As the goddess of wisdom and courage, Athena seems to fear no one and nothing. The story of her contest with Poseidon reveals her only fear and how it helped her win. She is afraid of losing a challenge.
Detailed answer:
In Greek mythology, Athena represents wisdom and courage. She is the daughter and the favorite child of Zeus, the chief god of the Greek pantheon. Whenever the Greek goddess goes to war, she wears the breastplate with the list of qualities engraved. These qualities include fear, defense, assault, and strife, leading Athena to the victory. No wonder it seems like there is nothing that might scare Athena. But wait, let me tell you something. Despite being the goddess of courage and the most powerful god’s daughter, Athena is afraid of being defeated.
One day, Poseidon, the brother of Zeus and the sea god, challenged her. Athena’s uncle controlled all the oceans and wanted to obtain the earthly kingdoms, including Athens. The city belonged to the goddess. Poseidon claimed that he would bring more benefits to its citizens. He used his power and offered the city a salt spring. At the same time, Athena relied on her fear of defeat and her wisdom to win the contest. She planted olive trees, which gave food, wood, and oil to the Athenians. Athena kept Athens and defeated Poseidon, thanks to her fear of losing the contest.
Looking for an inspiring idea for a paper on Odyssey? Take a look at our Odyssey Essay Topic Ideas & Examples to find the perfect one!
