The Greek Goddess Athena
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The Greek goddess Athena is usually portrayed as one of the strongest gods in Olympia. As Greek civilization shapes gods that represent their desired identity, representing the god of war and the immortal spirit of wisdom, Athena is the goddess of the balance between intelligence and power. Through Athenas existence, she embodies victory and judgment, while her influences on other gods and mortals demonstrate the power of intellect and civilization. By fusing characteristics of multiple gods to one body, Athena embodies the characteristics of Greek civilization, which are wisdom, power and justice.
In most depictions of Athenas birth, she was given birth from Zeuss holy head, “arrayed in her armor of war, all-gleaming in gold, and every one of the immortals was gripped with awe as they watched” (Graves 157). In birth she is a symbol of the threatening force of authority and violence. Because Athenas power and potential, an oracle of Gaea (the goddess of the earth) warned Zeus of “this would be a girl-child and that, if Metis conceived again, she would bear a son who was fated to depose Zeus, just as Zeus had deposed Cronus, and Cronus had deposed Uranus” (Graves 46). Metis was a clever goddess and was even known to be wisdom herself. Though Metis tried to avoid Zeus, Zeus transformed Metis and consumed her. When Promethius split Zeuss head open, it was the birth of Athena and Metiss eternal wisdom. But the birth from Zeuss head also represents that Athena has the wisdom equivalent to Zeuss and that she is not directly the next generation fated to depose Zeus as Gaeas prophecy and Zeus remains in supreme command of Mount Olympus.
Metis was the Greek goddess of wisdom and the first wife of Zeus. Athena inherited the qualities of Metis and her manner of birth became the symbol of intellect and insight. Her reflective nature gives her strategies and knowledge to offer those she guides. “Those she helped included Perseus, Jason, Cadmus, Odysseus and Heracles. She even personally went up to Mount Pelion to cut down the trees to build the Argonauts boat, called the Argo” (Pontikis). As Athena helps these individuals, the intelligence that Athena inherited from her mother is reflected as they successfully overcome their obsticles.
Athena is different from the other gods because she is a female figure goddess with manly characteristics. As in an ideal society, a society has to have both men and women to build a strong civilization. With the identity of a “virgin goddess”, Athena shows the desire of a civilization to be “untouched”, elegant and perfection. Through the characteristics of both genders, she earns her respect and honor among other gods and mortals. As wars were fought by men, Athena resembles the god of war and justice as she prefers to see most from a manly point of view. We can see her judgment as she “acquitted Orestes, for she deemed Clytaemnestras crime, killing her husband, to be greater than that of Orestes, killing his mother Clytaemnestra in order to avenge his father Agamemnon” (Parada). As a brave warrior, she will accept any challenges, uses her strategies from her mother (Metis) against any who dares the challenge, and often she is the victorious one.
Apart from the male characteristic that favors the power of Greek civilization, Athena also has female characteristics that express the balance of both genders. Athenas motherly qualities also increase her support from others. From the temples, she has generosity towards humanity resembling the strong motherly figure. Although she is a virgin goddess, Athena uses this towards her warrior character and does not become emotionally or personally attached. Her personality is twofold, and reveals a sensitive, feminine character. In her artistic crafts and “all womens arts, such as cooking, weaving, and spinning” (M.P.O.Morford & R.J.Lenardon 96) are symbols of her feminine abilities. Athena is a figure mixed with virtue and compassion. But she also carries a motherly characteristic that shows in the story of the goddess and Hephaestus.
Athenas feminism is further embodied in her ability, willing to care fro her child and citizens; Athena was chased by many gods, especially Hephaestus, who fell madly in love with her. Through Poseidon, Hephaestus became a victim of Poseidons malicious joke, as he [Hephaestus] “ejaculateded against her [Athena] thigh, a little above the knee.” (Graves 97) Athena wiped herself with a handful of wool and this fell to the ground and accidentally fertilized Mother Earth. Erichthonius was born and Athena took on the role of a foster mother as Mother Earth “declared that she would accept no responsibility for its upbringing.” (Graves 97) After she put him in a basket and she gave it to the three daughters of Cecrops, their father, the King of Athens, eventually handed over his powers to Erichthonius. Athena watched over Erichthonius and raised him as her own son in Athens. Her motherly qualities are the strongest in her care of this son.
Even in her felinity, Athena is identified one of the most powerful figures in Greek Mythology. As Athena has no fear of the Titans and her strategies against her enemies, Athena earns the honor of becoming one of the top goddesses in Olympian history. As “she is the favorite daughter of Zeus; and thats why he let her use his insignia: the terrible shield, the aegis and his devastating weapon, the ray” (George). As Athena holds the insignia of Zeus, she represents the power of divine judgment of Zeus, providing protection with the shield and victory of the spear. Through the characteristics of these items from Zeus, Athena represents the power of justice and order.
Not only are others influenced by Athenas power, but they seek her wisdom. Through the aid of Athena, the desired wisdom that Athena embodies is shown. Some of the mortals Athena chooses to aid are Odysseus, Athens and Telemachus. Where Odysseus tried return to Ithaca after his long journey in the Odyssey and Telemachus on his journey for kleos. As most myths, people describe Athena as “gray-eyed” or “flashing-eyed” and she appears in front of Telemachus to set him on a journey to seek his father and earn kleos as all Greek heroes. Without meeting Athena, Telemachus might be just another character and not a Greek hero. Through Odysseus, Athena was also the intellectual behind the Trojan horse in the Odyssey. The horse is an example of Athenas cleverness that saved Athens and led to their victory in the war. During the war, Athena had the Greeks build the horse that she would send to the Trojans. The Trojans believed that they were victorious as they believed the Greeks have abandoned the war and the