Greek Mythology and Athena Essay Example for Free

Greek Mythology and Athena Essay On the highest point of Mt. Olympus lived one of the best g o d e s e s , A t h e n a . A t h e n a w a s k n o w n a s a g o d e s o f w a r, w I s d o m a n d a r t s . S h e I s p o r t r a y e d a s t r o n g , f an I r a n d m e r c I f u l . S h e h e l p e d m a n y w a r I o r s o n t h e I r j o u r n e y s . S h e w a s g r e a t l y a d m I r e d b y h u m a n s f o r h e r c o n t r I b u t I o n s t o m a n . A t h e n a w a s a l s o v e r y I n t e l I g e n t a n d t h o u g h t f u l ; s h e r a r e l y l o s t h e r t e m p e râ a n d p u s h e d f o r a s o l u t I o n t h a t w a s b e n e f I c I a l . A s y o u r e a d o n y o u w I l f I n d t h a t A t h e n a w a s a g r e a t a s e t o t h e O l y m p I a n s a n d h a d f a r m o r e p o s I t I v e a t r I b u t e s t h a n o t h e r g o d e s e s . The introduction of Athena was in excess of a bizarre one. Her m o t h e r w a s M e t I s a n d h e r f a t h e r Z e u s . Z e u s r e I g n e d o v e r a l t h e divine beings and goddesses of Mt. Olympus. It is no big surprise that a divine being this ground-breaking and prevailing would require no lady to tolerate hisâ o f s p r I n g . Z e u s w a s t o l d b y h I s m o t h e r a n d F a t h e r t h a t M e t I s w o u l d b a r e c h I l d r e n . Z e u s w a s n o t h a p y a b o u t h I s ; h e f e l t I t w o u l d j e o p a r d I z e h I s p o s I t I o n a s r u l e r. W h e n M e t I s w a s a b o u t o g I v e b I r t h , Z e u s w a l o w e d h e r a n d I n t h e p r o c e s g an I n e d h e r I n t e l I g e n c e a n d w I s d o m . A t h e t I m e Z e u s t h o u g h t I t w a s a g o d I d e a b u t I t w a s n o w c a u s I n g h I m p an I n . H I s h e a d a c h e b e c a m e s o s e v e r e t h a t h e w o u l d o a n y t h I n g t o r e l I e v e I t . H e gave consent for another god to hit him in the head with a hatchet. At the point when he did this, out popped Athena full developed and w e a r I n g a s u I t o f a r m o r . A t h e n a b e c a m e h e r f a t h e r ’s f a v o r I t e . S h e r e m an I n e d h I s a l y b u t a l s o h I s p r o t e c t o r. S h e p r o m o t e d h I s I n t e r e s t s a n d s e r v e d a s h I s a d v I s o r. A t h e n an a l s o I n h e r I t e d s o m eâ i m p o r t a n t r an I t s f r o m h e r m o t h e r a s w e l ; w I s d o m a n d j u s t I c e were two of the enormous ones. A t h e n a w a s t h e g o d e s o f w I s d o m a n d w a r . S h e w a s typically portrayed holding a lance, yet she was known more for h e r o l e a s m e d I a t o r a n d I p l o m a t h a n f o r a c t u a l y f I g h t I n g I n b a t l e . H e r d e c I s I o n s w e r e h I g h l y e t h I c a l a n d s e l d o m o t I v a t e d b y h e r s e l f I n t e r e s t o r b e l I e f s . M a n y o f t h e G r e k m y t h s t e l lâ tales of her offering assistance to different divine beings, goddesses and hero’s a s t h e y w e n t I n t o b a t l e . A t h e n a h a d g I v e n P e r s e u s h I s m o s t h e l p f u l t o l t o s l a y M e d u s a , h I s h I e l d . A n y o n e w h o l o k e d t h e m o n s t e r d I r e c t l y I n t h e y e s w o u l d b e t u r n e d t o s t o n e . A f t e r h e b e h e a d e s M e d u s a h e g a v e I t o A t h e n a t o d e c o r a t e h e r a r m o u r. A l s o n t h e v o y a g e b a c k f r o m t r o y s h e p r o t e c t e d U l y s e s . T h e most assistance she gave however was to Hercules. She remained by his s I d e a n d w a s a g r e a t c o m f o r t o h I m . A f t e r h I s p a s I n g s h e w e l c o m e d h I m I n t o t h e g a t e s o f M t . O l y m p u s . A t h e n a c a m e d o w n f r o M t . O l y m p u s a n d w a l k e d b e t w e n t h e t w o a r m I e s a n d m a d e b o t h s I d e s w e a r t o k e p e a c e , s h e d I d t h I s t o p r e v e n t h e T r o j a n Wa r . U n f o r t u n a t e l y o n e o f t h e s o l d I e r s w e n t a g an I n s t h I s o a t h a n d l e t l o s e h I s a r o w ; t h I s w a s t h e b e g I n I n g o f t h e T r o j a n Wa r . A t h e n an e x p r e s e d h e r a n g e r t o w a r d t h e s o l d I e r b y helping the opposite side to triumph. In one of her most notable experiences Athena came to fruition of men, ladies and youngsters to l e a d w a n d e r I n g O d y s e u s . T h I s a l o w e d h I m t o r e t u r n h o m e s a f e l y t o h I s f a m I l y a n d c h I l d r e n . Athena is one of the three virgin goddesses, alluded to as a v I r g I n b e c a u s e s h e w a s a b l e t o r e m an I n u n s w a y e d b y A p h r o d I t e . Aphrodite is the goddess of adoration, marriage and parenthood. M o t h e r l e s h e r s e l f , A t h e n a u s u a l y p l a c e d P a t r I a r c h a l standards above protective bonds. Athena not just provided for the w a r I o r s b u t o a l h u m a n s . H e r e s p o n s I b I l I t I e s w e r e g I v I n g w I s d o m , I n v e n t I o n s , I n s p I r a t I o n s a n d p r o t e c t I n g t h e A t h e n s . O n e o f h e r g r e a t e s t g I f t s w a s h e r k n o w l e d g e o f t a m I n g h o r s e s , s h e showed the individuals of Cyrene and word before long spread. She alsoâ c r e a t e d t h e p o t e r y w h e l a n d m a d e t h e f I r s t v a s e o n I t . S h e w a s a l s o a g r e a t w e a v e r a n d l o v e d t o d e c o r a t e . S h e w a s a g o d e s o f m a n y t a l e n t s a n d a n e x p e r t a r t I s a n . N o b o d y e v e r c a m e c l o s e t o s u r p a s I n g h e r w o r k a l t h o u g h a y o u n g m o r t a l w o m a n a m e d A r a c h n e ’ s p u t h e r t o t h e t e s t . T h e c h a l e n g e w a s t o s e w h o w a s t h e b e t e r w e a v e r. A r a c h n e ’s t a p e s t r y h a d o f e n d e d h e r g r e a t l y,â i t d e p I c t e d Z e u s a s a d u l t e r o u s . A t h e n a r I p e d t h e t a p e s t r y t o s h r e d s a n d A r a c h n e v e n t u a l y h u n g h e r s e l f . O n c e A t h e n a h a d chilled from what had occurred, she changed the lady I n t o a s p I d e r o u t o f p I t y. T h e w o m a n w a s n o w a b l e t o w e a v e b e a u t I f u l s p I d e r w e b s f o r e t e r n I t y. In the past Poseidon and Athena had a battle to assume control over a c I t y I n G r e c e . To s e t l e t h e a r g u m e n t , t h e y e a c h a d t o g I v e aâ g I f t o t h e c I t y. T h e o n e w I t h t h e b e t e r g I f t w o u l d b e c o m e l e a d e r o f t h e c I t y. P o s e I d o n g a v e a s p r I n g o f w a t e r t o t h e c I t y, b e c a u s e I t w a s a l t w a t e r I t w a s o f n o u s e t o t h e p e o p l e . A t h e n a g a v e t h e c I t y a n o l I v e t r e . F r o m t h I s t r e t h e y c o u l d e a t , m a k e oil and have wood for fire. By administering of the city, Athena’s blessing w a s b e t e r t h a n P o s e I d o n s . I n h e r h o n o r t h e y n a m e d t h e c I t y A t h e n s . T h e r e I s a l s o a p a l a c e d e d I c a t e d t o h e r I n A t h e n s . H e r s y m b o l s a r e t h e o w l a n d t h e o l I v e t r e . T h e o l I v e s , t a m I n g o f t h e h o r s e a n d h e r c r e a t I o n o f t h e p o t e r y w h e l w e r e a l c o n t r I b u t I o n s t h a t w e r e g r e a t l y a d m I r e d . O t h e r w o m e n r a r e l y t o k t h r e a t o A t h e n a ; t h e m o s t n o t a b l e x c e p t I o n t h o u g h w a s h e r c h I l d h o d f r I e n d P a l a s . I n o n e o f t h e s t o r I e s P a l a s a n d A t h e n a w e r e b o t h t o m b o y s a n d I n s e p a r a b l e , t h e y p r a c t I c e d f I g h t I n g s k I l s a n d s h a r e d p l a y f u l a d v e n t u r e s . D u r I n g t a r g e t p r a c t I c e , A t h e n an a c I d e n t a l y s h o t a n d k I l e d P a l a s w I t h a b o w and bolt. So upset over the loss of her companion, Athena t o k P a l a s ’ n a m e a n d a d e d I t o h e r s . O f t e n t I m e s h e w a s r e f e r e d t o a s P a l a s A t h e n a , t h I s w a s t o h o n o r h e r f r I e n d . N o tâ o n l y d I d A t h e n a ’s d e c I s I o n s d e m o n s t r a t e w I s d o m b u t a l s o c o m p a s I o n a s w e l . I n a n o t h e r s t o r y a m a n a m e d Te I r e s I a s a c I d e n t a l y w a l k e d I n o n A t h e n a w h I l e s h e w a s b a t h I n g . T h I s w a s a n a c t h a t n o r m a l y w o u l d h a v e b e n p u n I s h e d b y d e a t h . Athena had compassion for him however; she secured his eyes with her hands making the man dazzle. She gave him the endowment of inward s I g h t. A t h e n a n o r m a l y p u t p a t r I a r c h a l p r I n c I p l e s a b o v eâ m a t r I a r c h a l b o n d s . S h e I d e n t I f I e d w I t h t h e p a t r I a r c h y a n d typically bolstered their side in a question. In the principal preliminary of h I s t o r y, A t h e n a c a s t h e f I n a l v o t e o n a c q u I t I n g O r e s t e ’ s o f m u r d e r I n g h I s m o t h e r t o a v e n g e h I s f a t h e r ’s d e a t h . S h e w a s p e r s u a d e d b y A p o l o w h o s an I d a m o t h e r ’s d e a t h w a s o f l e s I m p o r t a n c e t h a n a f a t h e r. Wo m e n s I m p l y n u r t u r e a s e d b u t m e n a c t u a l y p l a n t I t . M e n a r e v I e w e d a s h I g h e r I m p o r t a n c e t o A t h e n a . M o r e t h a n a n y o f t h e o t h e r g o d e s e s A t h e n a r e m an I n s a s y m b o l o f k n o w l e d g e , w I s d o m , l o g I c a n d c I v I l I z a t I o n . A t h e n a r e m I n d s u s t h a t w e c a n s u c e s f u l y u s e o u r I n t e l e c t a n d c r e a t I v I t y t o r e a c h a n y g o a l s . WORKS CITED: 1. ) http://www. theoi. com/Olympios/AthenaMyths. html 2. ) http://ancienthis