Athena - the Greek Goddess of Wisdom, War, the Arts, Industry, Justice and Skill

Roman Name: Minerva

Greek Name: Athena

Athena is the Greek goddess of wisdom, war, the arts, industry, justice and skill. Athena is known as one of the three virgin goddesses. They were referred as virgin because they were able to remain independent, undamaged by the spells of Aphrodite, the goddess of love, and the consequent pull of marriage and motherhood. In Greek mythology Athena was the model of a modern career woman.

Athena was born out of Zeus mind. Zeus swallowed his first wife, Metis. When Zeus learned that she was pregnant, he feared that she was carrying the son he had been avoiding because he could supplant him on the throne. Though swallowing Metis had seemed a good idea at the time, it was now causing him great suffering in form of headaches. Ready to risk anything to get rid of the pain that tormented him, he allowed one of the other gods to split open his head, and out came a beautiful full-grown daughter, dressed in golden battle armor, who instantly became the Zeus's favorite daughter. Athena was the only one of the children that Zeus always trusted with his magic shield and the secret of where his lightening bolts were stored. The goddess Athena remained his constant ally and protector, supporting his interest and serving as his advisor. Greece's capital was named Athens in Athena's honor.

Goddess Athena has very famous stories, here is one of them. To prevent the Trojan War Athena descended from Olympus and walked between the two armies, making both sides swear oaths to keep the peace. Unfortunately, a Trojan soldier named Pandaros, in an act of fear, violated his oath and let loose his arrow, making the beginning of the Trojan War. Athena, goddess of strategy, expressed her disappointment by helping the other side to emerge victorious. The Trojan Horse was also one of Athena's great ideas.

My favorite story is about Athena and Archne, a young mortal woman who challenged Athena to a contest to see who was the best weaver. The goddess Athena was not at all upset about being challenged by a mortal and fairly judged Arachne's creation to be as beautiful as her own. But the theme of Arachne's tapestry offended Athena. Arachne had portray the amorous and false adventures of Zeus, Athena's father. Furious that Arachne would dare to violate authority in such a way, Athena cut the tapestry to shreds and