Athena

ATHENE (ATHENA) In Greek mythology,daughter of ZEUS and METIS. One of the most important OLYMPIAN GODS. Identified as MINERVA by the Romans.Athene was a deity of many different functions and attributes. On the one hand, she was a goddess of war, the female counterpart of ARES. However, she was also associated with peace and compassion; she was a patron of the arts and crafts, especially spinning and weaving ; a patron of cities,  notably ATHENS, which was named after her; and a goddess of wisdom. The cult of Athene went back to the Cretan civilization, which predated that of classical GREECE by about 1,500 years. In CRETE and MYCENAE she was an earth goddess. However, the Athenians firmly claimed her as their own, and dedicated the Parthenon, the temple on the Acropolis in Athens, to her. Athens acknowledged Athene as the ancestor of their first king, ERICHTHONIUS. Athene appears in innumerable myths, but none better displays her unique intellectual qualities than her role in the ODYSSEY as the constant friend and adviser of the clever and imaginative ODYSSEUS. She also offered help to other heroes, such as JASON and DIOMEDES . Other myths associated with Athene include those of BELLEROPHON; PERSEUS and the MEDUSA; ARGUS and the ship ARGO; CADMUS and the dragon’s teeth; and heroes HERACLES, DIOMEDES , and Tydeus.

References

Greek and Roman Mythology A to Z, Revised Edition

by Kathleen N. Daly