Athena

**Athena** is the Greek Goddess of Wisdom.

## **Background**

Athena was regarded as the patron and protectress of various cities across Greece, particularly the city of Athens, from which she most likely received her name. She is usually shown in art wearing a helmet and holding a spear. Her major symbols include owls, olive trees, snakes, and the Gorgoneion.

In Greek mythology, Athena was believed to have been born from the head of her father Zeus. In the classical mythology, Athena was regarded as the favorite daughter of Zeus, born fully armed from his forehead. The story of her birth comes in several versions. The earliest mention is in Book V of the *Iliad*, when Ares accuses Zeus of being biased in favor of Athena. In the version recounted by Hesiod in his *Theogony*, Zeus married the goddess Metis, who is described as the wisest among gods and mortals, and engaged in sexual intercourse with her. After learning that Metis was pregnant, however, he became afraid that the unborn offspring would try to overthrow him, because Gaia and Ouranos had prophesied that Metis would bear children wiser than their father. In order to prevent this, Zeus tricked Metis into letting him swallow her, but it was too late because Metis had already conceived.

After swallowing Metis, Zeus took six more wives in succession until he married his seventh and present wife, Hera. Then Zeus experienced an enormous headache. He was in such pain that he ordered someone, either Prometheus, Hephaestus, Hermes, Ares, or Palaemon, depending on the sources examined to cleave his head open with the *labrys*, the double-headed Minoan axe. Athena leaped from Zeus's head, fully grown and armed.

## **Personality**

Athena is made out to be kind to mortals but at the same time very proud and sometimes condescending. Athena was sore at the woman Arachne for beating her in a weaving contest but still willing to admit defeat, however when Arachne weaved a tapestry of Zeus portraying him as a sex-fiend, Athena punished her by turning her into a spider and condemned her to weave forever. Athena was completely loyal to Zeus and dedicated to being the ideal daughter to him. Athena was not above crossing other gods but usually tried to do so covertly so as not to ruffle any divine feathers.

## **Appearance**

Athena appears as a adult woman in her prime. She has her hair tied and braided on the sides. She often appears in full battle armour, with a breastplate, helmet, and carries a spear and a shield called Aegis.

## **Known Powers and Abilities**

Athena is a very powerful goddess, she possesses all the standard powers of a god, but a lot of her powers are mental based.

* **Super Strength**- As a goddess, Athena is unimaginably strong, she is almost as strong as her father, Zeus as she was able to casually lift the island of Sicily and use it to crush her opponent during the Gigantomachy.
* **Super Stamina**- Athena cannot tire, though she eats nectar and ambrosia to maintain herself.
* **Super Senses**- During battle, Athena uses her highly attuned hearing and sight to her advantage.
* **Super Speed** - She possessed a speed that surpassed that of any mortal and demigod. She was however, not as fast as her brother, Hermes.
* **Immortality**- Athena is thousands of years old, and retains the appearance of a young woman in her prime. She cannot die from aging or disease.
* **Nigh Invulnerability** - Being a goddess, Athena cannot be killed, and she is immune to all forms of harm and death.
* **Nigh Indestructibility** - Only divine weaponry or more powerful gods can cause any significant harm to Athena.
* **Regeneration**- If Athena does get injured, she can heal herself rapidly in a short amount of time.
* **Telepathy**- Athena was able to telepathically communicate with others and read the minds of her enemies, which helped ensure her strategic victories in battle.
* **Shapeshifting**- In her initial confrontation with the mortal Arachne, Athena disguised herself as an old woman to communicate with her and convince her to change her ways.
* **Biokinesis**- Athena was able to turn the weaver Arachne into a spider by placing her finger on her forehead.
* **Telekinesis**- She could remotely move various objects with her mind with no effort, either using it offensively or defensively.
* **Mental Manipulation**- Athena is able to attack others on a mental level by entering and taking control of their minds.
* **Teleportation**- She could instantly teleport anywhere she wanted, usually between Olympus and Earth.
* **Conjuration**- By using her incredible mental power, Athena could conjure up highly realistic life-like illusions.
* **Chlorokinesis**- During a competition with Poseidon, Athena extended her hand and an olive tree grew in the place she was pointing, and gave the tree to the people of Athens.

## **Weaknesses**

* **Other Deities** - Older more powerful gods can overpower her, such as her father, Zeus.
* **Divine Weaponry** - Her own weapons can harm her if used against her.