Index : A : Athena

Structure Sub-topic of: Greek Myth Interesting Questions, Facts and Information There are a total of 20 general entries. Frequently Asked Questions & Answers There are 3 user-asked question matches ( goto )

Interesting Questions, Facts, and Information

Athena

Who was the man who was blinded by Athena when he saw her naked after a bath and then given (by her) the gift to foresee the future?

Athena (mc98025)


Tiresias. When Athena blinded Tiresias, she was very angry at him, but then she felt sorry for him and gave him that capability. Tiresias foresaw many great events of the Greek Mythology.



Who was Athena the daughter of?

All About Athena (iluvhocky21)


Zeus and Metis. Some people argue about this saying that she didn't have a mother or Zeus wasn't her dad. But Athena's real parents are Zeus and Metis.



Who did Athena turn into a hideous monster with a head of snakes?

All About Athena (iluvhocky21)


Medusa. One day the beutiful Medusa went to the Parthenon for the first time. She went around looking at everything and as she was about to leave she said to her friends that it was a shame that this beautiful temple was wasted on Athena and that she (Medusa) would have made a better subject. And she also said she is so much more beautiful than Athena. After Medusa said this Athena appeared and told Medusa that because she was so full of herself and her beauty she would be a reminder to others to control their pride. She then turned Medusa into a monster with a head of snakes. Her face was so hideous that anybody who should look at it would be turned to stone. Athena then sent her to live with the gorgon sisters so no one would accidentally be turned to stone.



Which were Athena's main symbols?

Athena (mc98025)


The olive tree and the owl. The olive tree stands for peace and the owl stands for wisdom.



When Athena was arguing with Arachne about who was the best weaver, they had a contest. Did Athena win the contest? (In most versions)

Athena (mc98025)


No. Arachne had been taught the art of weaving by Athena herself, but she was ungrateful and told everyone she was better than her teacher. Athena was (of course) angry, so they had the contest. Arachne's work was very fine, although the decoration on the textile insulted the gods. Since Athena couldn't find anything wrong with Arachne's textile she got even madder and tore it apart.



What was Athena's gift to Athens?

All About Athena (iluvhocky21)


Olive Tree. Athena and her uncle Poseidon were both very fond of a certain city in Greece. Both of them claimed the city and it was decided that the one that could give the finest gift should have it. Leading a group of citizens, the two gods mounted the Acropolis. Poseidon struck the side of the cliff with his trident and a spring welled up. The people marveled, but the water was as salty as Poseidon's sea and it was not very useful. Athena's gift was an olive tree, which was better because it gave the people food, oil and wood. Athena named her city Athens.



What is the symbol of Athena?

All About Athena (iluvhocky21)


The Owl. The symbol of Athena, the owl, signifies wisdom and watchfulness.



What is the main thing Athena is the goddess of?

All About Athena (iluvhocky21)


Goddess of Wisdom. Athena was actually a goddess of three things but wisdom was the main one. The other two were: Goddess of Military Victory (war with good tactics and winning strategies, not just fighting) and Goddess of Crafts.



What is Athena's Roman name?

All About Athena (iluvhocky21)


Minerva. Minerva is the Roman goddess equal to Athena.



What creature did Athena transform Arachne into?

Athena (mc98025)


spider. Arachne tried to hang herself after Athena insulted her, but the goddess stopped her, transformed her into a spider, a creature which would always weave, but never finish its work. Also a creature whose work would never be appreciated by man. In Greece we still use the word 'arachne' for the spider.



Was the Parthenon, the best known temple of Athens and Greece in general, dedicated to Athena?

Athena (mc98025)


Yes. The temple was built between 447 and 432 B.C. and was dedicated to Athena Parthenos (Athena the Virgin). It was built by the architects Ictinus and Callicrates, while the artist Phidias supervised the design of its sculpture, which he and other sculptors executed. It has 17 columns along each of its sides and 8 columns on each end. It is built with great knowledge of certain optical distortions, so that every line looks straight, although it isn't. The central part of the Parthenon was a chamber that had two rooms separated by a wall. One room housed a big ivory and gold statue of Athena. In the ancient years, there was also a big festival dedicated to the goddess, called the Panathenaea. The Lesser Panathenaea was held annually, the Greater every 4 years. At the end of the festival there was a great march from the Ceramic up to the Acropolis, during which Athenian women offered the goddess a veil they had weaved. This scene can be seen on the frieze of the Parthenon.



Was Athena born a baby?

Athena (mc98025)


No. Athena was not only born a woman, but she was also fully armed, waving her pike, which gave her the name 'Pallas' (it means the one who is waving something).



How was Athena born?

All About Athena (iluvhocky21)


She was sprung her dad's skull. Athena was the daughter of Zeus and Metis. But there was a problem, Zeus checked up on Metis and found out that if she gave birth to a son, the son would be more powerful than Zeus. So he tricked Metis and ended up swallowing her when she turned into a fly, and figured she was no longer a threat. However, Metis was pregnant with Athena and when Athena was born, this turned into quite a problem. Soon Zeus had some very painful headaches and he ran to Hephaestus and begged him to open his head. Hephaestus did as he was told, and out came Athena, full grown and ready for battle!



From what part of Zeus was Athena born?

Athena (mc98025)


head. Athena's mother was Metis, another goddess. The Fates had decided that, after Athena, Metis would give birth to a son, who would overturn his father, Zeus, from the world's throne. To prevent this from happening, Zeus swallowed(!) Metis, already pregnant with Athena. When the time of the birth came, Zeus had terrible headaches, so he asked Hephestus to tear his head apart with an axe (not a problem when you're immortal!) That's how Athena came out.



During the Trojan War, was Athena on the Greeks' side?

Athena (mc98025)


Yes. Athena always protected Greek warriors. She gave supernatural courage to Diomedes, who at some point even hurt Aphrodite and confronted Ares (both on the side of Trojans), she held Achilles back when he wanted to kill Agamemnon, but most of all she protected Odysseus. She was the one that inspired him to build the Trojan Horse and she also helped him with his adventures when he was trying to return to his home island, Ithaca.



Athena was the ruling goddess of the city of Athens. With which god did she contest to gain that title?

Athena (mc98025)


Poseidon. That is when the city took its name. Poseidon hit the earth with his trident and a saltwater spring and a horse emerged as gifts to the Athenians. His gifts meant victory on sea and land. Athena hit the earth with her pike and an olive tree emerged, small in the beginning, which soon grew up and gave flowers and olives. This gift meant the goods of peace and the Athenians appreciated it more.

• After accidenally killing her mentor, the Greek goddess Athena changes her name. This is sometimes called her poetic name. What is it? ( goto )



• What mighty Greek soldier in the Trojan War was struck mad by Athena after he became so enraged that he did not receive the armour of Achilles that he vowed to kill the Greek leaders? ( goto )



• In Greek myth this goddess was the daughter of Pallas and Styx. She is a constant companion of Athena. She presided over all contests, and representations of her in Greek sculpture portray her as a winged figure. Name this goddess. ( goto )