Ep 5: Athene - Dazzling Warrior Goddess

... This is episode 5 of Garner's Greek Mythology.  Here we discuss Athene, the so-called rational goddess of war. Was she? Hardly. Like all the gods she was complex and riddled with contradictions.

Her stories are frequently those of passion and outrage. Reason was often set aside by this goddess who was considered the most intelligent of all the Olympic gods. Her sternness masked her fierce ardor.

Narrated by mythologist and best-selling author, Patrick Garner,  Garner's Greek Mythology is unlike any other Greek history series. The series views these divine beings as if they were anything but mythical...

Listen as we meet the ambitious Arachne; the mighty Zeus; the ax-wielding craftsman, Hephaistos; Athene's childhood girlfriend, Pallas; the wily Odysseus; the ill-fated prophetess, Kassandra; and the blind prophet, Teiresias, who was punished after lingering to watch the goddess bath.

We learn how Athene, Athens' protector, did little when Athens was in peril--and why the Athenians loved her despite her constant absences ...

If you love these podcasts, you'll also enjoy new stories about the gods in Garner's novel Homo Divinitas, now available as an audio book on Amazon.com and Audible.com.

And our adventures continue!  (Musical score includes selections from Fesliyan Studios.)

Transcript

PODCAST #5

WELCOME TO EPISODE 5 OF GARNER'S GREEK MYTHOLOGY. I'M YOUR HOST, MYTHOLOGIST & AUTHOR, PATRICK GARNER. 

IN OUR LAST EPISODE WE SPENT TIME WITH ZEUS, THE MIGHTIEST OF THE GREEK GODS. HIS STORY IS ONE OF ENDLESS ESCAPADES, SEDUCTIONS & CARELESS LOVE.

HE WAS THE FIRST OF THE OLYMPIC GODS, THE CRUELEST OF THE GODS, & IRONICALLY, THE FIRST OF THE GODS TO GO.

IN THE END, HIS END, HE TANGLED WITH GAIA, THE GREATEST OF ALL GODDESSES, & THINGS DID NOT GO WELL. AT LEAST NOT FOR ZEUS.

BUT TODAY WE CHANGE GODS. AND WE SWITCH GENDERS, LEAPING FROM MALE TO FEMALE, FROM BRUTE TO THE MOST INTELLIGENT OF THE GODS. 

AND AS ALWAYS, THIS SERIES FOCUSES ON ONE THING ...

GREEK GODS, OF COURSE ... & AS YOU DO WHEN YOU JOIN ME HERE, IN THIS SERIES, YOU WILLINGLY SUSPEND YOUR DISBELIEF.

HERE THE ANCIENT GODS ARE NOT CONSIDERED IMAGINARY. HARDLY. INSTEAD, THEY ARE HERE, NOW ...

Ω

I LOVE OPENING EACH OF THESE EPISODES WITH A STORY. SO LET'S DO SO ... THIS TALE IS RATHER OBSCURE, BUT ILLUSTRATIVE OF A CERTAIN GODDESS' PERSONALITY.

IT BEGINS WITH A YOUNG WOMAN OF HUMBLE ORIGINS, & ENDS WITH A SPIDERS, FOREVER WEAVING THEIR WEBS. I SUSPECT YOU'VE NEVER HEARD IT, BUT LET'S SEE ...

THE GODDESS WHO IS OUR PROTAGONIST TODAY IS CHALLENGED BY THIS YOUNG WOMAN, & AS IS USUAL IN THESE CONTESTS, THE MORTAL, THE YOUNG WOMAN, LOSES ...

SPIDERS ARE IN A CLASS OF INVERTEBRATES CALLED ARACHNIDS. OUR YOUNG WOMAN WAS NAMED ARACHNE & LIVED SIMPLY IN THE SMALL KINGDOM OF LYDIA IN TURKEY.

SHE WAS BLESSED WITH AN UNPARALLELED SKILL AT WEAVING, WHICH EVERY WOMAN AT THE TIME WAS EXPECTED TO MASTER. 

IN SHORT TIME, SHE BECAME FAMOUS THROUGHOUT THE KINGDOM FOR HER PEERLESS TAPESTRIES. 

ALL WHO SAW HER WORK PRAISED IT, & THE CONSTANT COMPLIMENTS LED TO ... INCREASING PRIDE ON ARACHNE'S PART.

BEFORE LONG SHE BOOSTED — AND ACTUALLY BELIEVED — THAT NO ONE, MORTAL OR GOD, COULD COMPETE WITH HER. 

IN HER CONCEIT SHE CHALLENGED THE VERY GODDESS WHO WATCHED OVER THOSE WHO PRACTICED THE CRAFT.

THE GODDESS HEARD THE PROVOCATION & WAS ASTONISHED. RATHER THAN IMMEDIATELY PUNISH ARACHNE, THE GODDESS APPEARED BEFORE HER AS AN OLD WOMAN. 

SHE KINDLY WARNED ARACHNE TO QUICKLY BEG THE GODDESS' PARDON FOR HER FOLLY, THAT NO GOOD COULD COME FROM SUCH A CHALLENGE.

ARACHNE INSTEAD LAUGHED & SCORNED THE OLD WOMAN. INSTANTLY, THE GODDESS TRANSFORMED INTO HER TRUE APPEARANCE. EVEN THEN ARACHNE REFUSED TO APOLOGIZE.

SHE KNEW HOW GOOD SHE WAS, & IN HER VANITY, DARED THE GODDESS WHO STOOD BEFORE HER TO COMPETE. AND SO THE CONTEST BEGAN.

EACH OF THEM WOVE AMAZING TAPESTRIES, FILLED WITH EXOTIC SCENES & ILLUSTRATING THE GREAT STORIES OF EARLY GREECE. 

THERE WERE TWISTING VINES & GODS & STRANGE BEASTS ROAMING IN RESPLENDENT FIELDS, BATTLE SCENES, BOYS COURTING GIRLS & NYMPHS DANCING IN THE SUN.

IN THE END, THE GODDESS INSPECTED ARACHNE'S FINISHED TAPESTRY. EVERY STITCH WAS PERFECT. HER WORK WAS INDISPUTABLY BETTER.

FURIOUS, THE GODDESS RIPPED IT SHREDS, THEN ATTACKED THE GIRL HERSELF. NO ONE HAD EVER MOCKED THE GODS AS DARINGLY.

DESPERATE TO ESCAPE THE GODDESS' BLOWS, THE GIRL HUNG HERSELF WITH A ROPE. 

AS ARACHNE DANGLED BEFORE HER, THE GODDESS TOOK PITY, LOOSENING THE ROPE BEFORE ALL LIFE ESCAPED THE GIRL'S BODY.

AT THE SAME MOMENT THE GODDESS CHANGED HER INTO A SPIDER, WHISPERING, 'FROM NOW ON YOU CAN WEAVE WHATEVER YOU WISH.' 

AND TO THIS DAY, HER DESCENDANTS — THE VAST CLASS OF ARACHNIDS — WEAVE THEIR WEBS ACROSS THE WORLD.

AND WHO WAS THE GODDESS? 

ATHENA, WHOM THE GREEKS CALLED ATHENE & THE ROMANS MINERVA. SHE WAS A VIRGIN GODDESS. IN ADDITION TO BEING THE GODDESS OF WAR, SHE PROTECTED ARTISANS & ALL CRAFTS.

FROM THE STORY WE MAY ASSUME THAT ATHENE'S PROTECTION DID NOT EXTEND TO THOSE WHO BOOSTED LIKE CROWS. 

SKILL & INITIATIVE SHE VALUED ... BLUSTER & BRAGGING WERE REBUKED. MORE OVER, CHALLENGES TO A GODDESS WERE NEVER IGNORED. AND SO ARACHNE MET HER SPIDERY FATE.

Ω

THERE ARE OTHER STORIES ... FOR INSTANCE, THERE'S THE FAMOUS ONE ABOUT ATHENE'S BIRTH. 

I MENTIONED IN OUR EPISODE ABOUT ZEUS THAT ATHENE WAS BORN FULLY ARMORED, BRIGHT SWORD IN HAND. SHE WAS ZEUS' FAVORITE DAUGHTER, & FOR GOOD REASON. 

BUT THE BIRTH WAS FAR MORE DRAMATIC THAN SIMPLY SAYING SHE WAS BORNE 'ARMORED.' THAT'S NOT THE HALF OF IT.

HER MOTHER WAS METIS. IN GREEK, METIS — THAT'S M-E-T-I-S — MEANS INTELLIGENCE. METIS WAS ZEUS' FIRST WIFE.

ZEUS LEARNED DURING HER PREGNANCY THAT HER SECOND CHILD, WHO WAS YET TO BE CONCEIVED, WOULD BE A MALE DESTINED TO OVERTHROW ZEUS, AS ZEUS HIMSELF HAD OVERTHROWN HIS FATHER, KRONOS.

PROPHESIES WERE TAKEN SERIOUSLY IN THOSE DAYS ... VERY SERIOUSLY.

TO PROTECT HIMSELF FROM THIS SECOND CHILD, WHO WAS, AT THIS POINT, YEARS FROM CONCEPTION, ZEUS SWALLOWED HIS WIFE WHOLE ... EXPEDIENT, HUH?

WHEN THE TIME CAME FOR THE FIRST CHILD TO BE BORN, HEPHAISTOS, ANOTHER OLYMPIC GOD, AT ZEUS' SIGNAL, STRUCK THE MIGHTY GOD'S FOREHEAD WITH AN AXE.

SHOUTING HER WAR CRY ACROSS THE EARTH & HEAVENS, ATHENE SPRUNG FORTH. SHE DID SO FULLY GROWN, IN GOLDEN ARMOR & FLASHING A SWORD.

AND THIS ... IS A BRIEF SUMMARY ... OF HOW, ATHENE, THE FUTURE PROTECTOR OF ATHENS, CAME INTO BEING.

Ω

BUT TALES OF THESE GODDESSES ARE ALWAYS COMPLEX. THE ONE ABOUT ATHENE LEAPING FROM ZEUS' HEAD IS DRAMATIC. MYTHOLOGISTS LOVE IT. AND IT IS QUITE GRAND.

BUT THERE ARE OTHER BIRTH STORIES ABOUT ATHENE. IN FACT, THERE ARE A HALF DOZEN, ALL DIFFERENT.

ONE IS THAT SHE WAS BORN BESIDE LAKE TRITONIS IN LIBYA, WHERE SHE WAS NURTURED BY THREE NYMPHS. THE LAKE WAS FED BY THE TRITON RIVER.

BECAUSE OF THAT SHE WAS SOMETIMES CALLED, Athene Tritogeneia, WHICH MEANS "BORN OF OR GENERATED BY Trito." 

THERE'S A PROBLEM WITH THIS TALE. THAT IS, THE RIVER & LAKE HAVE NEVER BEEN FOUND. BUT HERODOTUS & HESIOD & OTHER WRITERS OF THE TIME WERE SURE THEY EXISTED.

THERE SHE HAD A GIRLFRIEND NAMED PALLAS — THAT'S SPELLED P-A-L-L-A-S. ATHENE KILLED HER FRIEND BY ACCIDENT, WHILE THEY WERE PRETEND SWORD-FIGHTING.

THAT TOO MAKES A DRAMATIC TALE. BUT SOME SAY PALLAS WAS SIMPLY HER BELOVED FOSTER SISTER. THERE WAS ALSO A TITAN NAMED PALLAS WHO MARRIED THE RIVER GOD STYX.

STYX, YOU MAY RECALL, WAS THE RIVER THE DEAD CROSSED AS THEY ENTERED HADES. WHETHER ANY OF THIS HAD TO DO WITH ATHENE IS DEBATABLE. 

AND WE'RE NOT THROUGH WITH THIS. WE'LL DISCUSS PALLAS A BIT LATER IN THIS EPISODE.

REGARDLESS, TO THE EVER-REVERENT GREEKS, SHE BECAME PALLAS ATHENE.

Ω

AND WHILE WE'RE ON THIS THEME, I SHOULD ADD THAT ATHENE WAS SMART. VERY SMART.

IN FACT, SHE WAS CONSIDERED THE PERSONIFICATION OF INTELLIGENCE ... METIS, YOU REMEMBER ... HER MOTHER'S NAME GAVE AWAY THE CLUE.

BUT NONE OF THE GREEK GODS, THE OLYMPIC GODS, WERE SO ONE-DIMENSIONAL. AND ATHENE WAS NO EXCEPTION. SHE EMBODIED FAR MORE THAN MERE INTELLIGENCE.

SURE, SHE WAS BRIGHT, & SHE PROTECTED CRAFTS & ARTISANS. BUT ALMOST INEXPLICABLY TO US, SHE WAS ALSO THE GODDESS OF WAR ...

Ω

WHEREAS ARES, THE GOD OF WAR, REVELED IN BLOODLUST, ATHENE SPECIALIZED IN DISCIPLINED, RATIONAL USE OF WAR. AT LEAST SOMETIMES.

THE WARS SHE INITIATED WERE MEANT TO PROTECT COMMUNITIES. THE WARS SHE PARTICIPATED IN WERE MEANT TO PROTECT WARRIORS SHE FAVORED.

SHE PLAYED A KEY, ON-GOING ROLE IN THE 10-YEAR BATTLE OF TROY. ODYSSEUS, CONSIDERED THE MOST INTELLIGENT & CUNNING OF GREEK'S WARRIORS IN THAT CONFLICT, WAS SHIELDED FROM BLOWS & GIVEN CONSTANT ADVICE BY THE GODDESS.

AND SHE GUIDED HIM THE FOLLOWING 10 YEARS AS HE STRUGGLED TO RETURN HOME TO HIS WIFE & SON AFTER THE WAR . 

HOMER IN BOTH THE ILIAD & THE ODYSSEY, DESCRIBES HER RELATIONSHIP WITH ODYSSEUS. SHE'S ALMOST LIKE A BIG SISTER TO HIM, COUNSELING & GUIDING HIM THROUGHOUT. 

HE EVENTUALLY MAKES IT HOME, & ATHENE IS WITH HIM UP TO THE VERY POINT THAT HE SETS FOOT ON THE BEACHES OF HIS BELOVED ISLAND.

Ω

SHE'S ALWAYS DEPICTED FULLY ARMED. THERE WAS, APPARENTLY, NOT A PLAYFUL CELL IN HER DIVINE BODY.

WHEREAS OTHER GODS MIGHT BE SEEN LOUNGING ON LOW COUCHES & PARTAKING OF AMBROSIA & SONG, ATHENE REMAINS STERN, EVER WATCHFUL. 

IN ANCIENT GREECE SHE FREQUENTLY APPEARS IN SCULPTURES & ON POTTERY. SHE STANDS, LEGS APART IN A WARRIOR'S STANCE, 

WEARING A CRESTED HELMET, HER RESERVED FACE IS IN PROFILE. SHE APPEARS ON ATHENIAN COINAGE, STRAIGHT-NOSED & WEARING A WREATH MADE OF OLIVE LEAVES. 

HER OWL IS ON THE OBVERSE OF EVERY SILVER COIN. 

WHEN SHOWN FROM HEAD TO TOE, SHE HOLDS A SPEAR IN ONE HAND & A MIGHTY SHIELD IN THE OTHER. HER OWL OFTEN SITS ON HER SHOULDER. 

YOU HAVE THE SENSE THAT SHE ONLY DEALS WITH BIG ISSUES, IMPORTANT MATTERS, THAT SHE WOULD NEVER JOIN YOU IN THE EVENING FOR A GLASS OF WINE.

IT'S NOT THAT ATHENE IS HOSTILE OR UNNEIGHBORLY ... IT'S NOT THAT AT ALL ... BUT IF YOU WERE TO WALK UP TO HER WITH A QUESTION ...

INSTEAD OF TURNING TO LOOK INTO YOUR EYES, SHE WOULD SIMPLY STARE INTO THE DISTANCE, PONDERING, PERHAPS, SOME GODDESS BUSINESS FAR TOO COMPLEX TO SHARE WITH A MORTAL ... SUCH AS YOU.

Ω

HER WATCH OVER ARTS & CRAFTS INCLUDED SHARING DIVINE SECRETS & INSIGHTS. HER HELP WAS OFTEN ... REVOLUTIONARY.

SHE ACTIVELY PARTICIPATED IN CRAFTING OBJECTS SUCH AS SHIPS & INTRICATE DEVICES OF WAR.

FOR INSTANCE, SHE DESIGNED & SUPERVISED THE BUILDING OF THE ARGO, THE FAMOUS SHIP USED BY JASON & THE ARGONAUTS IN THEIR SEARCH FOR THE GOLDEN FLEECE.

THE ARGO WAS THE FIRST GREEK SHIP. ATHENE INVENTED ITS SAILS & ITS CONFIGURATION. SHE TAUGHT THE HELMSMAN HOW TO STEER IT ACROSS THE SEAS.

ANOTHER OF HER INNOVATIONS WAS THE FAMOUS WOODEN HORSE USED IN TROY —THE SO-CALLED TROJAN HORSE —TO SMUGGLE GREEK WARRIORS INTO THE CITY. 

SHE WORKED WITH ODYSSEUS TO BUILD THE ENORMOUS HORSE, & ITS SUCCESS ALLOWED THE GREEKS TO FINALLY END THE 10-YEAR SIEGE.

YOU SEE, LIKE ODYSSEUS, ATHENE WAS CUNNING, AS WELL AS INGENIOUS. 

SHE WAS PALLAS ATHENE, REMEMBER?

PALLAS HAD A DOUBLE MEANING. IN ADDITION TO MEANING GIRL OR MAIDEN, PALLAS WAS DERIVED FROM PALLEIN, WHICH IN ANCIENT GREEK MEANT TO BRANDISH. AS WE KNOW, SHE OFTEN BRANDISHED A SWORD.

I PERSONALLY PREFER THE SEMI-MYSTICAL DERIVATION OF PALLAS, THE ONE THAT LINKS HER NAME TO THE GIRLFRIEND SHE KILLED WHILE SWORDFIGHTING.

BUT ENOUGH OF PALLAS. SHE HAD MULTIPLE TITLES. ONE USED BY HOMER WAS GLAUKOPIS, WHICH MEANT BRIGHT-EYED, GRAY-EYED OR FLASHING-EYED.

TO THE GREEKS SHE WAS PALLAS ATHENE, OR SHE WAS GLAUKOPIS ATHENE, THE INTELLIGENT, SHINING ONE. OR, YOU REMEMBER, SHE WAS ATHENE TRITOGENEIA. 

BUT HER MANY NAMES DO NOT BEGIN TO DESCRIBE HER PASSION. 

Ω

THE GREEKS WANTED IT BOTH WAYS. SHE'S OFTEN PERSONIFIED AS DISPASSIONATE, THE INTELLIGENT, RATIONAL GODDESS.

BUT ATHENE SHOULD NOT BE SEEN AS TRANQUIL. THAT HARDLY FITS THIS FIERY GODDESS. WE SAW HER REACTION WHEN SHE WAS CHALLENGED BY ARACHNE, THE WEAVER WHO WAS TOO FULL OF HERSELF. 

HER FURY LED TO ARACHNE'S TRANSFORMATION INTO ... A SPIDER.

A SIMILAR FURY POSSESSED HER WHEN SHE CAUGHT TEIRESIAS, A MAN LIVING IN THEBES IN GREECE, SPYING ON HER WHILE SHE BATHED.

ARTEMIS, HER SISTER GODDESS, WOULD TURN MEN CAUGHT SPYING INTO DEER TO BE HUNTED. IN COMPARISON, I SUPPOSE, ATHENE WAS KIND: SHE ONLY BLINDED TEIRESIAS.

AFTER ATHENE TOOK AWAY HIS SIGHT, ONE OF THE GODDESS' FAVORITE NYMPHS PLEADED WITH HER TO BE MERCIFUL, NOT TO LEAVE HIM SIMPLY BLIND. 

RELENTING, ATHENE GRANTED TEIRESIAS THE POWERS OF PROPHESY & LONG LIFE. CONSEQUENTLY, HE LIVED SEVEN GENERATIONS & WAS TAKEN UNDER APOLLO'S WING. 

WHY APOLLO? YOU MAY REMEMBER THAT THE PYTHIA, THE ORACLE IN DELPHI, WORKED UNDER APOLLO'S PROTECTION.

IN THE GREEK MYTHOS, EXCEPTING THE PYTHIA, TEIRESIAS WAS CONSIDERED THE MOST INSIGHTFUL PROPHET TO HAVE LIVED. HE TOO CHANNELED APOLLO.

THE GIFT OF PROPHESY WAS REVERED IN GREECE, & TEIRESIAS WAS PROPHESY'S PERSONIFICATION. WHAT HE PREDICTED ALWAYS CAME TRUE ...

I SHOULD ALSO MENTION THAT ATHENE BESTOWED ANOTHER UNUSUAL GIFT UPON TEIRESIAS. FOR A SEVEN YEAR PERIOD, HE LIVED AS A WOMAN, THEN WAS TRANSFORMED BACK INTO A MAN.

THIS UNHEARD OF ALTERATION GAVE HIM UNUSUAL INSIGHTS INTO BOTH MEN & WOMEN. HE OF ALL HUMANS LIVED AS A BIOLOGICAL MAN & AS A BIOLOGICAL WOMAN & THEN AS A MAN AGAIN.

HIS TRANSFORMATION — THIS ... FLUIDITY — WAS A PHENOMENON THAT ASTONISHED THE GREEKS. BUT THEN THEY WERE AWARE OF HIS CONFRONTATION WITH ATHENE.

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DID I MENTION THAT ATHENE WAS THE PROTECTOR OF ATHENS? WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN TO THAT.

IT MUST HAVE OCCURRED TO YOU: THE SPELLING OF ATHENS & ATHENE ARE ALMOST IDENTICAL. ONE ENDS IN AN 'S' & ONE IN AN 'E.'

SCHOLARS OF THE TIME ARGUED ABOUT WHETHER THE CITY WAS NAMED FOR HER, OR ATHENE NAMED FOR THE CITY.

IT WAS SAID THAT SHE COMPETED AGAINST POSEIDON FOR THE HONOR OF BEING THE CITY'S PATRON. YOU REMEMBER THE SEA-GOD WAS ZEUS' BROTHER. 

THEY HELD THEIR CONTEST ATOP THE ACROPOLIS, THE MASSIVE HILL WHICH OVERLOOKED THE CITY. 

POSEIDON RAISED HIS ARMS HIGH & THEN BROUGHT DOWN HIS TRIDENT, CRACKING THE ROCKS. THE BLOW CREATED A WELL OF SEAWATER INTENDED TO IMPRESS ALL WITH HIS IMMENSE POWER.

ATHENE, ON THE OTHER HAND, QUIETLY PLANTED AN OLIVE TREE. IT WAS THE FIRST TO APPEAR IN GREECE. 

AFTER SHE SHOWED ITS BENEFITS, HER GIFT WAS JUDGED BY THE PEOPLE WATCHING TO BE SUPERIOR.

POSEIDON WAS FURIOUS, BUT SHE HAD PREVAILED. ATHENS WAS NEVER AGAIN IN PLAY, & ATHENE STEPPED IN A NUMBER OF TIMES IN ITS DEFENSE.

SHORTLY AFTER 450 B.C. THE ATHENIANS BUILT THE PARTHENON ATOP THE ACROPOLIS. THE COLUMNED TEMPLE REMAINS TO THIS DAY THE WORLD'S MOST FAMOUS BUILDING.

WHY WAS IT NAMED THE PARTHENON? THE NAME WAS DERIVED FROM PARTHENOUS, WHICH IN ANCIENT GREEK MEANS THE VIRGIN — THAT IS, ATHENE.

INSIDE THE TEMPLE WAS A MASSIVE GOLD & IVORY STATUE OF ATHENE CREATED BY THE GREAT SCULPTOR, PHEIDIAS. 

AND OUTSIDE, LOOKING TOWARD THE SEA WAS ANOTHER COLOSSAL STATUE OF THE GODDESS, THIS ONE MADE OF BRONZE.

IT WAS SAID THAT SAILORS RETURNING TO ATHENS COULD SEE THE SUN GLINTING OFF HER POLISHED SPEAR FROM MILES AWAY.

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I DON'T WANT YOU TO THINK THAT ATHENE & POSEIDON WERE ALWAYS AT ODDS OVER THIS. AMONG THE GODS, ALLEGIANCES SHIFTED CONSTANTLY. 

I SPOKE EARLIER OF ATHENE HELPING ODYSSEUS DURING THE TROJAN WAR. AND I MENTIONED THE TROJAN HORSE. 

AS IS SO OFTEN THE CASE IN THESE OLD GREEK STORIES, THERE WAS FAR MORE TO IT. THE TROJANS SAW THE HORSE OUTSIDE THEIR CITY WALLS & PERSUADED THEMSELVES THAT IT WAS A GIFT FROM ATHENE. 

YET, THERE WERE THOSE WHO DOUBTED. THE TROJANS HAD A ORACLE IN THE CITY NAMED KASSANDRA. SHE WARNED THEM THAT ALLOWING THE HORSE INTO THE CITY WOULD BRING DISASTER. 

BUT KASSANDRA'S FATE WAS TO BE IGNORED. 

THE TROJANS DRAGGED THE HORSE INTO THE CITY THROUGH A MASSIVE GATE.

AT NIGHT, JUST BEFORE DAWN, THE GREEKS INSIDE SLIPPED OUT, KILLING THE GUARDS & OPENING THE CITY GATES TO THE THOUSANDS OF ENEMY SOLDIERS WAITING OUTSIDE.

TROY WAS SACKED, & THE TROJAN MEN ALL MASSACRED. THE WOMEN FLED OR WERE DIVIDED UP AMONG THE SOLDIERS AS CONCUBINES OR COMMON SLAVES.

KASSANDRA, THE PROPHETESS, FLED TO ATHENE'S TEMPLE INSIDE THE CITY, CLINGING FOR PROTECTION TO A STATUE OF THE GODDESS. 

RECKLESSLY, ONE OF THE GREEK WARRIORS, A SOLDIER NAMED LESSER AJAX, RIPPED HER AWAY FROM THE STATUE, RAPING HER INSIDE THE TEMPLE.

LITTLE DID HE KNOW THAT KASSANDRA WAS A FAVORITE OF THE GODS. APOLLO HIMSELF HAD BLESSED HER AS A SEER & GRANTED HER  PROPHETIC POWERS. 

IMAGINE YOURSELF AT THE SCENE: ATHENE IS INFURIATED. THE RAPE IS A SACRILEGE, AN OUTRAGE AGAINST EVERYTHING SACRED. 

SHE DECIDES TO PUNISH AJAX & HIS COMPANIONS. AND HERE WE SEE THE ANGER OF ATHENE IS ALL ITS NAKEDNESS. 

REMEMBER EARLIER I SAID THAT ATHENE WAS THE WAR-GODDESS, THAT UNLIKE ARES, SHE SPECIALIZED IN DISCIPLINED, RATIONAL USE OF WAR?

NOT ALWAYS. ARACHNE SAW ONLY A TINY BIT OF HER FURY. AJAX WAS TO SEE IT IN ITS FULLNESS. TO ENSURE HER SUCCESS SHE TEAMED UP WITH BOTH THE MIGHTY POSEIDON & HER FATHER ZEUS.

WHEN THE SACK OF TROY WAS COMPLETE & CITY IN ASHES, THE GREEK SOLDIERS PUSHED THEIR SHIPS, HEAVY WITH THE SPOILS OF WAR, INTO THE SEA TO HEAD HOME.

ZEUS GIFTED ATHENE A STORM, SENDING FORTH THUNDERBOLTS, HAIL & SHEETS OF RAIN.    HIS LIGHTNING STRIKES SET MANY OF THE SHIPS ABLAZE.

POSEIDON, FOR HIS PART, SENT SURGING WAVES & WHIRLPOOLS. HE SWORE THAT BEFORE IT ENDED THE SEA WOULD BE FULL OF CORPSES.

JUST IMAGINE: IN THE BEDLAM THAT RAKES THE SEA, ATHENE HERSELF THROWS A THUNDERBOLT AT AJAX'S SHIP, SINKING IT WITH A LOUD EXPLOSION. 

YET AJAX IN HIS ENDLESS ARROGANCE SWIMS SAFELY AWAY. HE MIGHT HAVE ESCAPED HAD HE NOT LOUDLY BOASTED THAT HE HAD ELUDED EVEN THE GODS. 

POSEIDON OVERHEARD HIM GLOATING & STRUCK AN IMMENSE ROCK WITH HIS TRIDENT. A FRAGMENT BROKE OFF & HIT AJAX WHERE HE SWAM. 

AS HOMER LATER WROTE, "IT CARRIED HIM DOWN & DEEP INTO THE BOUNDLESS, SURGING SEA. AND SO AJAX DIED..." 

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WHAT CAN WE MAKE OF THIS? ATHENE PROTECTED THOSE WHO PAID HER RESPECT. AND SHE DESTROYED THOSE WHO DARED MOCK THE DIVINITIES. 

IN SO MANY WAYS SHE WAS NO DIFFERENT THAN HER FATHER, ZEUS, OR APOLLO, ARTEMIS OR ARES.

THEY WERE GODS & MOCKERY WAS NEVER TOLERATED ... WHETHER A MORTAL'S HEART WAS INNOCENT OR DEVIOUS, IF THEY INSULTED OLYMPIA, PUNISHMENT FOLLOWED.

IF MORTALS WERE DEFERENTIAL — IF THEY RESPECTED THE SACRED WAYS — THEY WOULD BE PROTECTED. THAT IS, USUALLY ...

Ω

THESE MIGHTY BEINGS, THESE GODS, WERE STRANGELY MISSING AT CRITICAL TIMES. SINCE WE'RE DISCUSSING ATHENE, I'LL FOCUS ONLY ON HER ABSENCES.

IN THE SUMMER OF 430 B.C., THE CITY OF ATHENS WAS STRUCK BY A PLAGUE. IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN SMALLPOX, BUBONIC PLAGUE OR EVEN EBOLA, AN ANCIENT DISEASE.

VIRULENT PLAGUES WERE NOT UNKNOWN TO THE GREEKS. ONE HAD EVEN SWEPT THE GREEK SOLDIERS BESIEGING TROY.

BUT THE ONE TO HIT ATHENS LASTED ALMOST THREE YEARS AND KILLED 20-30% OF THE POPULATION. DID ATHENE INTERVENE? 

DID SHE MARSHALL THE OLYMPIC GODS TO END THE PLAGUE? NO ... THE CITY'S PROTECTOR WAS STRANGELY ABSENT AS THOUSANDS OF HER DEVOTEES DIED.

FIFTY YEARS EARLIER, IN 480 B.C., GREECE WAS INVADED BY A PERSIAN KING, XERXES. ATHENS WAS OVERRUN. ITS CITIZENS WERE FORCED TO FLEE TO A DISTANT ISLAND.

THE CITY WAS TORCHED & THE ACROPOLIS BURNT ... DID ATHENE BRING HER DIVINE MIGHT DOWN ON THE INVADERS TO PROTECT HER CHILDREN? 

SHE DID NOT. AND IN THE AFTERMATH, ATHENS WAS ALMOST BROKEN. ITS SURVIVORS SLOWLY RETURNED & BEGAN TO REBUILD.

THEN A YEAR LATER, IN 479 B.C., A SPARTAN GENERAL, MARDONIUS, WHOSE TROOPS WERE FUNDED BY XERXES, AGAIN INVADED THE CITY. 

THIS TIME ATHENS WAS NOT JUST BURNT, BUT RAZED TO THE GROUND.

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DID ATHENE RAISE A FINGER TO STOP THE DESTRUCTION? DID SHE RECRUIT ZEUS TO THROW HIS MIGHTY THUNDERBOLTS?

NO ... AND 2,500 YEARS LATER, WE HAVE TO WONDER WHAT HAPPENED TO THE CITY'S PROTECTOR. IT'S CLEAR THAT WHEN CRISIS STRUCK, TOO OFTEN ATHENE DISAPPEARED.

THESE DISAPPEARANCES HAPPENED REPEATEDLY. YET AFTER EACH INSTANCE, THE ATHENIANS REBUILT ATHENS. AND CONTINUED TO REVERE ATHENE.

CLEARLY HER CONNECTION TO THE ATHENIANS WAS NOT WHAT WE MIGHT EXPECT. I'D CHARACTERIZE IT AS SOMETHING ELSE ENTIRELY.

INSTEAD, THEIRS WAS A BOND, ALMOST A PSYCHIC ATTACHMENT OF HER PEOPLE TO THE GODDESS. WE MIGHT ACCURATELY CALL IT A LOVE AFFAIR.

THE ATHENIANS DID NOT EXPECT ATHENE TO PHYSICALLY INTERVENE WHEN THEY WERE THREATENED. NO, THAT SORT OF PROTECTION WAS THEIR RESPONSIBILITY.

OTHERWISE, THEY WOULD NOT HAVE TRAINED CONSTANTLY AS SOLDIERS, NOR HAVE MANUFACTURED SHIELDS, SPEARS OR SWORDS AS A REGULAR BUSINESS. 

IF ATHENS WERE INVADED, FAILING TO STOP THE INVASION WAS THE ATHENIAN'S FAULT ...

PERHAPS THIS RELATIONSHIP IS ANALOGOUS TO THAT OF A MOTHER & HER WARRIOR SON. 

ONCE THE SON IS GROWN, IF THE HOUSEHOLD IS BROKEN INTO, THE MOTHER CANNOT BE EXPECTED TO PROTECT HER SON. 

NO, HE WOULD  FIGHT TO PROTECT HER.

AND SO, THE ATHENIANS HELD THEMSELVES RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DISASTERS, MANMADE & NATURAL, THAT PERIODICALLY STRUCK THE CITY ...

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BEFORE WE END, WAS THERE MORE TO THIS COMPLEX DIVINITY? 

ROBERT GRAVES, THE ENGLISH POET, WROTE THAT ATHENE INVENTED THE FLUTE, THE TRUMPET, THE EARTHENWARE POT, THE PLOUGH, THE RAKE, THE CHARIOT & SHIPS.

IMAGINE: MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, AGRICULTURAL TOOLS, POTS & CHARIOTS OF WAR ... 

... DID THE ATHENIANS LOOK TO HER FOR JUSTICE & FAIRNESS? THERE WAS THAT TOO.

ATHENE WAS CALLED UPON IN ATHENS TO ADJUDICATE CRIMINAL TRIALS. SHE FREQUENTLY SIDED WITH THE ACCUSED.

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IS THERE MORE? LIKE ARTEMIS, SHE WAS A VIRGIN GODDESS. MANY GODS & EVEN TITANS WOULD HAVE GLADLY MARRIED HER. BUT SHE REPULSED ALL ADVANCES.

AS THE ANCIENT ERA ENDED & THE ROMANS CLAIMED POSSESSION OF GREECE, ATHENE, LIKE THE OTHER GODS, QUIETLY EASED AWAY.

THE ROMANS HAD, WITHOUT PERMISSION, RENAMED HER MINERVA. IT WAS ABSURD.

SHE NEEDED NONE OF THEM. THE SMOKE FROM SACRIFICES HAD NEVER BEEN APPEALING. ATHENE WAS, IN MANY WAYS, A LONER. IT SUITED HER & SUITED THE END TIMES.

ONE GOLDEN MORNING ABOUT 50 B.C., SHE SLIPPED AWAY WITH HER OWL. AS SHE SCANNED ATHENS & THE REST OF GREECE, SHE WAS GRAY-EYED, BRIGHT-EYED.

OF COURSE SHE WAS. SHE WAS GLAUKOPIS ATHENE, THE INTELLIGENT, SHINING ONE. NOTHING TRULY BOTHERED HER. NOTHING EVER WOULD FOR LONG.

SHE TOOK HER OWL & TURNED HER BACK ON IT ALL. WITHIN MINUTES SHE VANISHED FROM THE PANTHEON. SHE BECAME UNRECOGNIZABLE AS ATHENE. 

SHE REAPPEARED IN ANOTHER LAND, BUT NOW AS AN INDEPENDENT & PERHAPS WEALTHY YOUNG WOMAN. SHE WAS SPOTTED IN SICILY & ALEXANDRIA & FRANCE.

NO ONE WAS QUITE SURE WHO SHE WAS. NO MAN DARED APPROACH HER. 

SHE EXUDED, YOU SEE, A CERTAIN DANGEROUS & STRANGELY INDESTRUCTIBLE AURA. SHE NEEDED NO ONE. THOSE WHO SAW HER SENSED AS MUCH.

MANY CENTURIES LATER, HER APPEARANCE UNCHANGED, SHE RECONNECTED WITH ARTEMIS, HESTIA & APOLLO, WHO HAD ALL, SIMILARLY, ASSUMED DIFFERENT GUISES.

AND IN THAT DARKENING AGE WHEN A NEW RELIGION SPREAD THROUGH HER LANDS LIKE A PLAGUE, SHE SIMPLY WATCHED. THERE WOULD BE TIME IN ANOTHER TIME FOR HER TO RE-EMERGE ...

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IN OUR NEXT PODCAST, WE'LL DISCUSS ARTEMIS, THE HUNTRESS, APOLLO'S SISTER & THE PROTECTOR OF GIRLS & WILD ANIMALS. 

SHE'S AS COMPLEX AS ATHENE. AND EVERY BIT AS FIERCE ...

JOIN ME ... FOR THE NEXT EPISODE OF GARNER'S GREEK MYTHOLOGY. THIS IS YOUR HOST, PATRICK GARNER ...