Athene, the goddess who affects the fates of both women and men, unites the virginal father's daughter and the encouraging mother of the spirit. Karl Ker#65533;nyi's careful rendering of the many aspects of her mythos demonstrates a profound understanding of feminine intelligence both in its fierceness and it darker animal nature - especially apparent in the symbolism of owl, goat, horse, and Gorgon. The archetypal image of Athene provides a mythological background of communal and political consciousness, individuality, and the power of mind.