Athena, also known as Athene, is the goddess of wisdom, courage, inspiration, law and justice, strategy, the arts, crafts and skill in Greek mythology. She is depicted wearing a helmet and carrying a spear and shield with the head of Medusa. Athena was born from Zeus' head fully armed after he swallowed her pregnant mother Metis. She competed with Poseidon to be the patron deity of Athens and offered the olive tree, which led to her becoming the protector of the city. Athena helped many heroes throughout Greek myths and guided Odysseus on his journey home from the Trojan war.

1. Athena (Minerva)
Submitted by: Rehan Butt.
Submitted to: Madam Safa.
Subject: Intro to Mythology.
Department: BS-English 1st Semester.

2. Introduction:
Athena, also known as Athene, is a very important
goddess of many things. She is goddess of
wisdom, courage, inspiration, law and justice,
strategy, the arts, crafts and skill. She is known
most specifically for her strategic skill in warfare.
Perhaps, the wisest, most courageous, and certainly
the most resourceful of the Olympian gods.

3. Symbols/Recognizing
The Owl
Owl represents wisdom and
watchfulness. Another bird is Dove
which represents victory.
The Helmet
Athena is portrayed wearing a
full suit of armour with helmet
raised in order to free her face
to be visible.
The Spear
Carries a spear and shield with the
head of the gorgon Medusa at the
center, her aegis also has this symbol
on it.
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4. Athena’s Early Life
The Birth of Athena
Athena was born in most miraculous circumstances. Zeus had
affair with Metis, on learning that Metis’ next child (maybe a
son) would overthrow him, Zeus swallowed Metis who was
pregnant. When the time came, Zeus started feeling
tremendous headaches. As even he couldn’t bear
them, Hephaestus struck him with his axe and 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.

5. Family Relationships
•
•Daughter of Zeus (his favourite child).
•Mother is Metis.
•Hera is her step-mother.
•Her child is Erichthonius.
•Half brothers and sisters; Apollo, Hermes,
Ares, Hebe, Tityus and more.
•Her uncles are Poseidon and Hades.
•Her cousin is Aphrodite.

6. Athena’s Name
Athena’s also known as Athene; name is closely linked with the
name of the city of Athens. 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. 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.
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Athena’s Role

7. Virgin Goddess
Athena is one of the three virgin goddesses other two are Hestia and Artemis. Although she never had a husband or lover, she
did raise a son named Erichthonius, who was born from the earth. Athena never had a consort or lover and thus, also was known
as Athena Parthenos "Virgin Athena". Her most famous temple the Parthenon (means virgin), in Athens takes its name from
this title. It was not merely an observation of her virginity, but a recognition of her role as enforcer of rules of sexual modestly
and ritual mystery. Athenians allotted the goddess value based on her pureness.

8. Lady of Athens
The Competition/Quarrelbetween Athena and Poseidon.

9. • Poseidon claimed that the city would benefit more from
him than Athena and to prove this Poseidon struck the
ground with his trident and a spring sprang up creating a
seawater stream which welled up in the Temple of
Erechtheion on the north side of the Acropolis; this
gave them a means of trade and water Athens at its
height was a significant sea power, but the water was
salty and not very good for drinking.
• Smart as she was, Athena did nothing spectacular: she
merely offered them the first domesticated olive tree.
However, the Athenians and the first king
of Athens, Cecrops who was the judge of the contest
realized that the olive tree was much more beneficial,
they accepted the Athena’s gift since it gave the
Athenians fruit, oil and wood.
Athena competed with Poseidon to be the patron deity of Athens, which was yet unnamed.

10. Trojan War
Diomedes battles Aeneas; Aeneas is shown falling beneath the spear of Diomedes, who is driven on by the goddess Athena.
Aphrodite rushes on with arms outstretch to rescue her son from the battle.
To prevent the Trojan War Athena descended from Olympus and walked between the two armies, making both sides swear oaths
to keep the peace. Unfortunately a Trojan soldier named Pandaros, in an act of great cowardice, violated his oath and let loose his
arrow, thus starting the Trojan War. Athena, Goddess of strategy, expressed her displeasure by helping the other side to emerge
victorious.

11. 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. Arachne a mortal craftswoman who boasted that she was more skilful
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.

12. Helper of Others
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, Argus, and Cadmus.

13. Facts about Athena
•Hermes and Athena went to the aid of Perseus in his
quest to kill Medusa. Looking directly at Medusa would
turn any man to stone, so Athena provided Perseus with
her polished shield. Using it, he was able to see Medusa as
if looking in a mirror. Again, Athena guided his hand as he
cut off Medusa’s head with his sword.
•Hera and Athena fought against Paris in the Trojan War
since he had awarded the Golden Apple to Aphrodite.
The sacred image of Athena, a wood statue called the
Palladium protected the Trojans as long as they had it
•Although the goddess of war, she gets no pleasure from
battle, as Ares and Eris do. She was known to not be
jealous, except for one instance when she discovered that
Arachne was more skilled in weaving than her and turned
Arachne into a spider
•Athena helped Hercules when, as a part of his penance,
he was required to drive away the Stymphalian birds. She
got them moving, and Hercules shot them.
•Athena invented the flute, but she never played it.

14. Hey You!
Thanks for
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