Homeric hymn to Athene
“Of Pallas Athena, guardian of the city, I begin to sing. Dread is she,
and with Ares she loves the deeds of war, the sack of cities and the
shouting and the battle. It is she who saves the people as they go to
war and come back. Hail, goddess, and give us good fortune and
happiness!" - Homeric Hymn 11 to Athena
Homeric hymn to Athene
“I begin to sing of Pallas Athena, the glorious goddess, bright-eyed,
inventive, unbending of heart, pure virgin, saviour of cities,
courageous, Tritogeneia (Of Trito Born). From his awful head wise Zeus
himself bare her arrayed in warlike arms of flashing gold, and awe
seized all the gods as they gazed. But Athena sprang quickly from the
immortal head and stood before Zeus who holds the aegis, shaking a
sharp spear: great Olympos began to reel horribly at the might of the
grey-eyed goddess, and earth round about cried fearfully, and the sea
was moved and tossed with dark waves, while foam burst forth suddenly:
the bright Son of Hyperion [the Sun] stopped his swift-footed horses a
long while, until the maiden Pallas Athena had stripped the heavenly
armour from her immortal shoulders. And wise Zeus was glad. Hail to
you, daughter of Zeus who holds the aegis!” - Homeric Hymn 29 to Athena
Orphic hymn to Athene
“Only-begotten, noble race of Zeus, blessed and fierce, who joyest in
caves to rove: O warlike Pallas, whose illustrious kind, ineffable, and
effable we find: magnanimous and famed, the rocky height, and groves,
and shady mountains thee delight: in arms rejoicing, who with furies
dire and wild the souls of mortals dost inspire. Gymnastic virgin of
terrific mind, dire Gorgon’s bane, unmarried, blessed, kind: mother of
arts, impetuous; understood as fury by the bad, but wisdom by the good.
Female and male, the arts of war are thine, O much-formed, Drakaina,
inspired divine: over the Phlegraion Gigantes, roused to ire, thy
coursers driving with destructive dire. Tritogeneia, of splendid mien,
purger of evils, all-victorious queen. Hear me, O Goddess, when to thee
I pray, with supplicating voice both night and day, and in my latest
hour give peace and health, propitious times, and necessary wealth, and
ever present be thy votaries aid, O much implored, art’s parent,
blue-eyed maid." - Orphic Hymn 32 to Athena
