was also the female equivalent of Hephaestus when it came to arts and crafts. Homer says that Athena fashioned ornate and luxuriously embroidered robes for Hera and herself. Some even say that she combined her two main interests to invent the war chariot and even the warship.

Athena and the Myth of Arachne

However, the most famous myth which connects Athena with handicrafts is the story of Arachne, a mortal craftswoman who boasted that she was more skillful than Athena herself. Athena offered her a chance to repent, but after Arachne refused, she challenged her to a weaving duel. The goddess fashioned a beautiful tapestry which illustrated the gruesome fate of the mortals who had the hubris of challenging the gods. Arachne, on the other hand, chose for a subject the stories of the mortals unjustly victimized by the gods. She didn’t even have a chance to finish it: enraged and offended, Athena tore Arachne’s fabric to pieces and turned her into a spider. As such, Arachne is doomed to weave ever since.

Athena, the Helper of Heroes

As a war goddess associated with wisdom – unlike Ares who was associated with mere violence – Athena was often the main helper of Ancient Greece’s greatest heroes. Most famously, she guided Odysseus during his ten-year-long journey back to Ithaca. But, she also helped many others, such as Heracles, Perseus, Bellerophon, Jason, Diomedes, Argus, and Cadmus.

Athena Sources

Homer’s “Odyssey” is an invaluable source for Athena and her deeds. If you want something briefer, read “The Homeric Hymns to Athena” (11 and 28). In Hesiod’s “Theogony” you can find the story of her birth.

See Also: Arachne, Odysseus, Athens, Metis

Athena Video

Athena (Minerva) – Greek Goddess of Wisdom and War

Athena (Roman equivalent is Minerva) was the goddess who symbolized wisdom. She was also the goddess of war. The Greeks were the first people who achieved logical thinking and formulated global laws for the operation of the universe. It was natural to coin a goddess who personified the wit and wisdom. Besides, even the way of the birth of the goddess was such that testified her properties. The grey-eyed daughter sprang from the head of omnipotent and omniscient Zeus.

The nymphs of the mountain and the Oceanids in Crete, without the knowledge of Cronus, raised Zeus, the father of gods and men. By that time, he chose to fall in love with Metis. She was the most prudent of all her sisters. With her advices, she decisively helped Zeus to get the final victory. She gave Zeus the magical herb, which forced the terrible child-eater Cronus to pull out of his stomach all the gods he had swallowed. Metis was the first wife of Zeus or according to others, the first mistress. At a feast held in Olympus to formalize their relationship, Uranus and Gaia revealed to their grandson that Metis would give him firstly a daughter and then a son who would become so strong, that he would be the first of the gods.

The oracle from his ancestors put him into thinking. Therefore, when he saw that Metis was pregnant, he could not settle down. So Zeus asked for an herb from his grandmother Gaia. According to the myth, whoever ate that herb would become as small as the size of a little finger. Gaia did not refuse to the favor he asked and she gave him the herb. Then Zeus ran on Metis and gave it to her to swallow, saying that this herb would help her give birth to strong children. Metis believed him, but shortly after swallowing the herb, she began diminishing. Zeus then opened his huge mouth and swallowed her. He did the same trick as his father, but he quashed both his wife and the child that was in her womb. Once Zeus swallowed Metis, he immediately gained all the wisdom of the world. He knew every moment what was good and what was bad.

After a few days, something began to bother him in his head. He felt like a little sword gently touching his mind. Nevertheless, as time passed the discomfort became more intense and the head ache stronger.

Zeus was in terrible pain. All goddesses tried to soothe him with magic herbs, but nothing seemed to ease the pain. He screamed and knocked on the ground, so that the whole Olympus echoed and trembled by his harrowing voices. One night, Zeus could not bear it anymore and called Hephaestus to come to his palace with his huge hammer. His son arrived sweaty and grimy.

Zeus was in terrible pain. All goddesses tried to soothe him with magic herbs, but nothing seemed to ease the pain. He screamed and knocked on the ground, so that the whole Olympus echoed and trembled by his harrowing voices. One night, Zeus could not bear it anymore and called Hephaestus to come to his palace with his huge hammer. His son arrived sweaty and grimy.

The moment Zeus saw him, he said:

«Quickly Hephaestus, give my head a strike with your hammer in order to save me once and for all from this torment.»

The divine blacksmith paused, rolled his eyes, and refused to do so. However, Zeus was not joking.

Enraged, he threatened Hephaestus that he will throw him for the second time from Olympus.

The terrified young god said:

«Forgive me father, forgive me mother Hera and all you Olympians. But as you also see, I cannot do otherwise.»

Shortly after, he picked up his huge hammer and hit it with all his strength at the head of his father. Then in front of the amazed eyes of the Olympians sprang from the head of Zeus a beautiful, fully armored, grey-eyed daughter. She was holding shield, wearing a helmet and waved menacingly a spear. It was Athena, goddess of war but also patroness of wisdom. Athena inherited her father’s omnipotence and wisdom of her mother, Metis.

At the time of her birth, Athena took out a war cry that made whole Olympus to tremble and reached to the ends of the world. The earth shook, the sea was agitated, and huge waves rose menacingly. Helios (Sun) stopped his golden chariot and watched the goddess until she pulls off the armor from her weak body. Shortly after, the commotion caused by the birth of the new goddess stopped. The whole nature calmed.

Zeus, relieved by the terrible headaches, saw his new daughter and smiled. Athena, in a short time, grew and gained his divine glory in its entirety. The gods welcomed their new companion with a glorious feast. Athena was the first to start their dance.

According to another myth from Crete, the goddess was born on the island from a cloud that Zeus hit with thunderbolt. Others said that Athena was the daughter of the giant Pallas or daughter of Poseidon and Tritonis. Many times, they called her Pallas. Regarding this name, the following myth exists.

The first years of her life, Athena grew up with a girl called Pallas. They had become very favorite friends. They learned the martial art together and played quite violent games. One day that they quarreled, Pallas was about to strike Athena. However, Zeus seeing the incident was scared for his little daughter and protected her with his Aegis. The girl was startled when he saw lands in front of the terrible shield. The little goddess took advantage of the turmoil and fatally struck her. When Athena realized that her friend had died, she burst into inconsolable crying. To honor her young friend, she created a statue that looked like her and placed it next to her father. She named the statue, which was made of wood, Palladium. Eventually, however, Zeus threw the statue from Mount Olympus and it fell to Troy at the time the Trojans were building the city. Ever since, this statue was protecting the area. Because it had fallen in the temple of Athena, they called the goddess Athena – Pallas.

Many cities in ancient times claimed to have Palladiums and that enjoyed Athena’s protection.

Athena was the favorite child of Zeus and spent her entire life dedicated to her father, whom she loved and adored. Her help at the Giants’ War was valuable, where she killed and skinned the giant Pallas and crashed Sicily upon giant Enceladus, burying him underneath. Only Athena stood beside Zeus when the terrible Typhon (Hurricane) swooped on Olympus. Only once, she participated in the conspiracy of Hera, Poseidon, and Apollo versus her father. Then she was the only one who did not experience the wrath of Zeus and so the love and affection continued without any other problems.

Athena loved martial arts and she was giving herself constantly to them. She had no love affairs and symbolized the eternal virginity. This is why the Athenians called the temple of the goddess on the Acropolis, Parthenon (parthenos in Greek means virgin). Only once Hephaestus tried to annoy her erotically, but the goddess resisted bravely. From the seed of god, which fell to the earth, Erichthonius was born, a celebrated hero of Athens. The goddess was behaving as if he was her son.

Others claim that the Erichthonius was the son of Gaia who confided him to Athena to raise him. They say that the hero established the Panathenaic festival, the largest festival in honor of Athena. They also believed that the goddess taught him to drive the chariot that is pulled by four horses. Her most favorite city is Athens, which got its name from her.

A myth says that Poseidon was the first to arrive in Attica. He struck with his trident a rock of the Acropolis and immediately gushed forth a spring of salt water. Then Athena that was also claiming the sovereignty and protection of the area planted an olive tree. Then the other Olympians entered as judges to the conflict of the gods and decided in favor of Athena.

According to another myth, an olive tree grew on the Acropolis and a little further gushed a spring. Cecrops was the lord of the area and requested the advice of the oracle. The oracle informed him that the tree represented the Athena and the spring represented Poseidon.

Then, Cecrops called a popular assembly of men and women in order to come to a decision. All men voted for Poseidon and all women for Athena. But the women were more than men and so the city was given to Athena. Poseidon was very angry and flooded the area. Men, then, decided to punish women, forbidding them to participate in meetings and vote.

However, the most common version of the myth is the following. The gods told the litigants that the one who would earn the city would be he who made the most useful gift to residents.

The other gods admired this gift, because they knew how useful it was in agriculture and other professions. Immediately, the wise Athena struck her spear in Attic land and grew a bushy evergreen olive tree. Then the Olympians decided that the fruit of this blessed tree was more useful for the people of the region and thus gave the victory to Athena.

Athena, as a maiden goddess, did not get along with Aphrodite, the patroness of love. Very often, they quarreled and wrangled, even in front of their father, Zeus. He always tried to reconcile them. It seems though that he rarely succeeded. When the two rival goddesses found themselves as opponents in the Trojan War, Athena did not hesitate, through Diomedes of course, to hit Aphrodite and hurt her.

The martial goddess stood alongside many famous heroes of antiquity. Heracles (Hercules) was one of them that Athena was protecting. Athena saw him for first time, when the mortal hero ran into the side of Zeus to face the Giants. She immediately liked him. With her valuable advices he managed to kill Alcyoneus.

Nevertheless, later also, when Eurystheus assigned to Heracles the test of the twelve labors, Athena also helped him. She gave him the cymbals that were the work of the divine artisan Hephaestus. Hitting the cymbals, the hero startled the Stymphalian hens that flew from their hidden nests and thus killed them with his arrows. In order to delight Athena, Heracles devoted to her the golden apples that he had cut from the garden of Esperides.

With the help of the goddess, Perseus managed to kill the Gorgon. She was a monster that had snakes instead for hair and her eyes caused terrible panic or petrify anyone who was facing them. The hero, when he went to face the horrible monster, was equipped with the shiny shield that Athena gave him. Therefore, while he had turned his gaze elsewhere, he was watching the Gorgon’s image mirrored onto the shield and managed to fight and behead her.

He offered the Gorgon’s awesome head to Athena, which was retaining its properties although it was cut off. The goddess placed the head onto the aegis (shield) she had, her father’s gift. She collected the blood that popped from the veins of the monster and gave it to Asclepius, who used it as a medicine. Others say that she had given two drops of blood to Erichthonios. One drop was causing death and the other one had therapeutic properties.

A myth says that when Perseus beheaded the Gorgon, her sisters, Stheno (Valence) and Euryale, who were immortal, mourned a lot for her. However, this wailing came from the snakes they had for hair and not by themselves. Athena tried to find a way to imitate this wailing.

Therefore, she took the bone of a large deer they had sacrificed to her, opened some holes and blew rhythmically into the new musical instrument that she called flute. Thrilled, Athena ran to Olympus and showed her invention to the other gods.

However, Hera and Aphrodite ironically broke out in laughter. Athena could not explain their behavior and was very angry. Then they explained her that while playing the flute, her cheeks turned red and big, disfiguring her face and it was very funny. The stubborn goddess ran into a creek and mirrored herself in the waters while playing the flute. Athena immediately understood that the other goddesses were right to mock her and furiously threw her music instrument.

Pegasus, the winged horse, was son of Gorgon and Neptune. A hero, Bellerophon, once asked the help of Athena to capture and tame the horse. One night that the hero slept in her temple, she appeared in his dream and gave him a bridle with which he managed to tame it.

Athena was very shy with men. Therefore, one day that Tiresias saw her nude, bathing in the waters of a lake with the Nymph Chariklo, she avenged him mercilessly. With a simple touch to his eyes blinded him for his entire life. However, her friend begged her to pity him. Since Athena could not cancel a divine decision, decided to favor Tiresias in a different way. She cleaned his ears so well, so he could even hear the chirping of the birds and gave him a stick, which helped him to walk as people who were able to see. Since then, Tiresias became the most famous seer of antiquity.

The martial goddess was active in the Trojan War, where she was protecting the camp of the Greeks, and that because she was outraged by the judgment of Paris regarding the most beautiful goddess.

Her favorite warriors were Diomedes, Achilles and Odysseus. Athena stood by their side in all their difficult moments. Especially, when there was a high risk she resorted to miracles to save them. She made divine fire coming out of the Diomedes‘s helmet and covered the head of Achilles with a fiery cloud. Indeed, in the most difficult moments she transformed herself into a Trojan warrior and went to the concentrations of rival generals, giving them wrong advices.

Nevertheless, when there were divisions and disagreements within the Greek camp, Athena always managed to prevent the worst from coming.

She does not let Achilles slay Agamemnon although he had severely insulted him.

Athena helped Odysseus both during the war and during his ten-year journey of return. In the Odyssey, Athena intervenes with transformations. She takes the form of Mentor and gives valuable advice and guidance to Telemachus.

She also sends dreams. Athena appears in Nausicaa’s sleep and advises her to go to wash her clothes in the river, the day Odysseus was approaching the island of Corfu.

She endows her protégé with supernatural beauty to seduce the princess and accommodate him in the palace of her father.

In other cases, she rouses Zeus to help Odysseus. With Athena’s intervention, Calypso receives orders to leave the hero free and gives him the means to set sail again into the sea.

Orestes, son of Agamemnon, in order to avenge the murder of his father killed his mother Clytemnestra and her lover Aegisthus. However, Erinyes (Furies), obscure deities who punished the murderers, chased Orestes, who arrived in Athens and took refuge in the temple of the goddess. Then a court took place in the Areopagus (Supreme Court) to judge the young matricide. Athena was the president of the court. The vote ended in a tie, but eventually the court acquitted Orestes because the vote of Athena, which was “Not Guilty”, was counting as double. Since then, there is a law in the court that a tie in the votes counts in favor of the accused.

Athena was protecting all artisans and craftsmen. She was also an amazing weaver. Once, Arachni (Spider), a girl from Lydia, who had gained a great reputation in the art of weaving, called the goddess in a competition.

Initially the goddess appeared to the girl transformed into an old woman and advised her to show modesty. However, Arachni was still cocky and Athena got upset, took her normal form and the contest began. The Pallas portrayed on her woven the daily life of the gods. At the edges, she drew scenes that revealed the debacle of mortals when they did not obey the immortals.

Once, the goddess had a dispute with Apollo on the art of divination. Thries, the winged nymphs of Parnassus, had taught Athena to foretell the future from the stones that the torrents swept away. However, Apollo complained to Zeus and he decided in favor of his son. Then, the embittered Athena flew the stones in the valley and that area was named Thriassion.

Athena – Pallas symbolize some of the most important ideals of the ancient Greek spirit. She combined strength and bravery with prudence and intelligence. Her favorite symbols were the aegis, the spear, the owl and the olive tree.

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What Do You Know About the Gods of Ancient Greece?

Zeus was at the head of the pantheon – a god of wisdom, thunder and lightning. A hard-boiled, strong willed character. Which of the following stories about him is true?

Zeus’ parents, Cronus and Rhea, had six children. Cronus ate five children after they were born, but Rhea hid the last one – Zeus, having deceived Cronus. When Zeus became an adult, he made Cronus to belch out a stone and then his brothers and sisters in the reverse order of swallowing. In some versions of myths Cronus took an emetic drug to do it, and according to others – Zeus cut father’s stomach open.

Zeus was very fertile and all his children were born from his wives-goddesses

Zeus killed his own father before then making him to spit out eaten brothers and sisters

After Zeus was born his parents threw him off the cliff to check whether he is able to become a great ruler

Where did the expression Pandora’s box come from?

Zeus sent beautiful Pandora to punish people, for whom Prometheus stole fire. There were diseases and disasters in a box, which she brought and opened.

This is one of the plots of Classical Greek mythology, which means that the owner of the box gets unprecedented force and power

This is one of myths, which reads that the box was filled with diseases and disasters

This is from movies, have no idea how does Ancient Greece come into the picture

Goddesses are special characters of Classical Greek mythology. They’re beautiful and dominant. Everyone knows their names. But do you know what they mean? Let’s start, Aphrodite is a goddess of beauty, Hera – a goddess of marriage and the family, Demeter – a goddess of agriculture. What does Athena represent?

We know Athena as a goddess of wisdom. A goddess of justice is Themis. War is a man case after all, Ares was a war-god.

Among the Olympus citizens there was a god whom his mother threw off the cliff at birth. What was his name?

Hephaestus, a god of fire and protector of blacksmiths, was born weak and sickish. His mother Hera couldn’t accept it and threw him off Olympus into the sea, but boy didn’t die, sea goddess Thetis gave him a home. Hephaestus bore malice towards his mother and brooded over schemes of vengeance. What schemes? We’ll know in the next question.

How did Hephaestus revenge his mother upon betrayal and almost murder?

Hephaestus forged a strikingly beautiful gold throne and sent the gift to his mother. When delighted Hera sat on it, she became enchained by invisible bonds

Hephaestus forged an iron belt, which appeared to be a trap

Hephaestus forged a gold throne for his mother, which appeared to be a trap

Hephaestus forged a trident, using which he stabbed his mother

Each god was responsible for one or another act of nature, activity or people’s moral virtues. Among them there was a deity responsible for just recompense. Who is it?

Correct answer is Nemesis. Nika is known as a winged goddess of victory. Later the sculpture of this goddess was carried to Rome and named by Latin name Victoria. Persephone is a goddess of fertility.

Perseus is a son of Zeus and ordinary mortal Danae. It is he who cut off the head of dreadful Medusa Gorgon, who turned everybody who looked at her into a stone. Some additional things helped him to do it. What didn’t he use?

Chain armor didn’t come into play in this hard case. Athena taught him to differentiate Medusa from other Gorgons and gave him a shield to make Perseus look at her reflection. Hermes gave Perseus an adamantine sword with which he cut off the Gorgon’s head, and Perseus himself took winged sandals, helm of invisibility and magic bag from Stygian nymphs.

Helm of invisibility

What punishment did Prometheus suffer for his disobedience before Zeus? Let us recall, he gave fire to people secretly from gods.

One of the most famous myths. Every day an eagle pecked Prometheus’ liver, every night it grew back and it continued until Heracles shot the eagle from his bow.

Zeus condemned him to never-ending wandering in the dark

Zeus enchained him to a rock where every day an eagle flied and pecked Prometheus’ liver

What plant, according to Greek myths, was created because of a quarrel between Hades and Persephone – a husband and a wife?

One day Hades fell in love with nymph Mint. When Persephone found it out, she turned her into a fragrant plant in a flurry of jealousy.

What are hippocamps?

Sea creatures in Ancient Greece and Rome were often depicted on hippocamps-drawn chariots. Particularly, hippocamps were harnessed in the Greek god of seas Poseidon’s chariots.

Monsters, which live in Styx river

Sea horses with fish tails

Giant birds with sharp as a dagger feathers

A goddess depicted as a beautiful naked woman coming from the foam of the sea, Who is meant here?

Aphrodite was the embodiment of femininity and purity, besides, she was a goddess of love. That’s why she was depicted this way.

Besides gods there are other characters of mythology, for example, spirits and magical creatures. Who are “goat hoofed forest demons. Like to drink wine and romps, that’s why they always hunt for nymphs. Dionysus’ and Pan’s companions”?

Centaurs are demons of mountains and forests with the upper body of a human, but below the waist they have the body of a horse. They’re known for a vehement, uncontrollable temperament. Horaes are goddesses of parts of the day, times of year and periods of human life.

Chimera – in Greek mytholody, a monster with the head and the neck of a lion, the body of a goat and the snake tail. However, it is named in honor of one animal, translated from Greek. What is it?

Nevertheless body is the basis. Apparently, for this reason this monster was titled Chimera.

The most handsome god of Olympus is Apollo. He was incredibly honored in Greece, because he was a patron of the arts, muses and medical treatment. He’s a great archer and a masterful musician. Where is Apollo depicted?

Apollo is a great archer and a masterful musician, that’s why he was depicted with a bow and a lyre. Hermes is depicted in the first picture. He sent important messages to people from gods through their dreams, that’s why he was depicted in winged sandals. Ares, a god of bloodthirsty war, is depicted in third picture. He was portrayed in arts as a young and strong man with a spear and a torch in hands.

How many main gods lived on Olympus?

It seems you’re from some other epoch

It seems you know about Gods as much as the citizens of Hades’ kingdom. Apparently, you’re a dark horse in Greek mythology or you didn’t make every effort. In any case, don’t worry. Refresh your knowledge and pass the quiz once again. The learning process will definitely absorb you. But don’t lose your way in plots 😉 Share this quiz with your friends, let’s see how good they are at the legends of faraway times.

At the foot of Olympus

Studying mythology is an absorbing and interesting activity. Read about brave Herculean labours, punishment of Cronus, Hephaestus’ brooding over schemes of vengeance and other exciting stories at loose hours. And then come back to check new knowledge 😉 Share this quiz with your friends, let’s see how good they are at the legends of faraway times.

On the way toward Olympus

It’s easy to get lost in these names and plots. But it’s hard to mislead you. You can tell the difference between Athena and Aphrodite and you know famous myths. A great set for a man of education. Share this quiz with your friends, let’s see how good they are at the legends of faraway times.

You’re a historian-chronicler!

It’s impossible to put you off stride with cooked up facts and complicated stories. Greek mythology is very interesting, but sometimes it’s the hell of a mess. How do you manage to remember so many plots and characters? An incredible result! Share this quiz with your friends, let’s see how good they are at the legends of faraway times.