The birth of Athena – Psychodynamic formulation and case report

Abstract

Introduction

Athena possesses a special place among the Greek Gods, as she was born from her father, according to an extreme patriarchal model with a marked depreciation of the maternal role. Zeus had swallowed and absorbed the mother of Athena, Mites, because of an oracle that if Mites gave birth to a boy, the boy would take his throne. When the time comes, Zeus commands Hephaestus to cleave his forehead with an axe, and then Athena leaps fully armed and shouting her cry of war, in front of the astonished Gods. The next moment she puts her weapons down, as a token of obedience and devotion. The exceptionally close bond between father and daughter is evident through their uniquely confidential relationship. The ancient myth is paralleled, from a psychodynamic aspect, with the case of a narcissistic patient receiving psychodynamic psychotherapy.

Methods

Case report.

Results

A case of a woman with narcissistic personality features and depressive symptoms is described, presenting with the complaints of withdrawal, self-depreciation, passivity, and agoraphobia. Psychodynamic factors defining her pathology are her narcissistic and sexualized relationship with her father, whereas the relationship with her mother has been depreciated. The patient experiences an intrapsychic conflict of reciprocal idealization, against her anger and fear for her father, resulting in the symptoms of agoraphobia and passivity.

Conclusion

Like Athena, who puts her weapons down, the patient resigns from her will for autonomy and moves to a passive position, as a result of her entrapment in her idealized relationship with the father.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.