In ancient Greek mythology, Athena was associated with wisdom, strategy in war, crafts & was the patroness of various cities, particularly Athens.

According to myth, she was born from her father Zeus's head after he swallowed her mother, Metis! Unlike Ares, the god of brute force, Athena represents the strategic and just aspects of warfare, using wisdom to protect the state and its people.

This piece is an improvisation for recreated lyre, in the intensely introspective ancient Greek Dorian Mode (the equivalent intervals as E-E on the white notes of the piano, this mode was misnamed the 'Phrygian' mode by scholars in the Middle Ages).

The deeply philosophical, meditative & introspective quality of this mode is indeed reflected in the fact that it was the favourite musical mode of Plato himself, in "The Republic", he describes how this was the only musical mode which he believed had true moral value.

The lyre featured in this piece, is my ‘Lyre of Apollo III’ – recreated in modern Greece, by Luthieros:

https://www.luthieros.com

The lyre has 11 strings and a soundboard of goat skin stretched over a huge wooden resonator, producing a rich and exotic ancient timbre, truly worthy of waking the ancient pantheon of ancient Greek gods from their slumbers!