So, you want to know about that whole Athena and Poseidon thing? Yeah, the contest for Athens. It feels like ages ago, but I remember it pretty well. It wasn't some grand, organized event like they probably tell it now. It was more like one day, everything's normal, and the next, these two big-shot gods are right there, basically arguing over who gets to be our town's main sponsor. We, the actual people living here, didn't really get a memo beforehand. It just sort of… happened.
How It All Kicked Off
I was just trying to get my olives sorted for the market, same as any other day. Then there's this rumble, and a bit of a commotion up on the Acropolis. Word gets around fast, you know? Poseidon, the sea god guy, he's there. And Athena, she's there too. Apparently, they both decided they wanted our city named after them, or at least to be the head honcho deity around here. No one asked us if we wanted a new divine patron, mind you. They just showed up, ready to impress.
First up was Poseidon. He's all drama, that one. Strides in, bangs his trident on the rock – bam! And this spring of water just bursts out. Everyone’s gasping, thinking, "Wow, water! Super useful!" I was skeptical from the start. We’re practically next to the sea anyway. So, someone brave goes and tastes it. Yup. Salty. As salty as the sea itself. Some folks tried to say, "Oh, it's symbolic! It means naval power!" Right. More like symbolic of a bad plumbing job. We were mostly thinking, "Great, another thing to slip on." What were we supposed to do with a saltwater spring in the middle of the city? Not very practical, if you ask me.
Then Came Athena's Turn
Athena was next. She was way calmer, more composed. She didn't make a big noisy show. She just sort of gently touched the ground with her spear. And this little plant starts growing. It grows and grows, and pretty soon, it's a tree. An olive tree. Now, I gotta admit, at first, a bunch of us were like, "A tree? He gives us a saltwater fountain, and she gives us a plant?" It didn't seem like much, especially after Poseidon's flashy, if useless, display.
But then Athena started explaining. She talked about what the tree could give us.
- Olives to eat, obviously.
- Oil for our lamps, for cooking, for cleaning ourselves.
- Wood for building and for fires.
Suddenly, it wasn't just a tree. It was food, it was light, it was fuel. It was… useful. Really useful, day-to-day stuff. Not some big, showy miracle that didn't actually help with dinner.
The Big Decision
So then, someone had to pick. I think it was Cecrops, our king back then, the one who was half-man, half-snake. Or maybe it was a council of elders, I don't really remember the exact process. It wasn't like we all got a vote, not us regular folks. They just looked at the two gifts. A saltwater spring that looked impressive but was basically a puddle of brine, versus a tree that promised a whole lot of good things for the long run. It didn't take a genius, did it? Even if the tree was less "wow," it was clearly the better deal for a city trying to make its way.
They went with Athena's gift. And that's how our city got its name, Athens. Poseidon was apparently a bit miffed, threw a bit of a tantrum, flooded some fields later, or so the stories go. Gods, eh? Always gotta have the last word, even when they lose. But we got the olive tree, and honestly, that thing has been a lifesaver for generations. So, yeah, that's how I remember it. Less of a divine epic, more of a practical choice between a show-off and someone who actually thought about what we needed. We made do, and the olive trees are still here, so I guess it worked out okay in the end, despite the drama.
