The Birth of Athena

The Birth of Athena Greek: Archaic Circa 560-550 BCE   Hephaistos, the divine smith, has cloven the head of Zeus with the latter's ax, whereupon Athena emerges, armed and fully grown. This extraordinary birth symbolizes Athena's distinction as a goddess of war and wisdom, her exalted positon as Zeus's favorite child, and the triumph of Zeus over the prvious generation of gods.     See All of Book One