In
Greek mythology,
Pallas was the daughter of
Triton. Acting as a foster parent to
Zeus’s daughter
Athena, Triton raised her alongside his own daughter. During a friendly fight between the two goddesses, Athena was protected from harm by Zeus but Pallas was mortally wounded. Out of sadness and regret, she created the
palladium, a statue in the likeness of Pallas. This story inspired a yearly festival in
Libya dedicated to Athena. Girls from the
Machlyans and Auseans tribes would fight each other, and those who died were labeled false virgins.