Mythologis
The Athena Book: The Greek Goddess of Wisdom and War

Greek Mythology

The Athena Book: The Greek Goddess of Wisdom and War

Born of Zeus, the Aegis, the Owl and the City She Named

The complete story of Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom and war. Born fully armed from the head of Zeus, patron of heroes and of the city that bears her name, the cool strategist set against the blood-fury of Ares.

180 pagesPDFEnglishMythologis Library

$14.99

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Inside this book

What you will read

  • 11 chapters, primary sources
  • Instant PDF download
  • Original ink illustrations
  • From Homer and Hesiod to Ovid
  • Designed for print quality
See all chapters  +
  1. 01Born from the Head of Zeus
  2. 02The Virgin Goddess of the City
  3. 03Wisdom, War and the Difference Between Them
  4. 04The Contest for Athens
  5. 05The Aegis, the Owl and the Olive
  6. 06The Heroes She Guided
  7. 07Arachne and the Price of Pride
  8. 08Athena and Ares: Two Faces of War
  9. 09The Parthenon and the Worship of Athena
  10. 10Pallas, Mentor and the Many Names
  11. 11The Goddess Who Outlived Her City

About this book

About this Greek mythology guide

She was born fully armed from the skull of Zeus, with a war cry that shook the sky. The complete story of Athena, goddess of wisdom and war.

She was born without a mother, leaping fully armed from the skull of Zeus with a war cry that shook the heavens. Athena was the goddess of wisdom and of war, but a very particular kind of each: the wisdom of craft and strategy, the war of discipline rather than slaughter, everything that Ares, raging on the same battlefield, was not.

This is the complete story of Athena. The strange birth from the head of Zeus; the virgin goddess who chose the city over marriage; the contest with Poseidon that won her Athens and the olive tree; the aegis, the owl and the spear; the heroes she guided, from Perseus to Odysseus; the weaver Arachne and the price of mortal pride; and the Parthenon raised in her honour above her city.

The book follows Athena through Hesiod, Homer, the Homeric Hymns, Ovid and the tragedians, holding together the battle-goddess of the Iliad and the patron of wisdom the philosophers loved. Every chapter cites where it comes from.

Delivered as a print-quality PDF within 24 hours of purchase.

What you will discover inside

  • The strange birth of Athena, fully armed, from the head of Zeus
  • The contest with Poseidon that won her the city of Athens
  • Wisdom and war: how Athena differed from raging Ares
  • The heroes she guided, from Perseus to Odysseus
  • Arachne, the weaving contest and the price of pride
  • The aegis, the owl, the olive and the Parthenon

Greek mythology book at a glance

TraditionGreek mythology
Chapters11 chapters
Length180 pages
SourcesDrawn from the primary sources, cited inline
Reading levelBeginner-friendly. Every name and place is explained from scratch
FormatPrint-quality PDF
DeliveryPDF within 24 hours

Formats and editions

EditionWhat you getPrice
Instant PDFPrint-quality download, readable on any device. PDF within 24 hours.$7.99
PaperbackA paperback edition is on the way. Sign up on this page to hear when it lands on Amazon.Coming soon

About the author

Guillaume Henry, founder of Mythologis

Guillaume Henry

Founder & Editor-in-Chief, Mythologis

Guillaume Henry founded Mythologis to make the world's mythologies readable without losing what makes them strange. Every Mythologis book draws on the primary sources first, cross-references multiple translations, and avoids inventing details that aren't in the originals.

More about the author

Keep exploring Greek mythology

Prefer to read before you buy? These free, fully sourced guides cover the same gods, myths and sources you will meet in the book.

Read the complete Greek mythology guide

Questions about the Greek mythology book

When will I receive my PDF?

Within 24 hours of purchase. Your download link arrives in your inbox automatically.

Is this based on the original Greek sources?

Yes. It draws on Hesiod's Theogony, Homer, the Homeric Hymns, Ovid's Metamorphoses and the tragedians, with references to the standard editions.

Was Athena really born from Zeus?

Yes, that is the myth: she sprang fully grown and armed from the head of Zeus. The book explains the story, its variants and what the Greeks read into it.

How long is the book?

Eleven chapters, around 180 pages depending on the final layout.

Will there be a paperback on Amazon?

The PDF is available immediately. A KDP paperback edition follows once the book has been validated by readers.

What formats is this book available in?

Every title is available as an instant PDF, downloaded the moment you buy it: the link appears on the confirmation page and lands in your inbox. Selected titles also have a paperback edition on Amazon. Where the paperback is not out yet, you can sign up to be notified the day it does.

What is the return policy?

The PDF is delivered instantly by Mythologis. If a download ever fails or a file looks wrong, get in touch and we will make it right. Paperbacks bought on Amazon are handled under Amazon's own returns and refund policy.

Can I order from outside the United States?

Yes. The PDF is a digital download, so it works instantly anywhere in the world, with nothing to ship. Where a paperback edition exists, it is sold across Amazon's international marketplaces, with shipping rates and delivery times depending on your country.

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