Athene

The Goddess of wisdom, community and the olive tree.

Blessings

Athene helps us to cultivate wisdom, reason, and purity. As a Goddess of noble combat, she aids in the defending of home and country, and by inspiring just laws and civil intercourse, she is a Goddess of peace as well. She helps us to see our cities as thriving communities, as extended families, instead of just a bunch of people who live together. The duties owed to family and friends she extends to our neighbors in the community. She is also the Patron of craftsmen, weavers, and artists, and delights in simple things done well.

God Of

  • Wisdom
  • Protection
  • Weaving
  • Olive tree, olives and olive oil

Primary Cult Centers

  • Argos
  • Athens
  • Sparta
  • Troy

Epithets

  • Aglauros – Dewfall
  • Agoraia – of the Market
  • Aithuia – Sea Bird
  • Alalkomene – Repeller of Danger
  • Alea – Protectress
  • Apatouria – of the Apatouria festival
  • Areia – Warlike
  • Boulaia – of the Council
  • Ergane – Workerwoman
  • Glaukopis – Grey-eyed, Owl-eyed
  • Gorgopis – Gorgon-Eyed
  • Hellotis – Broad-Faced
  • Hephaistia – of Hephaistos
  • Hippia – of Horses
  • Hugieia – Health
  • Itonia – of Itonos
  • Khalinitis – of the Bridle
  • Khalkioikos – Dwelling in a Brazen House
  • Khruse – Golden
  • Kourotrophos – Protector of Youth
  • Kranaia – Fulfiller
  • Meter – Mother
  • Meter – Mother
  • Nike – Victory
  • Nikephoros – Victory-Bringing
  • Pallas – alternate name
  • Panakhais – Goddess of the Akhaean League
  • Pandrosos – All-Bedewing
  • Parthenos – Virgin
  • Phatria – of the Phratry
  • Poliakhos – City-Holding
  • Polias – of the City
  • Polumetis – of Many Counsels
  • Promakhos – Champion
  • Pronoia – Providence
  • Salpinx – War-Trumpet
  • Sophia – Wisdom
  • Soteria – Savior
  • Sthenias – Mighty
  • Tritogeneia – Born on Lake Triton
  • he Theos – the Goddess

Symbols

Aegis, helmit, spear, owl, olive

Animals

Owl, snake

Sacrifices

Olive oil, olive leaves and branches, aromatic herbs, almond, oak, flax, wool, star ruby, turquoise, amaranth, tiger lily, geranium, yew, galbanum, asafoetida, scammony

Festivals

  • Arrhephoria (3 Skiraphorion (June-July)) .
  • Kallunteria (24-25 Thargelion (May-June)) .
  • Khalkeia (30 Puanepsion (October-November)) .
  • Oskhophoria (7 Puanepsion (October-November)) .
  • Panathenaia (Hekatombaion 28 (July-August)) .

Ways to honor

Become involved in your community and your city. To neighbors, be friendly. To children, be a mentor. To strangers, be helpful. To your community, be of service, whatever its needs are. Learn new things. Study philosophy. Take up arts and crafts. Support veterans.

More…

Articles

  • No articles yet… Why not write one? Contact the member responsible for this page by clicking his name on the sidebar.

Ancient Hymns and Texts

  • No Ancient Texts yet… Do you know one? Contact the member responsible for this page by clicking his name on the sidebar.

Modern Hymns and Devotions

  • No modern devotions yet… You want to offer one? Contact the member responsible for this page by clicking his name on the sidebar.

Primary Sources

  • Aeschylus’ Eumenides
  • Apollodorus’ Library 1.3.6, 1.4.3, 1.6.2 1.9.17,1.9.23, 2.4.3, 2.5.6, 2.5.12, 2.7.4, 2.1.5, 3.4.2, 3.6.8, 3.10.3, 3.12.3, 3.14.2, 3.14.7
  • Apollodorus’ Epitome 3.2 , 5.6, 5.23, 6.6
  • Apollonius Rhodius’ Argonautica
  • Euripides’ The Suppliants, Ion, Rhesus, Trojan Women, and Iphigeneia among the Taurians
  • Herodotus’ The Histories 4.180.5, 8.55
  • Hesiod’s Cataluges of Women 7, 10
  • Hesiod’s Shield of Heracles 325-344, 443-471
  • Hesiod’s Theogony 315, 575, 885-900, 924-929
  • Hesiod’s Works and Days 60
  • Homer’s Iliad 1.206, 1.190, 4.127, 4.60, 4.85, 5.730, 5.764, 5.115-121, 5.239, 5.280-318, 5.363, 5.825-835, 6.270, 6.297, 7.15, 7.43, 21.361, 21.400, 22.177, 22.224, 22.260, 22.289
  • Homer’s Odyssey 1.44, 1.80, 1.110, 1.125, 1.178, 1.230, 1.280, 2.115, 2.260, 2.267, 5.5, 5.380, 5.408, 6.10, 6.225, 7.10, 7.37, 13.190-416, 20.299, 20.345, 22.205-210, 22.225, 22.292
  • Homeric Hymn to Aphrodite 5.8-15
  • Homeric Hymn to Apollo 3b.305
  • Homeric Hymn to Athene 11, 28
  • Hyginus’ Fabulae 142, 165, 168
  • Ovid’s Metamorphoses 4.790-803, 6.1-145, 8.251-253
  • Pausanias’ Description of Greece 1.14.6, 1.18.2, 1.24.1-7, 2.30.6, 4.30.5, 8.26.6, 9.11.2, 9.33.7
  • Pindar’s Olympian Odes 7.32, 13.63-82
  • Pindar’s Pythian Odes 10.43, 12.6-27
  • Plato’s Laws 920d
  • Plutarch’s Alcibiades 2.5
  • Plutarch’s Themistocles 19.3
  • Sophocles’ Ajax 1, 36, 74, 101, 748

Links

Modern Books

Athene