What are some notable myths about Athena?

Answer 1

Athena is the Greek goddess of civilization, wisdom, craft, and justice.

The most notable myth about the virgin goddess is that her father Zeus swallowed her while she was still in her mother Metis' belly. He did so to prevent a prophesy, which stated that his offspring would overpower him, from coming true. However, since Metis was already pregnant when he swallowed her, she gave birth to Athena and nurtured her inside Zeus. Soon Zeus complained of headaches and called for Hephaestus to split open his head with his smithing tools. Athena burst forth from her father's head fully armed with weapons given by her mother.

Also, Athena competed with the water god Poseidon to be the patron deity of Athens, which was yet unnamed, in a founding myth. Both agreed that each would give the Athenians one gift and that the Athenians would choose the gift they preferred. Poseidon struck the ground with his trident and a spring sprang up; this gave them a means of trade and water since Athens at its height was a significant sea power, but the water was salty and not very good for drinking. Athena, however, offered them the first domesticated olive tree. The Athenians and their king accepted the olive tree and with it the patronage of Athena, for the olive tree brought wood, oil, and food.

Finally, some myths claim that Athena was the one who turned Medusa into a snake-haired demon. Medusa, unlike her two sister-Gorgons, came to be thought of by the Greeks as mortal and very beautiful until she was raped by Poseidon in the temple of Athena. Upon discovering the desecration of her temple, Athena changed Medusa's form to match that of her sister Gorgons as punishment. Medusa's hair turned into snakes, her lower body was transformed also, and meeting her gaze would turn any living creature to stone.