Zeus's first wife, Metis, became pregnant, and was preparing to give birth to a daughter and son. Zeus became aware that the son born of Metis will rise and throw him from Olympus. Without hesitation, Zeus devoured his wife. And then a misfortune happened - his head became unbearably sick. Unable to bear the excruciating pain, he ordered his head to be split. At one stroke, the blacksmith Hephaestus cut the skull of Zeus, and the goddess Athena appeared from her broken head. And the son disappeared, was not born.
The daughter of Zeus, the goddess Athena, possessed the courage of a lion and the care of a cat, she was always armed with a spear and a shield, wore a helmet on her head. Along the edge of her robe, snakes glided inevitably. However, with all the armament, the virgin warrior was quite peaceful. She never dropped her spear, but she never lifted it against anyone. Only once did the goddess scratch Hephaestus slightly, resisting his harassment.
Stately and proud, Athena was the only goddess on Olympus dressed in battle armor. The visor of her helmet was always raised, a divine face appeared to the whole world. When the goddess Athena vowed celibacy and chastity, the main Greek city began to be called her name. From now on it was the city of Athens.
The goddess patronized martial art and martial art. She also took care of many peaceful crafts, weaving and pottery, blacksmithing and furrier. Athena gave people the ability to do such necessary things as a harness for horses, carts, plows, rakes, clamps, she taught winegrowers, leatherworking craftsmen and coopers. Under her auspices, skillful shipbuilders appeared who knew how to build durable ships for distant wanderings.
Often, the goddess Athena Pallas was portrayed in military armor holding a spear in one hand and a spindle with yarn wound in the other. At the same time, an owl sat on her shoulder, a symbol of wisdom. Athena strove for the superiority of the mind over instincts, preferred a restrained strategy in solving all vital issues. She taught people practicality, ambition and perseverance in achieving their goals.
The main position, which was strictly followed by the goddess Athena Pallas, is the consistent development of wildlife, submission to its human needs. For such an approach, the goddess was condemned by Artemis, who believed that everything living in nature should be outside the influence of man. But Athena’s desire to comply with the law, all laws without exception, a respectful attitude to statehood on Olympus was welcomed, many gods supported the warrior goddess Athena in this.
Once Athena Pallas quarreled with the sea god Poseidon. In the battle with him, she won. After this, the goddess Athena began to reign supreme over Attica. Then she helped Perseus destroy the terrible Medusa Gorgon. Then, with the help of Athena, Jason builds a ship and floats behind the Golden Fleece. Athena Pallas patronizes the Odyssey, and he safely returns home after winning the Trojan War. Not a single event on Olympus is complete without the participation of Athena, the goddess of knowledge and crafts, arts and inventions, the patroness of military battles and the ordinary life of ordinary people. Some critically minded people argue that Athena, the goddess of something uncertain, takes everything under her protection indiscriminately. One cannot agree with this. Athena Pallas is a versatile and multifaceted goddess.
