In Greek mythology, Athena is known as the goddess of wisdom, war, and crafts. She is depicted in paintings and statues as a pale woman with a full round face and a strong chin with a high nose. Her eyes are deeply set, and while her mouth is portrayed as being narrow, her lips are usually full and unsmiling. Although sometimes she is seen clad in armor, she is also shown wearing a long flowing chiton dress.
To be able to fully understand the many myths and legends that surround her, it is best to first know the origins of Athena. Metis was one of the titans, and Zeus’s first wife. According to a prophecy, she would bear two children, a daughter and a son. It was said that the son Metis was destined to have would be so powerful he would overthrow Zeus, so naturally, Zeus felt threatened. He tricked Metis into turning into a fly, and once she was small and unaware, Zeus swallowed her. Little did he know, Metis was already pregnant with
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There is a greek myth surrounding the city with her namesake. The tale goes, Athena and Poseidon competed for the city. Poseidon went first, and with his mighty trident, struck the Earth and where the spears touched the ground, a spring burst out. The product was the sea that is now known as Erektheis. People were in awe but as they neared the body of water to taste it, they were turned away by the salty taste. Next was Athena’s turn. She chose to be more practical and planted an olive tree, which proved to be more useful by providing multiple resources to the city, thus, they named the city of Athens after her. The olive tree also became a symbol of wisdom, after Athena. “It was she who stated that compassion was the best part of wisdom. The other gods didn’t know what she meant by this. But some men understood and were grateful. All in all, she was perhaps the best-loved god in the Pantheon. The people of Athens named their beautiful city after her.” (Evslin