Athena (also called Minerva, Athina and Athene) was the Greek virgin goddess of art, literature, reason, wisdom and warfare. She was the favorite offspring of Zeus. Athena was also the bravest and surely the most ingenious of the Olympian gods. Athena was known for participating in battles fiercely and bravely; however, her participation in warfare only emerged when the state and home needed defense from foreign enemies. She was the city’s patron, also of agriculture and handcraft. Athena was also the creator of the bridle, flute, trumpet, rake, yoke, plow, ship and chariot. As she was the favorite child of Zeus, Athena had access to her father’s weapons— his thunderbolt included. She was often symbolized as an owl— indicating wisdom, and commonly illustrated in art with armor, a shield, a golden helmet and a spear. There was an attempted rape by the god Hephaestus on the goddess Athena. However, the plan failed and Hephaestus accidentally spilt his seed upon the earth, where Erikhthonios was born. Athena then adopted and raised him as her own. In Homer’s account of the Trojan War in Iliad, Athena had a major role to play. She supported the Greeks and their brave men, mainly Achilles, (to whom she bestowed wise counseling and encouragement), Menelaos, and Diomedes. She also protected Odysseus and legend has it that she was the master-mind behind the renowned Wooden Horse. Athena is referred to as “bright-eyed” and “Tritogeneia” in both Homer and Hesiod’s work. She is also commonly called the “lovely-haired goddess,” “goddess of spoil,” and the “Alalkomenaian Athena.”
Demeter the Great Goddess of Olympians and Goddess of Corn, Grain and Harvest
