An Ancient Habit: Nations Under the Goddesses
I’ve been thinking about the Greek figure Athena ever since Hurricane/Superstorm Sandy in October swept through the Caribbean, including Haiti, and then the East Coast. If you remember, after Sandy, a nor’easter, dubbed Athena by the Weather Channel, devastated the eastern United States.
It was a fascinating follow-up storm name to Sandy, which means “defender of mankind.” Athena means “wise.” In Greek culture, Athena was considered the virgin goddess associated with war, owls, snakes, olive trees, spears, among other things. She was also the patron of Athens.
When I developed the character Livnath in Fall of the Savior-King, I based her on the so-called goddesses of ancient Mesopotamia. Those figures were renown for their societal influence, a theme I follow in my novel. Livnath is powerful, petulant and defiant. She opposes the omnipotent power of the Existing One at Mount Aleph, and wars to control the jewel of the Sethite kingdom, the City of Kings. And like Athena, she is the patron goddess of the kingdom of Seth.
Because my book is inspired by the Genesis 6 story about the Nephilim, it’s my personal theory that the myths about Athena and other gods and goddesses, along with the Mesopotamian god stories, are misty clues of what Genesis indicates about the activities of fallen angels with human beings. These angelic activities were punished by God, according to the Book of Jude.
My web searches regarding Athena also reminded me how many countries are associated with goddess-like figures. For example, the United States of America is associated with Columbia and
Libertas, Great Britain with Britannica and Italy with Italia Turrita. It’s curious that the female personification of countries mirrors the patron goddess concept of antiquity, even with so-called Christian nations. Which reminds me of another footnote about Athena. The philosopher Proclus was a huge devotee of Athena. Here’s an interesting story from the Encyclopedia of the Goddess Athena about Proclus and Athena:
When the statue of the Goddess Athena was removed from the Parthenon, the Goddess appeared to Proclus and said to him: They turned me out of my Temple, now I come to live with you. Since then She lives in our homes and in our hearts.
Really?
Photos of Athena and Columbia courtesy of Wikipedia.
