Selena Yasmin Sapphire Galadriel Seay-Reynolds

Athena: Protector, Arbiter, and Mentor

Man is nothing without the gods. Without man, though, the gods are nothing. According to Greek

mythology, and, really, all religions, the gods, or a god makes all things possible. So what are the gods, or a

god, without mortals, then? As much control the gods have over mortals, mortals have over the gods.

Odysseus would not be a hero without Athena, and Athena would not be the goddess that she is without

Odysseus. Athena is the goddess of war and strategy; the “Hope of Soldiers,” and he are “the great tactician,”

“the man skilled in all ways of contending.” He is the very embodiment of what she symbolizes. In this sense,

he is part of her, and she is part of him. Athena loves Odysseus, not as Kalypso, Kirkê, or Penelope, but as she

loves herself, as his protector, arbiter, and mentor.

The first time “the grey-eyed goddess” materializes, it is in her role as arbiter. In a council of the gods, she

appeals to Zeus on Odysseus’ behalf, beseeching her father to allow “that wise Odysseus to reach his home

again” (Book I, l. 108). In the last Book, she appears in this role again.

“…Athena raised a shout

that stopped all fighters in their tracks.
‘Now hold!’
she cried, ‘Break off this bitter skirmish;
end your bloodshed, Ithakans, and make peace.’” (Book XXIV, l. 590-594)

Athena acts as Odysseus’ protector in that she does directly help Odysseus, but also in that she helps his

family: Telémakhos, Penelope. In acting as a mediator, whether it is between him and Zeus or him and suitors,

she helps him in this way. There are also a few occasions, where she “gives him strength.” In many instances,

she disguises him, or alters his appearance in some way to aid him.

“...Athena
lent him beauty, head to foot. She made him
taller, and massive, too, with crisping hair
in curls like petals of wild hyacinth
but all red-golden. Think of gold infused
on silver by a craftsman, whose fine art
Hephaistos taught him, or Athena: one
Whose work moves to delight: just so she lavished
beauty over Odysseus’ head and shoulders.” (Book XI, l. 243-250 and Book
XXIII, l. 176-184)

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 Selena Yasmin Sapphire Galadriel Seay-Reynolds
She does this twice, first on Skheria, to make him seem less fearsome to the Phaiákians, and second, when he is

home on Ithaka, with Penelope. There, she transforms him back into his original form, after having previously

disguised him as an old man, to protect him from the suitors. In Book VII, l. 17-18, “Athena poured a sea fog

around him,” to help disguise him as he travels to Alkinoos and Arete. Athena helps Telémakhos even more

often, guiding him on his journey throughout the entire poem.

Athena helps Odysseus—there is no disputing this—but as any teacher, parent, or mentor may; she only

does so when he actually needs it. She intervenes to help other mortals, such as Telémakhos and Penelope, with

relatively simple matters; but she only helps Odysseus when he has no other options. In actuality, she helps him

very little throughout the course of the poem, although when she does aid him, the help is tremendous.

Odysseus is lost at sea, desperately seeking to get home for twenty or so years. On Skheria, his last stop before

he reaches Ithaka, Odysseus recounts his travels to the Phaiákians, in Books IX through XII. Athena is

completely absent for these four Books. Odysseus overcomes Polyphemos, Skylla, and Kharybdis; he goes to

hell and back, literally, and while not without great loss, he survives, without the help of Athena. The first time

she intervenes, in all this time, is after he has been trapped on Ogýgia for seven years; and after he no longer has

any chance of escape. While Athena may have helped Odysseus, perhaps without his knowing, or Odysseus

may have simply left her aid out of his story, this seems unlikely. Odysseus speaks humbly to the Phaiákians,

admitting his faults, and berating himself for his past shortcomings. “Ah, / how sound that was! Yet I refused.

I wished / to see the caveman, what he had to offer— / no pretty sight, it turned out, for my friends,” he

comments regretfully in Book IX, l. 247-250, on how he foolishly rejected his crew’s suggestions. In Book I, l.

88-89, Zeus also praises him for his humility and devotion to the gods, saying, “There is no mortal half so wise;

no mortal / ever gave so much to the lords of open sky.” Athena simply does not intervene until it is necessary.

In the last book, and in Odysseus’ struggles against the suitors, Athena distinctly appears in all three of her

roles—protector, arbiter, and mediator. The last lines of the poem, in fact, clarify this better than any.

“Athena
cast a grey glance at her friend and said:
‘Son of Laertes and the gods of old,

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 Selena Yasmin Sapphire Galadriel Seay-Reynolds
Odysseus, master of land ways and sea ways,
command yourself. Call off this battle now,
or Zeus who views the wide world may be angry.’
He yielded to her, and his heart was glad.
Both parties later swore to the terms of peace
set by their arbiter, Athena, daughter
of Zeus who bears the stormcloud as a shield—
though she still kept the form and voice of Mentor.” (Book XXIV, l. 604-614)
Not only do these lines demonstrate her many purposes, and functions, but they cement another concept: Athena

values, above all else, her relationship with Odysseus, as his friend, and Mentor.

“Two of a kind, we are,

contrivers, both. Of all men now alive
you are the best in plots and story telling.
My own fame is for wisdom among the gods—
deceptions, too.” (Book XIII, l. 379-383)
This fine balance between teacher and friend; leader and comrade; god and mortal is convoluted, but touching,

and incomparable to anything else in all of literature, all of history.

It is only in the hottest furnace that the strongest steel is formed. By not constantly enabling Odysseus, by

letting him make his own mistakes, and by forcing him to use his wits and fend for himself, she helps him to

grow and learn. Athena is the daughter of Zeus, a goddess. If she cared to, she, herself, could send him back to

Ithaka in an instant. But were she to intercede, to hold his hand the entire way, not only would there be no

difficulties for him to overcome, and he no longer be the hero known today, but the very reasons for which she

loves and respects him would vanish. The spring from which her admiration flows would run dry, and cease to

exist. Athena can cherish, love him only as he overcomes the greatest of obstacles. She intervenes so that he

can have another chance, and she, another showing. And each time he tries again, he proves himself again, and

improves, having learned from the time before, from her. Athena and Odysseus spur each other onward—an

unbeatable team, together—with no limits, no bounds, ever racing toward glory.