Editing Athena (section)

===Patron of heroes===
In Homer's ''[[Iliad]]'', Athena, as a war goddess, inspired and fought alongside the Greek heroes; her aid was synonymous with military prowess. Zeus, the chief god, specifically assigned the sphere of war to Ares, the god of war, and Athena. Athena's moral and military superiority to Ares derived in part from the fact that she represented the intellectual and civilized side of war and the virtues of justice and skill, whereas Ares represented mere blood lust. Her superiority also derived in part from the vastly greater variety and importance of her functions and the patriotism of Homer's predecessors, Ares being of foreign origin. In the ''Iliad'', Athena was the divine form of the heroic, martial ideal: she personified excellence in close combat and glory, and was personally attended by [[Nike (mythology)|Nike]], the goddess of victory. The qualities that led to victory were found on the aegis, or breastplate, that Athena wore when she went to war: fear, strife, defense, and assault. [[File:Jason being saved by Athena from the dragon, Attic red-figured kylix, attributed to Douris, 480-470 BC, inv. 16545 - Museo Gregoriano Etrusco - Vatican Museums - DSC01046 (cropped).jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|Attic red-figure kylix painting from {{circa}} 480-470 BC showing Athena observing as the [[Colchis|Colchian]] dragon disgorges the hero [[Jason]]{{sfn|Deacy|2008|page=62}}]]

According to Pseudo-Apollodorus's ''Bibliotheca'', Athena advised [[Argus (son of Arestor)|Argos]], the builder of the ''[[Argo]]'', the ship on which the hero [[Jason]] and his band of [[Argonauts]] sailed, and aided in the ship's construction.<ref>Pseudo-Apollodorus, ''[[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Bibliotheca]]'' [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0022%3Atext%3DLibrary%3Abook%3D1%3Achapter%3D9%3Asection%3D16 1.9.16] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210225061942/http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0022%3Atext%3DLibrary%3Abook%3D1%3Achapter%3D9%3Asection%3D16|date=25 February 2021}}</ref>{{sfn|Hansen|2004|page=124}} According to Pindar's ''Thirteenth Olympian Ode'', Athena helped the hero [[Bellerophon]] tame the winged horse [[Pegasus]] by giving him a [[Bit (horse)|bit]].{{sfn|Deacy|2008|page=48}}<ref>Pindar, ''Olympian Ode'' [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0162%3Abook%3DO.%3Apoem%3D13 13.75–78] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210106114234/http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0162%3Abook%3DO.%3Apoem%3D13|date=6 January 2021}}</ref> In [[Aeschylus]]'s tragedy ''[[Orestes (play)|Orestes]]'', Athena intervenes to save [[Orestes]] from the wrath of the [[Erinyes]] and presides over his trial for the murder of his mother [[Clytemnestra]].{{sfn|Roman|Roman|2010|page=161}} When half the jury votes to acquit and the other half votes to [[convict]], Athena casts the deciding vote to acquit Orestes{{sfn|Roman|Roman|2010|page=161}} and declares that, from then on, whenever a jury is tied, the defendant shall always be acquitted.{{sfn|Roman|Roman|2010|pages=161–162}}

Pseudo-Apollodorus also records that Athena guided the hero [[Perseus (mythology)|Perseus]] in his quest to behead [[Medusa (mythology)|Medusa]].{{sfn|Burkert|1985|page=141}}{{sfn|Kinsley|1989|page=151}}{{sfn|Deacy|2008|page=61}} She and [[Hermes]], the god of travelers, appeared to Perseus after he set off on his quest and gifted him with tools he would need to kill the Gorgon.{{sfn|Deacy|2008|page=61}}<ref>Pseudo-Apollodorus, ''Bibliotheca'' 2.37, 38, 39</ref> Athena lent Perseus her polished bronze shield to view Medusa's reflection  without becoming petrified himself.{{sfn|Deacy|2008|page=61}}<ref name="Bibliotheca2.41">Pseudo-Apollodorus, ''Bibliotheca'' 2.41</ref> Hermes lent Perseus his [[harpe]] to behead Medusa with.{{sfn|Deacy|2008|page=61}}<ref>Pseudo-Apollodorus, ''Bibliotheca'' 2.39</ref> When Perseus swung the blade to behead Medusa, Athena guided it, allowing the blade to cut the Gorgon's head clean off.{{sfn|Deacy|2008|page=61}}<ref name="Bibliotheca2.41" />

In [[ancient Greek art]], Athena is frequently shown aiding the hero [[Heracles]].{{sfn|Deacy|2008|pages=64–65}} She appears in four of the twelve [[metope]]s on the [[Temple of Zeus at Olympia]] depicting Heracles's [[Labors of Heracles|Twelve Labors]],{{sfn|Pollitt|1999|pages=48–50}}{{sfn|Deacy|2008|pages=64–65}} including the first, in which she simply watches him slay the [[Nemean lion]] after having told him how to use the lion's own claws to skin the pelt,{{sfn|Deacy|2008|pages=64–65}} and in the tenth, in which she is shown actively helping him hold up the sky itself.{{sfn|Deacy|2008|page=65}} According to Apollodorus, on Athena's advice, Heracles dragged [[Alcyoneus]], one of the two strongest Giants alongside [[Porphyrion]], beyond the borders of his native land, where he was immortal, and then fatally shot him (compare with [[Antaeus]]).<ref>Antaeus, another offspring of Gaia who was an opponent of Heracles, was immortal as long as he was in contact with the earth. Heracles killed Antaeus by crushing him while holding him off the ground. For [[Pindar]], Hearacles' battle with Alcyoneus (whom he calls a herdsman) and the Gigantomachy were separate events, see: ''Isthmian'' [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0162%3Abook%3DI.%3Apoem%3D6 6.30–35], ''Nemean'' [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0162%3Abook%3DN.%3Apoem%3D4 4.24–30].</ref> She is presented as Heracles' "stern ally",{{sfn|Pollitt|1999|page=50}} but also the "gentle&nbsp;... acknowledger of his achievements".{{sfn|Pollitt|1999|page=50}} Artistic depictions of Heracles's [[apotheosis]] show Athena driving him to Mount Olympus in her chariot and presenting him to Zeus for his deification.{{sfn|Deacy|2008|page=65}}

In ''[[The Odyssey]]'', [[Odysseus]]' cunning and shrewd nature quickly wins Athena's favour.{{sfn|Jenkyns|2016|page=19}}{{sfn|Hansen|2004|page=124}} For the first part of the poem, however, she largely is confined to aiding him only from ''afar'', mainly by implanting thoughts in his head during his journey home from Troy. Her guiding actions reinforce her role as the "protectress of heroes", or, as mythologian [[Walter Friedrich Otto]] dubbed her, the "goddess of nearness", due to her mentoring and motherly probing.<ref>W. F. Otto, ''Die Gotter Griechenlands (55–77)''. Bonn: F. Cohen, 1929.</ref>{{sfn|Burkert|1985|page=141}}{{sfn|Deacy|2008|page=59}} It is not until he washes up on the shore of the island of the [[Phaeacians]], where [[Nausicaa]] is washing her clothes that Athena arrives personally to provide more tangible assistance.{{sfn|de Jong|2001|page=152}} She appears in Nausicaa's dreams to ensure that the princess rescues Odysseus and plays a role in his eventual escort to Ithaca.{{sfn|de Jong|2001|pages=152–153}} Athena appears to Odysseus upon his arrival, disguised as a herdsman;{{sfn|Trahman|1952|pages=31–35}}{{sfn|Burkert|1985|page=142}}{{sfn|Jenkyns|2016|page=19}} she initially lies and tells him that Penelope, his wife, has remarried and that he is believed to be dead,{{sfn|Trahman|1952|pages=31–35}} but Odysseus lies back to her, employing skillful prevarications to protect himself.{{sfn|Trahman|1952|page=35}}{{sfn|Burkert|1985|page=142}} Impressed by his resolve and shrewdness, she reveals herself and tells him what he needs to know to win back his kingdom.{{sfn|Trahman|1952|pages=35–43}}{{sfn|Burkert|1985|page=142}}{{sfn|Jenkyns|2016|page=19}} She disguises him as an elderly beggar so that he will not be recognized by the suitors or Penelope,{{sfn|Trahman|1952|pages=35–42}}{{sfn|Burkert|1985|page=142}} and helps him to defeat the suitors.{{sfn|Trahman|1952|pages=35–42}}{{sfn|Jenkyns|2016|pages=19–20}}{{sfn|Burkert|1985|page=142}} Athena also appears to Odysseus's son Telemachus.{{sfn|Murrin|2007|page=499}} Her actions lead him to travel around to Odysseus's comrades and ask about his father.{{sfn|Murrin|2007|pages=499–500}} He hears stories about some of Odysseus's journey.{{sfn|Murrin|2007|pages=499–500}} Athena's push for Telemachus's journey helps him grow into the man role, that his father once held.{{sfn|Murrin|2007|pages=499–514}} She also plays a role in ending the resultant feud against the suitors' relatives. She instructs [[Laertes (father of Odysseus)|Laertes]] to throw his spear and to kill [[Eupeithes]], the father of [[Antinous son of Eupeithes|Antinous]].

<gallery mode="packed" heights="200">

File:Athena Herakles Staatliche Antikensammlungen 2648.jpg|Athena and Heracles on an [[Attica|Attic]] red-figure [[Kylix (drinking cup)|kylix]], 480–470 BC
File:Kantharos 58.9.jpg|Athena, detail from a silver ''[[kantharos]]'' with [[Theseus]] in [[Crete]] ({{circa}} 440-435 BC), part of the [[Vassil Bojkov Collection|Vassil Bojkov collection]], [[Sofia]], Bulgaria
File:Herakleia AR SNGANS 064.jpg|Silver coin showing Athena with [[Scylla]] decorated helmet and Heracles fighting the Nemean lion ([[Heraclea Lucania]], 390-340 BC)
File:Orestes Delphi BM GR1917.12-10.1.jpg|Paestan red-figure bell-krater ({{circa}} 330 BC), showing Orestes at [[Delphi]] flanked by Athena and [[Pylades]] among the Erinyes and priestesses of [[Apollo]], with the [[Pythia]] sitting behind them on her [[Sacrificial tripod#Ancient Greece|tripod]]
</gallery>