Arachne and Athena

By Group Boardinghouse

By Group Boardinghouse

The Myth:• Arachne is a renowned

weaver in her town of Lydia, capable of weaving heartbreakingly beautiful tapestries

• Those in awe of her works suggest that the goddess of weaving, Athena, trained her. This insults Arachne, who believes that not even a god can surpass her talent

• Arachne challenges the goddess to a weaving contest, promising to submit to the punishment of Athena’s choice if she loses. Athena weaves a tapestry depicting her defeat of the god Poseidon, while Arachne shows various salacious scenes of the god Zeus, Athena’s father

• Athena admits that her competitor's tapestry is flawless, yet is still outraged by her presumptuousness and disrespect. Athena touches Arachne on the forehead, filling her with guilt and causing the mortal to hang herself.

• Taking pity on the foolish mortal, Athena resurrects her in the form of a spider, destining Arachne and her descendents for forever weave beautiful webs.

• THE MORAL: Don’t offend the gods, and never let mortal ego overwhelm you.

Allusions

• Etymology: The suffix “Arach-” indicating spider i.e. Arachnid, Arachnophobia

• Web Browser Arachne: suggests extreme skill or proficiency

• Charlotte’s Web features a kind spider who weaves messages into her web to convince a farmer not to kill his pig.

Characters who meet their downfall by offending the gods

• Poisonwood Bible?

• Heart of Darkness?

Works Cited

http://www.pantheon.org/articles/a/arachne.html

Title image: http://arcadissima.cool.ne.jp/files_gr_rom/athena_arachne1677.jpg

Loom: http://www.geschiedenisvoorkinderen.nl/fotootjes/Grieken/goden

Transformation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Arachne.jpg

Web Browser: http://home.arachne.cz/

Charlotte’s Web: http://www.concord.k12.nh.us/schools/rundlett/heroes/charlott.gif

KEVIN SORBO: http://epguides.com/Hercules/cast.jpg