In Honour of Athena Owl Eyed

Amanda Artemisia Forrester

Hail Lady, Owl-Eyed Goddess Daughter of Zeus Almighty The loud-thundering Olympian King Who trusts His greatest weapon, The flashing lightening bolt Only to You, Great Pallas Athene You alone wield the full power of Your Father Invulnerable Warrior

Lady of the City, Protectress of Your people It is You Who teaches us to live together To resolve conflicts peacefully To care for our citizens and to take pride in our cities You Goddess of all the virtues it takes to live in community Owl-Eyed Beloved of the Philosophers The lover of wisdom Divine Teacher, nurture the learner’s spirit within me So that I may learn from all I meet

Teach me, Nimble-Fingered One To work with my hands To create beauty from within me Athena Ergane, the Worker’s Goddess, Who with Hephaistos watches over craftsmen Teach me to manifest my thoughts in physical form To shape the world around me as I see fit.

O You Who tamed wild Pegasus Tame the tumultuous emotions within me Lend me Your reason, Your clarity of thought Logical, methodical, General of many armies, Warrioress Quick are You to rise up and fight injustice But just as quick to make peace when called for Lady of the Sword, Athena Areia Cultivate such fair-mindedness in Your worshipers So we may defuse conflict wherever possible.

Last I speak of Your great purity She Who is called Parthenos, Virgin, Untouched, Inviolate Though ripe and lovely as You are You shun the marriage bed, And value purity above all else. Though I have not followed Your path of total chastity I strive always to be pure In thought, in action, in deed To reflect a shade, a faction, of Your Divinity Lady of Wisdom, Defender of Justice, Look down on Your devotees with favour As we try to work Your will in the world Bless us with Your presence, with the tenacity to fight when necessary And the humility to make peace when called for Bless us with the wisdom to understand, and the creativity to bring that understanding into being Bless us with guidance as we take our first steps on the path of the Hero And bless us with inner serenity And the spiritual purity of a little child.