In Greek mythology a little owl sits on Athena’s blind side and gives the goddess the ability to see the whole truth. This little owl is thought to have originally been princess Nyctimene who had fled to the forest out of shame from having been raped by her father, the King. Athena found her, and comforted and cared for her, and transformed her into her spirit animal, or daemon. Since then, owls along with the Goddess Athena have been used as a symbol of knowledge and wisdom throughout the Western world.
The myth of Athena is a story that takes place in a forest and is a story of spiritual transformation: Nyctimene changes into an owl, and Athena into a goddess who can see the whole Truth. Nyctimene is lifted out of her place of shame and fear, and is honored and recognized for her ability to see in the dark. In the case of Athena, it is because of her companionship with an owl, who sits on her blind side, that she is able to see the whole truth, and become the Goddess of Wisdom.
This myth suggests that wisdom includes more than just one perspective: it requires double sightedness, multiple orientations, two different vantage points. Perhaps it also invites us to consider that wisdom also includes a collaboration and vision that emerges from a deep relationship between human and more-than-human worlds. It is a recognition that wisdom is more than the sum of its parts. . . that we must work together, hear multiple voices and vantage points, to reach deep insight, discernment, clear thinking and understanding.
Forests are often depicted in folktales as liminal places, places of transformation and change, where people undergo a rite of passage and may reach a new awareness, or different social stature, or level of maturity. Many cultures use solitary time in the wild as an opportunity for dreamwork, purposeful wandering, self-discovery, and rites-of-passage.
Owls are, similarly, often associated with twilight, that intermediary time between daytime and nighttime, when they are out hunting. Creatures and places that occupy intermediary, liminal places and times are imbued with power, enchantment and mystery. Owls are also solitary and independent creatures and although they may find a mate, they do not follow a herd or group, further supporting the idea that discovering the Truth or gaining Wisdom requires a certain degree of separation from the flock. It is a resulting skill that comes when one is not swayed by the herd, but in the forest away from the crowds, where one is encouraged to think and survive on one’s own terms.
From a gender perspective, it is poignant that Athena chooses to give Nyctimene the stature that she does after having been raped by her father. Rather than shaming or blaming Nyctimene or seeing her as “broken” or “impure”, the usual diminished stature women often unfairly receive after having been victims of male sexual violence, Athena elevates Nyctimene into an all-seeing owl of wisdom. Here in the story Athena is establishing that those who have experienced pain and “imperfection” ought to be honored and valued for their wisdom. It is through befriending one’s pain, and finding a deep relationship with it, that we may discover how much wisdom it offers us. Perhaps this folktale is an affirmation that wisdom is the knowledge or awareness of an injustice or oppression, and how that perspective is always on the shoulder of those who see the whole Truth.
Athena is also known as “Minerva”, her syncretic incarnation in Roman mythology. The Roman name “Minerva” took inspiration from the Etruscan deity Menrva, or perhaps Menerwā. Strong evidence suggests that the Etruscans, who preceded the Romans, were dark-skinned people who originated from Africa. The Etruscan civilization predates ancient Roman and Greek civilizations, and was located in the landscape that is known as the Roman Empire and it greatly influenced the culture of Rome which was, contrary to popular belief, most likely a multicultural and ethnically diverse city! Minerva was a name that was borrowed from an older female deity called Meneswā or Menes-wo, meaning “she who remembers,” “she who knows,” or “she who measures.” Minerva’s name shared its root with Manasvini, a Hindu deity associated with virtue, intelligence, and the moon. So, ultimately, Athena really is a cultural composite Goddess, a result of layers upon layers of diverse cultural meanings from different geographies and time frames, and it is from this magical place of both-and, that Athena, the Goddess of Wisdom is birthed.
The ancient Greeks had two words for time: Chronos and Kairos. Chronos refers to chronological time; Kairos is more of a mystical time when things are shifting, a transitory period that creates an opening. I love this Kairos experience of time, it is this kind of time that happens in my studio, as I work creatively, opening myself up to possibilities, inspirations, allowing the mystery to take over as I come up with new creations like this one.
The Owl of Athena, or Owl of Minerva, reveals how timeless and long-lasting a myth can be, and how a connection to the wild is deeply-rooted in Greek and Roman mythology, the so-called origins of Western Civilization. This particular myth offers us an earth-centered lense through which we can rediscover our kinship with this wild and precious planet.
Note* I created this piece with a barn owl as inspiration before I learned that the owl that is associated with Athena is actually a Little Owl, Athene Noctua!
References:
Apel, Thomas (April 8, 2022). “Roman Goddess Minerva”. The World Encyclopedia of Mythology. Mythopedia.com.
Cartwright, Mark (January 7, 2014). “Minerva”. World History Encyclopedia. Worldhistory.org.
Harris, Karen “Etruscans History: The First Romans Were Actually Black People” Historydaily.org
Explore more bird folktales
La Huesera, the ancient folktale of the mythical Bone Woman of the desert southwest, wanders the arroyos gathering scattered bones of wolves, singing over them until they reassemble and return to life. What if Bone Woman’s song is also ours to sing—the mythic medicine, the nourishing bone broth we can heal from if we dare to gather what’s been forgotten and scattered together at the same table, into the same circle of honoring? Bone Woman is the sacred feminine, known by many names, in many tongues. Her task is not to forge new connections, but to uncover what’s always been there. This is Old Story Medicine, the elixir She offers from her sacred cauldron when the world seems starved of connection, and in need of healing and repair.