High-Technology Discovered in Classical Mythology Reveals The Ancient Origins of Artificial Intelligence

Ancient Origins: For the last 70 years science fiction writers and Hollywood movie directors have explored the place of robots and artificial intelligence (AI) in the future of humankind. But automated technologies with greater than human intelligence were first conceptualized in the imaginations of people in ancient societies and were woven into their folkloric systems, according to a highly-original new book.

Titled Gods and Robots: Myths, Machines, and Ancient Dreams of Technology , the author, Dr Adrienne Mayor of Stanford University is, according to the university website, “an independent folklorist/historian of science investigating natural knowledge contained in pre-scientific myths and oral traditions

Dr Mayor said “ancient people envisioned many of the technology trends we grapple with today including killer androids, driverless technology, GPS and AI-powered helper robots.” Illustrating her hypothesis, the creations of Hephaestus, the god of metalworking and an invention in Homer’s Iliad , were “predictions of the rise of humanoid robots.” An article about Mayor’s research in Greek Reporter said AI-powered helper robots and killer androids, according to Dr Mayor, “appear in tales about Jason and the Argonauts, Medea, Daedalus and Prometheus” and also the 'bronze killer-robot' Talos who guarded the island of Crete. Furthermore, the legendary Pandora, who Dr Mayor describes as a 'wicked AI fembot’ like the ‘replicant’ in the blockbuster movie Blade Runner, had been programmed to ‘release eternal suffering upon humanity’ and “Though the Greeks did not know how technology would work, they could foreshadow its rise in society,” said Mayor...read more>>>...

A Word On 'Asclepius'

Theio.com: ASKLEPIOS (or Asclepius) was the god of medicine and reputed ancestor of the Asklepiades, the ancient Greek doctors' guild. He was the son of Apollon and the Trikkaian princess Koronis. His mother died in labour and was laid out on the pyre to be consumed, but his father rescued the child, cutting him from her womb. From this he received the name Asklepios "to cut open." The boy was raised by the kentauros (centaur) Kheiron who instructed him in the art of medicine. Asklepios grew so skilled in the craft that he was able to restore the dead to life. However, because this was a crime against the natural order, Zeus destroyed him with a thunderbolt. After his death Asklepios was placed amongst the stars as the constellation Ophiochus ("the Serpent Holder")...read more>>>...

Footnote: Interesting synchronicity to enable this research. I undertook my first meditation in nearly 8 months, and found myself with a healer working on my abdomen area. I returned to consciousness with the name 'Theio' on my lips. Being oblivious to the meaning I googled it ... and found myself researching Ascelpius who is linked to the Wounded Healer, Chiron - who I've been linked to before several years ago - MJ

A Word On "Dionysus"

He was the god of fertility and wine, later considered a patron of the arts. He invented wine and spread the art of tending grapes. He has a dual nature. On the one hand bringing joy and devine ecstasy. On the other brutal, unthinking, rage. Thus, reflecting both sides of wines nature. If he choses Dionysus can drive a man mad. No normal fetters can hold him or his followers....read more>>>....

Themis - Goddess of Justice

Themis, in Greek mythology, was the personification of divine or natural law, order, and justice. Her name means justice. She was worshipped as a goddess in Athens. Themis was also credited with wisdom and foresight or prophecy (her son's name, Prometheus, means "foresight"), and with knowing secrets unknown even to Zeus. She was also known as a protector of the oppressed and a protector of hospitality. The "law and order" which Themis protected was in the sense of "natural" order or law, what was "proper" especially related to family or the community. Such customs were perceived as natural in origin, though would today be seen as cultural or social constructs. In Greek, "themis" referred to divine or natural law, while "nomoi" to laws created by people and communities...read more>>>...

A Word on 'Ares'

ARES (Arês), the god of war and one of the great Olympian gods of the Greeks. He is represented as the son of Zeus and Hera. (A later tradition, according to which Hera conceived Ares by touching a certain flower, appears to be an imitation of the legend about the birth of Hephaestus, and is related by Ovid.

The character of Ares in Greek mythology will be best understood if we compare it with that of other divinities who are likewise in some way connected with war. Athena represents thoughtfulness and wisdom in the affairs of war, and protects men and their habitations during its ravages. Ares, on the other hand, is nothing but the personification of bold force and strength, and not so much the god of war as of its tumult, confusion, and horrors. His sister Eris calls forth war, Zeus directs its course, but Ares loves war for its own sake, and delights in the din and roar of battles, in the slaughter of men, and the destruction of towns. He is not even influenced by party-spirit, but sometimes assists the one and sometimes the other side, just as his inclination may dictate ; whence Zeus calls him alloposallos.

The destructive hand of this god was even believed to be active in the ravages made by plagues and epidemics. This savage and sanguinary character of Ares makes him hated by the other gods and his own parents. In the Iliad, he appears surrounded by the personifications of all the fearful phenomena and effects of war but in the Odyssey his character is somewhat softened down. (theoi.com)

First Labour of Hercules

The Typhon was one of the giants who rose up against the gods after they had successfully suppressed the Titans. Some of the giants had a hundred hands; others breathed fire. Eventually they were subdued and buried alive under Mt. Etna where their occasional struggles cause the earth to shake and their breath is the molten lava of a volcano. Such a creature was Typhon, the father of the Nemean lion.

Eurystheus sent Hercules to bring back the skin of the Nemean lion, but the skin of the Nemean lion was impervious to arrows or even the blows of his club, so Hercules had to wrestle with it on the ground in a cave. He soon overcame the beast by choking it.

When, upon his return, Hercules appeared at the gates of Tiryns, Nemean beast pelt on his arm, Eurystheus was alarmed. He ordered the hero henceforth to deposit his offerings and to keep himself beyond the city limits. Eurystheus also ordered a large bronze jar to hide himself in.

From then on, Eurystheus' orders would be relayed to Hercules through a herald, Copreus, son of Pelops the Elean.

Lernaean Hydra

In Greek mythology, the Lernaean Hydra was an ancient nameless serpent-like chthonic water beast that possessed numerous heads—the poets mention more heads than the vase-painters could paint—and poisonous breath.

The Hydra of Lerna was killed by Heracles as one of his Twelve Labours. Its lair was the lake of Lerna in the Argolid, though archaeology has borne out the myth that the sacred site was older even than the Mycenaean city of Argos, for Lerna was the site of the myth of the Danaids. Beneath the waters was an entrance to the Underworld, and the Hydra was its guardian.

In Greek mythology, The Lernaean Hydra was a snake-like beast that possessed nine (usually nine, it ranged from five to one hundred) heads and poisonous breath, killed by Heracles as one of his Twelve Labours.

The Hydra was the offspring of Typhon and Echidna, noisome creatures of the Goddess who became Hera. It was said to be the sibling of the Nemean Lion, the Chimaera and Cerberus. As such, it was said to have been chosen as a task for Heracles so that Heracles would probably die. (Source: mlahanas.de)

Mnemosyne, Goddess of Memory

Mnemosyne, Greek goddess of memory, was considered one of the most powerful goddesses of her time. After all, it is memory, some believe, that is a gift that distinguishes us from the other creatures in the animal world. It is the gift that allows us to reason, to predict and anticipate outcomes, and is the very foundation for civilization.

Sadly, the goddess Mnemosyne is largely forgotten, lost in the mists of time. When she is remembered it is usually only in the context of her being the mother of the Muses, though all acknowledge that without memory the lively arts of the Muses would never have been possible. Mnemosyne was a Titaness, a daughter of the first generation of deities in Greece. Her parents were the rulers Cronus and the goddess Gaia.

Mnemosyne is usually depicted with a full mane of luscious hair, often a rich auburn in color. There are few stories about her even though she is often mentioned by the ancient poets who recount her awesome gifts to mankind. The goddess Mnemosyne is sometimes credited with being the first philosopher, her gift the power of reason. She was given responsibility for the naming of all objects, and by doing so gave humans the means to dialog and to converse with each other. The powers to place things in memory an that of remembrance were also attributed to this goddess.

Make no mistake about this. Memory was of the utmost importance at the time of Mnemosyne. Long before the invention of the alphabet and the written word, it was critical to the well-being of an individual or a society who had to rely solely on the lessons passed on in an oral history. Besides, we're not talking about memorizing shopping lists or the times tables here. The memory of Mnemosyne was much more than that -- it was the memory of the rules and energies of the universe, the cycle of life, the memory of how to live in the world. (Source: goddessgift.com)

Orion Mythology

Every culture has its own constellations and mythology. Constellations rarely look like the object their name suggests; many groupings of stars have been called different things over the years.

According to Greek mythology, the stars in this region of the sky are labelled Orion in honour of a great hunter, son of Neptune and the nymph Eurayle.

To the Egyptians, the same stars were a tribute to the god of light, Osiris. Other cultures saw such things as a turtle or octopus. Some cultures combined these stars and others into larger figures like a Cayman or alligator-like creature. Others saw subsets of the stars as individual figures.

Orion is probably one of the easiest constellations to find. From the mid-latitudes of the northern hemisphere, in January at about 9:00 PM , look due south and half way between horizon and zenith. There, you will see three bright stars in a row that make up the belt of the mythical hunter. To the north-north west of the belt, you'll see one bright, slightly red star, Betelgeuse, that artists draw as the hunter's right shoulder. Other bright stars mark his left shoulder, his right knee and raised left foot. Below his belt on a clear night you might make out the reddish glow of the Orion Nebula, part of Orion's sword.

Orion once boasted that so great was his might and skill as a hunter that he could kill all the animals on the face of the Earth. Gaea, Goddess of Earth, was alarmed at such a boastful and inappropriate statement. Gaea decided that Orion must be killed just in case he might one day decide to carry out his boast. So Gaea sent a giant scorpion to Orion and ordered the beast to sting Orion. As mighty as Orion was, after only a brief battle, the scorpion managed to deliver the hunter a deadly sting. Scorpius stung Orion on the heel (at the star Rigel). Orion and the scorpion were given honored places in the sky, but they were placed at opposite ends of the great sky dome so that they would never engage in battle again. Although there are other storied about how Orion met his death, this one is the most common. In another Greek myth, the goddess Artemis (goddess of Wild Animals and of the Moon) fell in love with the handsome Orion. Her brother, Apollo, did not like this, and plotted to destroy Orion. One day while Orion was swimming, Apollo walked by with Artemis. Apollo challenged her to hit the target bobbing in the water. Artemis did not know it was the head of Orion, and shot her arrow. The arrow struck Orion in the head killing him. When Orion's body washed ashore by the waves, Artemis was horrified to see her arrow and to learn that she had been tricked by Apollo. In great sadness she tenderly placed the body of Orion in her silver Moon-chariot an carried him high up into the sky. Then finding the darkest place, so that his stars would shine the brightest of all surrounding stars, she placed him where we see him today.

Orion was the son of Neptune. He was a handsome giant and a mighty hunter. His father gave him the power of wading through the depths of the sea, or as others say, of walking on its surface.

Orion loved Merope, the daughter of Oenopion, king of Chios, and sought her in marriage. He cleared the island of wild beasts, and brought the spoils of the chase as presents to his beloved; but as Oenopion constantly deferred his consent, Orion attempted to gain possession of the maiden by violence. Her father, incensed at this conduct, having made Orion drunk, deprived him of his sight, and cast him out on the sea shore. The blinded hero followed the sound of the Cyclops' hammer till he reached Lemnos, and came to the forge of Vulcan, who, taking pity on him, gave him Kedalion, one of his men, to be his guide to the abode of the sun. Placing Kedalion on his shoulders, Orion proceeded to the east, and there meeting the sun-god, was restored to sight by his beam.

After this he dwelt as a hunter with Diana, with whom he was a favourite, and it is even said she was about to marry him. Her brother was highly displeased and often chide her, but to no purpose. One day, observing Orion wading though the sea with his head just above the water, Apollo pointed it out to his sister and maintained that she could not hit that black thing on the sea. The archer-goddess discharged a shaft with fatal aim. The waves rolled the dead body of Orion to the land, and bewailing her fatal error with many tears, Diana placed him among the stars, where he appears as a giant, with a girdle, sword, lion's skin, and club. Sirius, his dog, follows him, and the Pleiads fly before him.

The Pleiads were daughters of Atlas, and nymphs of Diana's train. One day Orion saw them, and became enamored, and pursued them. In their distress they prayed to the gods to change their form, and Jupiter in pity turned them into pigeons, and then made them a constellation in the sky. Though their numbers was seven, only six stars are visible, for Electra, one of them, it is said, left her place that she might not behold the ruin of Troy, for that city was founded by her son Dardanus. The sight had such an effect on her sisters that they have looked pale ever since.

Scylla

She was a beautiful water-nymph, but she scorned Glaucus (Neptune's son) and angered Circe (an enchantress.) Circe made a mixture of poisonous plants and poured them in the water where Scylla bathed (on the coast of Sicily.) When Scylla went in the water up to her waist, she found herself surrounded by a brood of serpents and barking monsters. She tried to run away, but the serpents and monsters were a part of her. This gave her a terrible temper, and she would thereafter devour hapless sailors that came within her grasp.

Scylla lives in a cave opposite of Charybdis (which is a strong whirlpool.) This is believed to symbolize the currents and dangers of the Strait of Messina in the Mediterranean.

Gaia Hypothesis: What is Gaia?

Most of us sense that the Earth is more than a sphere of rock with a thin layer of air, ocean and life covering the surface. We feel that we belong here as if this planet were indeed our home.

Long ago the Greeks, thinking this way, gave to the Earth the name Gaia or, for short, Ge. In those days, science and theology were one and science, although less precise, had soul. As time passed this warm relationship faded and was replaced by the frigidity of the schoolmen.

The life sciences, no longer concerned with life, fell to classifying dead things and even to vivisection. Ge was stolen from theology to become no more the root from which the disciplines of geography and geology were named. Now at last there are signs of a change. Science becomes holistic again and rediscovers soul, and theology, moved by ecumenical forces, begins to realise that Gaia is not to be subdivided for academic convenience and that Ge is much more than just a prefix. (James Lovelock)

Greek Creation Myth

In the beginning there was an empty darkness. The only thing in this void was Nyx, a bird with black wings. With the wind she laid a golden egg and for ages she sat upon this egg. Finally life began to stir in the egg and out of it rose Eros, the god of love. One half of the shell rose into the air and became the sky and the other became the Earth. Eros named the sky Uranus and the Earth he named Gaia. Then Eros made them fall in love.

Uranus and Gaia had many children together and eventually they had grandchildren. Some of their children become afraid of the power of their children. Kronus, in an effort to protect himself, swallowed his children when they were still infants. However, his wife Rhea hid their youngest child. She gave him a rock wrapped in swaddling clothes, which he swallowed, thinking it was his son.

Once the child, Zeus, had reached manhood his mother instructed him on how to trick his father to give up his brothers and sisters. Once this was accomplished the children fought a mighty war against their father. After much fighting the younger generation won. With Zeus as their leader, they began to furnish Gaia with life and Uranus with stars.

Soon the Earth lacked only two things: man and animals. Zeus summoned his sons Prometheus (fore-thought) and Epimetheus (after-thought). He told them to go to Earth and create men and animals and give them each a gift.

Prometheus set to work forming men in the image of the gods and Epimetheus worked on the animals. As Epimetheus worked he gave each animal he created one of the gifts. After Epimetheus had completed his work Prometheus finally finished making men. However when he went to see what gift to give man Epimetheus shamefacedly informed him that he had foolishly used all the gifts.

Distressed, Prometheus decided he had to give man fire, even though gods were the only ones meant to have access to it. As the sun god rode out into the world the next morning Prometheus took some of the fire and brought it back to man. He taught his creation how to take care of it and then left them.

When Zeus discovered Prometheus' deed he became furious. He ordered his son to be chained to a mountain and for a vulture to peck out his liver every day till eternity. Then he began to devise a punishment for mankind. Another of his sons created a woman of great beauty, Pandora. Each of the gods gave her a gift. Zeus' present was curiosity and a box which he ordered her never to open. Then he presented her to Epimetheus as a wife.

Pandora's life with Epimetheus was happy except for her intense longing to open the box. She was convinced that because the gods and goddesses had showered so many glorious gifts upon her that this one would also be wonderful. One day when Epimetheus was gone she opened the box.

Out of the box flew all of the horrors which plague the world today - pain, sickness, envy, greed. Upon hearing Pandora's screams Epimetheus rushed home and fastened the lid shut, but all of the evils had already escaped.

Later that night they heard a voice coming from the box saying,

"Let me out. I am hope."

Pandora and Epimetheus released her and she flew out into the world to give hope to humankind.

Athena

The Greek goddess Athena is usually portrayed as one of the most benevolent goddesses . . .strong, fair, and merciful.

Athena is known as one of the three virgin goddesses, referred to as virgin because they were able to remain independent, unswayed by the spells of Aphrodite, the goddess of love, and the consequent pull of marriage and motherhood. Romance and marriage did not feature in Athena's mythology. In Greek mythology Athena was, in essence, the prototype of the contemporary "career woman".

The birth of the Greek goddess Athena was more than unusual, it was truly amazing!

It was the headache to end all headaches! Zeus, the mighty king of the Olympian deities, regretted having swallowed his first wife, Metis. When Zeus had learned that she was pregnant, he feared that she was carrying the son that had been prophesied to supplant him on the throne.

Though swallowing Metis had seemed a good idea at the time, it was now causing him great suffering which eventually proved to be totally unnecessary.

Ready to risk anything to get rid of the pain that tormented him, he allowed one of the other gods to split open his head, and . . . Voila! Out came, not the son he feared, but a beautiful full-grown daughter, dressed in golden battle armor, who instantly became the "apple of her father's eye".

A motherless child, the goddess Athena quickly became his favorite. Athena was the only one of his children that Zeus ever entrusted with his magic shield and the secret of where his lightening bolts were stored. The goddess Athena remained his constant ally and fierce protector, promoting his interests, serving as his advisor.

Although usually depicted holding a spear, her golden helmet pushed back to reveal her elegant beauty, the Greek goddess Athena was known more for her role as judge, diplomat, and mediator than for actually fighting in battle. Her decisions were renowned for their fairness and compassion.

The goddess Athena was a superb strategist and many of the Greek myths recount tales of her help given to various gods, goddesses, and heroes as they went into battle or faced seemingly impossible tests.

Although she was widely known in one of her roles as "Athena Goddess of War", it was as a mediator and a planner that she excelled. She always worked to prevent war, but once war had been joined the goddess Athena fought efficiently for her side.

To prevent the Trojan War Athena descended from Olympus and walked between the two armies, making both sides swear oaths to keep the peace. Unfortunately a Trojan soldier named Pandaros, in an act of great cowardice, violated his oath and let loose his arrow, thus starting the Trojan War. Athena, Goddess of strategy, expressed her displeasure by helping the other side to emerge victorious. Remember the Trojan Horse? Just one of Athena's great ideas!

The Greek goddess Athena championed many heroes, offering them her advice and protection, helping them to win their battles. In one of her most famous adventures Athena would assume the shape of various men, women, and children to guide the wandering Odysseus. Her protection allowed the suffering hero to finally return safely to his home and family. Nike, the goddess who personified Winged Victory, often accompanied the goddess Athena. Not surprising, since "Athena, Goddess of War" never lost a battle.

Other women, however, seldom feature as allies in the stories of Athena who seems to have been firmly accepted as part of the patriarchy.

The most notable exception was her childhood friend, a girl called Pallas. The two, both tomboyish, were inseparable as children, practicing their fighting skills and sharing playful adventures. Once during a practice session, according to Greek mythology Athena accidentally wounded Pallas. The injury eventually proved fatal. In deep grief over the loss of her friend, Athena took Pallas' name to add to hers. Thereafter she was often referred to as Pallas Athena, in honor of her childhood friend.

The Greek goddess Athena was frequently called upon to settle disputes between the gods or various mortals. "Athena Goddess of Wisdom" was known for her superb logic and intellect. Her decisions were usually well-considered, highly ethical, and seldom motivated by self-interest. Not only the goddess Athena's decisions demonstrate her wisdom, but they revealed her great compassion as well.

Once, when a man called Teiresias accidentally walked in upon the goddess Athena while she was bathing (an act usually punished by death), Athena took pity on the poor mortal. Not wishing his death, she instead covered his eyes with her hands, thus simultaneously blinding him and giving him "inner sight", i.e., the gift of prophecy. As a result he became one of the most revered oracles in ancient Greece.

The Greek goddess Athena identified with the patriarchy and usually cast her power and support on their side during any dispute. In the first jury trial in recorded history, she cast the deciding vote to acquit Orestes of the murdering his mother to avenge his father's death. Athena was persuaded by Apollo's argument in Orestes' defense that the death of a mother was of less importance than a father's death since the woman simply nurtured the seed while it was actually the man who planted it.

Motherless herself, the goddess Athena usually placed patriarchal principles above maternal bonds

Logical by nature, the goddess Athena rarely lost her cool. One exception where she became "hot-headed" and again sided with the male power structure, is told in the story of Arachne, a young mortal woman who challenged Athena to a contest to see who was the best weaver. The goddess Athena was not at all upset about being challenged by a mortal and fairly judged Arachne's creation to be as flawless as her own.

But the subject matter of Arachne's tapestry offended her greatly for Arachne had depicted the amorous and adulterous adventures of Zeus, Athena's father. Livid that Arachne would dare to mock authority in such a way, Athena slashed the tapestry to shreds and drove Arachne to hang herself. When she had quieted her emotions, Athena took pity on the poor woman and let her live on by transforming her into a spider, weaving her beautiful webs for eternity.

A goddess of many talents, "Athena Goddess of Crafts" was an expert artisan herself. The goddess Athena was celebrated as the patron of weavers, potters, goldsmiths, sculptors, musicians, and horsemen.Athena was credited with the invention of the yoke and the bridle, the sailing ship, and the flute and trumpet.

The name of the Greek goddess Athena remains with us to this day since Athens, Greece, was named in her honor, in appreciation of her gift to them, the olive tree. The goddess Athena is recognized as the protector of cities.

More than any other of the Greek goddesses , Athena remains a symbol of civilization, useful knowledge, noble reasoning, logic and wisdom. The goddess Athena reminds us that we can successfully use our intellect and creativity in the pursuit of any goal we choose.

Dionysus

Dionysus was the god of fertility and wine, later considered a patron of the arts. He invented wine and spread the art of tending grapes. He has a dual nature. On the one hand bringing joy and divine ecstasy. On the other brutal, unthinking, rage. Thus, reflecting both sides of wines nature. If he choses Dionysus can drive a man mad. No normal fetters can hold him or his followers.

Dionysus is the son of Zeus and Semele. He is the only god to have a mortal parent. Zeus came to Semele in the night, invisible, felt only as a divine presence. Semele was pleased to be a lover of a god, even though she did not know which one. Word soon got around and Hera quickly assumed who was responsible. Hera went to Semele in disguise and convinced her she should see her lover as he really was. When Zeus next came to her she made him promise to grant her one wish. She went so far as to make him swear on the River Styx that he would grant her request. Zeus was madly in love and agreed. She then asked him to show her his true form. Zeus, was unhappy, and knew what would happen but, having sworn he had no choice. He appeared in his true form and Semele was instantly burnt to a crisp by the sight of his glory. Zeus did manage to rescue Dionysus and stitched him into his thigh to hold him until he was ready to be born. His birth from Zeus alone conferred immortality upon him.

Dionysus problems with Hera were not yet over. She was still jealous and arranged for the Titans to kill him. The Titans ripped him into to pieces. However, Rhea brought him back to life. After this Zeus arranged for his protection and turned him over the mountain nymphs to be raised.

Dionysus wandered the world actively encouraging his cult. He was accompanied by the Maenads, wild women, flush with wine, shoulders draped with a fawn skin, carrying rods tipped with pine cones. While other gods had temples the followers of Dionysus worshipped him in the woods. Here they might go into mad states where they would rip apart and eat raw any animal they came upon.

Dionysus is also one of the very few that was able to bring a dead person out of the underworld. Even though he had never seen Semele he was concerned for her. Eventually he journeyed into the underworld to find her. He faced down Thanatos and brought her back to Mount Olympus.

Dionysus became one of the most important gods in everyday life. He became associated with several key concepts. One was rebirth after death. Here his dismemberment by the Titans and return to life is symbolically echoed in tending vines, where the vines must be pruned back sharply, and then become dormant in winter for them to bear fruit. The other is the idea that under the influence of wine, one could feel possessed by a greater power. Unlike the other gods Dionysus was not only outside his believers but, also within them. At these times a man might be greater then himself and do works he otherwise could not.

The festival for Dionysus is in the spring when the leaves begin to reappear on the vine. It became one of the most important events of the year. It's focus became the theater. Most of the great Greek plays were initially written to be performed at the feast of Dionysus. All who took part writers, actors, spectators were regarded as scared servants of Dionysus during the festival.

Arachne: The Greek Goddess Who Became The First Spider

Arachne, the goddess in Greek mythology who was the world's first spider, was originally a young mortal, daughter of a shepherd famous for the beautiful wools that he dyed purple.

Gifted in the art of weaving, Arachne became famous for her excellent tapestries, but was too proud to admit she had once been in the inferior position of being a student, insisting that she was a better weaver than the Greek Goddess Athena, the goddess who had been her teacher. Proud of her skills, she issued a challenge to Athena to a contest to see who had the greater talent.

Athena, disguised as an old woman, cautioned Arachne that "You should recognize the power of the goddess for she helps those who honor her. No human work is so perfect that it cannot be improved."

But Arachne told the crone to save her breath and even accused her of being senile. Suddenly the goddess Athena appeared in the old woman's place and accepted the challenge.The two immediately set to weaving, Athena's design depicting the glory of the gods and goddesses and Arachne's illustrating stories of the gods' less honorable moments, including depictions of the various seductions and infidelities of Athena's father, Zeus.

Athena was furious and tore Arachne's tapestry to shreds. Realizing that she had gone too far in insulting the deities, Arachne grew so depressed that she hung herself.

Athena took pity on poor Arachne and decided to let her live, but not as a human, and turned Arachne into a spider. "For being so vain", Athena swore, "you will hang and spin forever".

Arachne and her story teach us to be mindful of the risks women, even extraordinarily talented women, take when they speak out against the established order, the patriarchy in particular.

We are reminded to speak the truth, not out of pride or in an effort to "get ahead", but in the spirit of concern and love.

Eris: The Goddess of Discord

Eris (Greek Έρις, "Strife") is the Greek goddess of strife, her name being translated into Latin as Discordia. Her Greek opposite is Harmonia, whose Latin counterpart is Concordia. Homer equated her with the war-goddess Enyo. Eris, the solar system's largest known dwarf planet, is named after the goddess.

The most famous tale of Eris recounts her initiating the Trojan War. The goddesses Hera, Athena and Aphrodite had been invited along with the rest of Olympus to the forced wedding of Peleus and Thetis, who would become the parents of Achilles, but Eris had been snubbed because of her troublemaking inclinations.

She therefore (in a fragment from the Kypria as part of a plan hatched by Zeus and Themis) tossed into the party the Apple of Discord, a golden apple inscribed Kallisti – "For the most beautiful one", or "To the Fairest One" – provoking the goddesses to begin quarreling about the appropriate recipient. The hapless Paris, Prince of Troy, was appointed to select the most beautiful by Zeus. Each of the three goddesses immediately attempted to bribe Paris to choose her. Hera offered political power; Athena promised skill in battle; and Aphrodite tempted him with the most beautiful woman in the world: Helen, wife of Menelaus of Sparta. While Greek culture placed a greater emphasis on prowess and power, Paris chose to award the apple to Aphrodite, thereby dooming his city, which was destroyed in the war that ensued. (Wikipedia)

Persephone

In Greek mythology, Persephone was the Queen of the Underworld, consort of Hades, the Kore or young maiden, and the daughter of Demeter— and Zeus, in the Olympian version.

Persephone (Greek: Περσεφόνη, Persephónē) is her name in the Ionic Greek of epic literature. The Homeric form of her name is Persephoneia. In other dialects she was known under various other names: Persephassa, Persephatta, or simply Kore (Greek: κόρη, "girl, maiden" ) (when worshipped in the context of Demeter and Kore).

The Romans first heard of her from the Aeolian and Dorian cities of Magna Graecia, who use the dialectal variant Proserpina. Hence, in Roman mythology she was called Proserpina, and as a revived Roman Proserpina she became an emblematic figure of the Renaissance.

In Greek art, Persephone/Kore is invariably portrayed robed. She may be carrying a sheaf of grain and smiling demurely with the "Archaic smile" of the Kore of Antenor.

The figure of Persephone is well-known today. Her story has great emotional power: an innocent maiden, a mother's grief at the abduction, and the return of her daughter. It is also cited frequently as a paradigm of myths that explain natural processes, with the descent and return of the goddess bringing about the change of seasons.

Arcuturus

In Greek mythology, Arcturus is a star created by Zeus to protect the nearby constellations, Arcas and Callisto (Ursa major and Ursa minor). According to the ancient Greek myth, Callisto was the daughter of Lycaon, the king of Arcadia. As a young girl, she vowed to the goddess Artemis to be forever faithful and devoted to her.

However, one day several years later, Zeus, the father of the gods fell in love with Callisto and with him Callisto had a son whom she named Arcas.

Zeus knew that if Hera, his wife, learned of his disloyalty she would be angry with Callisto, so in order to protect her he transformed her into a brown bear. Callisto, as a bear, roamed around the forest looking for her son, Arcadian.

After years of searching she found Arcas who was now a grown man. She finally ran into him and happy as she was she stood on her back legs and tried to embrace him. Arcas however did not recognize her and thought he was being attacked, so he drew his sword trying to defend himself. Zeus, watching everything, as usual, felt sorry for them and in order to prevent this tragedy he transformed them into constellations (Ursa major and Ursa minor) and placed them near to him in the sky.

Hera, who was still furious, asked the Ocean, the river that surrounds the earth, not to permit them to wash themselves in his waters; therefore these two constellations are always seen high in the night sky. Moreover in order to protect them from Hera's jealousy he placed another star near to them, called Arcturus, which means the guardian of Arctos, the bear. It protects and accompanies them for eternity.

Athena: Goddess Of Wisdom

The Greek goddess Athena was, in her earliest incarnations, a weather goddess associated with storm and lightning. Her aegis, or great shield, in her earliest days represented the stormy night. Although she eventually lost her meteorological associations, she still partakes of the Air element’s attributes; she is cool, clear, rational, objective, and works in the world of Mind rather than Body or Mind or Heart. She was born from her father’s head, as he tricked her mother into turning into a fly and then swallowed her; she burst forth less like a baby and more like an idea, fully armed and ready to go.

Athena’s dual roles as Wise Counsellor and Battle Goddess, often wrongly seen as mutually exclusive, show that she is the strategist rather than the tactician. She can see all the way to the end of the battle and beyond - not just how it will be won, but what will have to happen then so that order can be restored. She is ruthless and clear-eyed, her gaze on the goal and all her will behind the battle. Athena gives the ability to plan brilliantly and execute things that no one else would have thought of. Athena warriors are intellectuals first. Their spears are their intellect; their swords are their ideals; their shields are their convictions. They intend to change the world, and they often do, to the chagrin of the slower people in it.

One of the most interesting things about Athena is that she is one of the only two cross-dressing gods in the Olympian pantheon; the other being Dionysus. Athena is shown either in full armor, which was a man’s prerogative, or in a simple male chiton, such as would have been worn under armor. She is sometimes shown in a full woman’s robe, but it is usually undecorated and concealing, and she tends to keep her helmet on. Her gender-bending goes even further than this, though; she says, “I am for the man in all things, save for marriage,” and she means it. Everything men does, she does, except for sex, which she has none of. However, she doesn’t forswear all female arts; she is the patroness of weaving, a traditional female craft, and is traditionally attributed the gift of breathing creative life into craftwork.

In this way, she bridges male and female, an androgynous goddess who doesn’t see why the limitations of the body should make any difference to your actions. She also doesn’t seem to care about whether the other gods on Olympus like or dislike her unusual gender arrangements; her individuality is more important to her than the opinions of others. On the other hand, it is often true that androgynous, non-breeding archetypes (and people) are also very creative in other ways, as if their dammed procreativity is forced into other channels. Athena as Goddess of crafts - patron of architects, sculptors, fiber artists - echoes her gift of creativity and inspiration. At the Panathenaeum, her yearly festival, arts and crafts of many different kinds were shown and judged in contests.

Athena also rewards the gender-crossing Tiresias, who in a spirit of exploration offered to be a test subject of the gods: agreeing to spend seven years as a woman after being raised a man, s/he was called before the Olympians to decide which gender had the greater pleasure during sex. When s/he confessed that women had it better in the matter of pure physical pleasure, Hera, the Goddess of Marriage, struck hir blind. Athena apparently could not undo the damage, but she stepped in and quietly gave Tiresias the gift of prophecy.

Athena is the archetypal detached warrior, but there is a dark side to this nature. An Athena warrior can live so much in their head that they completely forget that other people have needs or feelings. The rest of humanity can become annoying statistics to be shuffled, filed, or even destroyed. The far end of this kind of thinking can create the general who sees his troops as bodies to be used up, or the scientist who sees people as bodies to be experimented on, or the businessperson who sees people as consumers to be exploited for every penny. Not a few CEOs are Athena-type warriors, and not infrequently they got there through coldly stepping on a whole lot of heads along the way. Athena-type warriors can also make lousy lovers - remember that Athena was an eternal virgin - because they tend to build a wall around them through which few emotions pass. As long as that wall is in place, they can go on ignoring feelings in favor of goals.

This makes it all the more dramatic when the wall of detachment is breached. When an Athena-type warrior finds him or herself in love (or hate), it takes them completely by surprise. It wasn’t that they didn’t expect to love or hate this person, it’s that they didn’t expect it to feel like this. This being, of course, intense and messy and uncontrollable. Generally, it makes them profoundly uncomfortable. They behave erratically, and do things all out of proportion to the situation. Their normally objective judgment is thrown completely off. If they are moved to anger, they indulge in ten minutes of total scorched-earth rage and stagger off, refusing to believe that they actually did something that irrational, and then try to deny it or explain it away with a tortuous “rational” argument.

On her shield, her aegis, Athena wears the Gorgon head, the sight of which turns people to cold stone. Athena-type people are often seen as lacking in human warmth, and as such, they make people around them feel distant and frozen as well. The Gorgon-eye of cold scientific inquiry can be pretty intimidating, and does not encourage closeness and bonding. These warriors need to bring their human genius down to the level of the instinctual animal, or it will never be taken seriously by more instinctual people, like the ones that hold the checkbook for funding their brilliant ideas, or the ones that they happen to be living with.

Above all else, however, Athena was the Goddess of Wisdom, with her owl symbol, and it is this that she is best remembered for. As Wise Counsellor, she cautions one to think carefully before acting, check your facts, don’t jump to conclusions, make sure your resources are in order, create checklists, objectively analyze yourself, your opponent, and your goal, and find allies who will aid you in your quest. Athena loves heroes. If you draw on her energy, she will expect you to go out and be one, whether you want to or not. In the Iliad, she appears to Odysseus - her favorite hero, as he used his wits rather than merely his brawn - as an old man named Mentor. That name worked its way down through the centuries until it has become a synonym for the ally who aids and teaches you. Athena is the ultimate Mentor, as long as you are willing to accept her offer to become a hero in the end.