Post by bluefedish on Jun 4, 2007 20:51:28 GMT -5
In Greek mythology, Athena, the shrewd companion of heroes, became the goddess of wisdom, as philosophy became applied to cult in the later fifth century. She remained the patroness of weaving, crafts and the more disciplined side of war. Athena's wisdom also includes the cunning intelligence of such figures as Odysseus.
She is attended by an owl, and is often accompanied by the goddess of victory, Nike. Wearing a goatskin breastplate called the Aegis given to her by her father, Zeus, she is often shown helmeted and with a shield bearing the Gorgon Medusa's head, a votive gift of Perseus. Athena is an armed warrior goddess, and appears in Greek mythology as a helper of many heroes, including Heracles, Jason, and Odysseus. In classical myth she never had a consort or lover, and thus was often known as Athena Parthenos ("Athena the virgin"), hence her most famous temple, the Parthenon, on the Acropolis in Athens. In a remnant of archaic myth, she was the mother of Erichthonius by an attempted rape, which failed.
In her role as a protector of the city, Athena was worshiped throughout the Greek world as Athena Polias ("Athena of the city"). She had a special relationship with Athens, as is shown by the etymological connection of the names of the goddess and the city.
Below is a picture of Athena & 2 pictures of her Temple:
Selected Source:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athena
www.jpc-artworks.com/gallery/maidens/athena.html
campus.lakeforest.edu/~fisher/greeceweb/parthenonsm.jpg
www.mlahanas.de/Greeks/Cities/Paestum.html
She is attended by an owl, and is often accompanied by the goddess of victory, Nike. Wearing a goatskin breastplate called the Aegis given to her by her father, Zeus, she is often shown helmeted and with a shield bearing the Gorgon Medusa's head, a votive gift of Perseus. Athena is an armed warrior goddess, and appears in Greek mythology as a helper of many heroes, including Heracles, Jason, and Odysseus. In classical myth she never had a consort or lover, and thus was often known as Athena Parthenos ("Athena the virgin"), hence her most famous temple, the Parthenon, on the Acropolis in Athens. In a remnant of archaic myth, she was the mother of Erichthonius by an attempted rape, which failed.
In her role as a protector of the city, Athena was worshiped throughout the Greek world as Athena Polias ("Athena of the city"). She had a special relationship with Athens, as is shown by the etymological connection of the names of the goddess and the city.
Below is a picture of Athena & 2 pictures of her Temple:
Selected Source:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athena
www.jpc-artworks.com/gallery/maidens/athena.html
campus.lakeforest.edu/~fisher/greeceweb/parthenonsm.jpg
www.mlahanas.de/Greeks/Cities/Paestum.html
