Birth of Athena
As it should be in the myths, the birth of the goddess Athena was unusual. The most common version is told in "Theogony" Hesiod: king of the gods Zeus, on the advice of Uranus and Gaea had swallowed his first wife, Metis, wisdom, when she became pregnant in order to prevent the birth of her son after Athens, which would be overthrown Zeus. After that he gave birth to warrior Athena Tritogeneyu from his head.
Homer the myth of the birth of Athena ignore it, but subsequent authors complement the story details and localize it. Brief references occur in the Homeric hymn to Apollo, the Pythian, the Ibycus and other poets, writers, and Myth. This Metis sources hardly mention, as Athena in Aeschylus emphasizes that was born without a mother.
These details are as follows: prediction Zeus has spoken Moira or herself Metis. Having swallowed the pregnant Metis, Zeus after some time he felt a terrible headache. To help her birth, Hephaestus struck Zeus in the head with an ax, and Prometheus took her from the head of Zeus (as later, she was born from the beard of Zeus). Stesichorus first to mention that Athena was the head of Zeus in full battle armor (Panoply). About Shell said in XXVIII Homeric hymn and a Orphics. By Lycophron, Athena was born from Zeus on the third day.
According to Pindar, when Athena was born, Rhodes went to the golden rain. Furthermore, given both the interpretation of her birth: according to a certain Aristoklu, Athena has been hidden in the cloud and came out of it by a thunderbolt of Zeus, as it happened in Crete. In this myth "of the affected birth of lightning and thunder of the thundercloud hanging heavily" (VG Boruhovich).
Parents: It is worth noting that although the version of the birth of Athena from the head of Zeus swallowed Metis most common, there are several versions of who were her parents:
Mother:
Hera (or Oceanides Metis) - from Zeus
Titanida Metis, goddess of wisdom - from Zeus
In the Attic version, the daughter unwise - from Zeus.
Nymph of the river Triton (in the case of paternity Poseidon)
Father:
Zeus. Having swallowed the pregnant Metis and giving rise to Athens because of his fractured skull, he assigns the features of mother-parent, having made his daughter into the world alone.
Poseidon. According to Herodotus, Athena then denied the paternity, and proceeded to Zeus, who took her as a daughter.
Cyclops Bronte ("Thunder"), gave birth to her from the Metis.
Giant Pallas, with whom she had in other kinds of skins.
Mortal man named Eaton, king of the city of Eaton Fthiotida.