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Questions tagged [athena]

For questions on Athena, the goddess of wisdom in Greek mythology.

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What is the source of the idea that Medusa was a priestess of Athena?

Medusa is a monster in Greek mythology known for being associated in some way with the gods Poseidon and Athena. By Poseidon she conceived a pair of twin sons, namely the winged horse Pegasus and some ...
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What bird species is associated with Pallas Athēnē?

The english Wikipedia article about the bird Athene noctua (called little owl in English) claims, without references, that in Greek mythology, the godess Pallas Athēnē was associated with that bird. ...
b_jonas's user avatar
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What is special about children of Athena?

Taking an example from Rick Riordan's Greek Mythology series, Annabeth herself complained for not being able to do anything as a daughter of Athena. All other children, even minor gods seem to have ...
Harry Iguana's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
517 views

Why was the Greek deity of warfare and wisdom (Athena) female, and how did the Greeks rationalize this?

While of course descending from a diverse cultural genealogy, Greek deities appear to have become consistent with what would have been familiar gender associations to the Greeks. This can especially ...
TheChymera's user avatar
4 votes
2 answers
220 views

Does the cap of Hades keep one's accessories hidden?

In Greek mythology, Hades' magic cap or helmet renders its wearer invisible. The most famous user of this piece of equipment is Hades' nephew, the hero Perseus, while on his mission to slay the Gorgon ...
Adinkra's user avatar
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2 votes
1 answer
863 views

Are there any myths that prove Athena was the favorite daughter of Zeus?

In Greek mythology, Athena is often said to be favourite child of Zeus. The only proof that I know of is him gifting her his shield (Aegis). But are there any other myths that provide proof for this ...
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What is that on Athena's chest?

In this statue there is something what looks like a face on Athena's chest. I have seen it on some other statues of Athena. What is it? Is there a myth behind it?
Lymaba's user avatar
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3 votes
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How can gods hide themselves from other god's gaze?

I know of Hades with his Helm of Darkness. I know that Athena gave a Helm of Darkness to the hero Perseus and later used it (or another) herself in the Iliad to hid from Ares. Another point in the ...
Andrew Johnson's user avatar
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1 answer
2k views

What did Odysseus and his men do to err Athena?

When Hermes arrives on Ogygia, she asks why he is visiting here: Why have you come to see me, Hermes - honored, and ever welcome - for you do not visit me often?... Retrieved, paragraph 7 Hermes ...
Andrew Johnson's user avatar
7 votes
1 answer
7k views

What was Athena's punishment for her involvement in a plot against Zeus?

When Hera, Apollo, Poseidon and Athena lead a revolt/rebellion against Zeus, they failed and were punished. Apollo and Poseidon were sent to build Troy's wall. Hera was tied upside down from the ...
Andrew Johnson's user avatar
6 votes
2 answers
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Was King Polydectes the last petrified by Medusa?

After beheading Medusa, Perseus uses her head to turn the Titan Atlas, the sea monster Cetus, and King Polydectes of Seriphos to stone. Perseus then gives the head of the Gorgon to the goddess Athena, ...
Rodia's user avatar
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Has Athena, Greek goddess of Wisdom, ever lost?

I only know of one myth in which Athena lost. I talk of Arachne, a mortal that challenged Athena to a weaving competition. In one account, Athena won. In another, it was a tie and Arachne hung herself....
Andrew Johnson's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
4k views

Why would Athena fear Poseidon?

In the end of Book VI of the Odyssey, Odysseus sends up a pray to Athena, the Greek goddess of Wisdom and Warfare. It then says Athena does not openly acknowledge him. The reason being that she feared ...
Andrew Johnson's user avatar
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1 answer
581 views

Who was the man whom Athena gave the gift of prophecy, and from whom did Athena learn it from?

I remember a myth I read once. It talked of a man who was the only mortal to be taught prophecy, or some form of it, by Athena, Greek goddess of wisdom. But I cannot recall the name of this man. Nor ...
Andrew Johnson's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
248 views

When did Zeus get the aegis?

Every version I have read has Perseus given a shield by Athena. He uses the shield to see Medusa's reflection to cut her head off. Some time later, he gave the shield and the head to Athena. Athena ...
Andrew Johnson's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
285 views

What is the nature of Athena's relationship to the Furies?

There is, of course, the famous interaction and reconciliation in Aeschylus' The Kindly Ones (part 3 of the Oresteia), but does it go deeper than that?
DukeZhou's user avatar
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Why is Athena "gray eyed"?

Obviously because her eyes are that color, but I suspect there are deeper, symbolic reasons for that particular color and description. This is in regard to the epithet γλαυκῶπις, in the lexicon ...
DukeZhou's user avatar
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8 votes
3 answers
910 views

If Athena was born from Zeus' brain, does this mean Athena is a manifestation of Zeus' intelligence?

I have heard that Athena was born out of thoughts, sprang from Zeus' head. In that case, does this mean Athena is a manifestation of Zeus' intelligence?
Pritt Balagopal's user avatar
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1 answer
2k views

Why did Athena breathe life into the man Prometheus created?

I have seen many books and papers reference Athena breathing life into the man Prometheus molded out of clay, but I couldn't find any primary sources of this happening, and I couldn't find any good ...
user1432233's user avatar
16 votes
2 answers
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How many gods were there in olympus?

Ares and Athena are both gods of war. About Athena: Athena is the goddess of wisdom, courage, inspiration, civilization, law and justice, mathematics, strength, war strategy, the arts, crafts, and ...
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15 votes
1 answer
12k views

Why is Athena often referred to as Pallas when it comes to her warrior side?

Why is Athena often referred to as Pallas when it comes to her warrior side? In one myth, it is said that Pallas was her father and another that Pallas was a friend she sparred with and accidentally ...
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15 votes
3 answers
9k views

What happened to Metis after the birth of Athena?

Zeus swallowed Metis to prevent the prophecy of her future son overthrowing him from being fulfilled, but she was already pregnant, and later her daughter Athena sprang from Zeus' head. What happened ...
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2 answers
6k views

How did Athena keep from being turned into stone by her shield?

After Perseus killed Medusa, he gifted her head to Athena, who mounted it on a shield and used it in battle to turn her enemies into stone. How did she keep herself from being turned into stone by ...
Mr. Bultitude's user avatar
24 votes
1 answer
479 views

Why is Athena considered the goddess of both fighting and craft skills?

In all the Olympic Pantheon, Athena was revered as goddess of many things: she is a warrior, representing the "noble" part of war, but she is also the goddess of "feminine arts", like weaving. How ...
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