Goddess Athena, in the legends of Greece is considered the goddess of wisdom, just war and crafts. The myth of the goddess Athena tells that she was the daughter of Zeus and the Titanides Metis. Zeus, having learned that the son from Metis will deprive him of the throne, swallowed his pregnant wife.
One day, Zeus had a terrible headache. He became gloomy and sad. Seeing this, the gods left, so as not to fall under the hot hand of the thunderer. The pain didn't go away. Zeus could not find a place and almost screamed in agony.
Then, the lord of Olympus sent Ganymede for Hephaestus. The divine blacksmith came running in what he was, covered in soot and with a hammer in his hand.
“My son,” Zeus turned to him. “Something happened to my head. Hit me on the back of the head with your copper hammer.
Hearing these words, Hephaestus stepped back in horror.
- But how? he protested. - I can not...
- Can! Zeus ordered sternly. “Like hitting an anvil.”
And hit Hephaestus, as he was told. The skull of Zeus cracked, and a maiden in full armor came out of it and stood next to her parent. From the powerful jump of the girl, Olympus hesitated, the earth lying around trembled, the sea boiled, snow fell, covering the tops of the mountains. The gods could not come to their senses for a long time. Hephaestus dropped his hammer in horror.
Zeus was amazed, but, not wanting to show that he was not omniscient, as if nothing had happened, he turned to Hephaestus:
“This is your sister Athena. Since the blow of your hammer helped her to come into the world, she will, like you, master the skill.
Hephaestus was unhappy, because he was used to being the only artisan on Olympus.
“Your hammer will remain with you,” Zeus reassured him. Athena will receive a spindle and will spin. So the prudent goddess Athena appeared. She, sparing no effort, spent time at work in order to dress and shoe the gods of Olympus. When the whistle of arrows or swords reached her ears, she threw the spindle, put on armor and, with a sword in her hand, rushed into the battle.
Athena - goddess of wisdom
Athena - was wiser than all other gods, as she was born from the head of Zeus. Zeus knew about this, and consulted with her before doing anything. People, wanting to arrange their lives, turned to Athena, the goddess of wisdom, for help and advice. It was she who taught the virgins to draw threads from wool, and then weave them into a dense fabric, decorate with patterns. She showed the young men how to clean skins, how to soften leather in cauldrons and make soft shoes out of it, she gave sharp axes to others, teaching them to carpentry and making furniture, and to others she gave a bridle to tame wild horses that began to serve people. It was the goddess Athena who helped artists decorate life with colors. All people praised the virgin goddess, calling her the Worker and Poliada (from the word "polis", which denoted the city-state among the Greeks), because she accustomed the people to urban life.
But, as you know, the human race is not grateful - everything good is quickly forgotten. Everyone began to talk about the Lydian maiden Arachne, who assured that she could embroider no worse than Athena. The warrior goddess heard this and immediately descended to the ground. Appearing in the form of an old woman, Athena advised Arachne to pray to the great goddess for forgiveness for impudent words and pride. But Arachne rudely interrupted Athena, who was trying to imitate her.
“Old age has robbed you of your mind!” she screamed. “Athena is just afraid to enter into a fair competition with me!”
"I'm here, stupid!" Athena exclaimed, assuming her divine form. And she's ready to show her skills.
Athena depicted in the center of her canvas the twelve Olympian gods in all their grandeur, and in the corners she placed four episodes of the defeat of mortals who challenged the gods. The goddess is merciful to those who admit their guilt, and it was not too late for Arachne to stop. But the presumptuous Lydian woman looked with contempt at the work of the goddess and, having started her canvas, weaved scenes with the love affairs of the gods on it. The figures of the gods were completely alive, it seemed that they were about to speak. Athena, seized with rage, hit Arachne with a shuttle. The princess could not stand the insult and hanged herself. But Athena did not let her die, but turned into a spider. Since then, Arachne and her offspring have been hanging in the corners and weaving a thin silver net.
The city of Attica, which received her name, enjoyed special patronage of Athena. The Athenians believed that they owed their well-being to Athena. There is a legend saying that the cult of Athena in her city was strengthened by the son of the Earth Erechtheus. The goddess of wisdom, Athena, raised him in her sacred grove, and when the boy grew up, she rewarded him royal authority. Eat interesting fact- an owl, a bird with bulging reasonable eyes was dedicated to Athena. The image of an owl was minted on Athenian silver coins, and everyone who accepted the “owl” in exchange for goods seemed to be paying tribute to Athena herself.
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The goddess of wisdom and knowledge, the invincible warrior, the protector of cities and the patroness of sciences, Pallas Athena enjoyed well-deserved respect among the ancient Greeks. She was the favorite daughter of Zeus, and it is in her honor that the modern one is named. Pallas Athena helped the heroes of Greece with wise advice and did not leave them in moments of danger. The ancient Greek goddess taught the girls of Greece weaving, spinning and cooking. It is believed that it was Pallas Athena who invented the flute and established the Areopagus (high court).
Appearance of Pallas Athena:
Majestic posture, large gray (and according to some sources, blue) eyes, blond hair - her whole appearance suggests that you have a goddess in front of you. Athena Pallas, as a rule, was depicted in armor and with a spear in her hand.
Symbols and attributes:
Pallas Athena is surrounded by male attributes. On the head is a helmet with a high crest. A shield (aegis) is obligatory present - it is decorated with the head of Medusa Gorgon. The ancient Greek goddess of wisdom Pallas Athena is accompanied by an owl and a snake - symbols of wisdom. It is noted that the goddess of victory, Nike, was her constant companion. The sacred olive tree can also be called a symbol of Pallas.
Athena Pallas is surrounded by male attributes: on her head is a helmet with a high crest, in her hands is a shield adorned with the head of Medusa Gorgon
Strengths of Pallas Athena:
Although Athena was one of the most "sensible" goddesses of the ancient Greek Pantheon, nevertheless, she was characterized by a certain favoritism. This, in particular, is hinted at by the myths of Odysseus and Perseus.
Parents:
Pallas Athena was born unusually and spectacularly. Once Zeus was predicted that his wife - the goddess Metis - would give birth to a son who would be smarter and stronger than his father and overthrow him. But first, a daughter had to be born. Zeus, not wanting to be overthrown, swallowed the pregnant Metis. Soon he felt a strong headache and ordered Hephaestus to cut his head with an axe. Athena was born from the head of Zeus. The goddess was already fully armed at birth.
The goddess was born from the head of Zeus and was already fully armed at birth
There are other, less common versions of who the parents of the ancient Greek goddess Pallas Athena were. According to some myths, her mother was the nymph of the river Triton, and her father was the god of the seas, Poseidon.
Place of Birth:
It is impossible to unequivocally state exactly where the goddess Pallas Athena was born: different myths point to different places. So, she could be born near Lake Tritonis or the river Triton, in Crete, in the west of Thessaly, in Arcadia, or even in the town of Alalcomene in Boeotia. The most common version is that the birthplace of Athena is still Crete.
Personal life of Pallas Athena:
The goddess Athena Pallas was a virgin and was proud of it. However, she raised an adopted son. That's what the myths say. Once the god of fire Hephaestus turned to Zeus with a request to give him Athena as his wife. Since Zeus had previously promised Hephaestus to fulfill any of his desires, he had no choice but to agree. Yes, the Thunderer had to agree to marry his beloved daughter, but he, nevertheless, advised her to defend herself.
Majestic posture, big gray eyes, blond hair - her whole appearance suggests that you have a goddess in front of you.
According to one version, the ancient Greek goddess of wisdom had to turn to the god of fire for a weapon. Hephaestus, not at a loss, tried to take possession of the goddess. However, the maiden Athena was not going to enter into an intimate relationship - neither with Hephaestus, nor with anyone else. Athena Pallas rushed away from the overly excited god, and he chased after her. When Hephaestus caught up with the maiden, she began to defend herself and even wounded him. Hephaestus spilled the seed on the ground, and soon the baby Erichthonius was born. He was born Gaia - the earth from Hephaestus.
Pallas Athena took Erichthonius under her protection. She fed the baby with her milk and raised him. Erichthonius grew up in her temple and always honored the goddess. It was he who began to hold Panathenaic - festivities in honor of Pallas Athena.
goddess temple
The main sanctuary of ancient Athens and the most beautiful work of ancient art - the temple of the goddess Athena (Parthenon) and today is one of the main business cards Greece. This bright building, as if pierced through by the rays of the sun, rises in the very heart of the ancient city.
The temple of the goddess (Parthenon) is decorated with cutters depicting scenes from her life - one of the main visiting cards of Greece
In the same place - in the Parthenon - was the most famous statue of Pallas Athena by Phidias. Being about 11 m in height, the sculpture was made of gold and ivory on a wooden base. The original of the statue has not survived to this day, but it is known from surviving copies and images on coins.
The main myths about Pallas Athena:
The goddess Athena Pallas is the heroine of many mythological stories.
Among the most famous is the myth of how she gained dominion over Attica, having won the rivalry for the region of Poseidon. Each of the gods made a gift to the city: Poseidon - a water source, Athena - an olive tree. The judges decided that the gift of the goddess is more useful, and gave preference to her. So Pallas Athena won the dispute and became the mistress of Attica, and the city where it all happened was named after her.
Another myth tells how Pallas Athena participated in gigantomachy (battle with giants). The formidable warrior brought down the island of Sicily on one of the giants, tore off the skin from the other and covered it with own body. The details of this battle were depicted on the shield of the statue of Athena.
Frequent companions of the goddess - an owl and a snake - symbols of wisdom, and also Nike - the goddess of victory
Pallas Athena also participated in the Trojan War. She helped the Greeks in every possible way in the capture of Troy, and it is she who is credited with the emergence of the idea that put an end to the many years of siege - about deceiving the Trojans with the help of the Wooden Horse. She prompted Odysseus to place a detachment of Greek soldiers in a huge statue of a wooden horse and leave it at the gates of Troy, while the main forces of the Greeks retreated from Troy, allegedly lifting the siege. The Trojans, after some hesitation, dragged this wooden structure into the city. At night, the soldiers hiding inside the horse came out, opened the city gates and let in their comrades.
ATHENA - in Greek mythology goddess of wisdom and just war. The myth of the birth of Athena from Zeus and Metis ("wisdom", Greek metis - "thought", reflection) - the period of formation of classical Olympic mythology.
The birth of Athena is depicted in this myth from the standpoint of the heroic mythology of the patriarchy period, in which the male organizing principle was especially prominent. Athena is, as it were, a direct continuation of Zeus, the performer of his plans and will. She is the thought of Zeus, carried out in action. Gradually, the motherhood of Metis takes on an increasingly abstract, and even symbolic, character, so that Athena is considered the offspring of one Zeus and assumes the functions of the deity of wisdom, just as Zeus took them from Metis. There.
Zeus, knowing from Gaia and Uranus that his son from Metis would deprive him of power, swallowed his pregnant wife and then, with the help of Hephaestus (or Prometheus), who split his head with an ax, he himself gave birth to Athena, who appeared from his head in fully armed. Since this event allegedly took place near the lake (or river) Triton in Libya, Athena received the nickname Tritonides or Tritogenei. There.
Athena is one of the most important figures not only in Olympic mythology, in her significance she is equal to Zeus and sometimes even surpasses him, rooted in the most ancient period in the development of Greek mythology - matriarchy. She is equal in strength and wisdom to Zeus. She is honored after Zeus and her place is closest to Zeus. Along with the new functions of the goddess of military power, Athena retained her matriarchal independence, manifested in the understanding of her as a virgin and protector of chastity. http://www.5ballov.ru/referats/preview/19024/4
The origins of Athena's wisdom go back to the image of the goddess with snakes of the Crete-Mycenaean period. The image of the goddess with a shield of the Mycenaean time is a prototype of the Olympic Athena. Among the indispensable attributes of Athena is the aegis - a shield made of goatskin with the head of a snake-haired Medusa, which has tremendous magical power, frightens gods and people. There.
Numerous information about the cosmic features of the image of Athena. Her birth is accompanied by a golden rain, she holds the thunderbolts of Zeus. Her image, the so-called. palladium fell from the sky (hence Pallas Athena). There.
According to Herodotus, Athena is the daughter of Poseidon and the nymph Tritonis. Athena was identified with the daughters of Kekrop - Pandrosa ("all-moist") and Aglavra ("light-air"), or Agravla ("field furrow"). There.
The sacred tree of Athena was the olive. The olive trees of Athena were considered "trees of fate", and Athena herself was thought of as fate and the Great Mother Goddess. There.
A powerful archaic goddess, the owner of the aegis, Athena during the period of heroic mythology directs her strength to fight the titans and giants. Together with Hercules, Athena kills one of the giants, she piles the island of Sicily on the other, peels off the skin from the third and covers her body with it during the battle. There.
She is the slayer of the gorgon Medusa and bears the name "gorgon slayer". Athena demands sacred reverence, no mortal can see her. There is a myth about how she deprived the young Tiresias (the son of her favorite Chariklo) of her sight when he accidentally saw her ablution. http://www.5ballov.ru/referats/preview/19024/4
Classical Athena is endowed with ideological and organizing functions: she patronizes heroes, protects public order, and so on. Zeus sent Athena to help Hercules, and he brought the dog of the god Hades out of Erebus. Athena's favorite was Odysseus, smart and brave hero. In the poems of Homer (especially the Odyssey) not a single an important event not without the intervention of Athena. She is the main protector of the Achaean Greeks and a constant enemy of the Trojans, although her cult also existed in Troy. Athena is the protector of Greek cities (Athens, Argos, Megara, Sparta, etc.), bearing the name of "city protector". There.
A huge statue of Athena Promachos ("front fighter") with a spear shining in the sun adorned the Acropolis in Athens, where the Erechtheion and Parthenon temples were dedicated to the goddess. There.
A monument to the glorification of the wise ruler of the Athenian state, the founder of the Areopagus, is the tragedy of Aeschylus "Eumenides". There.
Athena is always considered in the context of artistic craft, art, craftsmanship. She helps potters, weavers, needlewomen, and working people in general. Athena helped Prometheus steal fire from the forge of Hephaestus. There.
Athena is credited with inventing the flute and teaching Apollo to play it. Her one touch is enough to make a person beautiful (she raised Odysseus with a camp, endowed her with curly hair, clothed her with strength and attractiveness). She endowed Penelope on the eve of meeting with her husband with amazing beauty. http://www.5ballov.ru/referats/preview/19024/4
Athena is the goddess of wisdom. She is characterized by wisdom in public affairs. For late antiquity, Athena was the principle of the indivisibility of the cosmic Mind and the symbol of the universal wisdom of the world. As the legislator and patroness of the Athenian statehood, Athena was revered - Phratria ("fraternal"), Bulaya ("council"), Soteira ("savior"), Pronoia ("seer").
Although the cult of Athena was spread throughout mainland and insular Greece (Arcadia, Argolis, Corinth, Sikion, Thessaly, Boeotia, Crete, Rhodes), Athena was especially revered in Attica, in Athens (the Greeks associated the name of the city of Athens with the name of the patron goddess of the city) . Agricultural holidays were dedicated to her. During these festivities, the washing of the statue of Athena took place, the young men took an oath of civil service to the goddess. There.
In Rome, Athena was identified with Minerva. Roman festivities of Minerva are devoted to two large passages from Ovid's "Fast". Throughout antiquity, Athena remains evidence of the organizing and directing power of the mind, which streamlines the cosmic and public life, glorifying the strict foundations of a state based on democratic legislation. There.
The image of Athena is reflected in many significant monuments of Greek sculpture. The giant statue of "Athena Parthenos" by Phidias, erected in Athens in the Parthenon in 438 BC, has not survived and is known to us from several smaller copies. Numerous statuettes of the goddess have survived. Separate scenes of the myths about Athena are reflected in the relief plasticity of the temples, for example, a multi-figured group on the eastern pediment of the Parthenon depicts the birth of Athena from the head of Zeus, on the western pediment the dispute between Athena and Poseidon for possession of the land of Attica is embodied. http://www.5ballov.ru/referats/preview/19024/4
Scenes dedicated to the birth of Athena, her participation in the Trojan War, and the dispute with Poseidon were common in Greek vase painting. There are images of Athena on the Pompeian frescoes. There.
In the Renaissance, Athena is depicted in accordance with the ancient artistic tradition - in a shell and a helmet. In a number of scenes, Athena appears as the personification of wisdom and symbolizes the triumph of reason ("Minerva conquers ignorance" by B. Spranger, "The Kingdom of Minerva" by A. Elsheimer), virtue and chastity ("Pallas and the Centaur" by S. Botticelli, "Victory of Virtue over Sin" A . Mantegna), the world ("Minerva and Mars" by J. Tintoretto, P. Veronese and others). There.
Ancient Greek Athena is the goddess of war, wisdom, crafts, knowledge and arts. Such a spectrum is due to the nature and activity that the Hellenes attributed to the deity.
Athena - the fifth child of Zeus, according to legend, was born in an unusual way. The chief, secretly from Hera, married Metis. But soon Zeus learned that his son would overthrow him from the throne. This was reported to him by moira (or Uranus and Gaia - according to other sources). The angry god, in order to prevent the loss of power, swallowed the pregnant wife. After that, his head ached badly, and he asked Hephaestus to cut it. From the head of Zeus emerged a new deity - Athena.
The goddess of war differs in character from Ares, who also patronizes battles. The latter embodies reckless aggression and unreasonable courage, while Athena is associated with strategic planning. She is also called the goddess of just war. In contrast to Aphrodite - the personification of femininity and love - the patroness of battles has the features of masculinity. Athena rescued her admirers in difficult times - thanks to the right strategy, they managed to overcome the most serious difficulties and defeat enemies. Therefore, Nika (Victory) became a frequent companion of the goddess.
According to legend, from childhood she was distinguished by curiosity and showed interest in the sciences, so her father decided to make her the patroness of knowledge. Athena - the goddess of war, wisdom and crafts - more than once suggested to the ancient Greeks non-standard, but effective solutions. She taught Erichthonius the art and Bellerophon the taming of the winged horse, Pegasus. Athena, the goddess of war and wisdom, helped Danae construct a huge ship on which he got to Greece. Some myths attribute to the deity patronage of peace and prosperity, marriage, family and procreation, urban development, as well as healing abilities.
According to legend, two contenders fought for the right to give their name to the capital of Hellas: Poseidon (patron of the seas and oceans) and the goddess Athena. Photos of archaeological finds and other data indicate that in ancient times the city was an architectural masterpiece: white-stone palaces, giant stadiums and temples decorated with carvings. The god Poseidon promised that the Greeks would never need water if they named the capital after him. And the patroness of wisdom offered the Hellenes an eternal supply of food and money and presented the townspeople with an olive sapling as a gift. The Greeks made their choice, and today the capital of Greece bears the name of the goddess, and is considered her sacred symbol.
The temple of the goddess Athena - the Parthenon - is located in the Acropolis at an altitude of approximately 150 m above sea level, it is a giant white stone structure, a masterpiece of architecture. Inside it is a statue of the goddess, made of gold plates and ivory. From all sides the temple is surrounded by 46 huge slender columns.
The ancient Greek goddess Athena is known for protecting cities and patronizing the sciences. This is a warrior who could not be defeated, the goddess of knowledge and wisdom. The Greek goddess Athena was absolutely deservedly revered by the ancient Greeks. She was the favorite daughter of Zeus, and the capital of Greece is named after her. She always helped the heroes not only with wise advice, but also with deeds. She taught the girls of Greece spinning, weaving, and cooking. The Greek goddess Athena not only came into the world in a strange way, there are also many exciting stories and myths associated with her name. Let's find out more about her.
The birth
According to the myths, the goddess of Greece, Athena, was born spectacularly and rather unusually - from the head of Zeus. He knew in advance that Metis, the goddess of reason, would have two children - a daughter (Athena) and a son endowed with incredible strength and intelligence. And Moira, the goddess of fate, warned Zeus that this boy would one day take away his power over the whole world. To avoid such a turn of events, Zeus put Metis to sleep with affectionate speeches and swallowed her before the birth of his son and daughter. Soon, however, unbearable headaches began to torment him. To save himself from suffering, Zeus called Hephaestus to him and ordered him to cut his head with an ax. With one strong blow, he split the skull. To the amazement of all the Olympian gods present, the beautiful goddess Athena appeared from there, and she came out in full armor, and her blue eyes burned with wisdom. It is with this myth that the birth of a brave and wise warrior is associated.
Appearance and symbols of the goddess
Huge blue (according to some reports, gray) eyes, luxurious blond hair, majestic posture - such a description already says that she was a real goddess. Athena, as a rule, is depicted everywhere with a spear in her hand and in armor. Despite her natural grace and beauty, she was surrounded by male attributes. On her head you can see a helmet with a fairly high crest, and in her hands there is always a shield, which is decorated with the head of the Gorgon. Athena is the goddess of wisdom, so she is always accompanied by the appropriate attributes - a snake and an owl.
Goddess of War
We have already talked a little about the armor and attributes of a brave warrior. Athena is the goddess of war, dispersing the clouds with the blade of her sparkling sword, guarding cities, inventing everything necessary for military art. In honor of her, Panathenaic holidays were even celebrated - large and small. Athena is the goddess of war, but she did not take part in the battles, unlike Eris and Ares, who were thirsty for blood and reprisals. She preferred to resolve all issues exclusively by peaceful means. In good and calm times, she did not carry weapons with her, but if necessary, she received them from Zeus. But if the goddess Athena entered the battle, she never lost it.
goddess of wisdom
How many "duties" were entrusted to her! For example, she kept order when the weather changed. If there was a thunderstorm with heavy rain, Athena had to make sure that after that the sun would certainly come out. After all, she was also the goddess of gardens and fertility. Under her patronage, there was an olive tree in Attica, which was of great importance for those lands. She needed to control tribal institutions, and the civil system, and public life. Athena - goddess Ancient Greece, which in myths also acts as the goddess of prudence, intelligence, insight, inventions of art, artistic activity. She teaches people crafts and arts, gives them knowledge and wisdom. Also, no one could surpass her in the art of weaving. True, such an attempt was made by Arachne, but then she paid for her arrogance. The ancient Greeks were sure that it was Athena who invented the flute, plow, ceramic pot, rake, chariot, horse bridle, ship and much more. That is why everyone hastened to her for wise advice. She was so kind that even in court she always gave her vote for the acquittal of the accused.
The myth of Hephaestus and Athena
It should be noted that another integral and characteristic part of her cult was virginity. According to myths, many titans, gods, giants repeatedly tried to get her attention, take her as a wife, but she rejected their courtship in every possible way. And then one day, in the midst of Trojan War, the goddess Athena turned to Hephaestus with a request to make separate armor for her. As we already know, in such cases, she had to receive weapons from Zeus. However, he did not support either the Trojans or the Hellenes, and therefore would hardly have given out her armor to her daughter. Hephaestus did not even think of refusing Athena's request, but said that she should pay for weapons not with money, but with love. Athena either did not understand the meaning of these words, or did not attach any importance to them, since she appeared on time at the forge of Hephaestus for her order. Before she had time to cross the threshold, he rushed to her and wanted to take possession of the goddess. Athena managed to escape from his hands, but the seed of Hephaestus managed to spill on her leg. She wiped herself with a piece of wool and threw it on the floor. Having fallen on mother earth, Gaia, the seed fertilized her. This fact did not please Gaia, and she said that she refused to raise the baby from Hephaestus. Athena also took this burden on her shoulders.
Continuation of the myth - the story of Erichthonius
Athena is a goddess, myths about which only confirm her courage and militancy. As she promised, she took the child named Erichthonius to her upbringing. However, it turned out that she did not have enough time for this, so she put the child in a sacred casket and handed it over to Aglavra, the daughter of Kekrops. However, soon the new teacher Erichtonia tried to cheat Hermes, as a result of which she herself and her entire family gave their lives for it.
What did Athena do next?
Hearing this tragic news from the white crow, the goddess was very upset and made the bird black (since then all crows are black). The bird found Athena at the moment when she was carrying a huge rock. In frustrated feelings, the goddess dropped it on the Acropolis in order to strengthen it more reliably. Today this rock is called Lycabettus. Erichtonia, she hid under her auspices and raised on her own. Later, he became king in Athens and introduced the cult of his mother in this city.
The myth of the trial for Attica
Athena is the goddess of Ancient Greece, about whom there are many interesting mythological stories today. This myth tells how she became the mistress of Attica. According to him, Poseidon came here first, hit the ground on the Acropolis with his trident - and a source of sea water appeared. Following him, Athena came here, hit the ground with a spear - and an olive tree appeared. By the decision of the judges, Athena was recognized as the winner, since her gift turned out to be more necessary and useful. Poseidon was very angry and wanted to flood the whole earth with the sea, but Zeus did not allow him to do so.
The myth of the flute
As we have said, Athena is credited with the creation of many things, including the flute. According to the myth, one day the goddess found a deer bone and created a flute from it. The sounds that such an instrument made gave Athena incomparable pleasure. She decided to show off her invention and skill at the table of the gods. However, Hera and Aphrodite began to openly laugh at her. It turned out that while playing the instrument, Athena's cheeks swell and her lips protrude, which does not add to her attractiveness. Not wanting to look ugly, she abandoned the flute and cursed in advance whoever would play it. The instrument was destined to find Marsyas, who was unable to escape the later terrible retribution from Apollo.
What gave rise to the myth of the goddess and Arachne?
We have already mentioned above that the goddess had no equal in the art of weaving. However, attempts were made to surpass it, which did not entail anything good. One of the myths tells about such a story.
When it came to any female work and crafts, the goddess was called Ergana or Athena the worker. One of the main crafts of the Athenians was weaving, but the materials made from Asian countries were made more finely and elegantly. Such rivalry gave rise to the myth of enmity between Arachne and Athena.
Fierce Rivalry
Arachne was not of noble birth, her father worked as an ordinary dyer, but the girl had a talent for weaving incredibly thin and very beautiful materials. She also knew how to spin quickly and evenly, she loved to decorate her work with skillful embroideries. Praises and pleasant speeches for her work sounded from all sides. Arachne became so proud of this that it occurred to her to compete with the goddess. She declared that she could easily beat her in this craft.
Athena was very angry and decided to put the impudent in her place, but at first she wanted to solve everything peacefully, which was very inherent in her. She took the form of an old woman and went to Arachne. There she began to prove to the girl that it was very dangerous for a mere mortal to start such games with the goddess. To which the proud weaver replied that even if Athena herself appeared before her, she would also be able to prove her superiority in the craft.
Athena was not one of the timid, so she accepted the challenge. Both girls set to work. The goddess on her loom wove a story about her difficult relationship with Poseidon, and Arachne depicted all kinds of transformations of the gods and love affairs. The work of a mere mortal was done so qualitatively and skillfully that Athena, although she tried, did not find a single flaw in it.
Enraged and forgetting about her duty to be fair, Athena hit the girl on the head with a shuttle. The proud Arachne could not survive such humiliation and hanged herself. And the goddess turned her into a spider, who is destined to weave throughout her life.
Myths about Athena's help to all the gods
She helped many not only with advice, but with the accomplishment of feats. For example, Perseus was brought up in her temple. And it was Athena who taught him to wield a sword, for which he brought her the head of the Gorgon as a gift. As we know, she placed it on her shield. The goddess helped Tideus to compete with the Thebans - she reflected arrows from him, covered him with a shield. The goddess inspired Diomedes to fight with Aphrodite, Pandarus. She helped Achilles to destroy Lyrness, to frighten the Trojans by creating a fire. And when Achilles fought with Hector, she saved the first from a spear.
Depictions of Athens in art
Back in the 5th century BC, the sculptor Phidias created a huge statue of Athena, which has not survived to this day, although there have been repeated attempts to restore it. It was a large statue of a goddess brandishing a spear. They installed it on the Acropolis. Thanks to a large sparkling sword, the statue was visible from afar. Somewhat later, the same master made a bronze figure of Athena, preserved in marble copies.
And the painter Famulus created a canvas called "Athena" when he painted the palace of Nero. The most interesting thing is that no matter from which side a person looks at the picture, the goddess turns her gaze to him. And in the sanctuary of Artemis there was a work by Cleanthes called "The Birth of Athena".
If we talk about modernity, then in 2010 the series "Athena: Goddess of War" was released. Drama from a Korean director is about a terrorist group that threatens the whole world.
We hope you learned more about the brave and always ready to help goddess. Study myths, it is always exciting, informative and interesting!
