From The Odyssey
Athena
Goddess of wisdom • Powerful guide
The gray-eyed goddess of wisdom, who loves clever plans and watches over Odysseus and his family, often in disguise.
Who is Athena?
Athena is the gray-eyed Greek goddess of wisdom, and she is Odysseus’s greatest friend among the gods. She admires his clever mind, pleads with Zeus to let him go home, and helps both Odysseus and Telemachus, often in disguise.
Athena is a character in The Odyssey, the ancient Greek poem by Homer, retold for ages 6–9 by Sean Lee.
What is Athena like?
- wise
- protective
- clever
Athena’s story
The poem begins on Mount Olympus, where Athena reminds Zeus, king of the gods, that Odysseus is stuck far from home. She then flies down to Ithaca in disguise as a family friend to wake up young Telemachus and send him on his journey for news.
She watches over Odysseus throughout his travels home. She calms the sea after his raft is wrecked, guides him to the Phaeacian palace, and on Ithaca she disguises him as a beggar and tells him the suitors must be stopped. She enjoys his cleverness and teases him for never telling anyone the plain truth.
Athena stays close during the fight in the great hall and helps Penelope and Odysseus have a long night together after they are reunited. At the very end, when the suitors’ families come looking for revenge, she steps in, stops the fighting and makes everyone agree to live in peace.
“That is why I cannot desert you in your afflictions; you are so plausible, shrewd and shifty.”
A moment to remember
When Odysseus wakes on Ithaca not knowing where he is, Athena appears glowing like the dawn and touches him with her golden wand, turning him into an old beggar so no one will recognize him.
Family and friends
- Odysseus: hero she protects
- Telemachus: young prince she guides
- Penelope: queen she watches over
- Antinous: suitor she wants stopped
Talk about it
Athena helped Odysseus and Telemachus with good advice. Who gives you good advice when you need it?
Questions about Athena
- Why does Athena help Odysseus?
- She is the goddess of wisdom, and she admires how clever and careful Odysseus is. She feels sorry for him and his family and wants to see him home.
- What disguises does Athena use in The Odyssey?
- She appears as Mentes, a traveler and old family friend, and as Mentor, an elder of Ithaca. She also appears as a young girl and a young shepherd.
- Is Athena the same as Minerva?
- Yes. Minerva is the Roman name for Athena. Samuel Butler’s English translation uses the Roman names for the gods.
Read the story in
The Odyssey
Ages 6–9, 72 pages
