CLA204H1 Lecture : Athena
Document Summary
The hh tells the story of athena"s birth. According to this, zeus gave birth to her from his head and she was wearing an armor of gold. Hesiod tells us how zeus had swallowed his consort metis (wisdom) after he had made her pregnant with athena; he was afraid that metis would bear him a son that would overthrow him. Variations in the story of athena"s birth have hephaestus split zeus" head open with an ax to facilitate the birth. This myth establishes the close bond between zeus and his favorite daughter as well as the three basic characteristics of the goddess athena: her prowess, her wisdom and the masculinity of her virgin nature. The parthenon was the great temple to athena parthenos (virgin) on the acropolis in athens. It was built between 447 and 438 b. c and embodied the triumph of greek courage and piety over the. Persians who had sacked the acropolis and destroyed the old parthenon.
