Athenaia was a very complex Greek deity. She surely
has Greek and Pre-Greek components, like Ugaritic Anath (sister/lover of Baal)
and North Egyptian Neith ( Shield-Goddess, virgin mother of Sun Ra), but ... has
she any IE feature?
I think so.
I think one of IE components of Greek Goddess of
War and Intelligence Athena, was a feminine form of an IE god that has parallels
in Indian TRITA and Norse THJALFI. This IE minor god was a young partner of
great Thunder-God, explaining:
1) Indian Trita Aptya was a young partner of
Thunder-God Indra, and help him to defeat monster Vrtra..
2) Thjalfi was a slave of Thunder-God Thorr, and
help him to defeat giants Hrungnir and Mokkurkalfi.
3) Persian myth had and analogous god THRITA, seen
in name of hero THRAETAONA ("son of Thrita").
4) Athena was named TRITOGENEIA and TRITEIA. There
were many attempts since Antiquity to explain this epitethus. From Lake
Tritonis? From sea-god Triton? I think this name is cognate of *Trito-
"third?" or "marine?(vide Old Irish Triath "sea")
Joao SL
Rio