Fortuna, Athena, Inanna

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In message , blue670424@... writes

>I'd love to know more about the business/commerce aspects of Fortuna, Athene,

>Inanna or anyone else. My reference library is pretty silent on this score.

Fortuna was the Roman goddess of propitious events. As her name

suggests, she was strongly associated with money, as well as fertility

and increase in general. I don't have or know of a specific book about

her, though.

Athena, as the strategist and patron goddess of Athens, is the

archetypal force behind the modern businesswoman. I especially recommend

the book _Athene: Image and Energy_ by Ann Shearer. (For more general

reading about Athena, _The Myth of the Goddess_ by Anne Baring and Jules

Cashford; _Goddesses in Everywoman_ by Bolen; and _The Goddess

Within_ by Woolger and Woolger, all have chapters on Athena (Jean

Bolen's book is probably the best regarding the business aspect of her,

although in general I prefer the Woolger & Woolger book).

Inanna is probably the earliest documented 'strategist' goddess - she

tricked the 'me' - the Sumerian Tablets of the Law - from her father, to

become the ruling power in the city - and even her descent to the

Underworld was a deliberate strategy - unlike the later goddess

Persephone, who was a passive figure, acted *upon* rather than taking

charge of her own life. The story of Inanna's gaining control over the

'me' is told in _Inanna, Queen of Heaven and Earth, Her Stories and

Hymns_ by Wolkstein and Kramer. For a psychological perspective on her

descent, I highly recommend _Descent to the Goddess: A Way of Initiation

for Women_ by Sylvia Perera. The Baring & Cashford book cited above also

has a chapter on her.

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fa