Athena Olive Tree Poseidon

When it was athena s turn her act was far less dramatic.

Athena olive tree poseidon. When athena and poseidon were both vying for the position of patron deity of the city now called athens both presented the city with a gift. Poseidon laughed his mighty laugh and accepted her challenge. Don t forget that poseidon was ruler of the sea and the water sources he controlled were inevitably salty just like the seas he ruled. She challenged her uncle poseidon to a contest.

He slapped his specter against the side of the mountain. Here is war glory and power he cried. So he chose athena to lay claim of the city of athens and the city was named after her. Athena brought forth an olive tree from the ground by the touch of her spear and she was proclaimed the victor.

The townspeople could decide which gift was the more useful. And so the city of athens was named and the people loved athena for her gift of the olive tree. In the founding myth of athens athena bested poseidon in a competition over patronage of the city by creating the first olive tree. The city shall be named athena came from jupiter on the mountain top.

Cecrops was very impressed by athena s gift. Not only were tombs to the myth i cal kings kekrops and erechtheus here but also the spot where posei don s tri dent struck the ground and of course athena s sacred olive tree. Both gods would give the town a gift. This way she created an olive tree as a symbolization of peace and prosperity on earth.

The olive was fundamental to athenian economy and life. The horse neighed and pawed and poseidon laughed at the woman s gift. She s known as athena parthenos athena the virgin but in one archaic attic myth the god hephaestus tried and failed to rape her resulting in gaia giving birth to erichthonius an important athenian founding hero. One version of the story says that cecrops the mythical first king of athens a creature half man half snake chose the olive tree so the city took the name athens.

When athena and poseidon were competing to be the patron of athens they both had to give one gift. Poseidon gave the city a spring of water and athena. Olive tree sacred to athena the olive tree is a tree sacred to athena. Here is life peace and plenty said the goddess.

Angry at losing poseidon was appeased and continued to be worshiped in athens especially in conjunction with the athenian hero erechtheus e rek thee us see mls chapter 23. She quietly knelt and buried something in the ground which in time grew into an olive tree. Athena stepped forward struck her spear into the ground and then she kneeled and planted an olive branch in it. The olive tree is one of athena s symbols.

Then in the middle of the city a water fountain came out of the ground. Once again the olive tree regained grand mon u ments in its vicin ity and con tin ued to be hon oured and remain a cen tral part of the athen ian reli gious and cul tural land scape for cen turies to come.