Athena's Gift
Back when the gods on Mount Olympus were rolling dice to decide which god would get to be honored with which city, one particular city with much promise was being argued over by two gods: Athena, the goddess of wisdom, and Poseidon, god of the sea. Zeus proposed a contest, whoever presented the best gift to the city would win. Poseidon conjured up a magnificent warhorse, whereas Athena brought forth an olive tree. The gods agreed that Athena's gift was thoughtful and would not bring anguish upon the people like a warhorse might. Therefore, the city was called Athens.
Explanation
The moral of this story is one that exhibits not only what a person should do, but what attributes are considered favorable in this Greek society. Poseidon's gift represents how war can often be alluring (like the magnificent warhorse), but in the end only brings pain and suffering to the people on both sides. Athena's gift may not be as flashy or active, but this olive tree represents the opposite of Poseidon's: the finer things in life, peace and prosperity, the arts and sciences, etc. By Athena winning the contest, this shows how the gods feel about these different views, and the path that they think humans should follow. This story also explains why the famed city of Athens came to be called so.
No comments:
Post a Comment