Athene

**Athena**  The Goddess of wisdom, war, the arts, industry, justice and skill. //** Vis consili expers ** //** //Mole ruit sua//. ** ("Strength without wisdom falls by its own weight") Athena in Other Mythology:  [|Roman: Minerva]

Different Names: Athene, Athena,Pallas Athene,   the Maiden Parthenos, and Glaukopis. She is also sometimes described as  She is the first of three virgin goddesses. She is the virgin mother of Erichthnonius. Her usual attribute is the owl.
 * "the bright eyed".**

Some Interesting/Unique Characteristics -Patriarchal characteristics -Strengths in crafts (weaving, carpentry, wool-working) -Takes on opposing forces and wins -Threatening   Family Athena's family consists of her father, <span style="text-align: center; display: inline !important; font-family: Georgia, serif;">[|Zeus], mother, <span style="text-align: center; display: inline !important; font-family: Georgia, serif;">[|Metis], and her uncle <span style="text-align: center; display: inline !important; font-family: Georgia, serif;">[|Poseidon]. She also has several siblings, Zeus' other offspring, named <span style="text-align: center; display: inline !important; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Apollo, <span style="text-align: center; display: inline !important; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Artemis, Hermes, Persephone, Dionysus, Perseus, Heracles, Helen, Minos, the Muses, <span style="text-align: center; display: inline !important; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Ares, Hebe, and Hephaestus. <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Birth <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Athena was born by springing, fully grown and wearing a robe and helmet, from Zeus' head. This happened because Zeus had swallowed his wife before Athena's birth, in order to prevent his descendents from taking his power. Mother Earth and Father Sky had told him to this because his wife was supposed to give birth to the most brilliant children. After he swallowed her, however, she began making the robe and helmet for Athena. The hammering that occurred due to the making of the helmet caused Zeus severe headaches, and he called out in pain. His son, <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">[|Hephaestus] then split his skull open and Athena emerged from it.

Weapons <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Athena did not have weapons in peaceful times, but, when she needed them, she borrowed them from Zeus. The weapons she was able to borrow from Zeus were insignia, the [|Aegis](used for protection), and the ray. <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Goddess-Like Qualities Athena is like a goddess in many ways. For one, she is very merciful. She usually chooses to defend the accused when it comes to deciding the outcome of a criminal trial. She is also a very tough goddess. She never looses a battle, even against Ares, because she is better at strategizing and coming up with tactics, than he is. Another goddess-like quality that she has is protecting and assisting mankind. She provides many things for people to use, and offers protection. She also has extreme generosity, more so than the other virgin goddesses.

Human-Like Qualities (Faults) <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">The story of Athena and Arachne is one instance where Athena showed some slight ungodly imperfection. In this myth, Arachne was bragging about her weaving skills, saying that she was better than even the goddess Athena was. This angered Athena, so she put on the disguise of an old woman, and reminded the woman to show the gods some respect. Arachne refused to listen and said this "Let the great Athena try her skill against mine, and if I lose she can do whatever she pleases with me". Athena then showed her true identity and a weaving contest began. After awhile, Athena had had enough and she touched Arachne on the forehead so she would feel shame. After realizing how conceited she had been, she ran to a tree and hung herself from it. Athena felt badly for Arachne's death, though, so she brought her back to life. She couldn't let this incident go without teaching people a lesson though, so she turned Arachne into a spider. This showed an imperfection because she let her anger get ahead of her wisdom for a while, and that resulted in Arachne's death. She did end up solving the problem in a god-like way, but she never would have needed to if she hadn't started the problem in the first place. <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Athena Helping Mankind <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Athena is said to have contributed many things to mankind that were incredibly useful. Some of these things include: the plough, the ox-yoke, the chariot, and the flute. She also gave people something that helped them tame, and be able to use, horses.

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Friends and Foes <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">One friend of Athena was the goddess of Victory, [|Nike]. Athena also helped Odysseus return home to his family after <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">his long suffering. <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="text-align: left; display: block; font-family: Georgia, serif;"> <span style="text-align: left; display: block; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 70%;">Temples Dedicated to Her <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">-The Acropolis -The Parthenon (Centerpiece of Acropolis) <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Athens <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Athena and her uncle both loved one particular city in Greece. They both wanted the city, but to decide who would get it, they had to have a type of contest. Whoever could give the city the best gift would get it. So, in front of a group of people, they mounted the Acropolis to give the city their gifts. Athena's uncle struck the cliff with his trident and gave the city a spring. The people were amazed with the gift, but the water was salty and not useful. Athena gave the city and olive tree, which was a better gift, because it provided food, oil, and wood. Athena received the city and named it Athens. <span style="line-height: normal; font-family: Times; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 110%; font-weight: normal;"> <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> Works Cited **“Roman name – Victoria (Victory).” __Nike.__2001. 27 April, 2009. http://library.thinkquest.org/J0112190/nike.htm****<span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'sans-serif'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> “Myth Man’s Homework Help Center.” __Athena.__ 1999. 27 April, 2009. http://thanasis.com/athena.htm ****<span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'sans-serif'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: DE;"> Ortengren, Annie. ****__<span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'sans-serif'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Athena. __****<span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'sans-serif'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> Spring 1998. 27 April, 2009. http://www.arthistory.sbc.edu/imageswomen/papers/ortengrenathena/athena.html ****<span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'sans-serif'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> Tuccinardi, Ryan. “Encyclopedia Mythica.” __Athena.__ 26 May, 1999. 27 April, 2009. ****http://www.pantheon.org/articles/a/athena.html****<span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'sans-serif'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> Roy, George. “The Encyclopedia of the Goddess Athena.” __The Goddess Athena.__ 1998 – 2001. 27 April, 2009. http://www.goddess-athena.org/Encyclopedia/Athena/index.htm **<span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'sans-serif'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> Stewart, Michael. “Greek Mythology.” __Athene.__ 1996 – 2005. 27 April, 2009. **<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'sans-serif'; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">http://messagenet.com/myths/bios/athene.html ** **<span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'sans-serif'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> Stebbins, Elinor. __Pallas Athena, Goddess of Wisdom.__ Spring 1998. 27 April, 2009. http://www.arthistory.sbc.edu/imageswomen/papers/stebbinsathena/athena2.html ****<span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'sans-serif'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> “Wapedia” __Wiki: Zeus.__ 27 April, 2009. http://wapedia.mobi/en/Zeus#Consorts_and_children ****<span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'sans-serif'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> Lindemans, Micha F. “Encycopedia Mythica.” Aegis. 26 December, 1998. 27 April, 2009. http://www.pantheon.org/articles/a/aegis.html ****<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'sans-serif'; color: black; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> [] **<span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'sans-serif'; color: black; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">**<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'sans-serif'; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> [] ** <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 90%; font-weight: normal;">

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