Athena

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Athena, also referred to as Athene, is a very important goddess of many things. She is goddess of wisdom, courage, inspiration, civilization, law and justice, strategic warfare, mathematics, strength, strategy, the arts, crafts, and skill.

She is known most specifically for her strategic skill in warfare and is often portrayed as companion of heroes and is the patron goddess of heroic endeavour.

Athena was born from ZEUS after he experienced an enormous headache and she sprang fully grown and in armour from his forehead. She has no mother but one of the most commonly cited stories is that Zeus lay with Metis, the goddess of crafty thought and wisdom, and then swallowed her whole as he feared she will give birth to a child more powerful than him because of a prophecy – but she had already conceived.

Facts about Athena

Athena was the Goddess of War, the female counterpart of ARES.
She was the daughter of Zeus; no mother bore her. She sprang from Zeus's head, full-grown and clothed in armor.
She was Zeus's favorite child.

According to some sources, Athena was praised for her compassion and generosity.
Athena was a patron of the arts and crafts, especially when it came to spinning and weaving.
In later poetry, Athena embodied wisdom and rational thought.
Athena served as a guardian of Athens, where the Parthenon served as her temple.
Zeus trusted her to wield the aegis and his thunderbolt.
Her most important festival was the Panathenaea, which was celebrated annually at Athens.
She is referred to in poetry as "gray-eyed."

Symbols:    Owls, Olive trees, Snakes, Aegis, Armor, Helmets, Spears, Gorgoneion

Siblings:    Artemis, Aphrodite, the Muses, the Graces, Ares, Apollo, Dionysus, Hebe, Hermes, Heracles, Helen of Troy, Hephaestus, Minos, Perseus, Porus

Parents:    Metis and Zeus

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