Athena， goddess of wisdom and war， was the embodiment of strategy， tactics and reason. Athena once competed with Poseidon to be the patron deity of Athens， which was yet unnamed. They agreed that each would give the Athenians one gift and the Athenians would choose whichever gift they preferred. Poseidon slammed his trident into the ground， and a spring welled up from the earth， providing the town with an inexhaustible source of water. However， the water was from the sea， and the people weren’t able to drink it， or make any use of it whatsoever. Athena planted an olive tree in the centre of the town. It provided the people with wood， oil and a source of food. Athena was proclaimed victor and the patron of Athens. So， Athens got its name from the goddess.
Athena was also the patron of the art of weaving and other women’s crafts， such as cooking and spinning. One woman named Arachne learned Athena’s craft very well and boasted that she was a superior weaver to Athena. Dressed up as an old woman， she went to advise Arachne to be modest. But the ignorant crafts woman bravely asked the goddess herself to come down and compete with her. At this the goddess took off her disguise and accepted the competition. The two women immediately set about making different designs. While the goddess worked on the story of her rivalry with Poseidon， Arachne began to make a delicate web. When both pieces were finished， Arachne saw， to her surprise， that she had been beaten， for the goddess’ design was infinitely better. She felt so shamed that she tied a piece of silk to hang herself. But Just before she breathed her last breath， the goddess changed her into a spider and let her weave forever.
12. 雅典娜
智慧女神及战神雅典娜，是策略、战术及理性的化身。曾与波塞冬竞争成为雅典的保护神，那时它还没命名为雅典。他们同意每人给雅典人一份礼物，然后由雅典人来选择他们较为喜欢的那份。波塞冬把他的三叉戟猛力地插在地上，一条小溪立即从地面涌出，为城市提供取之不尽的水源。但是，由于水来自大海，人们无法饮用，也无法作其他的用途。雅典娜则在城中央种了一棵橄榄树。这棵树为人们提供木材、橄榄油及食物。雅典娜在此次比赛中获得了胜利，成为了雅典的守护神。因此，雅典，这个城市名字来源于女神雅典娜。
雅典娜也是编织及其他女子手艺，如烹饪和纺织的守护神。一个名叫阿瑞克尼的女子学会了雅典娜的手艺，吹嘘她是一位比雅典娜还好的编织者。女神装扮成一位老妇，劝告阿瑞克妮应谦虚一些。但那位无知的女手艺人，竟狂妄地让女神自己下来和她竞争。女神卸去伪装，接受了挑战。两位妇女立刻着手创作各自的作品。女神设计的图案叙述了她与波塞冬争斗的故事，而阿瑞克妮则编织了一张精美的网。两张网完成之后，阿瑞克妮吃惊地发现自己输了，因女神的作品要好得多。她感到非常羞耻，便用一根丝线上吊。但在咽气之前，女神将她变成了一只蜘蛛，让她永远地编织。
单词短语透视
1.
embodiment [m‘bdmnt] n. 化身；具体化例句
He is the embodiment of evil.
他是邪恶的化身。
2.
tactics [’tks] n. 战术，策略
例句
An army commander must be skilled in tactics.
一名军事指挥官必须精通战术。
3.compete with与……竞争
例句
My handwriting cannot compete with his.我的书法不及他。
4.
patron [‘petrn] n. 守护神
例句
St.David is the patron saint of Wales.大卫是威尔士的守护神。
5.
Athenian [’θi：njn] n. 雅典人
例句
He was not an Athenian.
他并不是雅典人。
6.
slam [slv. 猛力地放﹑推﹑扔
例句
She slammed the box down on the table.她使劲把盒子摔在桌子上。
7.
well [wel] v.（像泉水般）流出，涌出，喷出例句
Blood was welling from the wound.
鲜血从伤口中流出。
8.
inexhaustible [，ng‘zstbl] adj. 无穷尽的；用不完的例句
My patience is not inexhaustible.
我的耐心是有限度的。
9.
whatsoever [wts’ev] pron. 无论什么例句
I have no knowledge of it， whatsoever.我对此一点都不知道。
10.
proclaim [pr‘klem] v. 宣告，公布（某事物）例句
After its independence， India was proclaimed a republic.印度独立之后宣布成立共和国。
11.
victor [vkt] n. 胜利者
例句
He is the victor of the game.
他是这场游戏的优胜者。
12.
weave [wiv] v. 纺织；编织
例句
She had been taught to weave as a child.她从小就学会了织布。
13.
spinning [’spn] n. 纺织
例句
She is skilled at spinning and weaving.
她是纺织能手。
14.
boast [bust] v. 自夸；自吹自擂
例句
He’s always boasting about his children’s success at school.
他总是夸耀他的孩子们学习成绩好。
15.
weaver [‘wiv] n. 织工；织布者
例句
His sister is a weaver in this factory.
他姐姐是这个工厂的一名纺织工。
16.dress up as伪装；打扮成
例句
He wanted to dress up as Father Christmas.
他想要打扮成圣诞老人。
17.
disguise [ds’gaz] n. （供穿戴或使用的）伪装品例句
This false beard is his disguise.
这假胡子是他的伪装用品。
18.
rivalry [‘rav（）lr] n. 竞争；对抗；竞赛例句
There is great rivalry between the two brothers.
这两兄弟间有一场激烈的竞争。
19.
hang [h] v. 上吊；绞死（某人）
例句
She hanged herself from the rafters.
她悬梁自尽了。
20.
spider [’spad（r）] n. 蜘蛛
例句
The spider can catch insects by cobweb.
蜘蛛能用蜘蛛网抓住昆虫。
神话背后的习语
send owls to Athens 多此一举；徒劳无益
雅典娜英明睿智、足智多谋而且灵活善战，她是雅典人鞠躬尽瘁的守护者，身兼天下重任，眸中闪烁智慧光芒，是奥林匹斯最有思想的女神。她的形象是一位严肃端庄的处女，她身穿战袍，头戴战盔，手持长枪和盾牌，全副武装，她的脚边常停着她的圣鸟——也是雅典人的圣鸟——猫头鹰（owl）。雅典盛产猫头鹰，所以，英语里有一成语to send owls to Athens（把猫头鹰运到雅典）表示“多此一举；徒劳无益”。
例如
To water flowers on a rainy day is simply sending owls to Athens.在雨天浇花实在是多此一举。
Sending tea and silk to China is like sending owls to Athens.把丝、茶运到中国来是多此一举。
hold out the olive branch表示愿意讲和
olive branch意为“橄榄枝”。在西方橄榄枝素来被人们视为和平的象征。智慧女神雅典娜（Athena）战胜海神波塞冬（Poseidon）成为雅典的守护神时，她给雅典人造了一棵挺拔的橄榄树，橄榄枝象征和平，因此她取得了胜利。在古希腊，橄榄树也象征富饶多产，新娘常在婚礼上戴上橄榄枝花环。有功于国家的人被授予橄榄枝花冠作为一种最高荣誉，橄榄枝花冠还是古时奥林匹克运动会的最高奖赏。在英语中有一短语hold out the olive branch， 照字面直译是“伸出橄榄枝”，而其真正的含义则为“表示愿意讲和”。
例如
Jill was the first to hold out the olive branch after our argument.我们俩争吵后，吉尔首先作出和解的表示。
Even after ten years of war， neither side was willing to hold out the olive branch.
甚至经过10年战争之后，双方仍无求和之意。
13. Palladium
Ilus was the founder of Troy. When the city was built， he prayed Zeus to show some sign of blessing for it. In answer to the prayer， a wooden image of Pallas Athena fell from heaven to within the walls of the city. Known as the Palladium， the statue afforded the city safety and protection.