Myth of Arachne, the spider woman - Greeka.com Discover the myth of Arachne, the spider woman The offence to the gods Arachne in Greek mythology, was a Lydian woman, thought by some to be a princess, who was highly gifted in the art of weaving. Born to Idmon, a famous dyer in Lydia, Arachne was no ordinary weaver and the very act of her weaving was sheer magic and a sight to behold. Soon news of Arachne's artistry spread far and wide and it is said that nymphs from the forests left their frolicking and gathered around Arachne to watch her weave. So moved were they by her skills that they remarked that she surely must have been trained by none other than Goddess Athena, the goddess of weaving. The weaving contest All this adulation was more than Arachne could handle and being an ordinary mortal who was quite vulnerable to human failings, she became quite arrogant about her superior skills. She was annoyed at being regarded as a pupil of Athena and began bragging about her skills, proclaiming herself to be far more superior to even Athena.

Now, when the goddess of weaving heard of Arachne's bold claims, she was upset, but nonetheless decided to give the young woman a chance to regret her folly. Disguised as an old woman, Athena appeared before Arachne and warned her of the consequences of provoking the wrath of the gods, but Arachne was not a bit remorseful and challenged Athena to a contest, declaring that if she lost, she would accept any punishment that Athena would decide for her. That time Athena revealed her true form and accepted the challenge. The stage was set for a battle in which a god and a mortal pitted their artistic skills to decide who the better artist was. The nymphs who had come to watch Arachne weave shrank back, horrified at Arachne's audacity, but Arachne was unshakable and stood her ground. And so the contest began, Athena at her loom and Arachne at hers, each working with threads of gold and a splendid array of colors to decide who would outdo the other in this ultimate trial. What unfolded next was a feast for the eye. Athena created a tapestry replete with scenes from the history of the gods.

She portrayed Zeus at the center of the Olympic pantheon as well as her own contest with Poseidon and her victory, which ultimately made the people of Athens name their city after her. At the corner of her tapestry, she artfully depicted humans who had dared to defy the gods and who had been punished without a trace of mercy. As for Arachne, she deliberately chose scenes that depicted the infidelities and amours of the gods. She vividly portrayed Zeus and his string of indiscretions. She showed how Zeus had turned into a swan to rape the Spartan queen Leda; a bull to entice Europa; an eagle to abduct Aegina; as a shower of gold to seduce Danae; and as a satyr to seduce Antiope. Arachne's work of art, according to the Latin narrative, featured twenty-one scenes of the various misdemeanors of the mighty gods, including Poseidon, Apollo, Dionysus and others. The transformation into a spider Although Arachne had shown little respect for the gods by choosing a subject that made a mockery of the supreme deities of the Olympus, even Athena had to admit that her work was brilliant and flawless.

That, however, was not enough to calm down Athena who was incensed by Arachne's humiliating portrayal of the gods. At last, Athena destroyed in anger Arachne's tapestry and loom. Arachne, like many other foolish mortals, had dared to question the supremacy of the gods. She had, in her arrogance over her art, been blind to the consequences of challenging the gods. Still in anger, Athens transformed Arachne into a disgusting insect. She turned her into a spider ("arachni" in Greek), proclaiming that Arachne and all her descendants would henceforth hang forever from threads and be skillful weavers. An interesting fact that relates myth to history is that the art of weaving is said to have originated in Anatolia, a part of modern Turkey and spiders have been a constant source of inspiration for man to perfect his weaving skill. The story of Arachne from Greek myhology has also been immortalized by science and the taxonomical class name for spiders is Arachnida. Share it!

Greek Stories about Athena-Athena, Arachne and the Weaving Contest Athena, Arachne and the Weaving Contest Athena, Arachne and the Weaving Contest In a small town of Ledia, in Northern Greece, there once lived a beautiful maid with the name Arachne. Arachne was famous in town for being a very skillful weaver and spinner and every day many girls and nymphs were stopping by to see her weave. However, Arachne was a very vain girl and couldnât stop boasting about her talent. She claimed that she had learned the skill all by herself and that there was no one else in the world who could weave as delicately as her... she even felt that she could compete against Athena , the goddess of skill, and win her with ease. When Athena heard these words, she got disappointed and decided to disguise as an old lady and appear in front of Arachne. "My dear", she told Arachne, "I am old and have much life experience, so let me give you one advice: donât ever mess up with a goddess! No mortal can compete against Athena.

Take back your words and kindly ask for forgiveness..." Arachne got furious and threw the thread against the old woman, telling her: "I donât need your advice, I know best what I can do! If Athena really dares, then she should come here and compete against me!" At that moment, the old woman transformed herself into the radiant goddess Athena. On her sight, everybody in the room kneeled down in awe- not so Arachne, who couldn't wait to compete against her. Soon the competition started and both contestants were doing really well. Athena was weaving the Parthenon and her contest with god Poseidon. Arachne, on the other hand, was making fun of the gods by weaving scenes of gods full of weaknesses and fears. Arachneâs work seemed to be perfect technically, yet it was not beautiful because it was showing disregard of the gods. When Athena saw this, she became very offended and told Arachne: "You may be foolish and stubborn, but you seem to love your work.

So go ahead now and spin forever!" Immediately, Athena sprinkled her with the juice of magical herbs and the body of Arachne transformed into a small and ugly animal, which is known as the spider nowadays . Since then, the spider is cursed to be trapped inside her own web, weaving constantly and endlessly... but having finally all her works destroyed by humans! This story proves that the Greek gods and goddesses were subject to human emotion. Search The Story of Arachne, the Weaver DLTK's Countries and Cultures - Greek Mythology The Story of Arachne, the Weaver written by James Baldwin, adapted and illustrated by Leanne Guenther -- based on Greek mythology There was a young girl in Greece whose name was Arachne. Her face was pale but fair, and her hair was long and dark. All that she cared to do from morn till noon was to sit in the sun and spin; and all that she cared to do from noon till night was to sit in the shade and weave. And oh, how fine and fair were the things which she wove on her loom!

Flax, wool, silk—she worked with them all; and when they came from her hands, the cloth which she had made of them was so thin and soft and bright that people came from all parts of the world to see it. And they said that cloth so rare could not be made of flax, or wool, or silk, but that the warp was of rays of sunlight and the woof was of threads of gold. Then as, day by day, the girl sat in the sun and spun, or sat in the shade and wove, she said: "In all the world there is no yarn so fine as mine, and in all the world there is no cloth so soft and smooth, nor silk so bright and rare." One afternoon as she sat in the shade weaving and talking with passers by, some one asked of her, "Who taught you to spin and weave so well?" "No one taught me," Arachne replied. "I learned how to do it as I sat in the sun and the shade; but no one showed me." "But it may be that Athena, godess of wisdom, taught you, and you did not know it." "Athena? Bah!" said Arachne.

"How could she teach me? Can she spin such skeins of yarn as these? Can she weave goods like mine? I should like to see her try. I can likely teach her a thing or two." She looked up and saw in the doorway a tall woman wrapped in a long cloak. Her face was fair to see, but stern, oh, so stern! And her gray eyes were so sharp and bright that Arachne could not meet her gaze. "Arachne," said the woman, "I am Athena, the godess of craft and wisdom, and I have heard your boast. Are you certain you still mean to say that you can spin and weave as well as I?" Arachne's cheeks grew pale, but she said: "Yes. I can weave as well as you." "Then let me tell you what we will do," said Athena. "Three days from now we will both weave; you on your loom, and I on mine. We will ask all who wish to come and see us; and great Zeus, who sits in the clouds, shall be the judge.

And if your work is best, then I will weave no more so long as the world shall last; but if my work is best, then you shall never use loom or spindle. Do you agree to this?" "I agree," said Arachne. "Very well," said Athena. And she was gone. When the time came for the contest in weaving, hundreds were there to see it, and great Zeus sat among the clouds and looked on. Arachne took her skeins of finest silk and began to weave. And she wove a web of marvelous beauty, so thin and light that it would float in the air, and yet so strong that it could hold a lion in its meshes; and the threads of warp and woof were of many colors, so beautifully arranged and mingled one with another that all who saw were filled with delight. "No wonder that the maiden boasted of her skill," said the people and Zeus himself nodded. Then Athena began to weave.

And she took of the sunbeams that gilded the mountain top, and of the snowy fleece of the summer clouds, and of the blue ether of the summer sky, and of the bright green of the summer fields, and of the royal purple of the autumn woods,—and what do you suppose she wove? The web which she wove was full of enchanting pictures of flowers and gardens, and of castles and towers, and of mountain heights, and of men and beasts, and of giants and dwarfs, and of the mighty beings who dwell in the clouds with Zeus. And those who looked upon it were so filled with wonder and delight, that they forgot all about the beautiful web which Arachne had woven. And Arachne herself was ashamed and afraid when she saw it; and she hid her face in her hands and wept.

"Oh, how can I live," she cried, "now that I must never again use loom or spindle?" And she kept on weeping and saying, "How can I live?" Then, when Athena saw that the poor maiden would never have any joy unless she were allowed to spin and weave, she took pity on her and said: "I would free you from your bargain if I could, but that is a thing which no one can do. You must hold to your agreement never to touch loom or spindle again. And yet, since you will never be happy unless you can spin and weave, I will give you a new form so that you can carry on your work with neither spindle nor loom." Then she touched Arachne with the tip of the spear which she sometimes carried; and the maiden was changed at once into a nimble spider, which ran into a shady place in the grass and began merrily to spin and weave a beautiful web. I have heard it said that all the spiders which have been in the world since then are the children of Arachne. Perhaps Arachne still lives and spins and weaves; and the very next spider that you see may be she herself.

1000+ images about Arachne, from greek mythology. Who I am named after on Pinterest | Athena goddess, Dr. who and Distaff day Forward Once a mere mortal, Arachne dared to call herself better than Athena at weaving. Gods are proud. Calling yourself better than Athena is only slightly less dangerous than juggling unpinned grenades. The goddess challenged Arachne to a weaving contest. Arachne lost. As her punishment . . . well, there are many stories. Some say Arachne hanged herself in shame then became the worlds first spider, the weaver of the animal world. See More Arachne Arachne Goddess of Weaving, Mistress of Labyrinths She is a figure who most scholars deem to be minor at best in Greco-Roman mythology, and yet Her name is still known to many today. The details of Arachne's story, however, are not widely taught or discussed. According to Greek and Roman sources, Arachne's story is one of pride, defiance, punishment and resurrection. The most widely accepted version of Her story was written by Ovid in 8CE.

In it, Arachne was a young girl whose weaving was not only famous, but a source of enchantment to the Nymphs that played nearby; their constant frolicking would stop completely whenever Arachne worked so that they could gaze on Her in wonder. People began to comment to Her how blessed She had been by Athena (also known as Pallas Athena, or Minerva) to have such skill. Arachne laughed, telling them Her skill was Her own and She would not pay homage to Athena for that which was Hers alone. Upon hearing such bold words, Athena challenged Arachne to a contest to settle whose work was the most skilled. Athena's tapestry displayed the powers of the Olympian gods, with them displayed on heavenly thrones. The contest between Athena and Poseidon for the city of Athens was the central theme of Her tapestry. In the corners of the piece were images of mortals being punished for defying the gods, and the entire tapestry was surrounded by wreaths of olives, Athena's sacred tree and fruit. Arachne's tapestry, on the other hand, depicted the assorted love affairs of the gods, especially those of Zeus and Poseidon.

Not only did She choose images of the King of the Olympians being unfaithful to His wife, Hera, She chose incidents where Zeus had transformed himself into seemingly harmless objects and animals in order to rape mortal women and Nymphs. She had been accused of disrespecting the gods, so She deliberately showed times when Zeus and other gods had committed the ultimate disrespect against women. Some versions of the tale say the contest was judged by Envy, and when Arachne was declared the winner Athena shredded Her tapestry and changed Her into a spider out of jealousy. Ovid's account, however, states Athena was infuriated by Arachne's subject matter, destroying the tapestry even though She was captivated by the skill and colours woven so expertly. She grabbed a shuttle from Arachne's loom and struck Her on the forehead. It was after receiving a series of blows that Arachne became deeply depressed and ashamed of Her behaviour, running away from the looms and hanging Herself from a tree. Other versions of the myth say Arachne transformed Herself into a spider, continuing to weave patterns into the destinies of mortals.

Ovid's popular version gives credit to Athena, however, saying She hadn't meant for Arachne to die, so She resurrects Her yet transforms Her and all Her descendants into spiders, to serve as examples of what happens to those who mock the gods. Ovid's account is, needless to say, highly pro-Athena, as are the vast majority of his works. Actually, it seems like a clear case of the incorporation of a conquered Goddess into a greatly subjugated role within the Greco-Roman pantheon while the Empire continued to expand. In Ovid's account he makes it clear that Arachne is from Asia Minor. He even cites Her as the daughter of Idmon of Colophon, a craftsman who specialized in producing wool dyed in Tyrian purple (also known as Imperial Purple, or The Purple). This serves two purposes: first, it further subjugates Arachne by association through Her father (an artisan/merchant, not a nobleman or even a soldier, and not a citizen Herself as a lower class woman), and second, it makes it clear that everything that belonged to Asia Minor was now controlled by the Romans.

I strongly believe that prior to being conquered by the Roman Empire, Arachne was a Goddess of weaving in Asia Minor. The timeline I've formulated below seems to support this theory. 680 - 400 BCE The Attic vase paintings are created. All of the original Greco-Roman myths are depicted, but there is no image of Arachne at all, or any other spiders or hung women. 133 BCE Asia Minor becomes a province of the Roman Empire. The beliefs, rituals and laws of Rome become the only official ones. 29 BCE Virgil publishes The Georgics. Arachne is mentioned as "the spider hated of Minerva"; used as a symbol in this piece, clearly the myth of Arachne had become well known to Romans. Symbols only work if the people know their meaning, after all. It should be noted that The Georgics is a highly symbolic piece, using animals to describe various people or even entire countries/cultures; the spider not only represents Arachne, but Phoenicia and all of Asia Minor. 1 to 8 CE Ovid writes The Metamorpheses.

Arachne's myth is very widely known in the Empire and becomes firmly subjugated below Athena/Minerva. Over a century passed between Asia Minor becoming a Roman province and Virgil's reference to Arachne. This is more than enough time for the original myths of Arachne to become introduced to the Romans and begin to be integrated into the Olympian pantheon. Every new province of Rome was given a patron Roman deity upon inclusion in the Empire; many were given to Athena/Minerva (including England and Scotland), so that all local deities were abolished completely or integrated and subjugated into lesser roles. There is, however, another interesting theory that is mentioned by Janet and Stewart Farrar in A Witches' Bible; Arachne as the Hanged One. They contend that the myth of Arachne is the only existing example of a Goddess that is sacrificed and resurrected, despite numerous such examples for various male deities. This notable exception comes from the pages of James George Frazer's The Golden Bough.

Frazer says an effigy of Artemis is hung annually in her sacred grove at Condylea, in the region of Arcadia, Greece, and "there accordingly she went by the name of the Hanged One" (pg 355). Frazer, however, misinterpreted and misidentified dozens of deities in this classic text, and the Farrars state that "Frazer missed the point. 'Hanged Artemis' is no sacrifice - she is an aspect of the Spider Goddess Arachne/Ariadne/Arianrhod/(Aradia?), who descends to aid us on her magic thread, and whose spider web is the key to rebirth" (pg 23). In Arachne's role as the Hanged One, it is possible to see Her death and resurrection as Arachne surrendering to Her own initiation, officiated by Athena in Her aspect as the Goddess of Wisdom, allowing Arachne to become the Goddess of Weaving that we know today.

Magickal Associations for Arachne Tarot Card: Hanged Man/Hanged One; represents resurrection, accepting initiation, death of old ways that no longer serve you to make way for new ones; deliberately turning inward to your Higher Self, pointing to a transitionary period of spiritual self-growth and exploration.

Colours: silver (thread or web), purple (Tyrian or Imperial purple, weaving) Symbols: cobwebs, loom, spindle, thread, needle, spinning wheel Animals: spider, murex (the shellfish in the Mediterranian Sea that produces Tyrian purple dye) Plants: spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum), aconite (one of Hecate's herbs; Ovid claims it was used by Athena to transform Arachne into a spider), boxwood (shrub often used to make spindles) Asteroid: 407 Arachne, discovered in 1895, located in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter Called Upon For Matters Of: death, rebirth, destiny, weaving/knitting/crochetting/embroidery, initiation, spiritual growth spider/image of a spider/image of Arachne incense (any for creativity, or your favourite light & airy scent) candles: purple (Arachne), white (blessings), yellow (creativity) Place the candles in a crescent shape at the top edge of the altar, with the needlework supplies in the centre of the altar; if your standard altar isn't large enough to do this

, a dining room table or the floor would work (don't forget to smudge them thoroughly first).

Place the image of Arachne near the purple candle in Her honour. Have a cleansing bath or shower, meditating on the ritual ahead and on the project you're seeking blessings for. When you're ready, return to your sacred space. Cast the circle. Call the elements. Light the candles and incense. Invoke Arachne, repeating the following invocation three times: "Glistening thread and needle fine, I call you now from my heart to thine, Weaver of magick, Mother of creativity, Blessed Arachne, come to me!" Sit within your space, feeling the Goddess' energy around you, and meditate on your project. What will it be? What purpose will it serve? What will it be used for? Who is it being created for? Why is it being made for them? Ask Arachne to show you anything you should know for this project or anything you should add to it. When you're ready, ask Arachne for Her blessings: So mote it be!" Thank Arachne for Her presence. Thank the elements. Open the circle. Snuff out the candles, if necessary. If you need added support during this project, relight these candles and commune with Arachne some more.

ï¿½ Jennifer Runham-Stark, May 24, 2009 Note on images for this project: All three are public domain images. In terms of where I'd like them in the text, I'm really not sure, so feel free to be creative. I would like them in this order though: Diego Velazquez's "Arachne", 1644 - Shows Arachne at her loom. From Peter Paul Rubens' "Pallas and Arachne", 1637 - Shows Athena striking Arachne with Arachne's tapestry in the background. From Johannes Baur's "Minerva and Arachne", 1703 - Shows Athena turning Arachne into a spider. From Sisters in Celebration ARACHNE (Arakhne) - Lydian Weaver of Greek Mythology KLOSTER (Pliny Natural History 7.196) ENCYCLOPEDIA ARACHNE (Arakhnê), a Lydian maiden, daughter of Idmon of Colophon, who was a famous dyer in purple.

His daughter was greatly skilled in the art of weaving, and, proud of her talent, she even ventured to challenge Athena to compete with her. Arachne produced a piece of cloth in which the amours of the gods were woven, and as Athena could find no fault with it, she tore the work to pieces, and Arachne in despair hung herself. The goddess loosened the rope and saved her life, but the rope was changed into a cobweb and Arachne herself into a spider (arachnê), the animal most odious to Athena. (Ov. Met. vi. 1-145; Virg. Georg. iv. 246.) This fable seems to suggest the idea that man learnt the art of weaving from the spider, and that it was invented in Lydia. Source: Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology. CLASSICAL LITERATURE QUOTES Aelian, Historical Miscellany 1. 2 (trans. Wilson) (Greek rhetorician C2nd to 3rd A.D.) : "Spiders neither know nor wish to know the art and practice of weaving, the gifts of the goddess (daimona) Ergane.

To what use would an animal of this kind put such clothing?" [N.B. Ergane is Athena as the goddess of crafts. Aelian is probably alluding to the tale of Arakhne.] Ovid, Metamorphoses 6. 1 - 148 (trans. Brookes More) (Roman epic C1st B.C. to C1st A.D.) : "Pallas [Athena] . . . was brooding thus, ‘It is an easy thing to praise another, I should do as they : no creature of the earth should ever slight the majesty that dwells in me,--without just retribution.’--So her thought was turned upon the fortune of Arachne--proud, who would not ever yield to her the praise won by the art of deftly weaving wool, a girl who had not fame for place of birth, nor fame for birth, but only fame for skill! For it was well known that her father Idmon dwelt in Colophon; where, at his humble trade, he dyed in Phocean purples, fleecy wool. Her mother, also of the lower class, had died.

Arachne in a mountain town Hypaepae by skill had grown so famous in the Land of Lydia, that unnumbered curious nymphs eager to witness her dexterity, deserted the lush vineyards of Tmolus; or even left the cool and flowing streams of bright Pactolus, to admire the cloth, or to observe her deftly spinning wool. So graceful was her motion then,--if she was twisting the coarse wool in little balls, or if she teased it with her finger-tips, or if she softened the fine fleece, drawn forth in misty films, or if she twirled the smooth round spindle with her energetic thumb, or if with needle she embroidered cloth;--in all her motions one might well perceive how much Pallas had instructed her: but this she ever would deny, displeased to share her fame; and said, ‘Let her contend in art with me; and if her skill prevails, I then will forfeit all!’ Pallas [Athena] heard, and came to her, disguised with long grey hair, and with a staff to steady her weak limbs.

She seemed a feeble woman, very old, and quavered as she said, ‘Old age is not the cause of every ill; experience comes with lengthened years; and, therefore, you should not despise my words. It is no harm in you to long for praise of mortals, when your nimble hands are spinning the soft wool,--but you should not deny Minerva's [Athena's] art--and you should pray that she may pardon you, for she will grant you pardon if you ask.’ Arachne, scowling with an evil face. Looked at the goddess, as she dropped her thread. She hardly could restrain her threatening hand, and, trembling in her anger, she replied to you, disguised Pallas : ‘Silly fool,--worn out and witless in your palsied age, a great age is your great misfortune!--Let your daughter and your son's wife--if the gods have blessed you--let them profit by your words; within myself, my knowledge is contained sufficient; you need not believe that your advice does any good; for I am quite unchanged in my opinion.

Get you gone,--advise your goddess to come here herself, and not avoid the contest!’ Instantly, the goddess said, ‘Pallas comes to you!’ And with those brief words, put aside the shape of the old woman, and revealed herself, Minerva, goddess. All the other Nymphae (Nymphs) and matrons of Mygdonia worshiped her; but not Arachne, who defiant stood;--although at first she flushed up--then went pale--then blushed again, reluctant.--So, at first, the sky suffuses, as Aurora (the Dawn) [Eos] moves, and, quickly when the glorious sun comes up, pales into white. She even rushed upon her own destruction, for she would not give from her desire to gain the victory. Nor did the daughter of almighty Jove [Zeus] decline : disdaining to delay with words, she hesitated not. And both, at once, selected their positions, stretched their webs with finest warp, and separated warp with sley.

The woof was next inserted in the web by means of the sharp shuttles, which their nimble fingers pushed along, so drawn within the warp, and so the teeth notched in the moving sley might strike them.--Both, in haste, girded their garments to their breasts and moved their skilful arms, beguiling their fatigue in eager action. Myriad tints appeared besides the Tyrian purple--royal dye, extracted in brass vessels.--As the bow, that spans new glory in the curving sky, its glittering rays reflected in the rain, spreads out a multitude of blended tints, in scintillating beauty to the sight of all who gaze upon it;--so the threads, inwoven, mingled in a thousand tints, harmonious and contrasting; shot with gold: and there, depicted in those shining webs, were shown the histories of ancient days:-- Pallas worked the Athenian Hill of Mars [i.e.

the Areopagus], where ancient Cecrops built his citadel, and showed the old contention for the name it should be given.--Twelve celestial gods surrounded Jupiter [Zeus], on lofty thrones; and all their features were so nicely drawn, that each could be distinguished.--Jupiter appeared as monarch of those judging gods. There Neptunus [Poseidon], guardian of the sea, was shown contending with Minerva [Athena]. As he struck the Rock with his long trident, a wild horse sprang forth which he bequeathed to man. He claimed his right to name the city for that gift. And then she wove a portrait of herself, bearing a shield, and in her hand a lance, sharp-pointed, and a helmet on her head--her breast well-guarded by her Aegis: there she struck her spear into the fertile earth, from which a branch of olive seemed to sprout, pale with new clustered fruits.--And those twelve gods, appeared to judge, that olive as a gift surpassed the horse which Neptunus gave to man.

And, so Arachne, rival of her fame, might learn the folly of her mad attempt, from the great deeds of ancient histories, and what award presumption must expect, Minerva wove four corners with life scenes of contest, brightly colored, but of size diminutive. In one of these was shown the snow-clad mountains, Rhodope, and Haemus, which for punishment were changed from human beings to those rigid forms, when they aspired to rival the high gods. And in another corner she described that Pygmy, whom the angry Juno [Hera] changed from queen-ship to a crane; because she thought herself an equal of the living Gods, she was commanded to wage cruel wars upon her former subjects. In the third, she wove the story of Antigone, who dared compare herself to Juno [Hera], queen of Jupiter [Zeus], and showed her as she was transformed into a silly chattering stork, that praised her beauty, with her ugly beak.--Despite the powers of Ilion and her sire Laomedon, her shoulders fledged white wings.

And so, the third part finished, there was left one corner, where Pallas deftly worked the story of the father, Cinyras;--as he was weeping on the temple steps, which once had been his daughter's living limbs. And she adorned the border with designs of peaceful olive--her devoted tree--which having shown, she made an end of work. Arachne, of Maeonia, wove, at first the story of Europa, as the bull deceived her, and so perfect was her art, it seemed a real bull in real waves. Europa seemed to look back towards the land which she had left; and call in her alarm to her companions--and as if she feared the touch of dashing waters, to draw up her timid feet, while she was sitting on the bull's back.

And she wove Asteria seized by the assaulting eagle; and beneath the swan's white wings showed Leda lying by the stream: and showed Jove [Zeus] dancing as a Satyr, when he sought the beautiful Antiope, to whom was given twins; and how he seemed Amphitryon when he deceived Alcmena; and how he courted lovely Danae luring her as a gleaming shower of gold; and poor Aegina, hidden in his flame, jove as a shepherd with Mnemosyne; and beautiful Proserpina [Persephone], involved by him, apparent as a spotted snake.

And in her web, Arachne wove the scenes of Neptunus [Poseidon]:--who was shown first as a bull, when he was deep in love with virgin Arne then as Enipeus when the giant twins, Aloidae, were begot; and as the ram that gambolled with Bisaltis; as a horse loved by the fruitful Ceres [Demeter], golden haired, all-bounteous mother of the yellow grain; and as the bird that hovered round snake-haired Medusa, mother of the winged horse [Pegasos]; and as the dolphin, sporting with the Nymph, Melantho.--All of these were woven true to life, in proper shades. And there she showed Apollo, when disguised in various forms: as when he seemed a rustic; and as when he wore hawk-wings, and then the tawny skin of a great lion; and once more when he deluded Isse, as a shepherd lad.

And there was Bacchus [Dionysos], when he was disguised as a large cluster of fictitious grapes; deluding by that wile the beautiful Erigone;--and Saturnus [Kronos (Cronus)], as a steed, begetter of the dual-natured Chiron. And then Arachne, to complete her work, wove all around the web a patterned edge of interlacing flowers and ivy leaves. Pallas could not find a fleck or flaw--even Envy can not censure perfect art--enraged because Arachne had such skill she ripped the web, and ruined all the scenes that showed those wicked actions of the gods; and with her boxwood shuttle in her hand, struck the unhappy mortal on her head,--struck sharply thrice, and even once again. Arachne's spirit, deigning not to brook such insult, brooded on it, till she tied a cord around her neck, and hung herself.

Pallas moved to pity at the sight, sustained and saved her from that bitter death; but, angry still, pronounced another doom : ‘Although I grant you life, most wicked one, your fate shall be to dangle on a cord, and your posterity forever shall take your example, that your punishment may last forever!.’ Even as she spoke, before withdrawing from her victim's sight, she sprinkled her with juice--extract of herbs of Hecate. At once all hair fell off, her nose and ears remained not, and her head shrunk rapidly in size, as well as all her body, leaving her diminutive.--Her slender fingers gathered to her sides as long thin legs; and all her other parts were fast absorbed in her abdomen--whence she vented a fine thread;--and ever since, Arachne, as a spider, weaves her web. All Lydia was astonished at her fate the Rumor spread to Phrygia, soon the world was filled with fear and wonder.

Niobe had known her long before,--when in Maeonia near to Mount Sipylus; but the sad fate which overtook Arachne, lost on her, she never ceased her boasting and refused to honor the great gods." Virgil, Georgics 4. 246 ff (trans. Fairclough) (Roman bucolic C1st B.C.) : "The spider, hateful to Minerva [Athena], hangs in the doorway her loose-woven nets." Pliny the Elder, Natural History 7. 196 (trans. Rackham) (Roman encyclopedia C1st A.D.) : "The use of the spindle in the manufacture of woollen [was invented] by Closter son of Arachne, linen and nets by Arachne." SOURCES Aelian, Historical Miscellany - Greek Rhetoric C2nd - 3rd A.D.

ROMAN Arachne | Riordan Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Arachne in Percy Jackson's Greek Gods When the tapestries were completed, the crowd was absolutely silent as both were incredible: Athena's was majestic, breathtaking, and radiated the power of the Olympian gods, while Arachne's was "the most scathing critique of the gods ever created", but still exquisite. Athena was forced to admit that the contest was a tie, for Arachne's craftsmanship was genuinely flawless, but she was still enraged by how the girl had disrespected the gods through her tapestry. Taking the shuttle out of her loom, she started to beat Arachne mercilessly, and the crowd, in turn, started to laugh and mock at Arachne's humiliation in the hands of the goddess. When Athena's anger subsided and she saw the crowd scorning Arachne, she turned her wrath upon them instead, but the damage was still done - Arachne knew that she would never be able to take pleasure in weaving (her only joy in life) ever again, and the townspeople she had tried so hard to please had turned against her as well.

Consumed by shame, hatred, and self-pity, Arachne made a rope and tried to hang herself. Her act of suicide caused Athena to pity her, and so she transformed her into a spider, allowing her and her descendants to weave forever. However, from that very moment on, spiders shared a mutual hatred with Athena, and they also despised humans as Arachne was never able to forget her shame and anger at being ridiculed. Athena , Arachne's greatest rival In the Series Some time after the Romans brought the Athena Parthenos back to Rome, they brought it underground in a secret area. Arachne eventually made her lair here and wrapped the statue in her spider silk in order to contain and hide its magical properties. For centuries, children of Athena would venture to this place using the Mark of Athena to "avenge Athena," but all were killed by Arachne's traps. Otis and Ephialtes would also help Arachne, collecting trophies from those they killed while helping Arachne. The Lightning Thief While Arachne is never seen, it is shown several times that children of Athena have a fear of Arachne's children, the spiders (known as arachnophobia ).

Annabeth Chase is so scared of spiders that she even has problems with anything that looks like them. When Ares sends Percy Jackson , Annabeth, and Grover Underwood to Waterland , they were attacked by tiny mechanical spiders that were made by Hephaestus . Later, when Annabeth is so entranced by a Sim City type game in The Lotus Hotel and Casino , Percy has to say the word "spider" to get her out of her trance. The Mark of Athena Arachne appears as the final obstacle in Annabeth's way as she follows the Mark of Athena to the Athena Parthenos . The statue is kept in Arachne's chamber, which is covered with spiderwebs and Arachne's own woven tapestries. Arachne's tapestries, according to Annabeth, are the most beautiful she's ever seen (one of them depicts Percy and Annabeth's first underwater kiss as if she'd been there watching them). Arachne is seen to be in collaboration with Ephialtes and Otis, who seem to fear her despite being immortal giants . When Annabeth arrives in Arachne's chamber, the spider woman initially plans on killing her.

Arachne tells Annabeth that she was a far better weaver than Athena and shows Annabeth her tapestries. Annabeth knows that she can not defeat Arachne in combat so she uses Arachne's fatal flaw, hubris, against her, luring her mother's nemesis into the idea that Annabeth, as Chief Architect of Olympus , could arrange for Arachne's work to be displayed on Mount Olympus, even in the Hall of the Gods itself. Annabeth tells Arachne that she is no longer her mother's side since her mother's Roman form practically disowned her. Temptingly accepting the offer, Arachne agrees. However, she adds that Arachne will have to prove herself with a weaving challenge, and tricks Arachne into weaving monster-sized Chinese spider cuffs. Claiming she spots a flaw inside, Annabeth tricks Arachne into entering the Chinese spidercuffs, whereupon Arachne is trapped. Afterward, she is tricked into admitting that she'd have killed Annabeth anyway. Annabeth , a daughter of Athena who defeated Arachne.

However, after Annabeth taunts Arachne with the knowledge that the Athena Parthenos will be restored to Mount Olympus, and that Arachne has inadvertently helped Athena, Arachne becomes outraged and threatens Annabeth. Arachne begins to bring down the entire chamber, opening a pit directly to Tartarus , saying that if she were to die, Annabeth would go with her. Though Arachne falls down into the eternal darkness, she manages to ensnare Annabeth and drag her along to the edge of the pit. Percy grabs hold of Annabeth, but knows their friends will never be able to save them, and he himself cannot sever Arachne's silk, which is still bound around Annabeth's ankle. Percy tells Nico di Angelo to come and meet them at the Doors of Death . Percy lets go of the ledge, and he and Annabeth fall with Arachne into Tartarus. The House of Hades As Annabeth and Percy fall into Tartarus, Annabeth wonders in disbelief if Arachne has reached Tartarus or is even still alive.

Shortly after the two arrive in the worst part of the Underworld, Annabeth sees an Italian Fiat which she saw fall into Tartarus after the Argo II destroyed the ceiling of Arachne's lair, which has been scratched and partially destroyed by Arachne. Annabeth reacts angrily to Arachne's survival and suspects that she has fled to heal her wounds. A short time later, Arachne attempts to kill Annabeth as she and Percy drink from the river Phlegethon to heal their wounds. Since Annabeth is turned away from her and facing Percy, Annabeth only realizes Arachne's presence when Percy's eyes widen in fear. Annabeth turns around to see Arachne jumping at her, but is paralyzed by Arachne's sickly sweet scent and is unable to react. Luckily, Percy reacts quick enough to slice Arachne with Riptide and kill her. Neither Percy or Annabeth had any idea how long Arachne would stay dead and they didn't have intentions of finding out, so they quickly begin moving to find the Doors of Death .

Trivia Arachne | Myths of the World Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Myths of the World Wiki File:Arachne.jpg In Greco-Roman mythology, Arachne ( Template:Pron-en ) was a great mortal weaver who boasted that her skill was greater than that of Minerva , the Latin parallel of Pallas Athena , goddess of crafts. Arachne refused to acknowledge that her knowledge came, in part at least, from the goddess. The offended goddess set a contest between the two weavers. According to Ovid , [1] the goddess was so envious of the magnificent tapestry and the mortal weaver's success, and perhaps offended by the girl's choice of subjects (the loves and transgressions of the gods), that she destroyed the tapestry and loom and slashed the girl's face. “Not even Pallas nor blue-fevered Envy \ Could damn Arachne's work. \ The brown haired goddess Raged at the girl's success, struck through her loom, Tore down the scenes of wayward joys in heaven.″ [2] Ultimately, the goddess turned Arachne into a spider .

Arachne simply means "spider" ( Template:Polytonic ) in Greek . Contents Edit The fable of Arachne (also Arachné) is a late addition to Greco-Roman mythology . The myth does not appear in the repertory of the Attic vase-painters. It is narrated in Ovid 's Metamorphoses (vi.5-54 and 129-145) and mentioned in Virgil 's Georgics (iv. 246). As these sources are all Roman , they identified the goddess as Minerva . According to Pliny's Natural History [3] she discovered the use of linen as well as nets. Pliny reports that she had a son named Closter who discovered the spindle for spinning wool. Myth Edit Arachne was the daughter of Idmon of Colophon , who was a famous wool dyer in Tyrian purple . She was a fine weaver in Hypaepa of Lydia . [4] She was as skillful as the finest artist of the day and much praise was given to her in Hypaepa, where she had her workshop.

This all went to her head and eventually Arachne became so conceited of her skill as a weaver that she began claiming that her skill was greater than that of Athena , [5] the goddess of wisdom and war as well as the weaving arts. Athena was angered, but gave Arachne a chance to redeem herself. Assuming the form of an old woman, she warned Arachne not to offend the gods. Arachne scoffed and wished for a weaving contest, so she could prove her skill. Athena dropped her disguise and the contest began. Athena wove the scene of her victory over Poseidon that had inspired the people of Athens to name their city for her. According to Ovid's Latin narrative, Arachne's tapestry featured twenty-one episodes of the infidelity of the gods, disguised as animals: Zeus being unfaithful with Leda, with Europa, with Danaë. Even Athena admitted that Arachne's work was immaculate. Her envy at such human competition drove her into uncontrolled fury and violence.

Perhaps she was as well outraged at Arachne's disrespectful choice of subjects that displayed the failings and transgressions of the gods (this takes for granted a late, moralizing view of Greek myth). Losing her temper, she destroyed Arachne's tapestry and loom, striking it with her shuttle, and struck Arachne on the head as well, slashing her face. Arachne, refusing to bow to Athena, hanged herself: “Nor could Arachne take such punishment: She'd rather hang herself than bow her head.” (The moralizing perspective suggests that she "realized her folly and was crushed with shame."). In Ovid's telling, Athena took pity or spite on Arachne. Sprinkling her with the juices of aconite , Athena loosened the rope, which became a spider web, causing Arachne to lose her hair, her ears and nose, metamorphosing into a spider. "So you shall live to swing, to live now and forever, Even to the last hanging creature of your kind." The story suggests that the origin of weaving lay in imitation of spiders and that it was considered to have been perfected first in Asia Minor .

Influence File:Diego Velázquez 014.jpg From arachne are derived the taxonomical class name Arachnida , and the name for spiders in many romance languages . The metamorphosis of Arachne in Ovid's telling furnished material for an episode in Edmund Spenser 's mock-heroic Muiopotmos, 257-352. [6] Spenser's adaptation, which "rereads an Ovidian story in terms of the Elizabethan world" [7] is designed to provide a rationale for the hatred of Arachne's descendent Aragnoll for the butterfly-hero Clarion. The tale of Arachne inspired one of Velázquez ' most interesting paintings: Las Hilanderas ("The Spinners, or The fable of Arachne", in the Prado ), in which the painter represents the two important moments of the myth. In the front, the contest of Arachne and the goddess (the young and the old weaver), in the back, an Abduction of Europa that is a copy of Titian 's version (or maybe of Rubens ' copy of Titian).

In front of it appears Minerva in the moment she is punishing Arachne. It transforms the myth into a reflection about creation and imitation, god and man, master and pupil (and therefore about the nature of art). In popular culture Edit Gustave Doré 's depiction of Arachne was used in the marketing and posters for Alejandro Jodorowsky 's 1968 cult film Fando y Lis . In Hercules: The Legendary Journeys , she is pictured as a grotesque, half-woman, half-spider monster who nested on people to produce killer spiders. In an episode of the animated series, Where on Earth is Carmen Sandiego? called "The Tigress", the Chief summarizes the events of the legend. Gustave Doré 's rendition of Arachne is one of the many recurring images used by the rock band, The Mars Volta . It has been used as a record cover for them, a backdrop for their live shows, and a favorite accessory for guitarist and composer Omar Rodríguez-López in the form of a belt buckle. In the modern classic fantasy The Last Unicorn by Peter S.

Beagle , a plain brown spider is bewitched into believing that she is Arachne until the witch who enchanted her is killed. Many fantasy-themed video games, such as Castlevania and Devil Summoner , features Arachne along with other mythological creatures as either common enemies or as mighty "boss" monsters. In Class of the Titans , Arachne is a spider who makes a deal with Cronus to become human again. Cronus does not hold up the end of his bargain though and betrays her after getting her to trap the heroes for him. After being berated by Atlanta, Athena turns Arachne back into a human, for her to live at the Olympus High School, weaving for the gods. Arachne is the name used by the second Spider Woman (Julia Carpenter) to distinguish herself from Jessica Drew, the original Spider Woman. Arachne is one of the villains characters in the videogame Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow . Arachne, is one of the main villains in Soul Eater , in which she is a powerful witch imprisoned for 800 years.

Notes Athena | Greek Mythology Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia This box: view • talk • edit Athena (alternately spelled Athene; Ancient Greek:Αθηνη) was the chaste Olympian of wise counsel, war, the defence of towns, heroic endeavour, weaving, pottery and other crafts. She is, above all, the Goddess of the City, the protectress of civilized life, of artesian activities, and of agriculture. She also invented the horse-bit, which, for the first time, tamed horses, allowing men to use them. Most importantly, the goddess had a strong ethical component, as she was nearly unique among the Olympians for the fact that virtually no Greek mythic tales depicted her in an amoral or immoral light. Athena was renowned for her role as a protector of cities and thus was worshiped in Hellenistic culture as Athena Polias ("Athena of the city"). In particular, she had a special relationship with the city of Athens, as can be shown by the etymological connection of the city with her name.

In classical myth, she never had a consort or lover, and thus was additionally known as Athena Parthenos ("Athena the virgin"), a name that was enshrined in stone as the Parthenon, on the Acropolis in Athens. Her symbol is the olive tree and her sacred animal then owl; her insignia is the Aegis, a shield with the head of a bronze Gorgon. The Romans equated her with their goddess Minerva. Unlike her Greek counterpart, Minerva was not a war goddess to the Romans, she acted as more of a strategic adviser and artist. Contents Edit In the pre-Hellenic world, it seems likely that Athena was a Minoan (or other non-Mycenaean) deity who achieved early prominence and was exported around the early Hellenic world for her role in defending the polis from hostilities.

Numerous hypotheses have been put forward concerning the initial origin of her name, with some possibilities including a Lydian provenance, Crete, or a pre-Mycenaean syncretism between the Tyrrhenian "ati," meaning "mother" and the Hurrian Goddess "Hannahannah," which was shortened in various places to "Ana." In Mycenaean Greek, she is possibly referenced in a single inscription in the Linear B tablets, where A-ta-na-po-ti-ni-ja (Athana potniya) appears on a text from the Late Minoan II-era "Room of the Chariot Tablets" in Knossos, the earliest Linear B archive anywhere.

Though this phrase is often translated as "Mistress Athena," it literally means "the potnia of At(h)ana," which could simply mean "the Lady of Athens." The ambiguity of this relationship is also attested to by Burkert (1985), who notes that "whether the goddess was named after the city or the city after the goddess is an ancient dispute." Ephithets Edit In poetry from Homer onward, Athena's most common epithet is glaukopis (γλαυκώπις), which is usually translated "bright-eyed" or "with gleaming eyes." It is a combination of glaukos (γλαύκος, meaning "gleaming," "silvery," and later, "bluish-green" or "gray") and ops (ώψ, "eye," or sometimes, "face"). It is interesting to note that glaux (γλαύξ, "owl") is from the same root, presumably because of its own distinctive eyes. The bird that sees in the night is closely associated with the goddess of wisdom: in archaic images, she is frequently depicted with an owl perched on her head.

In earlier times, Athena may well have been a bird goddess, similar to the unknown goddess depicted with owls, wings and bird talons on the Burney relief, a Mesopotamian terracotta relief of the early second millennium B.C.E. Other epithets include: Atrytone (Άτρυτώνη), the unwearying Athena Ergane (Παρθένος), the patron of craftsmen and artisans Athena Hippeia or Athena Hippia, the inventor of the chariot Parthénos (= virgin), the aspect of her character that was memorialized in the Parthenon Athena Polias ("of the city"), the protectress of the city (polis) - a name used in conjunction with Athens, Argos, Sparta, Gortyn, Lindos, and Larisa Promachos (Ή Πρόμαχος), the "pre-fighter," (i.e. the one who leads into battle). Character and Function Edit Although certain scholars have seen in Athena a personification of moisture, analogous to the Hindu Sarasvati, it seems more probable that she was in origin a storm and lightning-Goddess.

Hence her normal attribute, the aegis - which in primitive times signified the stormy night - and her epithet as a Goddess 'of the brilliant eyes'. She would thus be analogous to the Vedic Goddess Vach. But Athena very quickly lost this meteorological character. Her functions are many: she is venerated among the great divinities in her quality of warrior-Goddess, as Goddess of the arts of peace and as Goddess of prudent intelligence. To Athena the warrior - her oldest manifestation - belong the epithets Promachos ('who fights in the foremost ranks') and Alalcomeneis ('who repulses the enemy'). She is the protectress of towns and the guardian of acropolises. The Pacific Athena protects various industries. She is preeminently the Ergane, or working woman, and is the patron of architects and sculptors, as well as of spinners and weavers. She also protects horses (Hippia) and oxen (Boarmia). The olive tree owed to her its fruit. Her wisdom, which earned her the epithet Pronoia (the Foreseeing), made her the counselor-Goddess (Boulaia) and the Goddess of the Assembly (Agoraia).

Athena's emblem is the owl. Mythology Edit In the Olympian pantheon, Athena was represented as the favorite daughter of Zeus, carried and birthed by her divine father without the necessity of any female intervention. The story of her miraculous birth comes in several versions. In the one most commonly cited, Zeus lay with Metis, the goddess of crafty thought and wisdom, but immediately feared the consequences. It had been prophesied that Metis would bear children more powerful than the sire, even if the father was Zeus himself. In order to forestall these dire consequences, Zeus "put her away inside his own belly" and "swallowed her down all of a sudden." Unfortunately, he was too late: Metis had already conceived a child. The Sky God, blind to the state of his now-consumed consort, resumed his life as usual. However, the ensuing period of normalcy came to an abrupt halt nine months later, when Zeus began to suffer cripplingly painful headaches. Trying to relieve the pressure in their ruler's cranium, one of the lesser gods (often Prometheus, Hephaestus, or Hermes) proceeded to cleaved Zeus's head with the double-headed Minoan axe.

At this point, Athena leaped from his newly-opened skull, fully grown and armed, and "cried aloud with a mighty shout. The Sky [Ouranos] and mother Earth [Gaia] shuddered before her." Other origin tales Edit Some origin stories tell of Athena having been born outside of Olympus and raised by the god Triton. Fragments attributed by the Christian Eusebius of Caesarea to the semi-legendary Phoenician historian Sanchuniathon, which Eusebius thought had been written before the Trojan war, make Athena instead the daughter of Kronos, a king of Byblos who visited 'the inhabitable world' and bequeathed Attica to Athena. Sanchuniathon's account would make Athena the sister of Zeus and Hera, not Zeus' daughter. Athena Parthenos: Athena the Virgin Edit Unlike the majority of Olympian gods, Athena never had a consort or lover, and thus was also known as Athena Parthenos ("Virgin Athena"). Her most famous temple, the Parthenon, on the Acropolis in Athens takes its name from this title.

This moniker was not merely an observation of her virginity, but recognition of her role as enforcer of rules of sexual modesty and ritual mystery. This role is expressed in a number of stories about Athena. Erichthonius Edit The tale of the birth of Erichthonius is the most famous (and most sexually-charged) tale surrounding the virginal Athena. In it, the goddess is innocently traversing the site of the Athenian Acropolis when she is spotted by the misshapen (and sexually-repressed) Hephaestus. The smith-god, whose lust became instantly inflamed at the sight of the beautiful goddess, rushed to her side and attempted to rape her. Though she successfully repelled him, Athena was still struck in the leg by some of his seed. Repulsed, she wiped it off with a cloth and threw it to the ground. From there, it fertilized the earth and Erichthonius was born. Despite the child's illicit origins, Athena generously chose to raise it as a foster mother. Erichthonius later became king of Athens and implemented many beneficial changes to Athenian culture. During this time, Athena frequently aided and protected him.

Medusa and Tiresias Edit Two other major episodes concern Athena and sexuality: one concerning the Gorgon, Medusa; the other, the blind seer, Tiresias. The first tale, which has an etiological component, sets the stage by describing Medusa, stating that, unlike her two sister Gorgons, she was mortal and extremely beautiful. Unfortunately, she happened to have sex with—or be raped by—Poseidon in a temple of Athena. Upon discovering the desecration of her temple, Athena changed Medusa's form to match that of her sister Gorgons as punishment. Medusa's hair turned into snakes, her lower body was transformed, and her gaze became capable of literally petrifying any living creature that it rested upon. In one version of the Tiresias myth, Tiresias stumbled upon Athena bathing, and was blinded by her nakedness. To compensate him for his loss, she sent serpents to lick his ears, which gave him the gift of prophecy. Edit Previously the Goddess had already shown particular benevolence to the land of Athens. In the days of King Cecrops a dispute had arisen between her and Poseidon for the possession of Attica.

To affirm his rights Poseidon struck the rock of the Acropolis with his trident and a salt water spring gushed forth. According to another tradition it was a horse which appeared under Poseidon's trident. Athena, in her turn, caused an olive tree to sprout on the Acropolis, a tree which could be seen in the time of Pericles, still alive in spite of having been burned by the Persians during the invasion of Xerxes. Asked to settle the dispute the Gods, on the evidence of Cecrops, pronounced in favor of Athena. Arachne Main article: Athena and Arachne Arachne was the daughter of Idmon of Colophon, who was a famous wool dyer in Tyrian purple. She was a fine weaver in Hypaepa of Lydia. She was as skillful as the finest artist of the day and much praise was given to her in Hypaepa, where she had her workshop. All this went to her head and eventually Arachne became so conceited of her skill as a weaver that she began claiming that her skill was greater than that of Athena. Athena was outraged, but gave Arachne a chance to redeem herself.

Assuming the form of an old woman, she warned Arachne not to offend the gods. She told Arachne to kneel down and beg for the gods mercy. Arachne scoffed and wished for a weaving contest, so she could prove her skill. Athena dropped her disguise and the contest began. Athena wove the scene of her victory over Poseidon that had inspired the people of Athens to name their city for her. According to Ovid's Latin narrative, Arachne's tapestry featured twenty-one episodes of the infidelity of the gods, disguised as animals. For example: Zeus being unfaithful with Leda, with Europa, and with Danaë, among others. Even Athena admitted that Arachne's work was immaculate. Athena did win the contest, but she was so outraged that Arachne had disrespected the gods with the images in her tapestry, she turned Arachne into a spider. Some versions of the stories say that in fact Athena attacked Arachne, forcing her to hang herself in protest. In response, Athena covered Arachne in Helsbane, and allowing her to weave forever.

Her name, Arachne, is closely linked with words like arachnid and arachnophobia . Imagery Edit Athena is classically portrayed wearing full armor, with the helmet raised high on the forehead (which reveals her aristocratic yet feminine visage); she carries a spear and a shield with the head of the gorgon Medusa mounted upon it. It is in this standing posture that she was depicted in Phidias's lost gold and ivory statue of her, a towering (12-meter) version of Athena Parthenos that used to adorn Parthenon. Athena is also often depicted with an owl (a symbol of wisdom) sitting on one of her shoulders. In earlier, archaic portraits of Athena in black-figure pottery, the goddess retains some of her pre-Hellenic (possibly Minoan) characteristics, such as enormous bird wings. Apart from her attributes, there seems to be a relative consensus in sculpture from the fifth century onward as to what Athena looked like. Most noticeable in the face is a high nose with a relatively high bridge that emerges naturally from the forehead. The eyes are typically somewhat deeply set. The lips are usually full but the mouth is fairly narrow, usually just slightly wider than the nose.

The neck is slender, graceful and somewhat long. The net result is a serene, somewhat aloof beauty. Minerva and Arachne Summary Minerva and Arachne Summary How It (Supposedly) Went Down Summary – Brief Minerva (Athena) hears a disturbing rumor while hanging out with the Muses. According to the rumor, a young girl named Arachne has recently boasted to her village that she is a better weaver than Minerva. Arachne has even issued a challenge, claiming that she will beat Minerva in a weaving contest if the goddess has the courage to accept. Outraged, Minerva disguises herself as an old woman and visits Arachne. She tries to persuade Arachne to take back the challenge. She argues that old age has made her wise, and that Arachne should heed her advice. Arachne, feisty as ever, grows angry at the old woman and ignores the advice. Again, Arachne demands that Minerva appear to accept her challenge. Minerva sheds her disguises and agrees to the contest. Oh yeah, it's on, baby. The two set up looms and get crackin'.

When the weaving is finished, a dumbfounded Minerva is forced to admit that Arachne's work is top-notch. This only makes Minerva angrier, and she begins whacking Arachne with a piece of wood from her loom. Minerva continues to beat Arachne until the young girl can't stand it any longer. To escape the beating, Arachne hangs herself. Seeing the poor girl dead, Minerva has a moment of pity. She brings Arachne back to life and then transforms her into a spider, so that she can continue her weaving. Nice one, Minerva. Summary – Detailed Minerva and Arachne begins while Minerva is chilling with the Muses. The muses are the nine daughters of Mnemosyne, goddess of memory, and it's their job to bring inspiration to artists around the world. During her visit, the Muses tell Minerva a story about nine sisters who challenged them to a singing contest and got womped. This story reminds Minerva about a rumor she recently heard while passing through Lydia. According to the rumor, some young upstart girl from Hypaepa has recently begun boasting that her skill at weaving is better than Minerva's.

The girl, Arachne, has become famous through all of Lydia for her talent. It's said that nymphs and other forest creatures will actually stop what they're doing to go and check her out. In fact, the girl is so sure of her skill that she's even challenged Minerva to a one-on-one weaving contest. Or so the rumor says. Just in case you were curious, goddesses don't like it when you claim to be better than them. At anything. It makes them cranky. The more Minerva thinks about it, the more she realizes that she's ticked off at Arachne. The Muses finish explaining how they turned their challengers into Magpies as punishment. Minerva decides that she kinda likes the idea of punishing mortals who challenge the gods. With a wicked cackle, she sets out for Hypaepa. The moment she arrives in Hypaepa, Minerva disguises herself as an old woman. By "disguise" we mean she literally transforms herself into an old woman with grey hair and a limp. Goddesses can do that sort of thing. Then she drops by Arachne's pad.

She could have just dynamited Arachne's house into a glassy, smoking hole, but she's got trickier tricks up her sleeve. So, old-lady-Minerva limps into Arachne's house and right away starts giving the young girl some unsolicited advice. She explains that old age and experience have made her a wise old girl, and that wisdom suggests it's not smart to taunt the gods. She counsels Arachne to confine her boasting to mortals only. But Arachne fails to recognize the subtle warning in Minerva's words. She becomes outraged with the old woman, nearly slapping her. If comparing herself to the gods wasn't enough to give Minerva conniptions, the prospect of tasting the back of a mortal's hand certainly is. Arachne hollers at Minerva: "You know what, hon? Your problem is living too long." Sort of like saying, "you should just go away and die now." Kind of takes "sassy" to a whole new level. She tells the old woman to go share her advice with someone who gives a flying fork. Finally, she demands to know why Minerva hasn't answered her challenge.

If the great and powerful Minerva is so awesome, why doesn't she come and prove it? At this point Minerva discards her old woman disguise. Thunderdome time. The two weavers set up their looms. (Looms are weaving devices. They're big, made out of wood; you might have seen one in a movie. They make nice antiques.) They choose their wool and set it to their looms. Then the weaving begins. Minerva chooses to weave a tapestry depicting her victory over Neptune (Poseidon) during the battle to decide who would name the city of Athens. In the four corners of the tapestry she weaves in pictures showing the terrible things that have happened to mortals who challenged the gods. One corner shows Antigone, whom Juno (Hera) transformed into a stork. Another corner shows Cyniras, whose daughters jumped off a cliff and were turned into birds. Other stories grace the two remaining corners. Arachne also chooses the gods as subject matter. But her tapestry shows the many crimes that the gods have committed, especially those against women. Jove (Zeus) is shown beside all the many women that he's deceived by transforming himself.

To fool Europa he turned himself into a bull. For Antiope he was a satyr . For Aegina he appeared as a flame. ...and the list goes on. Neptune (Poseidon), Apollo , and Saturn (Chronos) are also shown alongside the women they've deceived and mistreated. (The gods aren't very nice people when you think about it. But then again, they're not people. So there ya go.) When the weaving is finished Minerva is forced to admit that Arachne's work is flawless. Unfortunately, admitting this only serves to make her angrier. And the subject matter of Arachne's weaving enrages her even more. How dare this puny mortal display the crimes of the gods for everyone to see? (Gods always think of us as "puny" mortals.) Minerva snatches up her shuttle (part of the loom, made of wood) and starts beating the livin' daylights out of Arachne. Arachne tries to hide from the blows raining down on her like a sack full of Jenga Blocks but can't escape the angry goddess.

Eventually, when she can't stand it any longer, Arachne fashions a noose and hangs herself from a rafter to escape Minerva's wrath. When Minerva realizes that the girl is dead, she's suddenly filled with pity. Dropping the shuttle, she raises her hand and waves Arachne back to life. Then, she sprinkles her with hell-bane (an herb) and watches her shrink down into an itsy-bitsy spider. She tells the spider that her punishment is to hang for the rest of her life, weaving her webs. This punishment will be passed down to all of her children, forever.

Question: According to Greek mythology, the great weaver Arachne was turned into what by the goddess Athena, as punishment for her hubris?
Answer: Spider