Down the goddess swept from Olympus’ craggy peaks
and dove like a star the son of Cronus flings.
Cronus with all his turning, twisting ways –
a sign to men at sea or a massive army marching,
blazing on with a stream of sparks showering in its wake.
Like a shooting star Athena flashed across the earth,
plunging down in the midst of both camped forces.
– Homer
The Iliad, Book 4, lines 86-92. In this wonderful epic simile the goddess of wisdom Athena is said to sweep down from Olympus to the armies like a shooting star. Zeus has ordered her down to the battlefield in order to provoke the Trojans into breaking the truce.