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Greek Mythology:
by Aquileana
athena

Athena, Goddess of Wisdom .-

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"Minerva, the Goddess of Wisdom and Knowledge" by Willem De Poorter. (17th cent
ury).
"Minerva, the Goddess of Wisdom and Knowledge" by Willem De Poorter. (17th centu
ry).
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Athena (Roman Equivalent: Minerva) was the city protectress of Athens and goddes
s of war, handicraft, wisdom and practical reason.
She was the daughter of Zeus and Metis, but she was born produced without a moth
er, so that she emerged full-grown from his forehead. The story of Athena's birt
h is perfectly told in the post "The Weirdest Births of Mythology"~ Micromythos.
It is said that while Metis was pregnant, Zeus ate the fetus following Uranos an
d Gea s advice, who told him that if a boy was born, he would snatch his father s po
wer. The fetus was then carried in Zeus skull during nine months. After that time
, the god had a terrible headache and ask the blacksmith god Hephaestus to split
his head with an axe in order to relieve him from his pain. Then Athena, alread
y as a young girl came out of his head, completely dressed and armed.
Her emergence there as city goddess, accompanied the ancient city-state s transiti
on from monarchy to democracy. Her birth and her contest with Poseidon, the sea
god, in which the Gods disputed which of them should give the name to the capita
l of Attica, were depicted on the pediments of the Parthenon,and the great festi
val of the Panathenaea.
She was also part of the Judgement of Paris, in which she competed with Hera and
Aphrodite for the prize of the Golden Apple.
Athena was essentially urban and civilized, the antithesis in many respects of A
rtemis, goddess of wild animals, the hunt, and vegetation. She was usually portr
ayed wearing body armour and a helmet and carrying a shield and a lance.
Besides, she was said to be the creator of the olive tree, the greatest blessing
of Attica.
She was associated with birds, particularly the owl, which became famous as the
city s own symbol, and with the snake.
In Homer s "Iliad", Zeus, assigned the sphere of war to Ares and Athena.
Athena s moral and military superiority to Ares derived in part from the fact that
she represented the intellectual and civilized side of war and the virtues of j
ustice and skill, whereas Ares represented mere blood lust.
Athena thus appears here as war goddess, who fights alongside the Greek heroes.
She is the divine form of the heroic, martial ideal: she personified excellence
in close combat, victory, and glory.
Athena also appears in Homer s "Odyssey", representing the tutelary deity of Odyss

eus.
Athena also has am important role in Aeschylus tragedy "The Eumenides" (third and
last part of Aeschylus "Oresteia"). There, Orestes is judged by a jury composed
of Athena and twelve Athenians. After being counted, the votes on each side are
equal. Athena declares that tied juries will result in the defendant (Orestes) b
eing acquitted as mercy should always take precedence over harshness.
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Minerve_chassant_les_Vices_du_jardin_des_Vertus,_Mantegna_(Louvre_INV_371)_02
"Pallas and the Vices" (Minerva Expelling the Vices from the Garden of Virtue),
by Andrea Mantegna (1502).
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"Pallas and the Vices"(Minerva Expelling the Vices from the Garden of Virtue), b
y Andrea Mantegna (1502). Right side: Detail Athena, trying to Expel the creatu
res who represent the many vices from the Garden of Virtue and To rescue the Moth
er of the Virtues from her stone prison (to the far right of the painting, a deta
il of which can be seen below). "Pallas and the Vices"(Minerva Expelling the Vices from the Garden of Virtue), b
y Andrea Mantegna (1502). Right side: Detail Athena, trying to Expel the creatur
es who represent the many vices from the Garden of Virtue and To rescue the Mothe
r of the Virtues from her stone prison (to the far right of the painting, a detai
l of which can be seen below). guarda_griega1_2 (1)
The fluttering banner proclaims the following in Latin: ET MIHI MATER VIRTUTUM S
UCCURRITE DIVI Gods, save me too, the Mother of the Virtues
"Pallas and the Vices" (Minerva Expelling the Vices from the Garden of Virtue),
by Andrea Mantegna (1502). Right side, details: The fluttering banner proclaims
the following in Latin: ET MIHI MATER VIRTUTUM SUCCURRITE DIVI: Gods, save me to
o, the Mother of the Virtues.
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Homeric Hymn 11 to Athena. (Greek Epic C7th to 4th B.C.) :
"Of Pallas Athena, guardian of the city, I begin to sing. Dread is she, and with
Ares she loves the deeds of war, the sack of cities and the shouting and the ba
ttle. It is she who saves the people as they go to war and come back. Hail, godd
ess, and give us good fortune and happiness!"~
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?Gallery: "Athena, Goddess of Wisdom" (Sculptures):
El pase de diapositivas requiere JavaScript.
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Up right: "Man in Armour" or "Alexander the Great" by Rembrandt (1655). Up Left:

"Minerva or Pallas Athena" by Rembrandt (1655).
Up left: "Man in Armour" or "Alexander the Great" by Rembrandt (1655). Kelvingro
ve Art Gallery and Museum, Glasgow. Up down: "Minerva or Pallas Athena" by Rembr
andt. Calouste Gulbenkian Museum, Lisbon. (1655).
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"The Combat of Mars and Minerva" by Jacques Louis David (1711).
"The Combat of Mars and Minerva" by Jacques Louis David (1711).
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"The Combat of Mars and Minerva" by Suve Joseph-Benoit (1771).
"The Combat of Mars and Minerva" by Suve Joseph-Benoit (1771).
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?A Poem by LadySighs: "Greek Goddess ~ Athena":
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"Greek Goddess ~ Athena". Poem by LadySighs. Click above.
"Greek Goddess ~ Athena". Poem by LadySighs. Click above. Source: https://ladysi
ghs.wordpress.com/2015/02/03/greek-goddess-athena/
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?Links Post:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athena
http://www.theoi.com/Olympios/Athena.html
https://micromythos.wordpress.com/2015/02/01/the-weirdest-births-of-mythology/
https://ladysighs.wordpress.com/2015/02/03/greek-goddess-athena/
http://www.everypainterpaintshimself.com/article/rembrandts_minerva_c.1655
http://wtfarthistory.com/post/8130067131/virtue-over-vice
http://bloomlisa.com/2015/01/28/give-me-a-hoot-hoot-for-the-owl/
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