Why athena owl

While we nowadays impute owls with wisdom, they were once regarded as evil. Cloaking themselves in the darkness, stalking silently and surreptitiously, owls represented solitude. They hid in the shadows, unseen, and so were viewed negatively, in some cultures as the bringer of death, or at least the messenger thereof. Like the raven, the owl became an image of death and the afterlife, thought to be the animal that guided the spirits from this life to the next. Ancient civilizations in Mexico, the Middle East, and especially China created horrible myths around the owl, making it the pet of Hell or the punisher of those who have done wrong.

Its loud, longing screech was unsettling, and because of its ability to see in the dark, the owl could see into the future, but it also meant, in the Christian and Judaic traditions, blindness, or an inability to pierce through the darkness, ultimately preventing spiritual insight. As such, early people saw the owl as a negative force, rather than a positive one. However, this was not true for all the world, for other cultures, like the Native Americans and Greeks, designed elaborate mythologies that lionized, not demonized, the owl.

What the eagle was to the sun, the owl was to the moon. Fortune tellers, seers, soothsayers, and augurs, all of whom specialized in predicting the future, had as their symbol the owl. In the dark, things appear faint, in mere outlines, unable to made out; but the owl is wholly perceptive and has clear vision.

The owl stands for rational, inner knowledge because it, like a mirror, reflects the light of the moon. Quiet, reserved, yet vigilant, the owl kept watch, observant, cautious, curious. Owls tilt their heads to the sides, much as we do when we are confused or puzzled, as though they are mimicking our curiosity—their way of scratching their heads. Thus, it is no surprise why the Greeks related learning and studying to owls.

Owls seem to stay where they are and rarely move. In myth, these under ten inch owls were sacred to Atehna and therefore account for the origins of her owl-eyed Glaukopis epithet. Some historians accounted for this association by describing a species of owl that had a strong presence in Athens during the era of ancient Greece. Being that Athena is the patron goddess of Athens, the owl species in Athens quickly and easily became a symbol for Athena herself. In Greek myth, the owl of Athena is also said to be kept on the shoulder of Athena and reveal truths of the world to her, and thus also represent the literal wisdom and knowledge of Athena in her role as a goddess of wisdom.

Additionally, this association meant that even the mere sight of an owl before a battle in myth made Greek soldiers believe that Athena was blessing them for a victory in battle. The Owl of Athena displayed on the Union building at the University of Texas symbolizes that University of Texas values wisdom and the pursuit of it on campus.

As mentioned before, the owl of Athena is a symbol associated with the tangible wisdom that is represented through the Greek goddess Athena. Another aspect of the image of the Owl of Athena shows the owl sitting atop a pile of books, which is said to represent education at the University of Texas and the pursuit of knowledge through the education that the University provides.

Additionally, the image of the Owl of Athena depicted on the Union building is accompanied by many images and symbols that represent the University of Texas and Texas as a state.

Displaying these modern images and symbols of Texas along with the ancient image of the Owl of Athena demonstrates how the University uses a Greek mythological image to portray a message and a purpose for the University. The symbols associated with Texas represent the University as a whole, and the Owl of Athena lies within these symbols, representing the wisdom associated with Athena as a goddess.

Tying in the images of Texas and of ancient Greek myth with the image of Athena the central point, shows that the University values intelligence and wisdom above everything else. By adding this decorative collaboration to the Union building, modern audiences can recognize a relationship between the symbolism of ancient Greek images and modern Texas images, showing that the meaning of Athena as the goddess of wisdom is still recognizable and used in modern institutions even thousands of years later.

Accessed April 30, Buxton, Richard. Crete, Paul Philippe. Accessed April 20, Trzaskoma, Athena was confused as to why the owl handed her a branch of a tree, but held on to it. In gratitude for saving her owl, Haley gave Athena the owl to keep. Athena thanked the girl for the bird and realized she must return to the city for the contest. With the owl by her side, Athena rushed to the city without a clue as to what gift she would give the people. Poseidon had already arrived to the new city and presented the people with a stream of water.

The people were so happy to have this beautiful stream in their city and to have water to drink. They rushed to the stream and dove their faces in the crystal-clear water. Poseidon thought he had won the contest and rights to the city, but the people immediately rose up from the stream and started spitting out the water.

It was salt water! They could not drink it and they were not happy. The only thing she had was the branch of the tree the owl had given her.

She reached out her arms and presented the people with the branch. It was the branch of an olive tree. She placed it on the ground and from it a full olive tree grew. The people were delighted. They had olives to eat, oil for their lamps and cooking, and wood for their boats and houses. King Cecrops declared Athena the winner and in her honor the city was named Athens. Athena could not believe the city was hers. She turned to look at the owl and thought how lucky she was to have found it.

The bird was wise to know the branch was the gift she needed to win the contest. She realized the owl must be the wisest of all animals. Just as she was the goddess of wisdom, this owl must be the animal of wisdom. She decided from that day onward, the owl would be her sacred animal and would never leave her side.

She did not represent violent war, but rather strategic war where she could win with her use of whit.