The legend of Arachne, the wonderful weaver

Suryakumari Dennison tells the story of a Greek girl gifted in embroidery, and how war with Athena, the goddess of craft, led to her downfall

Long before Spiderman, there was Spiderwoman! The legend of Arachne is narrated by the ancient Roman poet Ovid in his ‘Metamorphoses’. As the title indicates, that poem is about people undergoing transformations. Julius Caesar becomes a god while others change into birds, trees and constellations. What about Arachne?

Arachne (pronounced a-rak-nee) lived in Kolophon, a place in modern-day Lydia, Turkey. The 19th-century American writer Thomas Bulfinch tells us that she was proficient in weaving and embroidery. Aware that she was adept at her art, Arachne grew increasingly arrogant.

Trouble began when Arachne heard someone say that only Athena, goddess of wisdom (who also presided over spinning and needlework), could be her mentor. The comment was a compliment but, according to Ovid, ‘the proud maid’ was offended. Arachne challenged Athena to a trial of skill.

The goddess, in disguise, called on Arachne. When she advised Arachne to apologise for her ‘bold presumption’, Arachne suggested sarcastically that her visitor should reserve such advice for her daughters. When Athena revealed herself in celestial splendour, Arachne was undismayed. She prepared for the contest between herself and angry Athena, which — quite literally — ‘loom’ed before her.

Athena ‘wrought on her web’ the climax of her conflict with the sea god Poseidon. The two of them had once competed for patronage of a place, and the heavenly powers had decided to bestow it on whoever gave the most beneficial present to humans. Athena’s ‘fairest olives’ had triumphed over Poseidon’s ‘sprightly steed’, and the former won the prize that bears her name: the city of Athens. As a warning to Arachne, Athena also portrayed foolish mortals who had ‘dared to contend’ with the gods and suffered as a result.

For her part, Arachne proved a worthy opponent, realistically representing scenes from ‘antique fable’ and insolently including a disrespectful depiction of various deities. Athena, we are told, admired Arachne’s artistry. Did she feel threatened by her rival’s expertise? According to Ovid, the great goddess viewed Arachne’s accomplishment ‘with envy’.

One knock from Athena’s shuttle, and Arachne’s magnificent masterpiece was in shreds. A tap on Arachne’s forehead reduced that gifted girl to such despair that she tried to hang herself. Athena saved Arachne’s life, urging the young woman to keep weaving.

Divine mercy? Hardly! Arachne and her descendants would weave — cobwebs! Remember the start of our story? Arachne had been metamorphosed into a crawling creature. Look up the meaning of arachnid!

(The author is an English teacher and a freelance writer.)