Though she was scared, she was stubborn enough to stay true to her word. At her sight, the nymphs and Phrygian women in Arachne’s workshop began worshipping the goddess. Certain that Arachne was not willing to ask for forgiveness, Athena revealed herself. Without realizing who was the old woman in front of her, she wondered why Athena does not come to contend with her. Then Arachne went a step further and challenged the goddess. No one else had to get credit for it, even if that was Athena. Instead, she claimed that she had done nothing wrong. Do not reject my advice: seek great fame amongst mortals for your skill in weaving, but give way to the goddess, and ask her forgiveness, rash girl, with a humble voice: she will forgive if you will ask.” (Ovid, VI.26-69)Īrachne immediately rejected the idea of asking Athena for forgiveness. “Not everything old age has is to be shunned: knowledge comes with advancing years. She took the form of a feeble old woman and went to meet Arachne in order to give her a last chance: However, she did not punish the hubris right away. “Contend with me I will not disagree at all if I am beaten.” (Ovid, VI.1-25)Īthena’s Reaction Minerva, Gustav Klimt, 1898, Vienna Museum.Īthena of course did not take long to notice Arachne’s disrespectful behavior. In fact, she was offended and even provoked the goddess: Yet Arachne denied that she had learned her art from someone else. “You could see she was taught by Pallas.” (Ovid, VI.1-25) The beauty of Arachne’s artistry was so great that it was evident to everyone that she was taught by Athena (Minerva) herself: She was so good, that often the local nymphs would abandon their homes to witness Arachne’s talents.Īrachne Denies Athena Arachne, by: Philips Galle a fter: Marten van Cleve I, 1574, British Museum.Īpparently, Arachne was so good at weaving that the nymphs did not simply want to examine her textiles, but also watch her making them. Her mother came from a common family with nothing special about her.ĭespite this humble beginning, Arachne managed to become famous in the whole of Lydia for her weaving skills. Her father was Idmon of Colophon who was a purple dyer. Ovid notes that she was of “humble birth”. Pliny the Elder in Natural History (7.196) credits Arachne with the invention of linen cloth and nets and her son Closter with the use of spindle.Īrachne’s bloodline was not royal. The name Arachne in Greek literally translates to “Spider.” The taxonomical name Arachnida describes all spiders, scorpions and other eight-legged insects.Īccording to Ovid, Arachne was at first a maiden from the Hypaepa of the ancient Kingdom of Lydia. “The spider, hateful to Minerva, hangs in the doorway her loose-woven nets.” (Virgil, Georgics 4. Who Was Arachne? The Spinners or the Fable of Arachne, Diego Velázquez, c. Through weaving, she managed to remain faithful to Odysseus for 10 years and protect herself from a group of suitors. For Penelope, this artistic expertise was not only proof of her noble origins but also a trait closely affiliated with her womanness and faithfulness. In Homer’s Odyssey, we find Penelope, Odysseus’ wife, being praised for her weaving skills. The ideal of the good wife-weaver was in place for centuries. In many cases, also male slaves would partake in this task. Good weaving skills were considered an asset for women of both the low and upper classes. As for slave women, they were expected to weave and spin. It is noteworthy that textile production was an exclusively female activity and an important one. In a world, where the vast majority of women were excluded from public life, weaving was a creative activity that allowed women to gather and socialize. Spinning and weaving were major social activities reserved for women in both ancient Greece and Rome. Contextualizing Arachne: Weaving In Greece and Rome Terracotta lekythos with women making woolen cloth, attributed to the Amasis Painter, c.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |