Athena

Also known as: Athene / Pallas Athene / bright-eyed Athena / bright-eyed Athene · Family: Olympians · Role: goddess · First appears: The Catalogues of Women and Eoiae · Fragments 1–20

In the account of her birth, Zeus bore Athena from his head, and she sprang forth in warlike arms; Hera was angry with Zeus when he gave birth to her. Athena later stripped the heavenly armour from her shoulders. The Shield of Heracles names her as Zeus’s daughter, and when Ares attacked Heracles, she deflected his spear. She also taught Eurynome her art, wit and wisdom.

Athena is said to save people as they go out to war and return. With Hephaestus, she taught men crafts, through which they could live peacefully in their houses. In The Battle of Frogs and Mice, Zeus asked her to aid the Mice, but she refused; she proposed that the gods watch the fight instead, and they agreed.

Relationship record

Life events

• Athene deflected Ares’s spear as he attacked Heracles.(The Shield of Heracles · Part 3)
  • With: Heracles Ares
  • “But bright-eyed Athene reached out from the car and turned aside the force of the spear.”
• Hera becomes angry when Zeus gives birth to Athena without her.(Homeric Hymn III · To Pythian Apollo · Part 1)
  • With: Hera Zeus
  • “Once on a time Hera bare him because she was angry with father Zeus, when the Son of Cronos bare all-glorious Athena in his head.”
• Pallas Athene saves the people as they go out to war and come back.(Homeric Hymn XI · To Athena)
  • “It is she who saves the people as they go out to war and come back.”
• Hephaestus and Athene taught men crafts, enabling them to live peacefully in their own houses.(Homeric Hymn XX · To Hephaestus)
  • With: Hephaestus men
  • “With bright-eyed Athene he taught men glorious gifts throughout the world,—men who before used to dwell in caves in the mountains like wild beasts. But now that they have learned crafts through Hephaestus the famed worker, easily they live a peaceful life in their own houses the whole year round.”
• Zeus bore Athena from his head, and she sprang forth arrayed in warlike arms.(Homeric Hymn XXVIII · To Athena)
  • With: Zeus
  • “From his awful head wise Zeus himself bare her arrayed in warlike arms of flashing gold, and awe seized all the gods as they gazed. But Athena sprang quickly from the immortal head”
• Athena stripped the heavenly armour from her immortal shoulders.(Homeric Hymn XXVIII · To Athena)
  • “until the maiden Pallas Athene had stripped the heavenly armour from her immortal shoulders”
• Zeus asked Athena to aid the Mice, but she refused.(The Battle of Frogs and Mice · Part 2 · 📍 starry heaven)
  • With: Zeus
  • “‘My daughter, will you go aid the Mice? For they all frolic about your temple continually, delighting in the fat of sacrifice and in all kinds of food.’ So then said the son of Cronos. But Athena answered him: ‘I would never go to help the Mice when they are hard pressed”
• The gods agreed to Athena’s proposal to watch the fight rather than help either side.(The Battle of Frogs and Mice · Part 2 · 📍 heaven)
  • With: Zeus
  • “Let us rather all amuse ourselves watching the fight from heaven.’ So said Athena. And the other gods agreed with her, and all went in a body to one place.”

The Catalogues of Women and Eoiae · Fragments 1–20

• pupil: Eurynome “....Eurynome the daughter of Nisus, Pandion’s son, to whom Pallas Athene taught all her art, both wit and wisdom too; for she was as wise as the gods.”

The Shield of Heracles · Part 3

• parent: Zeus “Athene the daughter of aegis-bearing Zeus”

Homeric Hymn III · To Pythian Apollo · Part 1

• parent: Zeus “See now, apart from me he has given birth to bright-eyed Athena who is foremost among all the blessed gods.”

Homeric Hymn V · To Aphrodite · Part 1

• parent: Zeus “First is the daughter of Zeus who holds the aegis, bright-eyed Athene;”

Homeric Hymn XX · To Hephaestus

• with Hephaestus (They are jointly described as teaching crafts to men.) “With bright-eyed Athene he taught men glorious gifts throughout the world,—men who before used to dwell in caves in the mountains like wild beasts.”

Homeric Hymn XXVIII · To Athena

• parent: Zeus “And so hail to you, daughter of Zeus who holds the aegis!”

The Battle of Frogs and Mice · Part 2

• parent: Zeus “And he said to Athena; ‘My daughter, will you go aid the Mice?”

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Extracted from the original text of Hesiod and Homerica. Made with Rho MD.