If this is a return visit, please reload to see latest additions. Guarding the Shrines Athene Athene, thought by the Greeks to be born of the head of Zeus. When a raging headache split his skull--literally--out She popped fully armed in battle regalia. According to Edith Hamilton, Athene was, henceforth, Zeus' favorite child, and it was from Zeus that She gained her armor, the aegis and sword with which She is so familiar. She took, as Her beloved home, the city of Athens and ever kept it rich with blessings, and safe at any time of war. And yet, according to Euripidies, in his play Women of Troy, while She had a strong hand in the destruction of Troy, She turned, finally against the Greeks, scattering its fleet to the winds, for their slight, when Aias' taking of Cassandra from Athene's Temple. And it is said that even the Celtic Tribes of mainland Europe had a special place for Her, as Minerva, in their pantheon. But this might just be, as Ramon L. Jiménez says Caesar may be "merely substituting names of Roman Gods for those of the Celts." She was, then a formidible goddess. But too, in later poetry (for instance, the Roman poet Ovid--or at least, his later editors), she began to be seen as the patroness of wisdom, and the arts. (I personally tend to see her this way.) Her symbols are the owl, the aegis, the bridle, the thunderbolt, and the olive tree. She is also known as Pallas Athene (or Pallas Athena) having taken the name of a friend she accidentally killed whilst they were sparing. Also called the Gray-Eyed One, and Protectoress of the City (of Athens, Greece, of course); She is also known as Minerva, to the Romans, and Minerva's attributes are similar to Athene's. We have the Homeric Hymn to Athene housed on another page within our site. Use your back button if you wish to return to this little shrine. Bibliography Edith Hamilton, Mythology Euripides, The Women of Troy, from The Baccahe and other Plays, Translated by Phillip Vellacott; Penguin Classics, 1973. Ramon L. Jiménze, Caesar Against the Celts, Sarpedon, Combined Publishing, PA., 1996 Athene/Athena Links The Shrine of the Goddess Athena Athena, goddess of wisdom Athena, Goddess of Wisdom This is a different site than the one above Athena: Greek Goddess of Wisdom, Poetry, and the Arts All contents on this site are ©2000-2012 Sets ©2005 & ever after by/to webmistress and made exclusively for J's Writing Spot and her partner sites. Please do not snag. Updated September 8, 2010 Art above Minerva Tames the Centaur Sandro Botticelli. 1482-1483