Athena

> The most dangerous flaws are those which are good in moderation. Evil is easy to fight. Lack of wisdom, on the other hand, that is very hard indeed.
>
> Athena.

**Athena**, also known as **Minerva** and the **Goddess of Wisdom**, is the goddess of Wisdom and War, venerated by the Ancient Greeks and Hellenists. Athena is the daughter of Zeus and his first wife, Metis, therefore she is also the granddaughter of Cronus and Rhea.

## Overview

Athena is the goddess of war, handicraft, wisdom and the protectress of the city of Athens. The first people who knew of her were the Minoans, whom were later subjugated by the Athenians. She is one of the most powerful and intelligent Dodekatheon gods.

## Appearance

Despite being primarily known for her endless wisdom and for being a goddess of war and battles, Athena is also an extraordinarily beautiful and attractive goddess, being coveted by several of her brothers, including Hephaestus who tried to relate to her instigated by the appearance of the beautiful Goddess.

## Personality

Athena is known as the patron goddess of just decisions and strategic warfare, and is the only goddess allowed to carry Zeus' thunderbolts besides Hephaestus or himself. She led battles as the disciplined, cautiously tactical, and strategic side of war, in contrast to her brother Ares, who represents the grittier side of war and aspects such as fury, bloodlust and violence.

She is considered to be the most benevolent, compassionate, and sympathetic goddess of the Dodekatheon. She is known as one of the wisest gods of the Dodekatheon, so much so that she was appointed a very important role as the goddess of war and wisdom, mainly due to the fact that she is rational and cautious in her approach to whatever tribulation she may face. She is the crown princess of Mount Olympus, and in the event of the absence of Zeus and Hera for whatever reason, she would temporarily take over her father's role as one of the leaders of the Council of Godheads. She is a very friendly, down to earth and understanding goddess, with a particular love for mortals to a degree that is not seen in many other gods, being the protectress of ancient and modern Greek civilizations alike. She is also one of the few Dodekatheon deities to have some form of a sibling bond with her demigod siblings (alongside Apollo, Hermes, and Artemis), especially Perseus, whom she loves and respects.

During her early childhood, she was not aware of her true purpose and potential, often entrusting herself to the leadership of her fellow gods, such as Apollo or Poseidon. However, as she grew older, she became supernaturally intelligent, wise, witty towards her decisions, rational and pragmatic, yet very understanding and always putting her morality above all, unlike her reckless brother Ares, who is very headstrong and impatient.

She has a strong rivalry with her half brother Ares (with whom she shared a similar title and role) and her uncle Poseidon (the two often seem to argue over various topics). However, out of all the Dodekatheon gods, the one she hates the most is Ares himself. She often mocks him and shows a great disdain for his ignorance and lack of rational thinking. During conflicts, due to both her and Ares being gods of war, they often take opposing sides: an important example of this is the legendary Trojan War, with Athena aiding the Greeks and Ares the Trojans, both blaming each other for starting the conflict, despite it actually being the fault of the goddess Aphrodite.

She values respect very highly and can be enraged in the face of disrespect. However, she retains a merciful nature, hating worthless conflicts and senseless violence, unlike her brother Ares who glorifies such things.

## Powers and Abilities

Athena, one of Zeus's most formidable offspring, holds a prominent place as the patron goddess of various arts and crafts, including metalworking and weaving, she embodies creativity and skill. Her role as the goddess of wisdom extends beyond mere intellect; she is a source of wise counsel and a champion of civilization, law, order, and justice. Athena's influence inspires artists to create their finest works, elevating the arts to new heights.

Athena is resourceful, possessing forethought and an exceptional memory. Her powers extend beyond the intellectual realm; she has command over owls and snakes, and she can envelop the world in darkness, neutralize modern technology, and quell fires. Athena's dominion also reaches into the earth, where she can shape the terrain into formidable serpents for her purposes and awaken dormant volcanoes, showcasing her immense power and versatility.

## History

### Birth of Athena

Athena's is the daughter of Zeus and the Titaness Metis. Zeus, upon learning a prophecy that one of Metis' children would overthrow him just as he had overthrown his own father, became fearful of this potential threat. To avoid this fate, he swallowed Metis whole.

Unbeknownst to Zeus, Metis was already pregnant with Athena. Inside Zeus, Athena was nurtured and trained by her mother. Eventually, Zeus began to experience an excruciating headache, which tormented him. In agony, he sought relief and called upon the god of forge and fire, Hephaestus, for assistance.

In response to Zeus's request, Hephaestus used his mighty ax to cleave open Zeus's skull. From the fissure in his head, Athena emerged, fully clad in her battle armor, a remarkable and powerful birth that reflected her role as the goddess of wisdom, strategy, and warfare.

### Pallas Athena

When Athena was still young, she befriended the daughter of Triton, Pallas, who was considered her closest friend. Unfortunately, during a sparring match, Athena was about to lose to Pallas, when her father, Zeus, intervened, fearing to see his daughter lose. He descended upon the battlefield, wielding his mighty shield, the Aegis. Pallas was stunned by the astounding beauty of the shield's engravings. Athena lunged forward with her spear, believing Pallas to be able to dodge the strike; however, since Pallas was distracted because of the shield, the spear impaled her, killing her. As a sign of respect for her fallen friend, Athena took on the title "Pallas Athena", which remains her most famous epithet.

### Arachne

Arachne, a weaver with prestigious skill in the art, boasted that she was even better than the Gods themselves. Offended that a mere mortal would make such an assumption, Athena came down from Olympus and challenged her to a weaving contest.

Athena wove together a tapestry depicting the gods in all their majesty, while Arachne depicted their sexual ventures. Athena was predictably offended from the obscenity depicted in the cloth and so she destroyed it. Depressed due to realizing that she had caused great despair to a Goddess, Arachne later hung herself, but Athena, who now felt pity for the weaver, decided to loosen the rope, which became a cobweb, and turned Arachne into the first spider so that she may continue to live and practice the art with which she is most skilled. From the weaver's name then derived the scientific name for spiders, "Arachnids".

## Myths and Legends

Athena was a figure of worship from Greek mythology. She is the revered guardian of Athens, a city named in her honor (the Parthenon, which stands proudly over the city, was a temple dedicated to her by the Athenians). The Greeks also hold a special connection with her through the olive tree, as she emerged victorious in a contest to become the patron deity of what would later become Athens, gifting the city with an olive tree.

Her symbols encompass the owl, the olive tree, and the spear. Often, she is depicted alongside her sacred companion, the Owl of Athena, representing her association with wisdom and knowledge. Occasionally, she is also linked with the snake and the olive tree.

Athena, as the patron goddess of wisdom, frequently appears in sculptures, adorns seals, and takes various forms within educational institutions.

## Quotes

> 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 battle. It is she who saves the people as they go to war and come back. Hail, goddess, and give us good fortune and happiness!
>
> Hesiod, The Homeric Hymns, to Athena.

## Trivia

* She is an extension of Zeus's role as god of humans.
* Athena is incredibly bitter towards the Archangel Gabriel due to him persistently flirting with her.
* Her name "Athena" means "Lady of Athens".
* She identifies as asexual demiromantic.
* She and Hephaestus are the only gods Zeus trusted to wield his thunderbolt.
* Athena is Zeus' favorite daughter.