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Athena: Battle
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The usual attributes of Athena were the helmet, the aegis, the round shield with the head of Medusa in the centre, the lance, an olive branch, the owl, the cock and the snake. Of these the aegis, usually explained as a storm-cloud, is probably intended as a battle-charm, like the Gorgon's head on the shield and the faces on the shields of Chinese soldiers; the owl probably represents the form under which she was worshipped in primitive times, and subsequently became her favourite bird (the epithet -yXavK6.)7rts, meaning "keen-eyed" in Homer, may have originally signified "owl-faced"); the snake, a common companion of the earth deities, probably refers to her connexion with ErechtheusErichthonius.
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Athena is often referred to in mythology, but if you don't know her names, sometimes these references can be hard to catch. She is often called Pallas, or Pallas Athene. This name comes from a childhood friend she had, a nymph, who she accidentally killed when they were having a mock battle. Athena was distraught and carried her friend's name with her forever more. The name, Pallas, means Maiden. And as Athena is often referred to in this form - which can refer to her Virginity, her Youthful Strength, or her Independence - you should definitely know what it means.
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Athena instructed Heracles how to remove the skin from the Nemean Lion, by using the lion's own claws to cut through its thick hide. The lion's hide became Heracles' signature garment, along with the olive-wood club he used in the battle. Athena ... assisted Heracles on a few other labors. She also helped Heracles defeat the Stymphalian Birds, along with Hephaestus.
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The great Athena was the first to teach the science of numbers and all ancient women's arts, such as cooking, weaving and spinning. She was the goddess of wisdom and war, but, unlike the god of war Ares, she took no pleasure from battle, preferring instead to settle conflict through mediation.
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The poet Hesiod states that Athena emerged from the head of Zeus; indeed, she sprang out fully grown and armed for battle. Furthermore, the legend of her birth reveals another odd aspect. According to the story, Zeus became enamored with Metis (the name Metis, incidentally, means "thought"). Together, they conceived a child, but Zeus, fearing that his offspring would be a powerful male god who would eventually overthrow him, swallowed the pregnant Metis. In time, it was Zeus himself who gave birth to a daughter, with the assistance of Hephaistos, who played the part of a midwife by striking Zeus's head with an axe and thereby releasing Athena.
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