Athena (U432)

**Athena** or **Athene**, often given the epithet **Pallas**, was an ancient Greek Pantheon associated with wisdom, handicraft, and warfare. Given her militant nature, she often wore a helmet and sometimes held a spear. Her owl was constantly by her side, as a representative of her so-called wisdom.

Athena was believed to have been born from the forehead of her father Zeus.

## Biography

### Birth

Athena was born in most miraculous circumstances. On learning that Metis’ next child may overthrow him, Zeus swallowed his first wife who was already pregnant with Athens. When the time came, Zeus started feeling tremendous headaches. As even he couldn’t bear them, Hephaestus struck him with his axe and – lo and behold! – Athena leapt out of Zeus’ head, fully armed and with a cry so mighty and fearsome that Uranus and Gaea were shaken to their bones with terror. Zeus was delighted and full of pride.

### Childhood Friend

As a child, Athena had a friend she loved above all. Her name was Pallas and she was all but her equal in the art of war. However, one day, as they were practicing some martial exercises, Athena accidentally killed her friend. Grief-stricken and in an attempt to preserve her memory, she added her friend’s name to her own. That’s why many people know Athena as Athena Pallas.

### Hercules' Baby Shower

At the birth of Hercules, Athena was seen at the gathering conversing with Poseidon and Demeter rather cordially, despite her competitive history with Poseidon. Due to some tension with Poseidon, she left to spend some time alone during the rest of the party, feeding her owl some of her abroisa.

Later, while Zeus and Hermes were talking, Hercules snatched one of Zeus' pocket lightnings. Hera was nervous and advised Zeus to keep them away from the infant, but Zeus affirmed that he would not hurt himself. Nevertheless, Hercules got zapped when he tried to bite the bolt. The disgruntled infant then threw the bolt away, causing members of the party such as Apollo, Dionysus (who noticed first), Aphrodite, and Helios. Athena then deflected the bolt into one of the cloud formed pillars, which instantly repaired itself.

### Hercules' Abduction

That night, Hercules was abducted by Pain and Panic. Zeus and Hera felt that something was wrong while in bed, and found Pegasus stuck in Demeter's gift and Hercules gone. Zeus' grief caused a thunder storm, which only frightened Pain and Panic as they flew away with Hercules in their hands. Zeus sent Hermes, Apollo, Athena and Ares on a search party, but to no avail. When Athena found the baby, it was too late and they couldn't bring back a mortal. For the next years, they watched him grow up in seclusion.

## Abilities

Athena was a master artisan. As much as she was the women counterpart of Ares as a war goddess, she was also the female equivalent of Hephaestus when it came to arts and crafts. Homer says that Athena fashioned ornate and luxuriously embroidered robes for Hera and herself. Some even say that she combined her two main interests to invent the war chariot and even the warship.

However, the most famous myth which connects Athena with handicrafts is the story of Arachne, a mortal craftswoman who boasted that she was more skillful than Athena herself. Athena offered her a chance to repent, but after Arachne refused, she challenged her to a weaving duel. The goddess fashioned a beautiful tapestry which illustrated the gruesome fate of the mortals who had the hubris of challenging the gods. Arachne, on the other hand, chose for a subject the stories of the mortals unjustly victimized by the gods. She didn’t even have a chance to finish it: enraged and offended, Athena tore Arachne’s fabric to pieces and turned her into a spider. As such, Arachne is doomed to weave ever since.

## Appearance and Personality

### Appearance

Athena was usually depicted as a majestic lady, with a beautiful, but stern face, unsmiling full lips, grey eyes and a graceful build, emanating power and authority. She is always regally clad in either a chiton or a full armor. In the former case, she is sometimes represented with a spindle. In the latter case, she wears an elaborately crested Corinthian helmet and holds a long spear in one hand and an aegis in the other.

Her glow was a deep blue in color.

### Personality

Just like Artemis and Hestia, Athena was never swayed by love or passion. Consequently, she never had any children. Some say that Erichthonius was an exception, but, in fact, Athena was only his foster-mother. True, Hephaestus did try to violate her, but she fought him off. Athena did love once, and the unrequited love had torn her to pieces that she found herself emotionally sick. As to the recipient of this affection, she has disclosed to no one (U432).

As a war pantheon associated with wisdom – unlike Ares who was associated with mere violence – Athena was often the main helper of Ancient Greece’s greatest heroes. Most famously, she guided Odysseus during his ten-year-long journey back to Ithaca.