# Athena — The Iliad character guide

> Athena in The Iliad by Homer.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Pallas, Pallas Athene, Blue-eyed Pallas, Minerva

**First appearance:** 0001-the-iliad

## Snapshot

Wisdom's warrior goddess, who drops from Olympus like a falling star to bend a Trojan archer's aim against the truce she helped swear.

## Who they are

Athena fights for the Greeks not with a spear but with a whisper, borrowing the shape of Antenor's son to find Pandarus in the ranks and promise him Paris's gratitude if he plants an arrow in Menelaus. She is the war's most patient engineer, and her first great act in the poem is sabotage dressed as counsel. When the truce shatters under that arrow, the whole slaughter becomes her handiwork, and the gods' quarrel over Troy acquires its sharpest partisan.

## Relationships

### [Achilles](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_iliad_se/characters/achilles)

_friendship_

Athena aids Achilles, restraining his rage at key moments and guiding his actions in battle.

### [Achilles](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_iliad_se/characters/achilles)

_friendship_

Athena aids Achilles, restraining his rage at key moments and guiding his actions in battle.

### [Achilles](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_iliad_se/characters/achilles)

_friendship_

Athena aids Achilles, restraining his rage at key moments and guiding his actions in battle.

## In the story

### [Book I: The Contention of Achilles and Agamemnon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_iliad_se/chapters/book-i-the-contention-of-achilles-and-agamemnon)

Sent by Hera to prevent Achilles from killing Agamemnon.

### [Book IV: The Breaking of the Truce, and the First Battle](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_iliad_se/chapters/book-iv-the-breaking-of-the-truce-and-the-first-battle)

Sent by Zeus to incite the Trojans to break the truce; disguises herself and convinces Pandarus to shoot Menelaus.

### [Book V: The Exploits of Diomed](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_iliad_se/chapters/book-v-the-exploits-of-diomed)

Gives Diomedes strength and a flame on his head and shield, heals his wound, and forbids him to fight any god except Aphrodite.

### [Book VII: The Combat of Hector and Ajax](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_iliad_se/chapters/book-vii-the-combat-of-hector-and-ajax)

Descends from Olympus to intervene; agrees with Apollo to pause the battle and inspire Hector's challenge.

### [Book VIII: The Second Battle](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_iliad_se/chapters/book-viii-the-second-battle)

Prepares for war with Hera but is turned back by Iris's message from Zeus.

### [Book XVIII: The Grief of Achilles for the Death of Patroclus](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_iliad_se/chapters/book-xviii-the-grief-of-achilles-for-the-death-of-patroclus)

Lights a flame on Achilles's head to terrify the Trojans.

### [Book XIX: The Reconciliation of Achilles and Agamemnon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_iliad_se/chapters/book-xix-the-reconciliation-of-achilles-and-agamemnon)

Sent by Zeus to infuse Achilles with nectar and ambrosia to prevent hunger.

### [Book XX: The Battle of the Gods](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_iliad_se/chapters/book-xx-the-battle-of-the-gods)

Deflects Hector's spear from Achilles and joins the battle on the Greek side.

### [Book XXI: The Battle in the River Scamander](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_iliad_se/chapters/book-xxi-the-battle-in-the-river-scamander)

Strengthens Achilles and appears with Poseidon to reassure him.

### [Book XXII: The Death of Hector](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_iliad_se/chapters/book-xxii-the-death-of-hector)

Athena descends to aid Achilles, deceiving Hector by appearing as his brother Deiphobus and encouraging him to stand and fight.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_iliad_se/characters/athena
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_iliad_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_iliad_se/characters