Athena in art and mythology. Part 3. Sculpture
Every ancient Greek work is an attempt to invoke the divine in a concrete form. Even when working on the sculpture of the winner of the Olympic Games, the sculptor cared least about portrait resemblance - he created an ideal image of a person. And working on a statue of a deity was a special mystery. The sculpture was taken to Delphi for the solemn ceremony of consecration, but before that the priests turned to the deity with the question whether this statue pleased him, whether he agreed to pour his divine power into it? And if the signs spoke of divine consent, the statue was placed in the temple.
The most famous Greek temple sculptures have not survived. We can judge their beauty and greatness only by copies and descriptions. For example, there are about two hundred copies (not counting the image on coins) of Athena Parthenos, the main statue in the Acropolis of Athens. True, not one of them can convey everything that the person who contemplated it experienced. And besides, not everyone received such an honor.
Statue of Athena (so-called “Piraeus Athena”).
Bronze. 340-330 BC e.
Height 2.35 m. Athens, Archaeological Museum of Piraeus.
The statue was discovered among others in 1959 in Piraeus, at the intersection of Georgiou and Filo-na streets in the treasure room -they are not far from the ancient harbor. The sculpture was hidden in this room from the troops of Sul-la in 86 BC. e.
The soul of the majestic artistic activity of the heyday of Hellas was Phidias (c. 488-432), a friend of Pericles, who softened both in architecture and in plastic the former harsh severity of form, turning it into sublime and at the same time graceful beauty. Contemporaries and descendants glorified his colossal chrysoelephantine (made of gold and ivory) statues of gods
Statue of Athena Parthenos from the Library of Pergamon with the temple of Zeus Sosipolis from Magnesia on the Maeander in the background, Pergamon Museum Berlin
According to Pliny the Elder, every detail of the sculpture, from the pedestal on which Athena stood to her helmet, depicted mythological scenes: on the pedestal - the birth of Pandora, on the shield on both sides - the battle with the Amazons and the fight of the gods with the giants, on sandals - battle with centaurs.
Statue de Phidias par Aimé Millet (1889). Hauteur environ 2.50 m. Orangerie du jardin du Luxembourg
Phidias, the best sculptor of the time, worked on the sculpture for nine years. Only he could be trusted by the citizens to create the image of their heavenly patroness. These were nine years of prayer, nine years of complete immersion in work. Every day, Phidias prayed and asked what the Virgin Goddess wanted in order to infuse some of her power into the sculpture, what else could be done so that Athena would protect the city and its inhabitants? After all, it was very important for every Athenian to know that the gods lived next to them. That you just need to turn your gaze to the Acropolis and its temples to feel their protection.
A significant part of the policy's treasury was spent on the creation of this sculpture. Its wooden frame, 13 meters high, was covered with a ton of gold, and its face and hands were made of selected ivory. The two-meter statue of the goddess of victory Nike, which Athena held in her hand, seemed tiny. Athena Parthenos was truly majestic! It’s hard to imagine that a person could create something like this!
Every year, in honor of Athena, the residents held festivals - the Small Panathenaea, and every five years - the Great Panathenaea, when the most worthy girls of the policy carried sacrifices and peplos - clothes specially woven for the goddess during these five years. It was a beautiful ceremonial procession.
Phidias and his students produced excellent sculptural works that decorated the Parthenon. Many of them are more or less well preserved and are now in the British Museum. On the eastern pediment there was a group depicting the birth of Pallas, on the western pediment there was a group representing her dispute with Poseidon about which of them should have patronage over Attica
Athena Varvakeion
The most complete and reliable copy is considered the so-called. "Athena Varvakion" (National Museum, Athens), marble.
The statue standing in the center of the temple and being its sacred center Athens Parthenos was carried out by Phidias himself. It was upright and about 11 m in height, made in the chrysoelephantine technique (that is, from gold and ivory on a wooden base).
The fate of this sculpture is sad... But maybe there is a place left somewhere, a high mountain, where the Gods still live in their temples. And no tyrants or fires can destroy them. Maybe someday, following the ancient Greeks, we will learn to sense their presence. After all, the Acropolis with its temples and gods is not only a physical place.
The sculpture has not survived and is known from various copies and numerous images on coins. In one hand the goddess holds Nike, and with the other she leans on the shield. The shield depicts Amazonomachy.
It is believed that on the shield of Athena, among other statues, Phidias placed himself and images of his friend Pericles (presumably in the form of Daedalus and Theseus). By the way, this turned out to be fatal for him - he was accused of insulting a deity, thrown into prison, where he committed suicide with poison, or died from deprivation and grief. The peculiarity of the relief on the shield is that the second and third plans are shown not from behind, but one over another. In addition, its subject matter allows us to say that this is already a historical relief.
A copy of the shield with the image of the battle, the so-called. "Strangford Shield", British Museum
A copy of the shield of a statue depicting a battle is considered to be the so-called. "Strangford Shield" in the British Museum.
Another copy kept in the Louvre
Another relief was on Athena's sandals. A centauromachy was depicted there.
The birth of Pandora, the first woman, was carved on the pedestal of the statue.
The navigator Pausanias describes it in his guidebook as follows:
Plaster cast-reconstruction of Athena statue based on the Roman copy after Phidias" Parthenos.
“Athena herself is made of ivory and gold... The statue depicts her in full height in a tunic down to the very soles of her feet, on her chest is the head of Medusa made of ivory, in her hand she holds an image of Nike, approximately four cubits long, and in the other hand - spear. At her feet lies a shield, and near her spear is a serpent; this snake is probably Erichthonius.” (Description of Hellas, XXIV, 7).
Château de Dampierre, Yvelines, France. Attempt to reconstruct the statue of Athena in the Parthenon at the scale of one fourth, by Henri Duponchet (1794-1868).
Athena Parthenos, 2. Jhd. n. Chr. (Gipsabguss, Original im Griechischen Nationalmuseum Athen
Title: Six Greek sculptors Year: 1915 (1910s) Authors: Gardner, Ernest Arthur, 1862-1939
Statuette of Athena. Pentelic marble. Found in Athens, near the Pnyx. Known as the "Lenormant Athena", this statuette copies the Athena Parthenos by Pheidias.
Louvre Museum
Athéna Parthenos dite Minerve au collier
Louvre Museum: Greco-Roman collection
Palazzo Altemps - Rome
Athena Porte Dorée
Austria, Vienna, Austrian Parliament Building
Athena_Partenos_from_Prado
"Athena Lemnia"Athena Lemnia (Copenhagen Botanical Garden)
Athena of Lemnos is a bronze statue of the goddess Athena, created by the famous Greek sculptor Phidias in 450-440. BC e. Not preserved, known from copies. “Phidias did not always sculpt images of Zeus, and did not always cast Athena, dressed in bronze armor, but he turned his art to other gods and adorned the cheeks of the Virgin with a pink blush, usually hidden by a helmet that covered the beauty of the goddess.” .
Plaster casts in Pushkin Museum, Moscow
According to Pausanias, the sculpture was made by citizens of Athens who lived on the island. Lemnos, with the purpose of presenting it as a gift to her hometown, which is why she received such a nickname. Probably stood somewhere near the Propylaea.
Athena Lemnia. Glyptothek.Munich
The second of the Dresden reconstructions. Cast in the Pushkin Museum
Athena Lemnia (Bologna)
Reconstruction of the Acropolis and Areopagus in Athens
Goddess Athena. Sculptural group “Athena and Marsyas” by Myron. Fragment
Museum Willet-Holthuysen, à Amsterdam
Athena (Museumsberg, Flensburg)
Pallas Athene, Bildhauer
Statue “Pallada Athena” (St. Petersburg and Leningrad region, Pavlovsk, on the north side of the Pavlovsk Palace)
Der Hofgarten des Schlosses Veitshöchheim.nahm seinen Anfang im 17. Jahrhundert als Fasanerie und wurde im 18. Jahrhundert weiter ausgestaltet und erweitert. Die Sandsteinfiguren stammen von Johann Wolfgang von der Auwera, Ferdinand Tietz und Johann Peter Wagner.
Haeferl - own work
Statuette of Athena in pentelic marble, found at Epidaurus, bearing a dedication to Artemis
The 5 central figures of the west pediment of the Temple of Aphaia, ca. 505-500 B
Arte romana, atena, II secolo da un orginale greco della scuola di fidia del V secolo ac..Ancient Roman statues in the Museo Archeologico (Naples)
Athena at Pilate's House in Seville. Roman copy of a Greek original.
Statue of Athena; torso: 180-190 AD, supplementations: Renaissance and Baroque era; marble; Museum: LiebieghausAthena. Leptis Magna, Tripolitania. Roman copy from 5th c. Greek original
Statue of Athena on the orangery of Schloss Seehof.
thena, West pediment of the old temple of Athena Polias (Acropolis of Athens)
Bayreuth, Hofgarten, Neues Schloss, Athene/Athena (Kopie) von Johann Gabriel Räntz (um 1755)
Roman marble statuette of Athena. Leptis Magna, Tripolitania; copy of an original from the end of the 5th ct. B.C. Istanbul Archaeological Museums .Athena of the Hope-Farnese type. Marble, Roman copy from the 1st-2nd centuries AD after a Greek origina
In Sochi
Athena. Tripoli-Nationalmuseum,Göttin Athena-Medus
Estatua romana de la diosa Atenea en el patio principal de la Casa de Pilatos, (Sevilla, Andalucía, España)...Sculpture of Athena found on Heraclea Lyncestis archaeological site in Macedonia
Athena Athene oder Bellona mit Drache auf Helm Friedrichsflügel Neues Palais Sanssouci
Marble statue of Minerva in the Ballroom at the Royal Castle in Warsaw (André Le Brun).
Athene-Statue und Zeus-Kopf am Athenebrunnen an der Karlshöhe in Stuttgart.
Buda-varoshaz-4.....Skulptúra (Atény) na budove Vysokej škole výtvarných umení v Bratislave
Façade du Palais des ducs de Bourgogne Dijon Côte-d"Or Bourgogne-Franche-Comté
Graz, Zeughaus, Fassade Figur Minerva
Neues Schloss Schleissheim, Gartenparterre, “Minerva” (“Athene”) von Giuseppe Volpini
Strasbourg, Université
Figura bogini wojny, Ateny na fasadzie Zbrojowni
Roma, Museo nazionale romano a palazzo Altemps, statua rinvenuta nel 1627 nel Campo Marzio e riscolpita da Alessandro Algardi per il cardinale Ludovisi come Atena (tipo Giustiniani). Sono di restauro le mani e la parte inferiore del corpo e del tronco.
Mattei Athena Louvre
Pallas Athena, known in Greek mythology as the goddess of war strategy and wisdom, was born in a very unusual way. One of the myths says that Athena appeared before the Olympian gods after Hephaestus, at the request of Zeus, split the Thunderer’s skull with his hammer, from where the wise goddess appeared in full uniform.
The ancient Greeks revered Athena as the inventor of military strategy, a “virgin warrior” who always appeared accompanied by the winged goddess Nike.
Despite her monstrous strength and incredible dexterity, Athena preferred to resolve wars and controversial situations through diplomacy and peaceful negotiations. The largest festival in honor of the goddess was called Panathenaia and took place near the walls of the Acropolis in Athens.
It is believed that in addition to military affairs and strategic planning, the wise goddess regulated the weather and irrigated the fields with rain, monitored the well-being of Athenian families, was the measure of civil society, and patronized the arts, crafts and mental activity.
In one of the myths, Athena is mentioned as an unsurpassed master of weaving. The maiden Arachne, who dared to challenge the goddess in this art, was severely punished for her excessive self-confidence.
The Greeks tend to believe that it was Athena who invented such tools for everyday use as the cooking pot, the horse bridle, the rake, the horse plow, the yoke and several musical instruments. In addition, she was the first to introduce arithmetic calculation into the life of the Athenians. Athena's kindness was known even in the most remote policies, because on the Areopagus she always tried to speak out in defense of the defendant.
The “Maid of Athens” became associated among the Greeks with everything that they were proud of and loved. All scientific discoveries, harvests and holidays, one way or another, were dedicated to Athena.
Athena was the embodiment of purity and purity. Many gods tried to win her hand and love, but to no avail. Hephaestus went the furthest, who forcibly tried to take possession of the goddess, but only managed to spill his seed on Athena’s knee. Having dried herself with a silk scarf, she angrily threw it onto mother earth Gaia, whom the seed fertilized.
Soon, Gaia gave birth to a son, Erichthonius, from Hephaestus, whom she immediately rejected, and Athena unquestioningly adopted. Having matured, Erichthonius became the mayor of Athens, and the virginity of the goddess who raised him symbolized the inaccessibility of the great city.
Several photos of paintings and statues of the goddess Athena:
September 22nd, 2016
Quote from Galyshenka's messageThe many faces of ATHENA
The goddess Pallas Athena was born by Zeus himself. Zeus the Thunderer knew that his wife, the goddess of reason, Metis, would have two children: a daughter, Athena, and a son of extraordinary intelligence and strength.
The Moirai, the goddess of fate, revealed to Zeus the secret that the son of the goddess Metis would overthrow him from the throne and take away his power over the world. The great Zeus was afraid. To avoid the terrible fate that the Moirai promised him, he, having lulled the goddess Metis with gentle speeches, swallowed her before her daughter, the goddess Athena, was born.
After some time, Zeus felt a terrible headache. Then he called his son Hephaestus and ordered his head to be cut to get rid of the unbearable pain and noise in his head. Hephaestus swung his ax, with a powerful blow he split Zeus’s skull without damaging it, and a mighty warrior, the goddess Pallas Athena, emerged from the thunderer’s head.
Gustav Klimt, Pallas Athena, 1898, Vienna
Fully armed, in a shiny helmet, with a spear and shield, she appeared before the amazed eyes of the Olympian gods. She shook her sparkling spear menacingly. Her war cry rolled far across the sky, and the bright Olympus shook to its very foundation. Beautiful, majestic, she stood before the gods. Athena's blue eyes burned with divine wisdom, and she all shone with wondrous, heavenly, powerful beauty. The gods praised his beloved daughter, born from the head of father Zeus, the defender of cities, the goddess of wisdom and knowledge, the invincible warrior Pallas Athena.
The birth of Athena from the head of Zeus. Drawing from a black-figure ancient Greek vase
Athena (Άθηνά) (among the Romans Minerva) is one of the most revered goddesses of Greece. She is equal in strength and wisdom to Zeus. She is given honors after Zeus and her place is closest to Zeus.
She is called “gray-eyed and fair-haired,” the descriptions emphasize her large eyes; Homer has the epithet “Glavkopis” (owl-eyed)..
Unlike other female deities, she uses male attributes - dressed in armor, holding a spear; she is accompanied by sacred animals:
Helmet (usually Corinthian - with a high crest)
Virgil mentions how the Cyclopes in the forge of Vulcan polished the armor and aegis of Pallas, on them the scales of snakes and the head of the serpent-haired Gorgon Medusa
- appears accompanied by the winged goddess Nike
Attributes of an owl and a snake (also a symbol of wisdom); in the temple of A. in Athens, according to Herodotus, there lived a huge snake - the guardian of the acropolis, dedicated to the goddess.
There is numerous information about the cosmic features of the image of Athena. Her birth is accompanied by golden rain, she keeps the lightning of Zeus
Pallas Athena. Preparatory cardboard by I. Vedder for a mosaic in the Library of Congress, Washington, 1896.
Athena. Statue. Hermitage. Athena Hall.
Statue of Athena Giustinian
Athena Algardi, it was found in 1627 in fragments at the Campus Martius, restored by Alessandro Algardi.
Palazzo Altemps, Rome, Italy.
The dispute between Athena and Poseidon for power over Attica. Italian cameo, 13th century
The scene of the dispute between Athena and Poseidon for power over Attica was depicted on the pediment of the Parthenon Temple in Athens by the famous Greek sculptor Phidias (5th century BC); The pediment has survived to this day in a heavily damaged state.
Miron (copy). Athena and Marsyas. The original statue was made in the 5th century. BC e. The goddess was depicted as dropping a flute, and Marsyas as finding
Athena is credited with inventing the flute and teaching Apollo to play it.
The battle of Athena with the giant Alcyoneus. Pergamon Altar
Athena uses her power to fight titans and giants. Together with Hercules, Athena kills one of the giants, she piles the island of Sicily on another, and tears off the skin of a third and covers her body with it during the battle.
Clay figurine of Athena, 7th century. BC e.
"Athena Varvakion" (copy of the famous "Athena Parthenos")
Statue of Athena (Pallas Giustiniani type) in the Pushkin Museum
"The Battle of Athena with Enceladus." Fragment of painting of a red-figure kylix. 6th century BC e., Louvre
“Pallas and the Centaur”, painting by Sandro Botticelli, 1482, Uffizzi
Athena is the guardian of cities, her main epithets are Polyada ("urban") and Poliukhos ("city ruler"), protector of Greek cities (Athens, Argos, Megara, Sparta, etc.) and a constant enemy of the Trojans, although her cult existed there too: in Homer's Troy was a statue of Athena that supposedly fell from the sky, the so-called palladium
I. G. Trautmann. "Fire of Troy"
Athens Parthenon 
Athens Parthenon 3D reconstruction
Descriptions of the Parthenon have always been replete with only superlatives. This Athenian temple, with its 2500-year history, dedicated to the patroness of the city - the goddess Athena Parthenos, is rightfully considered one of the greatest examples of ancient architecture, a masterpiece of world art and plastic arts. It was built in the middle of the 5th century BC. e.
A huge statue of Athena Promachos (“front line fighter”) with a spear shining in the sun adorned the Acropolis in Athens, where the Erechtheion and Parthenon temples were dedicated to the goddess.
A monument to the glorification of the wise ruler of the Athenian state, the founder of the Areopagus, is also the tragedy of Aeschylus “Eumenides”.
Athens enjoyed special patronage bearing her name. The Athenians believed that they owed their wealth to Athena.
There is a legend that says that the cult of Athena in her city was strengthened by the son of the Earth, Erechtheus. The goddess of wisdom Athena raised him in her sacred grove, and when the boy grew up, she awarded him royal power.
Jacob Jordaens. Cecrops' daughters find baby Erichthonius
Athena was identified with the daughters of Kekrops - Pandrosa (“all-moist”) and Aglavra (“light-air”), or Agravla (“field-furrowed”)
The image of an owl, an attribute of Athena, was minted on Athenian silver coins, and everyone who accepted the “owl” in exchange for goods seemed to be paying tribute to Athena herself.
Silver Athenian tetradrachm with the image of an owl, symbol of the goddess Athena. 5 or 4 c. BC
"Athena". Relief image on a silver dish, 1st century. n. BC, Berlin, State Museums
Not a single even more or less important event took place without the intervention of Athena.
Athena helped Prometheus steal fire from Hephaestus's forge.
Her touch alone was enough to make a person beautiful (she raised Odysseus to stature, endowed him with curly hair, clothed him with strength and attractiveness;). She endowed Penelope with amazing beauty on the eve of the meeting of the spouses
Gustav Klimt
Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, Austria, 1890-91
Athena patronized heroes - warriors and artisans - potters, weavers, needlewomen, and She herself was called Ergana ("worker") - her own products are genuine works of art, such as, for example, a cloak woven for the hero Jason.
Pallas Athena. 1898, Franz von Stuck.
Agricultural holidays were dedicated to her: procharisteria (in connection with the germination of bread), plintheria (the beginning of the harvest), arrephoria (giving dew for crops), callinteria (ripening of fruits), scirophoria (aversion to drought).
Athena in mythology and art. Part 1. Painting.
Sebastiano Ricci
I begin to glorify Pallas-Athena, the stronghold of cities. She, like Ares, loves military affairs, the furious cry of warriors, the destruction of cities and war. It protects the people, whether they go to battle or from battle. Hail, goddess! Send us good action and good luck!
Homer.
Johan Hayes
Athena is the Greek goddess of wisdom, patroness of crafts, known to the Romans as Minerva. Athena is a virgin who took a vow of chastity and celibacy.
Minerva.Rembrandt
Like Artemis, Athena is a stately, beautiful warrior goddess, the patroness of her chosen heroes, the sons of Athens - the city that bears her name. Of all the Olympic goddesses, only she was depicted in military armor: the visor of her helmet was raised, revealing her beauty.
Bacchiarelli
She holds a shield in one hand and a spear in the other. As an emblem, intertwined snakes were depicted on her shield or on the hem of her robe.
Minerva-Geometry.Verona.Fresco
As befits a goddess responsible not only for military actions, but also for peaceful household crafts, Athena was also depicted with a spear in one hand and a bowl or spindle in the other.
Fresco.Triumph of Aftna.Villa Chifanoia
Frescoes in the Cathedral of Assisi (Italy)
She patronized not only cities and troops, but also needlewomen and jewelers, potters and weavers.
Domenico Bessafumi.Fresco.Minerva and Poseidon
The ancient Greeks believed that Athena gave people a bridle for taming a horse, a plow, a rake, an ox yoke and a chariot and trained the first shipbuilders. The olive tree was her special gift to the city of Athens. Thanks to this gift, the Greeks began to grow olives.
ceiling of the Palatino library in Parma.Scaramucci.
Athena was often depicted with an owl, a bird with huge round eyes symbolizing wisdom. If there was another figure next to Athena, it was invariably a man. She stands behind the seated Zeus as a warrior guarding his master, or is depicted together with the main Greek heroes of the Iliad and Odyssey - Achilles and Odysseus.
I'm Jordans
The name of Athena was associated with military skill and household crafts, that is, those types of activities that require careful planning and precise execution of plans. In other words, she is the embodiment of purposefulness. The hallmarks of her wisdom are a strategic approach to business, practicality and a desire for real results. Athena values rational thinking and advocates the superiority of will and intellect over instincts. Cities are dear to her. According to Athena (as opposed to Artemis), primeval nature must be conquered.
The birth of Athena from the head of Zeus. Drawing from a red-figure ancient Greek vase
Athena's entry into the community of the Olympian gods was truly dramatic. She was born from the head of Zeus as an adult woman in shining golden armor, with a sharp spear in one hand, while uttering a loud war cry. According to some versions, her birth resembled a kind of caesarean section: Zeus felt a terrible headache like “birth pangs” and called for help from his son Hephaestus, the blacksmith god, who split his skull with a powerful blow of a sharp ax, opening the way for Athena.
Athena believed that she had only one parent - Zeus, with whom she was forever connected. She was her father’s “right hand,” and only to her did he entrust the symbols of his power—lightning and the aegis.
Metis
This goddess did not recognize her mother, Metis; Moreover, she apparently did not even know about the existence of her mother. As Hesiod narrates, Metis, the deity of the ocean, was the first wife of Zeus and was famous for her wisdom. When she was pregnant with Athena, Zeus tricked her into becoming small and swallowed her. He was predicted that Metis would have two extraordinary children: a daughter equal to Zeus himself in courage and wisdom, and a son with the soul of a conqueror who would become the king of gods and men. By swallowing Metis, Zeus thus defeated the fate predicted for him.
According to mythology, Athena was the patroness and advisor of all male heroes. The list of those she helped reads like a “Biographical Directory of Heroes.”
Athena gives Perseus a shield
Among them was Perseus, who killed the Gorgon Medusa - a monster woman with snakes instead of hair, with clawed copper hands and eyes burning with rage, who turned people to stone with her gaze.
Athena gave Perseus a copper shield, shining like a mirror. Perseus could see the reflection of Medusa in him, and therefore he was not in danger of meeting her direct gaze. In addition, when he cut off Medusa's head, Athena guided his hand.
Athena also helped Jason and the Argonauts build a ship on which they went to mine the Golden Fleece. She gave Bellerophon a golden bridle so that he could tame the winged horse Pegasus, and helped Hercules in his twelve labors.
During the Trojan War, Athena actively acted on the side of the Greeks. She took care of her favorites, especially Achilles, the most formidable and powerful Greek warrior. She later assisted Odysseus in his protracted return home.
I. G. Trautmann. "Fire of Troy"
In addition to being closest to Zeus and patronizing male heroes, Athena supported patriarchy in general. She stood up for Orestes, who, in revenge for the death of his father Agamemnon, killed his own mother Clytemnestra. Apollo spoke in defense of Orestes. Thus proclaiming the superiority of men over women, he declared that the mother is only the soil for the seed planted by the father.
As evidence of his rightness, Apollo referred to Athena, who was not born from her mother’s womb. When the votes of the judges were counted, the number of acquittal and conviction votes was equal, since Athena voted for Orestes. Having sided with Apollo, she freed Orestes and supported the supremacy of patriarchal customs over the bonds of motherhood.
Only one myth about Athena tells of a mortal woman, Arachne, who was transformed by Athena into a spider. Athena, as the goddess of crafts, was challenged to a competition in skill by an overconfident weaver named Arachne. Both worked with great speed and skill. When the paintings were completed, Athena admired her rival's impeccable work, but was furious that Arachne dared to depict the love affairs of Zeus. She wove Leda caressing a swan, under the guise of which Zeus entered the queen’s bedroom in order to take possession of her. The next scene depicted Danae, who was impregnated by Zeus, turning into a shower of gold; and Arachne also wove an image of the maiden Europa, abducted by Zeus, who turned into a magnificent white bull.
D. Bottany
The woven stories caused the death of Arachne. Athena became terribly angry, tore up Arachne's work and hit her with the shuttle. Unhappy Arachne could not bear the shame and hanged herself. Taking pity on Arachne, Athena freed her from the loop and restored her life, turning her into a spider, forever condemned to weave a web (in biology, arachnids are called arachnids- named after this unfortunate girl). Note that Athena, the protector of her father, punished Arachne rather for the public demonstration of the illegal acts of Zeus than for the daring challenge thrown at her.
Even when naked, Athena retains her helmet, thanks to which she is easily distinguished from Aphrodite and Hera. Athena is easily distinguishable from other ancient Greek goddesses due to her unusual appearance. Unlike other female deities, she uses male attributes - dressed in armor, holding a spear; she is also accompanied by sacred animals. helmet (usually Corinthian - with a high crest) aegis (shield), covered with goat skin and decorated with the head of the Gorgon Medusa appeared accompanied by the winged goddess Nike olive - a sacred tree of the ancient Greeks owl (symbol of wisdom) snake (also a symbol of wisdom)
F.Floris
She was called “grey-eyed and fair-haired”; Homer had the epithet “Glavkopis” (owl-eyed). The descriptions emphasize her large eyes. Homer describes Athena's preparation for battle: her armor, aegis, helmet, spear and chariot. Virgil mentions how the Cyclopes in the forge of Vulcan polished the armor and aegis of Pallas, on them the scales of snakes and the head of the Gorgon.
Paris Bordone. Athena rejects Hephaestus' advances.
Despite the fact that in classical mythology Athena is considered a virgin, there are references to the birth of a child associated with Athena and Hephaestus. The first part of this story is contained only in later sources. According to them, Zeus vowed to fulfill any desire of Hephaestus (according to Lactantius, as a reward for making the weapons of the gods; according to Hyginus, as a reward for the fact that Hephaestus freed Hera from shackles, and Poseidon persuaded him to ask Athena as his wife; according to Lucian, as a reward for assistance during childbirth), and Hephaestus asked Athena as his wife.
Zeus could not break the oath, but advised his virgin daughter to defend herself. According to the main legend (coherently stated by Pseudo-Apollodorus), Athena came to Hephaestus for weapons, and he tried to take possession of her, and she began to run away. Hephaestus chased the goddess and overtook him in a certain place (later called Hephaestius), but Athena defended herself with a weapon in her hands and wounded him with a spear.
Hans von Aachen
Hephaestus spilled the seed on Athena’s leg, after which the goddess wiped it with her wool and buried it in the ground (according to a simpler version, he released the seed directly into the ground), after which Gaia the earth gave birth to a baby. Therefore, Erichthonius was called both the son of Hephaestus and Gaia, and the son of Hephaestus and Athena], and the name was interpreted from “erion” - wool (or “eris” - discord]) and “chthon” - earth.. Homer in the Iliad mentions education Athena Erechtheus, born of Gaia, in her temple (II 547-551), and in the Odyssey - the house of Erechtheus, which Athena visits (VII 81). The image of Athena running away from Hephaestus was in the Spartan temple of Athena of Copper.
Jacob Jordaens. Cecrops' daughters find baby Erichthonius
Athena secretly raised Erichthonius, wanting to make him immortal (according to Nonnus, the goddess breastfed him), and gave him in a casket (or in a basket) for safekeeping to Pandrosa, the daughter of Kekropos] (or three daughters: Aglavra, Herse and Pandrosa), forbidding him to open it. These three daughters danced in the meadow in front of the Temple of Pallas. Euripides says that Athena placed two snakes on Erichthonius; from then on, in Athens, gilded snakes were placed around the necks of children.
J. Willems
Such an amulet of a pair of dragons is mentioned in the recognition scene in the tragedy “Ion”. Pandrosa's sisters Gersa and Aglavra opened the casket and saw a child entwined with a dragon (according to an earlier version, a snake-like baby or a baby snake). They were either killed by a dragon, or Athena drove them into madness, and they threw themselves from the top of the acropolis into the abyss
B. Spranger
B. Spranger
After the death of the sisters, Erichthonius was raised in the temple of Athena. When he grew up, he became king, erected the xoan of Athena on the acropolis and established the Panathenaea, holding a procession in honor of Athena on the acropolis for the first time. Erichthonius was buried in the sacred site of the temple of Athena Polias
Miron (copy). Athena and Marsyas. The original statue was made in the 5th century. BC e.
The goddess was depicted as dropping the flute, and Marsyas as finding it. The myth about the invention of the flute (aulos) by the goddess is mentioned by many authors. (In Boeotia, Athena, the inventor of the flute, was even revered under the special name Bombileia, that is, Athena “bee-like,” “buzzing.” Pindar says that one of the gorgons, Medusa, moaned terribly while dying, and the other, Euryale, moaned, looking at her sister, and Athena invented the flute to repeat these sounds.
K. Makovsky
According to Corinna, the goddess taught Apollo to play the flute. Epicharmus mentions that she played before the Dioscuri on the aulos. According to a more detailed story, Athena made a flute from deer bone and came to the gods' meal, but Hera and Aphrodite ridiculed her, and she, looking at her reflection in the water, saw how ugly her cheeks swelled when playing], and threw the flute in the Idean forest, or threw the flute into the waters of the Meander. The abandoned flute was picked up by the satyr Marsyas.
(Pausanias also mentions a statue of Athena beating the strong man Marsyas, who picked up the flute). The myth continues with the story that in playing the Palladian Flute, the satyr was defeated by Apollo and flayed. Aristotle gives his own interpretation to the myth. In his opinion, the real reason for Athena’s actions is that playing the flute is not associated with mental development.
The battle of Athena with the giant Alcyoneus. Pergamon Altar
Although, according to the early mythological scheme, the Titanomachy occurred even before the birth of Athena, later authors, starting with Euripides, often confused giants and titans. Athena's participation in Gigantomachy is a popular plot. This battle is localized on the Phlegrean fields. Although in the battle with the giants Athena called on Hercules to help the gods, she herself also distinguished herself. Hyginus cites the story that after the death of Epaphus, Zeus, together with Athena, Apollo and Artemis, threw the titans into Tartarus, prompted by Hera.
Athena inspired Cadmus to kill the dragon. Goltzius
Other details of the battle with the giants were depicted on the shield of the statue of Athena Parthenos. In Euripides' tragedy Ion, Athenian women discuss this image: Athena, holding a shield with the Gorgon on it, opposes Enceladus. Athena also drove a chariot with a pair of horses against Enceladus, and when he fled, she brought down the island of Sicily on him. Athena tore off the skin from Pallantus and covered her body with it. Callimachus emphasizes Athena’s care for her horses after the battle
Athena pours wine for Hercules
According to myths, Athena participates in the Court of Paris, where she unsuccessfully seduced Paris with the career of a successful commander, and in the further events of the Trojan War, where she acted on the side of the Greeks and bestowed special patronage on Odysseus and Diomedes.
Rene Antonio Huss
Nevertheless, Athena also patronizes married women. The women of Elis prayed to Athena to get pregnant. Athena helped Penelope delay the day of her new wedding.
In the Odyssey, Athena gives Penelope reason and gives her sweet dreams. When Penelope asks Athena for Odysseus, the goddess sends the ghost of Ifthima to her to reassure her. Athena inspires Penelope with a desire to show herself to the suitors, puts Penelope to sleep for a while and gives her beauty.
Jon Singer
Already in Homer, Athena appears as the patroness of shipbuilding and navigation. In one of the author's comparisons, the nameless naval architect is called a student of Athena.
Joachim von Sandra
Homer also notes that Athena previously patronized the architect Pherekles, who built a ship for Paris. It is also said that she, together with Hephaestus, taught people crafts
In later texts, Athena is considered the inventor of crafts and arts. Athena is the patron of the art of weaving, but Plato emphasizes that her mentor in this art is Eros...
An ancient statue of Athena in Erythrae depicted her with a spinning wheel in each hand. The spinning wheel is a gift from Athena. The loom is called the work of Athena, and the weavers are called servants of “the work of Athena.”
They said that Asclepius received the blood of the Gorgon from Athena, with the help of which he resurrected the dead. According to Euripides, Athena gave Erichthonius at birth two drops of the blood of the Gorgon, which he gave in a golden ring to Erechtheus, and the latter to Creuse (one drop is healing, the other is poisonous) Achilles with Hector's body.
During the battle, Athena reflects Hector's spear from Achilles
Athena appeared in a dream to Pericles and indicated the herb to heal his slave who had fallen from the roof of the acropolis Propylaea under construction, the herb was nicknamed parthenium, and Pericles erected a statue of Athena Hygieia. The base of the statue of Athena Hygieia by the sculptor Pyrrhus was found on the acropolis
The altar of Athena Hygieia was in the deme of Acharna. Alexander the Great, having recovered, organized competitions in honor of Asclepius and Athena. The goddess Hygieia was called the daughter of Asclepius and Athena Hygieia. Athena, resembling the statue of Phidias, appeared to the sick orator Aelius Aristides in a dream and suggested to him that he should take an enema of Attic honey, after which he recovered.
Theseus and Ephra, showing where Aegeus hid things for his son. Theseus Finding
Athena became the protector of cities, walls and fortresses, one city was named in her honor - Athens. She gave people knowledge and crafts, many arts (she invented the flute and taught people to play it), taught them to make chariots and cut ships, taught girls handicrafts and weaving. She patronized only just wars, gave people laws, and established a state, the Areopagus.
James Thornhill - The Judgment of Paris
Jan Breughel (II) - The Judgment of Paris
Joachim Wtewal
S. Botticelli
Kaput Castle
Obnorsky N.P. Pallas Athena // Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: in 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - St. Petersburg, 1890-1907.
Losev A.F. Athena // Myths of the peoples of the world: Encyclopedia. In 2 vols. M., 1991-1992. T.1. P.125-129
Lyubker F. Real dictionary of classical antiquities. / Per. with him. In 3 volumes. T.3. P.13-14. Eliade M. History of faith and religious ideas, § 94. / Transl. from fr. In 3 volumes. T.1. M., 2001. P.256-258, 416-417.
Graves R. Myths of Ancient Greece. / Per. from English (Chapter 8 (Birth of Athena); Chapter 25 (Origin and deeds of Athena). Zaitsev A.I. Greek religion and mythology. M.-SPb, 2005. P.90-96. to be continued...
Athena (ancient Greek Ἀθηνᾶ, also spelled Athenaia, Mycenaean. a-ta-na-po-ti-ni-ja: “Atana the Lady” (Subject-conceptual dictionary of the Greek language. Mycenaean period. L., 1986. P.141)) - in ancient Greek mythology, the goddess of organized war, military strategy and wisdom, one of the most revered goddesses of Ancient Greece, the eponym of the city of Athens. Also, goddess of knowledge, arts and crafts; warrior maiden, patroness of cities and states, sciences and crafts, intelligence, dexterity, and ingenuity. Athena was, as it were, a part of Zeus, the executor of his plans and will. She is the thought of Zeus, realized in action. Classical Athena patronizes heroes and protects public order. She rescued Bellerophon, Jason, Hercules and Perseus from trouble. It was she who helped her favorite Odysseus overcome all difficulties and get to Ithaca after the Trojan War. The most significant support was provided by Athena to the matricide Orestes. She helped Prometheus steal the divine fire, defended the Achaean Greeks during the Trojan War; she is the patroness of potters, weavers and needlewomen. The cult of Athena, widespread throughout Greece, was especially revered in Athens, which she patronized. In Roman mythology, the goddess corresponds to Minerva.
The etymology of the name "Athena", due to the pre-Greek origin of her image, is unclear.
In the modern Russian language, a form close to the Byzantine pronunciation (with “and”) has taken hold: in the classical era it was pronounced approximately Athena. In Homer, in addition to a number of epithets, the form Athenaea is often found, that is, “Athenian woman” (On the distribution of the forms Athena and Athenaia in Homer, see Klein L. S. Anatomy of the Iliad. St. Petersburg, 1998. P. 109-111 and tables 24 and 26).
Athena had many different epithets, both related to her functions and toponymic.
The archaic nature of the image of the goddess and its evolution
The ancient zoomorphic past of Athena is indicated by her attributes - a snake and an owl, as well as epithets (owl-eyed, etc.). The chthonic wisdom of Athena has its origin in the image of the goddess with snakes of the Cretan-Mycenaean period.
According to a concept developed in detail by Martin Nilsson (English), the Minoan “shield goddess” depicted on the Larnaca from Milato, as well as on other monuments, whose symbol was a figure-eight shield, was the predecessor of Athena (Andreev Yu. V. From Eurasia to Europe. St. Petersburg, 2002. pp. 293-295, 350-354). According to I.M. Dyakonov, the single image of the warrior maiden was divided among the Greeks into three: the warrior and needlewoman Athena, the huntress Artemis and the goddess of love passion Aphrodite (Dyakonov I.M. Archaic myths of the East and West. M., 1990. P. 158 ).
The myth of the birth of Athena from Metis (whose name translates as “thought”) and Zeus belongs to the late period of Greek mythology, the time of the formalization of the classical canon. Graves suggests that before this she was the parthenogenic daughter of one Metis. The emergence of swallowed Athena into the world from the head of Zeus is depicted from the perspective of the mythology of the patriarchal period, in which the male organizing principle was especially prominent. Athena turns into an obedient mouthpiece of Zeus and deliberately loses her past (Graves R. Zeus and Metis). As Losev points out, Athena becomes, as it were, a direct continuation of Zeus, the executor of his plans and will, his thought realized in action. Over time, the motherhood of Metis acquires an increasingly abstract, even symbolic, character, and Athena begins to be considered the offspring of Zeus alone and takes on the functions of divine wisdom, just as Zeus took them from Metis.
According to Graves, Athena's refusal of her father Poseidon indicates a change in the supreme deity in Athens that took place in ancient times. A.I. Zaitsev, on the contrary, suggests that the version with the birth of Athena from Zeus without a mother is more ancient, and Hesiod’s story about the swallowing of Metis is later (Zaitsev A.I. Greek religion and mythology. M.-SPb, 2005. With .94). Wilamowitz suggested (based on the fact that the word κορυφη means both the crown of Zeus in the myth and the top of the mountain) that the original idea was that Athena was born from a mountain top.
Athena is one of the most important figures in the Olympic pantheon. In terms of importance, she is equal to Zeus, and sometimes even surpasses him. This is rooted in the most ancient period of development of Greek mythology - matriarchy. Having acquired new functions of military power, the goddess retained her matriarchal independence (virgin and protector of chastity).
Athena has many cosmic features (she guards the lightning of Zeus, was born during a golden shower, etc.). She was thought of as fate and the Great Mother Goddess, the parent and destroyer of all living things.
Birth of Athena
The birth of the goddess Athena was unusual. The most common version is told in Hesiod’s “Theogony”: the king of the gods Zeus, on the advice of Uranus and Gaia, swallowed his first wife Metis-Wisdom when she became pregnant in order to prevent her from giving birth to a son after Athena, who would overthrow Zeus (Hesiod. Theogony 888-900) . After this, he gave birth to the warrior Athena-Tritogenea from his head (Hesiod. Theogony 924-926, in this version Hephaestus is born later).
Homer's poems ignore the myth of the birth of Athena, and subsequent authors supplement the story with details and localize it. Brief mentions are found in the Homeric hymn to Apollo of Pythia (Hymns of Homer II 130, 136, 145), in Ibycus (Ibycus, fr. 3 Page, v. 3-4) and other poets (Nonn. Acts of Dionysus XXVII 285), writers ( Arnobius. Against the pagans II 70) and mythographers (Diodorus Siculus. Historical Library I 12, 7; Hyginus. Myths, Introduction 21). At the same time, the sources hardly mention Metis, and in Aeschylus Athena emphasizes that she was born without a mother (Aeschylus. Eumenides 736).
The prediction to Zeus was made by the Moirai or by Metis herself (Last version: Pseudo-Apollodorus. Mythological Library I 3, 6). Having swallowed the pregnant Metis, Zeus after a while felt a terrible headache. To help her birth, Hephaestus hit Zeus on the head with an ax (Pindar. Olympian Cantos VII 38-39; fr. 34 Bergk; Callimachus, from book 1 of “Causes”; Lucian. Conversations of the Gods 8, 1; Nonn. Acts of Dionysus VIII 80 ), and Prometheus took her from the head of Zeus (Euripides. Ion 453-457) (according to a later version, she was born from the beard of Zeus (First Vatican Mythographer II 74, 1)). Stesichorus first mentions that Athena appeared from the head of Zeus in full military armor (panoplia) (Stesichorus, fr. PMG 233 Page from an unidentified work (according to the scholia to Apollonius of Rhodes. Argonautica IV 1310 and P.Oxy. 2260)). Armor is also spoken of in the XXVIII Homeric hymn (Hymns of Homer XXVIII 5) and among the Orphics (Orphics, fr. 174 Kern). According to Lycophron, Athena was born to Zeus on the third day (Lycophron. Alexandra 520).
According to Pindar, when Athena was born, golden rain began to fall on Rhodes (Pindar. Olympian Cantos VII 49; Strabo. Geography XIV 2, 10 (p. 655), with reference to Pindar; Philostratus. Paintings II 27, 3). In addition, another interpretation of her birth is given: according to a certain Aristocles, Athena was hidden in a cloud and emerged from it thanks to the lightning strike of Zeus, and this happened in Crete (Scholia to Pindar. Olympic cantos VII 66, cited by Losev 1999, p. .236). This myth “reflected the idea of the birth of lightning and thunder from a heavily hanging thundercloud” (V. G. Borukhovich) (Notes by V. G. Borukhovich in the book Apollodorus. Mythological Library. L., 1972. P. 128).
Athena's parents
It is worth noting that although the version of the birth of Athena from the head of Zeus from the swallowed Metis is the most common, there are several versions about who her parents were.
According to various versions, Pallas Athena could be the daughter of the oceanid Metis, the goddess of wisdom, from Zeus. According to the Attic version, the daughter of Hellenia is from Zeus (Losev A.F. Mythology of the Greeks and Romans. M., 1996. P.213). Athena's mother could also have been the nymph of the river Triton (in the case of Poseidon's paternity).
According to different versions, Athena's father could be Zeus, Poseidon, Bronte, Pallant and Eton. Zeus. Having swallowed the pregnant Metis and given birth to Athena from his split skull, he takes on the traits of his mother-parent, producing a daughter single-handedly. Poseidon. According to Herodotus, Athena then renounced such paternity and passed on to Zeus, who accepted her as a daughter. Cyclops Brontus (“thunder”), who gave birth to her from Metis (Scholia to Homer. Iliad VIII 39 BLU, see Losev 1999, p. 238). The giant Pallant, from whom she skins in other versions. A mortal man named Eton, king of the city of Eton in Phthiotis.
Places of birth
There is also controversy regarding her place of birth. Aeschylus first records the story that Athena was born near Lake Tritonida in Libya (Aeschylus. Eumenides 292-293; Callimachus, from book 1 of “Causes”). Herodotus notes that the Avsei in Libya consider Athena to be the daughter of Poseidon and the goddess of the lake Tritonida (Herodotus. History IV 180). According to Apollonius of Rhodes, when she was born at Lake Triton, the Libyan Heroines met her there (Apollonius of Rhodes. Argonautica IV 1298-1300). According to Lucan, born from the head, she first of all visited Libya and called herself Tritonis (Lucan. Pharsalia IX 350-354). These stories are associated with the epithets of Athena Tritonius and Tritogenaeus, found already in Homer.
The option of placing the Triton River in Crete, where the temple of Athena is preserved, is given by Diodorus (Diodorus Siculus. Historical Library V 72, 3).
In addition, the Triton River was placed in the extreme west of Thessaly (Scholia to Apollonius of Rhodes. Argonautica I 109, see Ancient mythology with ancient comments to it. / Compiled by A.F. Losev. M., 2005. P.584).
Pausanias gives the story that Athena was born and raised in Alifera in Arcadia, where there was an altar to Zeus Lecheat (Giving birth) and a source of Tritonides (Pausanias. Description of Hellas VIII 26, 6).
The birthplace of Athena was called the town of Alalkomene in Boeotia (Strabo. Geography IX 2, 36 (p. 413)), where she was raised by a local resident (Pausanias. Description of Hellas IX 33, 5).
Time of birth. During the Panathenaia, the birthday of Athena was celebrated (28 hecatombeon - approximately August 18) (Commentary in the publication Plato. Collected Works. In 4 volumes. T.1. M., 1990. P.740), on this day the courts were closed ( Athenaeus. Feast of the Wise Men III 53 (98b)).
The birth of Athena was depicted on the pediment of the Parthenon; in the Spartan temple of Athena Copperhouse; in Cleanthes’s painting “The Birth of Athena” and in the painting described by Philostratus (Philostratus. Paintings II 27).
The appearance of Athena
Athena is easily distinguishable from other ancient Greek goddesses due to her unusual appearance. Unlike other female deities, she uses male attributes - dressed in armor, holding a spear; she is also accompanied by sacred animals.
Attributes of the goddess: helmet (usually Corinthian - with a high crest), aegis (shield), covered with goat skin and decorated with the head of the Gorgon Medusa, appeared accompanied by the winged goddess Nike, olive - a sacred tree of the ancient Greeks, owl (symbol of wisdom), snake (also a symbol of wisdom).
She was called “gray-eyed and fair-haired” (Pindar. Nemean Songs X 7), in Homer the epithet “Glavkopis” (owl-eyed) (Homer. Odyssey I 44). The descriptions emphasize her large eyes. Homer describes Athena's preparation for battle: her armor, aegis, helmet, spear and chariot (Homer. Iliad V 733-747, VIII 384-391; the second block of lines repeats the first with an abbreviation of the description of the aegis). Virgil mentions how the Cyclops in the forge of Vulcan polished the armor and aegis of Pallas, on them the scales of snakes and the head of the Gorgon (Virgil. Aeneid VIII 435-438).
Plato notes that under the patronage of Athena are both the class of artisans and warriors (Plato. Laws XI 920d-e).
This multiplicity of functions is played out by Ovid, describing Achilles on Skyros in a girl’s dress and behind wool and saying: “Pallas is waiting for you, but not on this path” (Ovid. Metamorphoses I 692).
Athena the Maiden
The address “Parthenos” to the virgin Pallas is often found in texts (Sophocles. Oedipus in Colonus 1090). Sophocles calls her Athena the Virgin, mistress of horses (Sophocles. Oedipus in Colonus 1072). Callimachus cites the expression “The virgin will give birth” as an example of an impossible event (Callimachus, fr. 1 Chistyakov from unknown elegies, art. 2 (Ancient Greek elegy. St. Petersburg, 1996. P.221)), and Rian ironizes the character: as if he made Athena his wife (Rian, fr. 1 Powell, art. 14). Gregory Nazianzen emphasizes the paradox: “Athena is again a virgin and gives birth to a dragon” (Gregory Nazianzen. The second accusatory word against King Julian (Gregory the Theologian. Collection of creations. In 2 volumes. Mn.-M., 2000. Vol. 1, P. 167) .
The monstrous Typhon plans to give Athena as a wife to Ephialtes (Nonn. Acts of Dionysus II 310-313) and offers her as a wife to Cadmus (Nonn. Acts of Dionysus I 469), which makes Nike fear for Athena’s virginity (Nonn. Acts of Dionysus II 210-211).
Argive girls sacrificed hair to her before marriage (Statius. Thebaid II 251-255). The virgin priestesses of Athena are mentioned in some places (Tertullian. On the promotion of chastity 13).
According to Nonnus, Avra, suffering in childbirth, wants Athena to give birth herself (Nonn. Acts of Dionysus XLVIII 798). And Athena feeds the son of Avra and Dionysus Iacchus with her milk, as earlier Erechtheus-Erichthonius (Nonn. Acts of Dionysus XLVIII 950-954).
Athena's inventions
Athena was the founder of the state, the creator of the chariot and the ship, the flute and the trumpet, she invented war (Cicero. On the nature of the gods III 53). The goddess was the inventor of the ceramic pot, rake, plow, yoke for oxen and bridle for horses. She taught weaving, spinning and cooking, established laws and the Areopagus - the highest court in Athens.
Nevertheless, Athena also patronizes married women. The women of Elis prayed to Athena to become pregnant (Pausanias. Description of Hellas V 3, 2).
Athena helped Penelope delay the day of the new wedding (Propertius. Elegies II 9, 5). In the Odyssey, Athena endowed Penelope with reason (II 116), gives her a sweet dream (I 360, XVI 451, XIX 604, XXI 358). When Penelope asks Athena for Odysseus (IV 762-767), the goddess sends the ghost of Ifthima to her to reassure her (IV 796-838). Athena inspires Penelope with a desire to show herself to the suitors (XVIII 158), puts Penelope to sleep for a while and gives her beauty (XVIII 188-196). Athena inspires Penelope with the idea of arranging a competition (XXI 1).
Auga was the priestess of Athena Alea from Tegea, who was seduced by Hercules, and she threw the child in the sacred area of the temple of Athena (or hid it in the temple), because of this, either the earth stopped bearing fruit (Pseudo-Apollodorus. Mythological Library III 9, 1), or the plague began (Pseudo-Apollodorus. Mythological Library II 7, 4), and the oracles announced that the temple contained the wicked.
When the father decides to expel Auga, she turns to Athena for help (Euripides. Auga, fr. 266 Sciences), and the goddess remembers Hercules. Through the care of Athena, the box with Auga and Telephos was carried across the sea (Strabo. Geography XIII 1, 69 (p. 615), with reference to Euripides, see Euripides. Auga, testimony 4 Iarcho).
Athena and music
Athena danced a war dance with a spear and in armor (Plato. Cratylus 406e; Laws VII 796b) either after the victory over the titans (Dionysius of Halicarnassus. Roman Antiquities VII 72, 7), or immediately after birth (Lucian. Conversations of the Gods 8).
Polyaenus tells the legend of how Proclus and Temen the Heraclides fought with the Eurystheides for Sparta and sacrificed to Athena, and flute players helped them in the battle. Since then, the flute has led the Laconians (Polyenus. Strategems I 10, 1). Thucydides mentions flute players in the Spartan army (Thucydides. History V 70).
Trumpet (Salpinga) is an epithet of Athena. In the epigrams, a trumpet is dedicated to Athena (Antipater of Sidon, epigrams 2-3 Page) or even the “trumpet of Enialia” (Timn, epigram 1 Page).
Athena and ships
Already in Homer, Athena appears as the patroness of shipbuilding and navigation. In one of the author’s comparisons, the nameless shipbuilder is called a pupil of Athena (Homer. Iliad XV 410-412). Homer also notes that Athena previously patronized the architect Pherekles, who was building a ship for Paris (Iliad V 61) (according to Kolluf, the goddess did not approve of his work (Kolluf. The Abduction of Helen 201)).
According to the instructions of Athena, the architect Argos from Thespiae created the ship Argo (Apollonius of Rhodes. Argonautica I 20, 108-113; Pseudo-Apollodorus. Mythological Library I 9, 16; Seneca. Medea 366; Valerius Flaccus. Argonautica I 92-95, 127, 457 , 478, IV 541). Apollonius calls this ship the creation of Athena of Iton (Apollonius of Rhodes. Argonautica I 548). On the nose, Athena strengthened a piece of the trunk of a Dodonian oak, which could prophesy (Lycophron. Alexandra 1320-1321; Pseudo-Apollodorus. Mythological Library I 9, 16; Hyginus. Astronomy II 37, reference to Aeschylus). After completing the voyage, the ship Argo was placed in the sky by the will of Athena (Pseudo-Eratosthenes. Catasterisms 35; Hygin. Myths 14 (St. Petersburg, 2000. P.36)).
Danaus, on the advice of Athena, built a 50-oar ship (Pseudo-Apollodorus. Mythological Library II 1, 4) with two bows, on which he fled with his daughters (Hygin. Myths 168, 277).
Athena sends a fair wind to Telemachus (Homer. Odyssey II 420-421; XV 292), Theseus (Bacchylides. Dithyrambs XVII 7), and the Achaeans returning from Lemnos (Quintus of Smyrna. After Homer IX 474). The image of the face of Pallas was on the Athenian ships (Euripides. Iphigenia in Aulis 248-251).
Athena the Craftswoman
Homer notes the art of the work (Homer. Iliad IX 390), calling her the mentor of a metal master (Homer. Odyssey VI 233 = XXIII 160). Daedalus learned his art from Athena (Hygin. Myths 39). The poet Alexander of Aetolia claims that the statue of Aphrodite is the work of Athena herself (Alexander of Aetolia, epigram 2 Page).
Hesiod points out her connection with the artisan carpenters (Hesiod. Works and Days 430). Athena polished the spear of Peleus (Scholia to Homer. Iliad XVI 140 = Cypria, fr. 5 Evelyn-White). She helps the potters (Pseudo-Hesiod. Potters 2). Solon calls the craftsman knowledgeable “the work of Athena” (Solon, fr. 1 Gentili-Prato, art. 49). The epigrams speak of the dedication to Athena of the tools of the carpenter's craft (Leonidas of Tarentum, epigrams 7 and 8 Page) and the tools of the farmer (Phanius, epigram 4 Page).
Athena teaches the daughters of Pandareus the arts (Homer. Odyssey XX 72), she also teaches the craft of Eurynoma, the daughter of Nysa (Hesiod. Great Eoi, fr.43a M.-U., art. 71) and, probably, the daughters of Leukon (Hesiod. Great Eoi, fr.70 M.-U., art. 11), as well as girls in general for crafts (Hymns of Homer IV 14-15).
It is also said that she, together with Hephaestus, taught people crafts (Hymns of Homer XX 2), and she and Hephaestus, in turn, were taught by the Cyclopes (Orphics, fr. 179 Kern).
In later texts, Athena is considered the inventor of crafts and arts (Diodorus Siculus. Historical Library V 73, 8), for the sake of which she is revered (Aelius Aristides. Praise of Rome 105).
Arat notes that to make the simplest celestial globe one needs “the craft of Athena” (Arat. Apparitions 529).
Athena the Weaver
Homer mentions that Athena herself made her own clothes (Homer. Iliad V 733-735 = VIII 384-386) and Hera’s clothes (Homer. Iliad XIV 179) and taught the Phaeacian women the art of weaving (Homer. Odyssey VII 110). Hesiod says that Athena made a dress for Pandora (Hesiod. Theogony 572-578, 587; Works and Days 72, 77). Apollonius of Rhodes describes in detail the images on the cloak that Athena Itonis gave to Jason, without mentioning whether the goddess herself wove it (Apollonius of Rhodes. Argonautica I 715-762).
According to Corinne, Athena taught weaving to Metioche and Menippe, the daughters of Orion (Antoninus Liberal. Metamorphoses 25, 1 (from Nicander and Corinne)). In Ovid, the Miniad weavers are “detained by Pallas” and her labor, not wanting to worship Dionysus (Ovid. Metamorphoses IV 33-38). Seneca mentions the “Palladian work” of the maids who made the clothes of Hercules (Seneca. Hercules on Oeta 564), as well as Phaedra, who abandoned the “craft of Pallas” (Seneca. Phaedra 103).
Athena patronizes the art of weaving (Orphics, fr. 178, 180 Kern; cf. Arnobius. Against the Pagans V 45), but Plato emphasizes that her mentor in this art is Eros (Plato. Symposium 197b). An ancient statue of Athena in Erythra depicted her with a spinning wheel in each hand (Pausanias. Description of Hellas VII 5, 9).
The spinning wheel is a gift from Athena (Theocritus. Idylls XXVIII 1). The loom is called the occupation of Athena (Nicarchus, epigram 2 Page, v. 1), and weavers are called servants of “the work of Athena” (Leonidas of Tarentum, epigram 72 Page). A popular subject of epigrams is the dedication of weaving tools to Athena (Antipater of Sidon, epigrams 4-5 Page); dedication of weavers to the temple of Athena the Weaver (Leonidas of Tarentum, epigrams 40-42 Page). Propertius mentions “the Euripylian fabric of Athena of Cos” (Propertius. Elegies IV 5, 23).
The poetess Moiro from Byzantium (III century BC) set out a legend about how a certain Alcinoe from Corinth hired the weaver Nikandra, but did not pay her for her work, she prayed to Athena, and Alcinous fell in love with the Samian Xanthus, left her family, after which threw herself into the sea (Parthenius. On love passions 27, reference to Moiro’s poem “Curses”).
Martian Capella interprets Hesiod's story, explaining that Athena-Tritonia endowed the Soul with clothes, that is, a body (Martian Capella VI 567, 574, see Losev A.F. History of ancient aesthetics. Results of a thousand years of development. M., 1992. Book 1 . P.157). The philosopher Proclus notes that “the guardian of the weaving industry turns out to be one of the demonesses from the family of Athena, and Athena herself is glorified as the one who weaves the structure of intelligent species in some other, demiurgic sense” (Procl. Commentary on Plato’s Parmenides 829, 18 -21, lane L. Yu. Lukomsky).
They said that Asclepius received the blood of the Gorgon from Athena, with the help of which he raised the dead (Pseudo-Apollodorus. Mythological Library III 10, 3). According to Euripides, Athena gave Erichthonius at birth two drops of the Gorgon’s blood, which he gave to Erechtheus in a golden ring, and the latter to Creuse (one drop is healing, the other is poisonous) (Euripides. Ion 999-1015).
Athena appeared in a dream to Pericles and indicated the herb to heal his slave who had fallen from the roof of the acropolis Propylaea under construction; the herb was nicknamed parthenium, and Pericles erected a statue of Athena Hygieia (Plutarch. Pericles 13 (about the master); Pliny the Elder. Natural History XXII 44). The base of the statue of Athena Hygieia by the sculptor Pyrrhus was found on the acropolis (Pliny the Elder. Natural History XXXIV 80 and commentary by G. A. Taronyan in the book Pliny the Elder. On Art. M., 1994. P.387). The altar of Athena Hygieia was in the deme of Acharna (Pausanias. Description of Hellas I 31, 6).
Alexander the Great, having recovered, organized competitions in honor of Asclepius and Athena (Curtius Rufus. History of Alexander the Great III 7, 3). The goddess Hygieia was called the daughter of Asclepius and Athena Hygieia (Pausanias. Description of Hellas I 23, 5). Athena, resembling a statue of Phidias, appeared to the sick orator Aelius Aristides in a dream and suggested to him that he should take an enema of Attic honey, after which he recovered (Aelius Aristides. Sacred Speeches II 41-43).
Veneration in Greece
Athena was revered throughout the region. In addition to Athens, several acropolises were dedicated to her - Argos, Sparta, Megara, Troy, Troezen, Epidaurus-Limera, Pheneas, Leuctra, Corona, Skepsis, Akragant (Zaitsev A.I. Greek religion and mythology. M.-SPb, 2005. P.92), and even before the arrival of the Achaeans, in the ancient period. Aelius Aristides notes that she rules over the Kremlins of cities and the heads of people (Aelius Aristides. Hymn to Athena 10, see Losev 1999, p. 323).
In Attica, Athena was the main deity of the country and city of Athens, the patroness of the Athenians. The city of Athens itself is named after her.
Apparitions of Athena
They are mentioned repeatedly in the epic, but are later presented by sources with a significant degree of skepticism and even contempt for human gullibility.
When the tyrant Peisistratus returned to the city, the goddess Athena was portrayed by the tall and beautiful woman Fia, who stood in armor on his chariot (Herodotus. History I 60; Polyenus. Strategems I 21, 1). Later, the Athenians arranged a “sacred marriage” of Demetrius Poliorcetes with Athena, and he and the hetero Lamia reclined on her bed (Clement of Alexandria. Protrepticus 54, 6).
According to Polyaenus, in Thebes there was a statue of Athena with a shield lying in front of her knees and a spear in her right hand. At night, Epaminondas brought a craftsman who made the goddess holding a shield by the handle, and passed it off as a sign (Polyenus. Strategems II 3, 12).
During the Gaulish attack on Delphi, it was said that Apollo, Athena and Artemis were seen defending the city (Justin. Epitome of Pompey Trogus XXIV 8, 5).
According to another story by Polyaenus, in 241 BC. e. the priestess of Athena from Pellene in Achaia, fully armed and with a helmet, appeared to the Aetolian enemies, which greatly frightened them (Polyenus. Stratagems VIII 59). Plutarch gives two other versions: either it was a girl with a helmet from the temple of Artemis, or the priestess took out the idol of Artemis and frightened the enemies (Plutarch. Arat 32).
Pompey Trog set out the legend that during the Gauls’ siege of Massilia, Athena appeared at night to the Gaul king Catamarandus, who in horror lifted the siege (Justin. Epitome of Pompey Trog XLIII 5, 6). Aelius Aristides claims that he heard a hymn to Athena during a dream, sent from the goddess herself (Aelius Aristides. Sacred speeches IV 39).
Already in the 5th century, when the statue of Athena Parthenos “was stolen by those who touch and inviolable,” a beautiful woman appeared to the philosopher Proclus in a dream and told him that “Lady Athena would like to stay with you” (Marin. Proclus, or On Happiness 30, trans. M. L. Gasparov; see also Losev A. F. History of ancient aesthetics. M., 1988. P. 316, 318).
The most significant temples of Athena
The Parthenon is the main temple in ancient Athens, dedicated to the patroness of this city and all of Attica, the goddess Athena the Virgin (Ἀθηνᾶ Παρθένος). Built in 447-438 BC. e. by the architect Callicrates according to the design of Ictinus and decorated in 438-431 BC. e. under the leadership of Phidias during the reign of Pericles.
The Erechtheion is one of the main temples of ancient Athens, located on the Acropolis north of the Parthenon. The construction dates back to 421-406 BC. e. Made in the Ionic order. The temple is dedicated to Athena, Poseidon and the legendary Athenian king Erechtheus.
Athens also has the old sanctuary of Athena (Hekatompendon), the sanctuary of Pandrosa, the temple of Nike Apteros, the temple of Zeus and Athena.
Temple of Athena Aphaia on the island of Aegina
Sanctuary of Athena in Argos
Sanctuary of Athena on Delos
Sanctuary of Athena Pronaia in Delphi: Temple of Athena Pronaia, Treasury and Tholos
Temple of Athena in Rhodes
Sanctuary in Sparta
Temple of Athena Alea in Tegea
Temple of Minerva in Assisi, Italy
Temple of Athena at Paestum
Sanctuary of Athena in Pergamon: Temple of Athena, Propylon and Stoa
According to Homer, her temple was in Ilion, and the Trojan women offered her peplos.
Acropolis of Athens, reconstruction by Leo von Klenze in 1846 (a statue of Athena Promachos rises above the acropolis)
Clement of Alexandria mockingly quotes some lines of Homer about Athena, who classifies her among the “demons” (Clement. Protrepticus 55, 4, see Homer. Iliad I 222) and calls her “a dog fly” (Clement. Protrepticus 76, 1, see Homer. Iliad XXI 394 (words of Ares)). Clement mocks the fact that Athena, as a servant, illuminated the path for Odysseus (Clement. Protrepticus 35, 2) and served as a lamp during the secrets of the marriage union (Arnobius. Against the Pagans IV 25).
Tertullian points out that the goddess did not protect Athens from Xerxes (Tertullian. To the Gentiles II 17).
Arnobius, citing data from mythographers about the plurality of Athens, satirically depicts a dispute between five Athens over one sacrifice (Arnobius. Against the Pagans IV 16).
According to Lactantius, she was a mortal woman who invented the arts, for which people idolized her (Lactantius. Divine Institutions I 18, 1.23).
According to the speech of Cotta (Cicero. On the nature of the gods III 59), there were five of them: the mother of Apollo from Athens; daughter of the Nile, she is revered in Sais under the name Neith (Plato. Timaeus 21e); born of Zeus. (or daughter Krona, invented war (Clement. Protreptik 28, 2)); daughter of Zeus and the oceanid Corypha, the Arcadians call her “Coria” and consider her the inventor of the quadriga; daughter Pallanta, killed her father, who tried to rape her, and wore his skin, she is depicted with winged sandals.
When all the gods fled to Egypt, Athena remained in her homeland.
The asteroid (881) Athena, discovered in 1917, is named after Athena.
