by Chrystina Trulove-Reyes

Created on: November 20, 2008   Last Updated: January 12, 2010

Athena, also known as Athene, Pallas Athenae, and Minerva, is one of the principle goddesses of the Greek pantheon. She is the goddess of war, wisdom, ship-building, domestic crafts and the patron defender of many cities. Her symbols include the olive tree, the aegis (the skin of a sacrificial goat), and the owl, which also symbolizes wisdom. Athena is often depicted as a tall, majestic woman with calm features and a gray eyed gaze. Traditionally, she was referred to as the gray-eyed goddess.' Even though Athena may have become a well respected goddess over time, but she didn't start out that way.

Her parents were Zeus and his own mother, Metis, who was also one of his earliest wives. At first, Metis would transform in an effort to hide from the god, but all of her attempts failed. After she got pregnant, Gaia told Zeus that if Metis gave birth to a girl, she would later give birth to a son who would dethrone him. For fear of his status, Zeus turned on his wife and ate her when she was close to term.

After eating his wife, Zeus began to experience headaches and finally he beseeched Hephaestus to split his head open. The god of the forge did as he was bid and Athena stepped from the cavity of Zeus's head in clad in an aegis and holding a spear. The myth states that as she erupted from his head, Athena gave a war-cry that was like no other, reverberating in both heaven and on earth.

Later, Athena played an important role in the battle against the giants by defeating Pallas and Encelades. After she had chased Encelades about the entire island, she flayed a piece of skin off of him and fashioned herself a breastplate from it.

Many heroes gained her support and assistance as well. In the Odyssey, she, in various guises, helped Odysseus on his quests. She aided Diomedes, Odysseus, Achilles and Menelaus in the Trojan war. Hercules also gained her protection and she armed him as he was readying to embark upon the Twelve Labors. Perseus was sent to destroy the Medusa and due to Athena's aid, brought back the creature's head as a gift. Some reports say that Athena had the head grafted onto the shield, while others differ, believing that she had the head attached to her breastplate. It was said that Medusa's gaze could turn any living thing to stone.

Athena was thought of as the Goddess of Reason, with an active interest in the affairs of men. Possibly the most significant aid that Athena gave was to a man named Orestes. She offered him protection and then arranged a

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