Why Athena. Goddess Athena: what role was assigned to her in ancient Greek mythology? Is Athena a child of Zeus

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 with royal power. There is an interesting fact - an owl, a bird with bulging intelligent 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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Athena Athena - in the myths of the ancient Greeks, the goddess of wisdom and just war. Born from Zeus and Metis (wisdom). Zeus swallowed his pregnant wife, then Hephaestus (or Prometheus) split his head with an ax, and Athena appeared from there in full combat armor and with a militant cry. Athena is equal in strength and wisdom to Zeus. Her attributes are a snake and an owl, as well as an aegis - a goat-skin shield with the head of a snake-haired Medusa, which has magical powers and frightens gods and people. The sacred tree of Athena is the olive. Athena of the period of heroic mythology fights with the titans and giants. She killed the Gorgon Medusa. No mortal can see her (she blinded the young Tiresias when he accidentally saw her ablution). She patronizes heroes, protects public order. Her favorite is Odysseus, she is the main protector of the Achaean Greeks and a constant enemy of the Trojans during the Trojan War. She helped potters, weavers, needlewomen, the builder of the Argo ship, and all artisans. Athena helped Prometheus steal fire from the forge of Hephaestus. Her own pieces are true works of art. She is also the legislator and patroness of Athenian statehood. Although the cult of Athena was spread throughout mainland and insular Greece, Athena was especially revered in Attica, in Athens (the Greeks associated the name of the city of Athens with the name of the goddess). 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. Many agricultural holidays were dedicated to Athena. The holiday of the Great Panathenas was universal in nature (during the holiday, sacrifices were made to Athena and the transfer of peplos took place - the cover of the goddess, which depicted her exploits in gigantomachy - the fight against giants). In Rome, Athena was identified with Minerva.

Historical dictionary. 2000 .

See what "Athena" is in other dictionaries:

- (Άθηνά), in Greek mythology, the goddess of wisdom and just war. The pre-Greek origin of the image of A. does not allow us to reveal the etymology of the name of the goddess, based only on the data of the Greek language. The myth of the birth of A. from Zeus and Metis (“wisdom”, ... ... Encyclopedia of mythology

Athena- Lemnia. Reconstruction of the statue of Phidias on the Acropolis of Athens. OK. 450 BC sculpture collection. Dresden. Athena Lemnia. Reconstruction of the statue of Phidias on the Acropolis of Athens. OK. 450 BC sculpture collection. Dresden. Athena in the myths of the ancient Greeks ... ... Encyclopedic Dictionary "World History"

- (Pallas, among the Romans Minerva) in Greek mythology, the goddess of wisdom and military affairs; daughter of Zeus, born from his head; considered the patroness of Athens. Dictionary of foreign words included in the Russian language. Pavlenkov F., 1907. ATHENA (Greek ... ... Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language

- (Athena Pallas) in Greek mythology, the goddess of war and victory, as well as wisdom, knowledge, arts and crafts. The daughter of Zeus, born in full armor (in a helmet and armor) from his head. The patroness of Athens. It corresponds to the Roman Minerva. Among … Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

Athena- Lemnia. Reconstruction of the statue of Phidias on the Acropolis of Athens. OK. 450 BC sculpture collection. Dresden. ATHENA (Athena Pallas), in Greek mythology, the goddess of war and victory, wisdom, knowledge, arts and crafts, the patroness of Athens. Daughter of Zeus... Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary

- (Athena Pallas), in Greek mythology, the goddess of war and victory, wisdom, knowledge, arts and crafts, the patroness of Athens. The daughter of Zeus, born in full armor (in a helmet and armor) from his head. Attributes of Athena snake, owl and aegis shield with ... ... Modern Encyclopedia

Pallas Athena, in ancient Greek mythology, one of the main deities, a virgin goddess; revered as the goddess of war and victory, as well as wisdom, knowledge, arts and crafts. According to the myth, A. in a helmet and armor came out of the head of Zeus. A.… … Great Soviet Encyclopedia

Minerva, Poliada, Pallas, Nika Dictionary of Russian synonyms. athena n., number of synonyms: 10 athena pallas (3) ... Synonym dictionary

- (also Pallas) one of the most ancient deities of Greece, the daughter of Zeus, the maiden warrior, the Greek parallel to the Valkyries (see) of Germanic mythology. The origin of the image is unclear: perhaps it is based on the heavenly projection of the primitive family ... ... Literary Encyclopedia

Greek goddess … Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron

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He knew that the goddess of reason, Metis (Metis), would have two children: a daughter, Athena, and a son of extraordinary intelligence and strength. goddesses of fate moira told Zeus that this son would take away his power over the world. To avoid this, Zeus lulled Metis with affectionate speeches and swallowed her before the birth of children. Soon Zeus felt a terrible pain in his head. To get rid of her, he called on his son Hephaestus and ordered to cut his head. With an ax blow, Hephaestus split the skull of Zeus, and from there, to the amazement of the other Olympian gods, a powerful and beautiful warrior, the goddess Pallas Athena, emerged in full armor. Athena's blue eyes burned with divine wisdom.

Birth of Athena from the head of Zeus. Drawing on an amphora of the second half of the 6th century. BC

Athena - goddess of war

Athena is the “blue-eyed virgin”, the goddess of the clear sky, dispersing the clouds with her sparkling spear, attaching to her shield, Aegis, the snake-haired head of the terrible Gorgon Medusa, the black daughter of the night, at the same time the goddess of victorious energy in any struggle: she is armed with a shield, sword and spear. The goddess Pallas Athena was considered by the Greeks to be the inventor of military art. She is always accompanied by the winged goddess of victory (Nika). Athena - the guardian of cities, the goddess of the acropolises; in honor of her, the goddess of the Athenian Acropolis, the Athenians performed large and small Panathenaic holidays. Being the goddess of war, Athena, however, did not experience joy in battles, like the gods Ares and Eris, but preferred to resolve feuds in peace. In peaceful days, she did not carry weapons, but during wars she received them from Zeus. However, having entered the battle, Pallas never lost it - even to the god of war Ares.

Myths of Ancient Greece: Athena. Wise warrior

Athena - goddess of wisdom

Pallas Athena keeps order in the weather changes, so that after a thunderstorm that gave rain, the sky clears up again: but she is also the goddess of fertility of fields and gardens; under her patronage, an olive tree grew in Attica, which had such importance for this land; it gives prosperity to the home and family. Under the auspices of Pallas Athena is the civil system, tribal institutions, public life; the goddess of the all-pervading and clear ether, the goddess Athena became in the myths about the gods of Ancient Greece the goddess of the insight of the mind, prudence, the goddess of all inventions of art, the goddess of artistic activity, mental pursuits, the goddess of wisdom. She gives wisdom and knowledge, teaches people the arts and crafts. The girls of ancient Greece honored Pallas Athena as a teacher of home needlework - culinary arts, weaving and spinning. No one can surpass the goddess Athena in the art of weaving. The ancient Greek myth said that it is very dangerous to compete with her in this - Arachne, the daughter of Idmon, who wanted to surpass Athena in this art, severely paid for her arrogance.

The ancient Greeks believed that Pallas Athena, the goddess of wisdom, made a great many useful inventions: she created a flute, a pipe, a ceramic pot, a plow, a rake, a yoke for oxen, bridles for horses, a chariot, a ship, the art of counting. Therefore, the ancient Greek commanders always tried to get useful advice from Athena. Pallas Athena was famous for her kindness, and therefore, when the judges disagreed at the trials in the Areopag of Athens, she always gave her vote for the acquittal of the accused.

The goddess Athena fills Hercules' cup with wine. Ancient Greek vessel ca. 480-470 BC

Little by little, Pallas Athena became the goddess of everything that the Athenians were proud of: the clear sky of Attica, her olive groves, the state institutions of the Athenians, their prudence in war, their courage, their science, poetry, art - everything entered into their idea of ​​\u200b\u200btheir patroness, goddess "Virgin of Athens". The whole life of the Athenians was in close connection with their service to the goddess Pallas Athena, and before they put her statue in the Parthenon temple, they honored her for many centuries in her mythical symbol, the olive tree.

Virginity of Pallas Athena

Virginity was the most characteristic and integral part of the cult of the goddess Athena. According to Greek myths, many gods, titans and giants wanted to enter into marital relations with Pallas, but she rejected all courtship. Once, during the Trojan War, not wanting to ask for weapons from Zeus, who did not support either the Hellenes or the Trojans, Athena asked Hephaestus to make her own armor. Hephaestus agreed, but said that he would do the work not for money, but for love. Not understanding the meaning of what was said, Athena came for armor to the forge of Hephaestus. He rushed to the goddess and tried to take possession of her. They say that Hephaestus was incited to this by Poseidon, who lost the dispute to Athena for the possession of Attica: the sea god convinced the Olympic blacksmith of Pallas's secret desire for someone to take possession of her by force. Athena, however, escaped from the hands of Hephaestus, but at the same time his seed spilled on her just above the knee. Pallas wiped herself with a tuft of wool and threw it away. The seed of Hephaestus fell on mother earth Gaia and impregnated her. Dissatisfied with this, Gaia said that she would not raise her unborn child from Hephaestus. Athena then announced that she would raise him herself.

Statue of Athena the Virgin in the Parthenon. Sculptor Phidias

When the child was born, he was named Erichthonius. It was one of the mythical progenitors of the Athenians. Taking Erichtonius from Gaia, Pallas Athena put him in a sacred casket and gave him to Aglavra, the eldest daughter of the Athenian king. Kekropsa. The sad fate of Aglavra, her mother and two sisters is told in myth from Erichthonius. All four died, for Aglavra tried to deceive the god Hermes. Hearing of their sad fate, upset Athena dropped a huge rock that she was carrying to the Athenian Acropolis in order to better strengthen it. This rock was named Mount Lycabettus. The crow, which conveyed to Pallas Athena the mournful news of the death of the women of the Kekrops family, was made black by the goddess from white. Since then, all crows are black. Pallas forbade them to appear on the Athenian acropolis. Erichtonia the goddess Athena Pallas hid in her aegis and raised. Later he became king of Athens and introduced the cult of his named mother in that city. After his death, Erichthonius was raised to heaven, becoming the constellation Charioteer, for he, with the help of the goddess Athena, was the first to learn how to use a chariot drawn by four horses.

For the Athenians, the idea of ​​the virginity of their main goddess symbolized the impregnability of their city. Some scholars believe that in ancient myths Pallas Athena was not a virgin, but had children from Hephaestus, Poseidon and the wind god Boreas. Some vague memories of these myths were preserved in historical Hellas - at least in the above story about Athena and Hephaestus. Erichthonius, most likely, was initially considered the son of Athena and Poseidon. The rest of this myth is preserved in the legend that Erichthonius was the first to ride a quadriga chariot, which in ancient Greek religion was an invariable attribute of Poseidon.

Myths about Pallas Athena

The most famous myths about Athena (except for the above story about Erichthonius) are the legends about the dispute between Athena and Poseidon for the possession of Attica, about the sculptor Pygmalion, about Athena and the satire of Marsyas, about Arachne and of Athena's participation on the side of the Greeks in the Trojan War.

Panathenaia - holidays in honor of Athena

Of the many holidays that ancient Athens celebrated in honor of its patron goddess, and which were mostly agricultural in nature, the most important were the “small Panathenays” and “great Panathenays”. Small were celebrated every year, in the summer; great - once every four years. According to ancient Greek myths, the Panatheneas were founded by the son of Kekrops Erechtheus, a pupil of Athena, the personification of a fertile field.

Competitions of runners during the Panathenaic. Vase ok. 530 BC

The entire population of Attica converged on the great Panathenaia in Athens; a solemn procession carried to the Acropolis a mantle (Peplos), embroidered by the Athenians for the ancient statue of the goddess Pallas Athena, which stood in her Acropolis temple. This mantle was saffron; sewing on it was gold, and represented scenes from the victorious battles of the goddess Athena with the titans. Priests walked ahead with sacrificial animals; the priests were followed by the meteks (foreigners who lived in Athens); they carried sacrificial vessels and other paraphernalia. Girls, daughters of respected families of Athenian citizens, followed the meteks and carried a reaping wreath on their heads, baskets with sacred barley, honey, sacrificial bread; the daughters of the Metecs held umbrellas over them to protect them from the hot summer sun. Further on, a platform set on wheels rode; a mast was approved on it; the peplos of the goddess Pallas Athena was tied to the mast. The musicians followed the platform, followed by young men wearing myrtle wreaths; some walked and sang hymns in honor of the goddess, others were on horseback, armed with a shield and a spear. Further along the streets of Athens came cheerful old men with olive branches in their hands; behind them were the awards intended for the winners of the games: olive wreaths, vessels with olive oil; brought gifts to the temple. Behind them were adult horses and chariots that would compete in running at games in honor of the goddess Athena. At the end of the procession rode on horseback young men belonging to the first two classes of citizens.

Parthenon - Temple of Athena the Virgin in the Acropolis

The procession went from Keramik, along the best streets, decorated with oak branches; the people standing in the streets were all in white clothes, men and women. The path of the procession led through the square of the people's meetings, past the temples of Demeter and Apollo. Pythian. The Acropolis was resplendent with decorations. The procession entered there, and worship was performed, sacrifices were made while singing hymns to the glory of the goddess Pallas Athena.

Author - XP0H0METP. This is a quote from this post.

Myths and Legends * Athena

Athena

Athena(other Greek. Ἀθηνᾶ , also found spelling Athenaia, Mycenae. a-ta-na-po-ti-ni-ja: "Atana the Lady") - in ancient Greek mythology, the goddess of organized war, military strategy and wisdom, one of the most revered goddesses of Ancient Greece, the eponym of the city of Athens. In addition, the goddess of knowledge, arts and crafts; warrior maiden, patroness of cities and states, sciences and crafts, intelligence, skill, ingenuity.
In Rome, Athena was identified with Minerva.
The pre-Greek origin of the image of Athena does not allow revealing the etymology of the name of the goddess, based only on the data of the Greek language. The myth of the birth of Athena from Zeus and Metis (“wisdom”, Greek metis, “thought”, “reflection”) of late origin - the period of classical Olympic mythology. Zeus, knowing from Gaia and Uranus that his son from Metis would deprive him of power, swallowed his pregnant wife (Hes. Theog. 886-900) and then with the help of Hephaestus (or Prometheus), who split his head with an ax, he himself gave birth to Athena, who emerged from his head in full combat armor and with a war cry(Apollod. I 3, 6). Since this event allegedly took place near the lake (or river) Triton in Libya, Athena received the nickname Tritonides or Tritogenei. 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.
And Fina is one of the most important figures not only in Olympic mythology, in its significance it 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 (Hes. Theog. 896). She is honored after Zeus (Horat. Carm. I 12, 17-20) and her place is closest to Zeus (Plut. Conv. 2). 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. The ancient zoomorphic past of the goddess is indicated by her attributes - a snake and an owl. Homer calls Athena "owl-eyed" (glaycopis), the Orphic hymn (XXXII 11) - "variegated snake". Athena is the patroness of snakes (Verg. Aen. II 225-227); in the temple of Athena in Athens, according to Herodotus (VIII 41), there lived a huge snake - the guardian of the acropolis, dedicated to the goddess. The origins of Athena's wisdom in her chthonic past go back to the image of the goddess with snakes of the Cretan-Mycenaean period. An owl and a snake guarded the palace of the Minotaur in Crete, and the image of the goddess with a shield of the Mycenaean time is a prototype of Olympian Athena. Among the indispensable attributes of Athena is the aegis - a goat-skin shield with the head of a snake-haired Medusa, which has tremendous magical power, frightens gods and people (Hom. Il. II 446-449).
A powerful, terrible, owl-eyed goddess of the archaic, the owner of the aegis, Athena in the period of heroic mythology directs her strength to fight the titans (Hyg. Fab. 150) 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 (Apollod. I 6, 1-2). She is the slayer of the gorgon Medusa and bears the name "gorgon slayer" (Eur. Ion. 989-991, 1476). 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. Having deprived the young man of sight, Athena at the same time endowed him with a prophetic gift (Apollod. Ill 6, 7; Callim. Hymn. V 75-84). Great was her anger at Arachne, who dared to question the piety of the gods. Classical Athena is endowed with ideological and organizing functions: she patronizes heroes, protects public order, etc. She puts Cadmus in the kingdom, helps Danae and his daughters, as well as Perseus, a descendant of Danae, who killed Medusa (Apollod. II 4, 2; Ovid. Met IV 82 next). Zeus sent Athena to help Hercules, and he brought the dog of the god Hades out of Erebus (Hom. II. VIII 362-369). The goddess patronizes Tydeus and his son Diomedes, whom she wanted to make immortal, but abandoned this plan, seeing the wild cruelty of Tydeus (Apollod. Ill 6, 8). Athena's favorite was Odysseus, an intelligent and courageous hero. In Homer's poems (especially the Odyssey), not a single more or less important event is complete 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 (Hom. II. VI 311). Athens is the protector of Greek cities (Athens, Argos, Megara, Sparta, etc.), bearing the name of the "city protector" (Hom. II. VI 305).

About the huge statue of Athena Promachos ("vanguard fighter") with a spear shining in the sun, adorned the Acropolis in Athens, where the Erechtheion and Parthenon temples were dedicated to the goddess. The main epithets of Athena, endowed with civil functions, are Poliada (“city”) and Poliuhos (“city ruler”). A monument to the glorification of the wise ruler of the Athenian state, the founder of the Areopagus, is the tragedy of Aeschylus "Eumenides".
And fina is always considered in the context of artistic craft, art, and craftsmanship. She helps potters (Hom. Epigr. 14), weavers (Hom. Od. VII 109-110), needlewomen (Paus. X 30, 1), the builder of the Argonaut ship (Apoll. Rhod. I 551), and working people in general (Hes opp. 429-431) and is called Ergana ("worker") (Soph. frg. 760), the patroness of artisans (Plat. Legg. XI 920d). Athena helped Prometheus steal the fire from the forge of Hephaestus (Myth. Vat. I 1; II 63-64). Her own products are genuine works of art, such as the cloak woven for the hero Jason (Apoll. Rhod. I 721-768). Athena is credited with inventing the flute and teaching Apollo to play it (Plut. De mus. 14). Her one touch is enough to make a person beautiful (she elevated Odysseus with a camp, endowed with curly hair, clothed with strength and attractiveness; Hom. Od. VI 229-237; XXIII 156-159). She endowed Penelope on the eve of the meeting of the spouses with amazing beauty (XVIII 187-197).
And Fina is the goddess of wisdom, Democritus considered her "reasonableness"<...>. The wisdom of Athena is different from the wisdom of Hephaestus and Prometheus, she is characterized by wisdom in public affairs (Plat. Prot. 321d). For late antiquity, Athena was the principle of the indivisibility of the cosmic Mind (Plot. VI 5, 7) and the symbol of the universal wisdom of the world (Procl. Hymn. VII), thus her qualities are sharply opposed to the riot and ecstasy of Dionysus. As the legislator and patroness of the Athenian statehood, Athena was revered - Phratria (“fraternal”), Bulaya (“advisory”), Soteira (“savior”), Pronoia (“seer”).
Although the cult of Athena was spread throughout mainland and insular Greece (Arcadia, Argolis, Corinth, Sikyon, 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 goddess - the patroness of the city ).
According to the myth, Poseidon first came to Attica, struck the ground on the Acropolis with his trident, and a source of sea water arose, which was shown in historical times in the Erechtheion (according to another legend, he created a horse). Behind him, Athena appeared, who struck the ground with a spear and grew an olive tree (olive tree). According to the decision of the judges, Athena was declared the winner, since her gift is more useful, the city was named after her, Poseidon was angry and tried to flood the earth with the sea, but Zeus forbade him.
According to the mentions of Callimachus and Nonnus, Kekrop the snake was their judge, either Cranaius or Erysichthon was also called the judges.
In Attica, Athena was the main deity of the country and the city of Athens, the patroness of the Athenians. Athens reached its greatest power and prosperity under Pericles. New buildings on the acropolis were erected in 16 years. A wide marble staircase led up to the acropolis, a rocky hill located in the center of Athens. Climbing the stairs, the traveler approached the Propylaea - the main entrance to the acropolis. Through the Propylaea, the "road of sacred processions" went out onto a vast square, where a giant bronze statue of Athena - Promachos (leader in battle), cast by Phidias, towered. The glitter of the golden helmet and the spear of the goddess was seen by sailors who were far out to sea.

Parthenon

Above all the buildings of the acropolis stood the Parthenon - the temple of Athena the Virgin, which was the main temple of the goddess ("parthenos" in Greek - "virgin"). The entire temple, including the roof tiles, was built of white Pentelian marble. The length of the temple was 69.5 m, width - 31 m, i.e. its area was more than 2 sq. km. The building was surrounded by 40 columns 10.43 m high.

Athena Parthenos
(Reconstruction of the statue of Athena Parthenos from
gold and ivory by Phidias

In the center of the temple stood a gigantic statue of Athena by Phidias, covered in gold and ivory. Thin plates of ivory covered the face and hands of the goddess, the cloak, helmet and shield were made of gold. The width of the foot of the statue was 8 m, the height of the statue was 12 m. In the 17th century. The Turks, who owned Greece, set up a store of gunpowder in the Parthenon, which exploded, destroying half of the ancient temple. Every year in August, Panathenaias ("all-Athenian") were held, dedicated to all the "areas of activity" of Athens at once. Once every four years, the Great Panathenaic was held with musical and gymnastic competitions. The celebrations began at night with a torchlight procession and ended with a festive procession of the Athenians.
The procession ascended the sacred road and entered the temple to bring a gift to Athena peplos, a robe woven by the hands of noble Athenians from the finest expensive wool with gold embroidery. Especially for the holiday, "Panathenaic amphoras" were prepared, with a volume of 26 liters, on which scenes of competitions and the goddess herself were depicted. An amphora filled with olive oil went to the winner of the competition. It is from these amphoras that the goblets that are presented to the winners at the present time originate.
Agricultural holidays were dedicated to Athena: procharisteria (in connection with the germination of bread), plintheria (the beginning of the harvest), arrhephoria (giving dew for crops), callinteria (fruit ripening), skyrophoria (drought aversion). During these festivities, the washing of the statue of Athena took place, the young men took an oath of civil service to the goddess. The feast of the great panathenas, the apotheosis of Athena, the wisdom of the state, was of a universal character. Erichthonius was considered the founder of the panathenaic, and Theseus was the reformer. Solon organized the annual panathenaic, Peisistratus established the great ones. Pericles introduced competitions in singing, playing the cithara and flute. On the Panathenaic, sacrifices were made to Athena and the transfer of the peplos of the goddess took place, on which her exploits in gigantomachia were depicted.

The invention of the flute

The myth about the invention of the flute (Aulos) by the goddess is mentioned by many authors. (In Boeotia, Athena, the inventor of the flute, was even revered under the special name Bombilea, that is, Athena "bee", "buzzing"). Pindar says that one of the Gorgons, Medusa, groaned terribly as she died, and the other, Euryale, groaned when she looked at her sister, and Athena invented a flute to repeat these sounds. According to Corinna, the goddess taught Apollo to play the flute. Epicharmus mentions that she played the aulos before the Dioscuri.
According to a more detailed story, Athena made a flute from a deer bone and came to the meal of the gods, but Hera and Aphrodite ridiculed her, and she, looking at her reflection in the water, saw how her cheeks swelled ugly when playing, and threw the flute into the Idean forest , or threw the flute into the waters of the Meander. The thrown flute was picked up by the satyr Marsyas. (Pausanias also mentions a statue of Athena beating the Silenus Marsyas, who raised his flute). The myth continues with the story that in playing the Palladin Flute, the satyr was defeated by Apollo and flayed. Aristotle gives his interpretation of the myth. In his opinion, the real reason for Athena's actions is that playing the flute is not related to mental development.

Faun Marsyas teaches the young man Olympius to play the flute
(Basin Petr Vasilyevich)

Once, wandering through the fields of Phrygia, the faun Marsyas found a reed flute. She was abandoned by the goddess Athena, noticing that playing the flute invented by herself disfigures her divinely beautiful face.
Athena cursed her invention, saying that whoever picks up this flute will be severely punished. Not knowing about the words of Athena, Marsyas picked up the flute and soon learned to play it so well that everyone heard this unpretentious music.
Marsyas became proud and challenged Apollo, the patron of music, to a contest. Apollo came to the call. Marsyas could not extract from the flute such marvelous sounds as flew from the golden strings of the cithara of the leader of the Muses of Apollo - Apollo won.
Enraged by the impudent challenge, he ordered the unfortunate Marsyas to be hung by the hands and skinned from him. So paid Marsyas for his courage. His skin was hung in a grotto in Phrygia and later it was said that she always began to move, as if dancing, when the sounds of the Phrygian reed flute reached the grotto, and remained motionless when the majestic sounds of the cithara were heard.

Participation in Gigantomachy ()

Although, according to the early mythological scheme, titanomachy occurred even before the birth of Athena, but later authors, starting with Euripides, often mixed giants and titans. Athena's participation in the Gigantomachy is a popular plot. This battle is localized on the Phlegrean fields. Although in the battle with the giants, Athena called on the help of the gods of Hercules, she herself also distinguished herself. Gigin tells the story that after the death of Epaphus, Zeus, together with Athena, Apollo and Artemis, threw the titans into Tartarus, prompted by Hera.

Other details of the battle with the giants were depicted on the shield of the statue of Athena Parthenos. In Euripides' tragedy Ion, Athenian women discuss this image: Athena, holding a shield with a Gorgon on it, opposes Enceladus. Athena also drove a chariot with a pair of horses against Enkelada, and when he took flight, she brought down the island of Sicily on him. Athena tore off the skin from Pallantus and covered her body with it. Callimachus emphasizes Athena's concern for her horses after the battle

Trojan War

Judgment of Paris (bone of discord) Hera, Aphrodite, Athena and Paris

According to myths, Athena participates in the Judgment of Paris, where she unsuccessfully seduced Paris with a career as a successful commander, and in further events of the Trojan War, where she acted on the side of the Greeks and bestowed special patronage on Odysseus and Diomedes (see below).

The goddess of discord, Eris, offended by the fact that she was not invited to the wedding feast of Peleus and Thetis, decided to take revenge on the gods and threw an apple with the inscription "Most Beautiful" on the feast. Immediately between the three goddesses: the wife of Zeus Hera, the warrior Athena and the goddess of love Aphrodite, a dispute arose: who rightfully owns the apple? The goddesses turned to Zeus, but he refused to be the judge. Zeus gave the apple to Hermes and ordered the goddesses to be taken in the vicinity of Troy to the beautiful son of the king of Troy, Paris, who must choose the most beautiful of the three goddesses. Each of them began to convince Paris to give the apple to her, promising the young man great rewards. Hera promised Paris power over all of Asia, Athena - military victories and glory. Paris gave the apple to Aphrodite, who promised to reward him with the love of any woman he chose. At the same time, in enthusiastic terms, she described to him Helen the Beautiful, the daughter of the Thunderer Zeus and Leda, and the wife of Menelaus, king of Sparta. This led to the abduction of Helen by Paris, which was the cause of the Trojan War. Paris became the favorite of Aphrodite, and she helped him in everything. Hera and Athena hated Paris and all the Trojans.

Athena and the Trojan horse

The connection of Athena with the Trojan horse that ended the war is extremely close. Firstly, the idea of ​​the horse belongs to her, secondly, the horse is called an offering to her, thirdly, she contributes at every step to the capture of Troy with its help. Euripides notes that Ilion is destroyed by the "malice of Pallas" and her strength.

So, Epeus built a Trojan horse according to her plan and with her help. Quintus of Smyrna in the poem "After Homer" details that Epeus learned his craft from Athena (XII 85), Athena appears in a dream to Epeus (XII 109-121). In three days, thanks to Athena, the horse was completed (XII 154), and Epeus asks Athena to bless his work (XII 159-163). Epeus later dedicated his instruments to the temple of Athena Mindia. (Inhabitants of Metapontus showed in the temple of Athena these iron tools with which Epey built a horse).
In addition, Athena took the form of a messenger and advised Odysseus to hide the Achaean heroes in the horse. Further, the goddess brought the food of the gods to the heroes who were about to enter the horse, so that they would not feel hungry.
When the plan is put into action, the defector Sinon tells the Trojans that this gift to Athena will always guard their city instead of palladium. The dedication of the horse to Athena (and even the corresponding inscription on it) is mentioned by many authors.

Laocoön

Athena gives bad signs (earthquake) after Laocoön's proposal to destroy the horse; rejoices when the Trojans do not believe Laocoon and decide to drag the horse into the city, and sends snakes on the sons of Laocoön. The goddess herself invisibly helped the Trojans to drag the horse to the temple of Athena. Homer mentions that Athena is forcing Helen to move away from the Trojan horse. Tryfiodorus describes in more detail that Helen came to the temple of Athena and walked around the horse three times, calling the heroes by name, but Athena appeared, visible only to Helena, and forced her to leave.
And on the night of the fall of Troy, Pallas sat on the acropolis, shining with her aegis. When the beating began, she screamed and raised her aegis.

Athena's Inventions

Athena was considered the founder

* States,
* chariots,
* ship
* flutes and trumpets,
* invented war.
* a ceramic pot, a rake, a plow, a yoke for oxen and a bridle for horses.
* taught weaving, spinning and cooking
* Established laws and the Areopagus (the highest court in Athens).

Athena, motherhood and marriage

Nevertheless, Athena also patronizes married women. The women of Elis prayed to Athena to get pregnant.
Athena helped Penelope delay the day of the new wedding. In the Odyssey, Athena endowed Penelope with reason (II 116), gives her a sweet dream (I 360, XVI 451, XIX 604, XXI 358). When Penelope asks Athena for Odysseus (IV 762-767), the goddess sends the ghost of Iftima to her to reassure her (IV 796-838). Athena inspires Penelope with a desire to appear to the suitors (XVIII 158), puts Penelope to sleep for a while and bestows beauty on her (XVIII 188-196).
Athena inspires Penelope with the idea of ​​organizing a contest (XXI 1).
Avga was a priestess of Athena Alea from Tegea, who was seduced by Hercules, and she threw the child in the sacred area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe temple of Athena (or hid it in the temple), because of this, either the earth ceased to bear fruit, or a plague began, and the oracles announced that the wicked were contained in the temple .
When the father decides to expel Avga, she turns to Athena for help, and the goddess remembers Hercules. By the care of Athena, the box with Avga and Telephos was transferred across the sea.

Athena and ships

Already in Homer, Athena acts as the patroness of shipbuilding and navigation. In one of the author's comparisons, the nameless ship's architect is called a pupil of Athena. Homer also notes that earlier Athena patronized the architect Ferekl, who built a ship for Paris (according to Kolluf, the goddess did not approve of his work).
According to the instructions of Athena, the architect Arg from Thespius created the ship Argo. Apollonius calls this ship the creation of Athena of Eton. On the nose, Athena strengthened a piece of the Dodona oak trunk, which could divinate. After the completion of the voyage, the ship Argo was placed at the behest of Athena in the sky.
Danai, on the advice of Athena, built a 50-oared ship with two bows, on which he fled with his daughters.
Athena sends a fair wind to Telemachus, Theseus, the Achaeans returning from Lemnos. The image of the face of Pallas was on the Athenian ships

Athena the Artisan

The art of work is noted by Homer, calling her the mentor of a metal craftsman. Daedalus learned his art from Athena. The poet Alexander of Aetolia claims that the statue of Aphrodite is the work of Athena herself.
Hesiod points to her connection with artisan carpenters. Athena polished Peleus' spear. She helps the potters. Solon calls the craftsman knowing "the work of Athena." Epigrams speak of the dedication to Athena of the tools of the craft of a carpenter and the tools of a farmer.
Athena teaches the arts to the daughters of Pandareus, and she also teaches crafts to Eurynome, the daughter of Nysa, and probably the daughters of Leucon, as well as the girls in general to crafts.
It is also said that she, along with Hephaestus, taught people crafts, and she and Hephaestus, in turn, were taught by the Cyclopes.
In later texts, Athena is considered the inventor of the crafts and arts for which she is revered.
Arat notes that to make the simplest celestial globe, you need "the craft of Athena."

Athena the weaver

Homer mentions that Athena made her own and Hera's clothes herself and taught the Theakian women the art of weaving. Hesiod says that Athena made a dress for Pandora. Apollonius of Rhodes describes in detail the images on the cloak that Athena Itonides presented to Jason, without mentioning whether the goddess herself wove it.
According to Corinna, Athena taught Metioche and Menippe, the daughters of Orion, how to weave. In Ovid, the weavers of the Miniades are "detained by Pallas" and her labor, not wanting to worship Dionysus. Seneca mentions the "Palladina work" of the maids who made the clothes of Hercules, as well as Phaedra, who abandoned the "craft of Pallas".
Athena patronizes the art of weaving, but Plato emphasizes that her mentor in this art is Eros. An ancient statue of Athena in Erythrai depicted her with a spinning wheel in each hand.
The spinning wheel is a gift from Athena. The loom is called the occupation of Athena, and the weavers are called servants of the "cause of Athena." A popular plot of epigrams is the dedication to Athena of weaving tools; dedication of weavers to the temple of Athena the Spinner. Propertius mentions the "Euripilian fabric of Kos Athena".
The poetess Moiro from Byzantium (3rd century BC) recounted the legend of how a certain Alcinoe from Corinth hired the weaver Nikandra, but did not pay her for the work, she prayed to Athena, and Alcinoe fell in love with the Samian Xanthus, left her family, after which threw herself into the sea
Marcianus Capella interprets the story of Hesiod, explaining that Athena-Tritonia endowed the Soul with clothes, that is, with a body. The philosopher Proclus notes that “one of the demons from the genus Athena turns out to be the patroness of the weaving industry, and Athena herself is sung as the one who weaves the arrangement of intelligent species in some other, demiurgical sense”

Athena the Healer

It was said that Asclepius received from Athena the blood of the Gorgon, with the help of which he resurrected the dead. According to Euripides, Athena gave Erichthonius at birth two drops of the blood of the Gorgon, which he in a golden ring gave to Erechtheus, and the last to Creusa (one drop is healing, the other is poisonous).
Athena appeared in a dream to Pericles and indicated the grass to heal his slave, who had fallen from the roof of the acropolis under construction, the Propylaea, the grass was called Parthenius, and Pericles erected a statue of Athena Hygieia. The base of the statue of Athena Hygieia by the sculptor Pyrrhus was found on the acropolis. The altar of Athena Hygieia was in the deme of Acharna.
Alexander the Great, having recovered, arranged competitions in honor of Asclepius and Athena. The goddess Hygieia was called the daughter of Asclepius and Athena Hygieia. Athena, who looked like a statue of Phidias, appeared to the sick orator Aelius Aristides in a dream and led him to make an enema from Attic honey, after which he recovered.

In Rome, Athena was identified with Minerva. Roman festivities of Minerva are devoted to two large passages from Ovid's "Fast" (III 809-850; VI 647-710). Throughout antiquity, Athena remains evidence of the organizing and guiding power of the mind, which streamlines cosmic and social life, glorifying the strict foundations of a state based on democratic legislation.

Original entry and comments on

One of the central places in ancient Greek mythology is assigned to Pallas Athena. Athena is the goddess of wisdom, the goddess of just war and victory, one of the most revered goddesses of Greece. Athena is the daughter of Zeus, the most powerful god in all of Olympus, the god of the sky, thunder and lightning. Zeus obeys the rest of the Greek gods, he has power over people, establishes social order, distributes good and evil on earth. But it is fair to say that his beloved daughter is not inferior to him not in strength, not in wisdom. Many legends describe that Athena sits on a throne next to Zeus. Athena's mother is the wise oceanid Metis, the first wife of Zeus.
Athena is credited with the invention of the flute, chariot, ship. Among her merits are the development of laws and the establishment of the Supreme Court in Athens. She is the epitome of wisdom and justice. Athena gives wisdom and knowledge, teaches people arts and crafts, helps needlewomen, weavers, potters. With the growth of Greek culture, the wise warrior also becomes the patroness of science.
The daughter of Zeus - the goddess of wisdom - was an object of worship throughout ancient Greece, she was sung by poets, sculptors and artists admired her. In numerous works of sculptors, artists and poets, the daughter of Zeus appears before us in full combat armor: she is wearing sparkling military armor, a shiny helmet, in her hands the goddess holds a spear and a shield. But with all her fighting appearance, she is distinguished by extraordinary beauty. She has gray-blue eyes, blond hair, a divine figure and a majestic posture.
Athena patronizes the heroes of Greece, gives them wise advice and helps out in times of danger. So, the goddess of wisdom assists Perseus in the massacre of Medusa-Gorgon, who with her one glance turned all living things into stone. Athena provided Perseus with a copper shield, shining like a mirror, into which he looked, so as not to meet the eyes of Medusa the Gorgon. And thanks to this, he was able to cut off her head. One of Athena's favorites is Odysseus. His goddess accompanies him for many years of wandering, and eventually contributes to his return to his native island of Ithaca. Upon returning to her homeland, the goddess turns Odysseus into a beggar old man, and thus once again saves him, giving him the opportunity to take revenge on his offenders.
Athena acts as an assistant to Hercules in the fight against the titans, with her help he brings the dog of the god Hades Kerberos out of Erebus. The daughter of Zeus supports Diomedes in military exploits. Helps Prometheus to take out the fire from the forge of Hephaestus, and Jason to return the golden fleece.
Athena is the guardian of cities, their walls and fortresses. She is the protector of such cities as Troy, Athens, Sparta, Argos. The capital city of Greece, Athens, is named after her. Every year in the city of Athens, panathenaias were held - a celebration in honor of the goddess of wisdom, accompanied by musical and sports competitions, a festive procession with torches, offering gifts and sacrifices. The following agricultural holidays were dedicated to Athena:
- holidays associated with the germination of bread - procharisteries;
- holidays of fruit ripening - callinteria;
- drought prevention holidays - skirophoria;
- holidays of the beginning of the harvest - plintery and others.
The sacred tree of the daughter of Zeus is the olive (olive), in the Greek people called the "tree of fate". Everywhere Athena's companions are an owl and a snake - symbols of wisdom.
There are quite a few legends and myths about the goddess Athena. One of the most widespread in modern literature is the myth of Athena and Arachne. Arachne is a skilled embroiderer and weaver. Too proud of her talent, she challenged Athena to a weaving contest and lost in disgrace. Unable to bear this, Arachne tried to commit suicide, but Athena prevented this. As punishment for her pride and contempt for the gods, the goddess turned her into a spider so that she would hang forever and weave forever. Translated from Greek, the word "arachne" is translated as "spider".
Repeatedly in Greek mythology, there is a description of the enmity between Athena and Ares - the god of a cruel, bloody war. But, with Athena, the goddess of victory, Nike, is nearby, and in the end, Athena always turns out to be the winner.
In honor of the goddess of wisdom, many temples and shrines were built. These are the temples in the city of Athens - Erechtheion, Parthenon, Hekatompendon, Temple of Zeus and Athena. There were sanctuaries of Athena in other places - in the cities of Argos and Delphi, on the islands of Delos and Rhodes, in Sparta. Phidias, the greatest ancient Greek sculptor and architect, erected the statues of Athena Parthenos, Athena Lemnia, Athena Promachos, Athena Areya. Unfortunately, none of these works have survived to this day. Among the paintings of ancient painting dedicated to Athena are the paintings of Cleanthes "The Birth of Athena", Antiphilus "Alexander and Philip with Athena" and Famulus "Athena".
Athena - the embodiment of wisdom and beauty - and today remains an object of admiration and a muse for many sculptors, artists and poets.