Arachne / Myth. Short summary

5 seconds

Arachne was considered the best needlewoman in all of Lydia. Even the nymphs came to see her magnificent fabrics. But, proud of herself, she challenged Athena, for which she was turned into a spider by the goddess.

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In all Lydia there was no needlewoman better than Arachne. The woman spun fabric from airy, transparent threads, which was not in the whole world. Beautiful nymphs from the banks and slopes came to see the work of the needlewoman.

One day, Arachva challenged Athena herself to a contest of skill. The woman was confident that her fabrics surpassed those of the goddesses. Athena-Pallada accepted the challenge. Weaved Zeus’s daughter a bedspread with images of the gods of Olympus, decorating the pattern around the circle with a wreath of olive leaves.

On her bedspread, Arachne also weaved scenes from the lives of the gods, showing immortal rulers in moments of weakness, obsessed with human vices and feelings. The girl’s work was not inferior in grace and beauty to that of Athena. But the daughter of the god did not like the arrogance and haughtiness of the needlewoman. She tore the veil and struck the woman with the shuttle. Unable to bear the shame, Arachne hanged herself.

But Athena revived the girl. For her pride and disrespect she turned her into a spider, doomed to weave her patterns forever.