Athena

Haley Pritchett P.6

Mrs. Zimmerman
March 26, 2015

Goddess Athena was the mythological goddess of wisdom, but also the poetic symbol of
reason and purity. (Greek Myths and Greek Mythology) Athena, the goddess who was born
from the royal skull of Zeus, was reasonable and pure unlike some of the other Greek Gods who
roamed around during her time. Athena always wanted to solve a problem without violence, but
knew when to take violent actions if necessary.
Athena was praised among the good, and feared among the bad. She was very selfsufficient, very nice and sincere to the good, and very destructive to the bad. In mythology,
Athena was often a protector, and looked out for many important characters. In the Odyssey,
Athena supported Odyssey by giving him encouraging words, and helping him defeat the suitors
in battle. Also, Athena assisted Hercules in achieving his impossible tasks; and helped Perseus
kill Medusa.

(Greek Myths and Greek Mythology)

Athena had an unusual birth compared to most gods. Athena was born motherless, and
came from the skull of Zeus. When she came, she was dressed in armor as if she was prepared
for battle, and was already a grown adult. Zeus loved Athena, and she earned the spot as his
favorite daughter. (George)

Athena was the goddess of wisdom in a patriarchal society where women were not more
than sexual servants. (Greek Myths and Greek Mythology) What this statement means, is that
while the other women in her time were not looked at anything other than their sexual capability,
while Athena, one of the only two goddess to remain a virgin, was admired for her brains; not her
body.
Athena is known as the owl, a bird also associated with wisdom and intelligence. The
beautiful goddess was also responsible for the naming of Athens, Greece. Therefore her home
has always been in Athens; but she is still admired all throughout Greece. (Greek Myths and
Greek Mythology)
Goddess Athena was the mythical goddess of wisdom, but also the poetic symbol of
reason and purity. (Greek Myths and Greek Mythology) Athena helped many of the characters
in mythology, showcasing her love to help others. Athena also gave the people a new way to
look at women, as she was independent and intelligent. Without the intelligence and bravery
Athena carried, Greek mythology would have never been the same.

Works Cited
George, Roy. The Shrine of the Goddess Athena. The Shrine of the Goddess Athena 19982012. The Shrine of the Goddess Athena. Web. 1998-2012. <www.goddess-athena.org>
Goddess Athena. Greek Myths & Greek Mythology 2015. Greek Myths & Greek Mythology.
Web. 2015. <www.greekmyhs-greekmythology.com/goddess-Athena>