MYTH OF ATHENA
Athena was the doughter of Zeus and of the titan Metis, known for her knowledge and wisdom. Metis had tried to avoid Zeus's advances by changing herself into different animals, but her tactic failed, and she became pregnant. Zeus learned from an oracle, that Metis was expecting a girl. The oracle also predicted that if a Metis and Zeus had a male child, the boy would overthrow his father when he grew up, just as Zeus overthrow his father. To protect himself from that possibility, Zeus swallowed metis after she changed herself into fly.
Time passed and one day Zeus developed a terrible headache. He cried out in pain, saying that he felt as it a worrior were stabbing him from inside with a spear. Hephaestus, the god of metalworking, finally understood what was wrong and split Zeus's head open with ax.
Athena sprang out, fully grown and dressed in armor. By all accounts she was a beautiful daughter. For his part, Zeus tended to indulge Athena, which at the times made the other gods jealous and angry.
The goddess was active in the lives of many warriors, kings and heroes. She gave Ballerophon the magic bridle, the anabled him to ride Pegasus, the winged horse. She showed the shipbuilder Argus, how to buil magic ship for Jason and then protected the boat on its tqavels. She helped Perseus kill the monster Medusa and she supported Hercules through the 12 labors.
