The Organisation and Religion to Re-unite All Religions

ATHENA

Greek Goddess Athena (A-thee-nuh) known as Minerva to the Romans.

In Greek mythology Athena was a Goddess, born of Zeus, who presided over crafts and domestic arts and over war. Athena’s symbol was the owl as she, too, was associated with wisdom. 

Athena’s Birth

Zeus was once married to Metis (Greek for thought), a daughter of Ocean who was renowned for her wisdom. When Metis became pregnant, Zeus was warned by Earth that a son born to Metis would overthrow him, just as he had usurped his own father's throne.

So Zeus swallowed Metis. In time he was overcome with a splitting headache and summoned help from the craftsman god Hephaestus. Hephaestus cleaved Zeus's forehead with an axe, and Athena sprang forth fully armed for battle. The idea that she was born from a male underscores her relationship with men, both divine and human. In the human realm, Athena consistently becomes a protector of heroes; while in the divine she completely avoids sexual liaisons with gods. 

Athena’s Temperament

There were two sides to her character. She could be mighty and terrible or open, gentle and pure. She led the way through victory in battle to peace and prosperity. She was a virgin goddess, pure in her dedication to wisdom and artistic beauty. 

Athens Patron

Both Athena and Poseidon wanted to be patron deity of Athens. To prove her worthiness for the honor, Athena caused an olive tree to spring up on the citadel of Athens, the Acropolis. Poseidon sought to outdo her by striking the ground with his trident and causing a spring of water to gush forth. But as he was god of the sea, the water was salty. Athena's gift to the Athenians was considered to be more useful, so she became the city's patron deity. The Greek temple, Parthenon, was built in Athens, Greece In Athena’s honor. 

Parthenon

The name of this legendary ancient Greek temple - Parthenon - is taken from the word Parthenos, one of the epithets of the goddess Athena. And indeed, this glorious work of architecture was originally dedicated to the patron goddess of the city of Athens.  

Athena’s interactions with mortals

Myths of Athena and her interactions with mortals are quite numerous in Greek literature, poetry, drama, and art. Such stories demonstrates the ancient Greek belief that one ought not compare oneself with the gods, lest a deity should suddenly materialize and punish the offending mortal. This comparison to the gods even had a term: it was hubris, which means, roughly, excessive pride. There are indeed many other stories in Greek mythology in which a human is punished by the gods for his or her arrogance, including several that involve Athena herself. For it appears that even the gods were not immune to those human traits of envy, desire, and jealousy. One of the myths that illustrate this fact well deals with the ill-fated Medusa, who claimed that she was more beautiful than Athena. Bad idea. 

Medusa

Medusa was a terrible monster who had laid waste to the country. She was once a beautiful maiden whose hair was her chief glory, but as she dared to vie in beauty with Athena, the goddess deprived her of her charms and changed her beautiful ringlets into hissing serpents. She became a cruel monster of so frightening an aspect that no living thing could behold her without being turned into stone. All around the cavern where she dwelt might be seen the stony figures of men and animals which had chanced to catch a glimpse of her and had been petrified with the sight. Perseus, favoured by Athena and Hermes, the former of whom lent him her shield and the latter his winged shoes, approached Medusa while she slept, and taking care not to look directly at her, but guided by her image reflected in the bright shield which he bore, he cut off her head and gave it to Athena, who fixed it in the middle of her Aegis. 

Arachne

Arachne lived in the country of Lydia (which had a legendary reputation for producing some of the most splendid textiles in the ancient world), where she matured into one of the finest weavers ever known. Arachne was in fact so adept at weaving that she became arrogant, and claimed that her ability rivalled that of the goddess Athena. Athena, as the patron deity of weavers and quite an accomplished weaver herself, immediately took notice of Arachne, and travelled to Lydia in order to confront the boastful woman. There the goddess assumed the guise of an old peasant, and gently warned Arachne not to compare her talents to those of an immortal; Arachne merely dismissed this reproach, and so Athena was compelled to accept the mortal woman's challenge.

They would each compete by creating a tapestry. Athena wove her tapestry with images that foretold the fate of humans who compared themselves with deities, while Arachne's weaving told of the loves of the gods. Such was Arachne's skill that her work equalled that of the goddess, and Athena, overwhelmed by anger, struck the hapless woman repeatedly. Terrified, Arachne hung herself, but Athena transformed the woman into a spider who quickly scurried off. Thus, this tale explains the spider's ability to weave its web.

Written by Adept Trey Small

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