| Athena Pronunciation: a-thee'-na Roman Name: Minerva Goddess of Battle, Wisdom, and Crafts Special Weapon(s): Zeus's Aegris & Thunderbolt; Spear Place of Associaiton: Athens Animal: Owl Tree: Olive Tree Daughter of: Zeus; Zeus' first wife was the Titaness Metis, a daughter of Oceanus & Tethys. When Metis was pregnant with Athena, Gaea prophised to Zeus that his wife would bear a child greater than he. In fear of this Zeus swollowed his wife. Time passed after the event took place and soon Zeus began to have a terrible migrane. He then commanded the Titan *Prometheus* to split his skull. In doing this Athena was born fully grown and full armed. |
| *- Some say it t'was Hephaetus not Prometheus that spilt the skull of Zeus; But Metis was the first wife of Zeus. Insince Zeus had no chlildren before his marriage so Hephaetus was not even born. |
| Their are many myths among Athena, not only of her birth. At the battle of Troy, Pallas Athena desended from Olympus and strode down between the two armies, only to inspire the Trojan Pandaros to a supreme act of cowardice. Pandaros, agianst all oaths, loosed the arrow that broke the fragile peace. The arrow injured Menelaos and the bloody war was resumed to the delight and horror of the Olympians. To avenge Aphrodites' meddling in the war, Athena gave Diomedes the ability to see the immortals on the battlefield and advised him to avoid them, but she suggested that if he sees Aphrodite, to attack her. Diomedes obeyed, and Aphrodite was the first immortal to be wounded on that bloody day. |
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| Athena- As a warruir giddess, Athena was depicted in long, flowing robes, wearing a helmet and holding a spear in one hand and a winged victory in the other. She was a redoubtable fighter and took an active part in the war agianst the Giants and in the Trojan War. Unlike Ares, who rashly bellicose and sometimes cowardly in battle, Athena had a cool, prudent courage that aided her in various undertakings. A protectress of heroes, she assisted Perseus, Heracles, Bellerophon, Achilles, and Odysseus in their various exploits. Nonetheless, Athena never felt the pangs of love and she remained a virgin. Once Hephaestus tried to violate her, but Athena managed to defend herself and Hephaestus spilled his seed on the ground, which gave birth to Erichthonius. Athena took care of this infant, and eventually her became king of Athens and made Athena the cheif deity of the city. Another time Teiresias accidentally found Athena bathing, so she blinded him. But at his mother's pleading she gave him the gift of prophecy to compensate for blindness. |