Why Does Athena Hate Poseidon

On a sun-baked afternoon when I climbed up to the Acropolis, the story of Athena and Poseidon suddenly felt like living history. Standing by the ruins of the Erechtheion, where the Athenians famously marked the place of their divine contest, I could almost picture the scene: Poseidon striking the rock with his trident and Athena planting the first olive tree. Mythologically speaking, their relationship is part family, part rivalry, and heavily symbolic. Poseidon is one of the original Olympian brothers—son of Cronus and Rhea—and Athena is the daughter of Zeus (born from his head after he swallowed Metis), so technically Poseidon is closer to being an uncle-figure to Athena. But in mythic interactions they’re often treated as contemporaries, two powerful deities with overlapping interests who frequently collide over influence and worship. Their most famous clash is the contest for patronage of the city that would become Athens. Different versions exist: in some, Poseidon creates a salt spring or the first horse; in others, he stamps the ground with his trident producing a spring that’s bitter or salty—generally less useful than Athena’s gift. Athena gifts an olive tree, symbolizing peace, prosperity, and sustenance, and the people choose her gift. That loss wounded Poseidon’s pride, and it’s why later stories paint him as having a grudge against Athens and sometimes causing storms or flooding near the city. But it’s not all pure hostility: monuments and rituals show coexistence too. The Erechtheion actually housed cult spots for both deities, and sailors and citizens alike honored Poseidon at Sounion while Athenians celebrated Athena with the Panathenaic Festival. So their relationship is a push-and-pull: rivalry for prestige, but also a grudging recognition of each other’s domain. When I turn to epic poetry like the 'Iliad' and the 'Odyssey', the dynamic takes on another flavor. Athena is often the guiding, strategic deity who assists heroes—especially Odysseus—whereas Poseidon is more elemental and wrathful, punishing those who cross him. In the 'Odyssey' you really see the contrast: Athena’s cunning versus Poseidon’s tempestuousness. Both motifs—sea and land, intuition and brute force—reflect how ancient Greeks navigated the world. To me, their relationship reads like an ancient dialogue about what builds a society: raw natural power versus cultivated wisdom. Standing among the stones, I felt the tug between those two forces and how the myths used these gods to make sense of real historical tensions: land-based agriculture and city life versus seafaring, trade, and the unpredictable ocean.

Athena, a goddess in Greek mythology, was known for her role as a war goddess who prepared men for battles and provided them with necessary tools and supplies. She had many half-brothers and half-sisters, including Ares, Heracles, Apollo, Dionysus, Hebe, Hermes, and Helen of Troy. Athena’s mother was Metis, and her father was Zeus. Athena had 26 siblings, including Aeacus, Angelos, Aphrodite, Apollo, Ares, Artemis, Dionysus, Eileithyia, Enyo, Eris, Ersa, Hebe, Helen of Troy, Hephaestus, Heracles, Hermes, Minos, Pandia, Persephone, Perseus, Rhadamanthus, the Graces, the Horae, the Litae, the Muses, and the Moirai. Athena’s parents were Zeus (father) and Metis (mother), though in some stories she didn’t have a mother.

To draw 'Athena', start with a basic outline of her figure. Focus on her stance, usually depicted confidently. For her face, emphasize the features like strong eyes and a noble expression. Don't forget her helmet and armor; they give her that warrior vibe. Lastly, add details like the olive branch or owl, symbols of wisdom. Keep practicing, and you'll capture her essence!

Of all the gods distinguish, Athena was one who combined wisdom and courage, inspiration and law. She gave us ships and crafts, mathematics warriors' arts are answerable only to her. Athena's domain stretches too far and is too complex to easily summarize in a sentence or two. Athena is often shown as the helper of heroes and the goddess who presides over heroic action, because she combines wisdom with warfare.

Athena comes by her birth unusually in Greek mythology. Among the stories of ancient Greece is one, told by Hesiod and others, that says Zeus had an awful headache. In order to ease the pain, he asked Hephaestus to hit him over the head with a blacksmith's hammer. And so unexpectedly, Athena sprang fully armed from the forehead of Zeus, much to everyone's amazement. This episode is highly symbolial, demonstrating Athena's wisdom, military tactics and savage heroism, all gifts from her father, Zeus.

Therefore, she has a unique birth story. Zeus fathered Athena after he swallowed her mother Metis, the titaness of wisdom and deep thought from whose head sprung forth full-formed bearing every piece an Athenian Deity needed to fight well: i.e without any babies or babylike weapons among them. Consequently, she lacks what might be called a mother in the conventional sense: she is considered an offspring of Zeus.

In the realm of ACGN, Poseidon often depicts the god of the sea, storms, and earthquakes, and is renowned for his hot resentment and impulsive temperament. Nevertheless, beyond that image, he is portrayed as a passionate supporter of the ocean and his aquatic subjects. He is fervently protective of the sea realm and its creatures, exhibiting a deep connection with them. Also, in numerous mythology-based stories, Poseidon notoriously falls deeply in love, often passionately pursuing relationships, as seen with his relentless courtship of Demeter, Amphitrite, and even mortals.

In Greek mythology, Poseidon, the god of sea, earthquakes, and horses, doesn't die. As an immortal, he was revered and feared by mortals, but is not subject to aging or death. However, his influence wanes when people cease worshipping him.