Importance of the Goddess Athena (Minerva)

The Goddess Athena of mythology Greek, known as Minerva among the Romans, is the divinity that symbolizes the intelligence and military strategy. On the other hand, Athena is the protector of manual arts, science and justice. The figure of her was revered in most peoples of the ancient world.

The birth of the Goddess

In the Olympus of the Gods, Athena is the daughter of Zeus (father of Gods and men) and his first wife, Metis, a divinity associated with cunning and foresight. As is known, an oracle announced to the God Zeus that one of his sons would dethrone him and for this reason he made the decision to eat his wife who was pregnant.

After a while, Zeus began to have severe headaches and asked the God Hephaestus to split his head open with his ax because he could not bear the pain. Hephaestus opened her head and from the wound that was produced, the Goddess Athena was born, completely adult, dressed and with the appearance of a warrior woman.

Some of the episodes starring Athena have become icons of art history

According to some mythological accounts, Hephaestus tried to rape Athena, but she resisted and the semen of the God fell to Earth and from there Ericthonio was born, who was treated by her as if he were her own. stepson of her It is also said of her that the winged giant Pallas tried to rape her but the Goddess managed to kill him and tore off her skin to protect herself from her. One day Tiresias surprised Athena bathing naked in a lake and as her punishment she made him go blind, but repenting of her action, she allowed her to hear the singing of the birds.

The gods Poseidon and Athena had a strong dispute in relation to the city of Athens (Poseidon stuck his trident into the Earth and salty water appeared and Athena offered the Athenians the olive tree, with which oil and wood could be obtained and for this reason she became the protector of Athens). Athena also helped Ulysses, as she appeared to him in a dream to help him return home and marry his beloved Penelope. All these stories and many others are collected in the history of art western.

The image of the Goddess was presiding over the interior of the Parthenon in Athens and we can find her image in the painting of the Spinners by Velázquez or in the painting of the Italian Paris Bordone Athena despising Hephaestus.

in western culture

It is not necessary to think that the adoration of her is something of the past, because at present the feminist movements continue to look at the Goddess Athena as a reference. On the other hand, it is a mythological character that symbolizes the woman with job success, competitive and fighter.

In many parts of the world there are ateneos, centers dedicated to culture and that have this name because they are inspired by intelligence and prudence of the goddess Athena.

Fotolia: joserpizarro – jjmillan