Athena is a Greek goddess of wisdom, war, and crafts, especially weaving. As she is one of the Olympian deities, she has a home on Mount Olympus with her father Zeus and the other Olympian gods. She is closely associated with the city of Athens, although she was worshiped throughout the Greek world. She is especially often associated with olive trees and weaving in myth.
In terms of literature, she appears in Homer's Iliad and Odyssey and is particularly helpful to Odysseus. Hesiod's Theogony describes Athena as the daughter of Metis and Zeus and narrates Athena's birth from Zeus's head. In Aeschylus' Eumenides, Athena is active in creating the Court of the Areopagus and converting the Furies, goddesses of vengeance, to the Eumenides, goddesses of justice. Apollodorus recounts the contest Athena wins over Poseidon to become the patron deity of Athens as well as several other stories about Athena.
Athena's invention of the aulos, a type of flute, is described in Pindar's Twelfth Pythian Ode. The story of Athena and Arachne appears in Ovid's Metamorphoses. Athena is frequently portrayed in Greek art, sculpture, and vase painting.
Athena, known in Roman mythology as Minerva, was a daughter of the god Zeus and the Ancient Greek goddess of war and wisdom. She appears in many myths in many different locations, often appearing to heroes and warriors in the midst of battle. For example, she is present in Homer's accounts of the Trojan war, appearing to give guidance to Odysseus. Her home base, however, could be said to be the city-state of Athens.
Athena herself was named after the city, as she was believed to be its protector/guardian. The most famous Greek temple, the Parthenon, which once stood in the center of the city in the Athenian acropolis, was dedicated to her worship, along with many smaller temples, like the Temple to Athena Nike.
No comments:
Post a Comment