BACKGROUND:

Athena is the Greek Goddess of wisdom and war, and is the patroness of Athens.  She is the daughter of Zeus, having lept from his head already adult and fully armed.  Variations in the story of Athena's birth include Zeus' head spliting open by an axe wielded by Hephaestus; some writers add to the awe of the occasion by having Athena cry out thunderously as she springs to life.  In either case a close bond exists between Athena and her father.  Athena is the favorite child of Zeus.

Athena is a great protectress.  "She is often depicted bearing a spear, wearing a breastplate, and accompanied by an owl.  She is also the patroness of spinners and many other forms of craftspeople who work with their hands" (Telesco 7/10).

Athena's role as a goddess varies.  She is a major warrior and most images depict her dressed in armor and holding a spear.  In Homer's Iliad, she is described as a fierce battle goddess who continually intervenes on the side of the Greeks.  She also takes an interest in handicrafts and agriculture.  The olive tree, which she said to have created, is sacred to her.  She was noted for her wisdom which explains her close association with the owl, an
ancient symbol of wisdom and reason.

The most famous temple to Athena was the Parthenon (5th century BCE) which was named for Parthenos ("the Maiden"), which still stands atop the Acropolis in Athens.  The interior of the Parthenon stands a statue of Athena Parthenos.

Athena can be a powerful force in our everyday lives.  Any concerns about school, training, trials, war... they can all be brought to her.  She is a great provider of peace, wisdom, and courage.
 

RITUAL TO ATHENA (from 365 Goddess)

The Greeks celebrated this goddess by giving her a new wardrobe, making offerings, and taking her images out for cleansing. So, if you have any likenesses of the goddess,
dust them off and adorn them in some way, perhaps using an oak leaf for a dress to honor Athena.
 

 Wearing a new piece of splendid clothing or adding olives to your diet today draws Athena's attributes into your life.  Or, use pitted olives as a spell component.  On a small piece of paper, write the word that best describes what you need from Athena.  Stuff this into the olive and bury it.  By the time the olive decomposes, your desire should be showing signs of manifestation.

Finally, place a small piece of oak leaf in your shoe to Athena's leadership and bravery will walk with you, helping you to face whatever awaits with a strong heart.
 
 

QUOTES

"A day can press down all human things, and a day can raise them up. But the gods embrace men of sense and abhor the evil." [Athena to Odysseus. Sophocles]
 

"To Athena

I celebrate the powers of Pallas Athena, the protectress of the city:
Dread, as Ares, She busies herself with the works of war,
With the sack of cities, with the battle-cry and with the combats.
It is She also who saves the fighters that go to war and come back alive.
Hail, Goddess, give us good fortune and happiness!"

Homeric Hymn #11 to Athena
translated by Roy George
Copyright ©1998 Roy George
 

"To Athena

I begin to sing of Pallas Athena, the glorious Goddess, bright-eyed,
inventive, unbending of heart,
pure virgin, saviour of cities,
courageous, Tritogeneia. Wise Zeus himself bare her
from his awful head, arrayed in warlike arms
of flashing gold, and awe seized all the gods as they gazed.
But Athena sprang quickly from the immortal head
and stood before Zeus who holds the aegis,
shaking a sharp spear: great Olympus began to reel horribly
at the might of the bright-eyed Goddess,
and earth round about cried fearfully,
and the sea was moved and tossed with dark waves,
while foam burst forth suddenly:
the bright Son of Hyperion stopped his swift-footed horses a long while,
until the maiden Pallas Athena had stripped the heavenly armour from her
immortal shoulders.
And wise Zeus was glad.

And so hail to you, daughter of Zeus who holds the aegis!
Now I will remember you and another song as well."

Homeric Hymn #28 to Athena
 

 

ORIGINAL ART

A Song to Athena
By Amaraya

She who was celebrated in the ancient times
Returns to her daughters today
Athena, Goddess of wisdom and light
Glorious warrior, Queen of the May

Glorious warrior, in battle dress
A helmet covers her hair
And inspires her witches when to her they call
By Earth and Fire, by Water and Air

By Earth and Fire we invoke her name
By Water and Air we call her down from above
Our leader in battles, our queen in struggles
And the object our all our love

And the object of all our adoration
Of our circles, and joys, and mirth
We search her out, We draw her down
We look for her in death and in birth

I look for her in death so that in the end
It's then I know I will see
That through all of my struggles, my greatest victory
Was to find Athena's strength in Me
 

Sources:
http://hsa.brown.edu/~maicar/Athena.html
http://www.goddess-athena.org/Encyclopedia/Athena/
Morford, Mark and Robert J. Lenardon,  CLASSICAL MYTHOLOGY; sixth ed., Oxford University Press, 1999
Telesco, Patricia,  365 GODDESS  Harper Collins Publishers, 1998.