Twofer

Let's talk about Athena, her little Owl, and her friend, Nike. I don't know why I wanna talk about them, it's just a ...feeling, I guess. That somewhere, someone is thinking about them, and wondering, and waiting, and...dreaming.

Out of all the goddesses, Athena is one of my favorites. I also like Artemis, though... Anyway, Athena can be described in no other way than Kick-Ass-And-Smile-While-Doing-It. And not only was she brave and fierce in battle, she was also wise and intelligent. Like me, she only chose to fight when her home was invaded, which embodies what Forrest has said in his story about the bison in the mist. And, like me, she only fought when she had a reason, or a cause.

She was famously slow to anger, but when one too many arrows pierced her aegis, watch out, because she was comin' to get ya.

Athena was Zeus's favorite, and was even allowed to use her dad's most powerful weapon, the thunderbolt.

And Athena was a worthy opponent, able to best Poseidon in skill. She aided heroes like Heracles, Jason and Odysseus.

Here is silly Jason getting ready to poke a dragon. Geez, Jason! Don't ya know poking a dragon is WAY worse than poking a bear? Good thing Jason had Athena's favor, or he would've been a meaty bone snack.

The gods of ancient Greece loved contests. They were having them all the freaking time, and the results were usually something that altered the course of history. The invention of the olive tree was a result of a contest between Poseidon and Athena for the worship of Athens. I don't know what Poseidon invented for the contest, but it was probably something nasty like escargot. Or a boiled Sebastian.

Anyway, the Athenians loved that olive tree, so they adopted Athena as their patron goddess, which turned out to a wise choice!

Not only was Athena a fierce fighter and statistician, she was also creative. She loved to invent useful things, like the pot, the bridle, the trumpet, the flute, the pot, the rake, the plow, the yoke, the ship, and the chariot. She was pretty dang smart, that chick.

I mean, how can you NOT be smart and wise with a little owl hanging around all the time?

Athena had a few epithets attached to her name. They were sorta like nicknames. The ones I like are Aethena Atrytone ("the unwearying"), Athena Promachos ("she who fights in front"), and Athena Glaukopis ("bright or gleaming eyes"). 

Athena also had another little friend that literally hid under her helmet, the goddess Nike, aka Victory. Nike was known as the "winged goddess," and was the charioteer goddess. She was also a goddess of strength and speed, and her Roman equivalent was Victoria. Nike's job was to whip around the battlefield bestowing glory and fame in the form of laurel wreaths on the victorious warriors. 

Nike, that vivacious little sprite, was so fast, it seemed like she was everywhere, and it remains so to this day. From hood ornaments to shoes to Olympic medals to statues at Buckingham palace, the palm and laurel bearing goddess is an often unrecognized fixture in modern society.

Alone, each goddess is unbeatable. Paired together, they're unstoppable.

They may appear naive and innocent, but when threatened, they can destroy anyone and anything that gets in their way. 

So, keep dreaming, men of the world. Athena and Nike are listening for heroes.