1. Cameron Slykhuis and Devin Bolland
Arachne and Athena
Cameron Slykhuis and Devin Bolland

2. Arachne and Athena
“Arachne and Athena” is the name of our myth however it is occasionally known as “Arachne, Athena, and the Weaving Contest”.

3. Characters MAIN CHARACTERS
Athena- goddess of reason, intelligence, and arts, daughter of Zeus
Arachne- young weaver from the town of Ledia who challenged Athena to a weaving contest
SIDE CHARACTERS
Nymphs- spirits of nature who came to observe Arachne’s weaving and the contest
Townspeople- people from the town of Ledia

4. Setting
The story takes place in a cottage in Lydia, Greece

5. Plot
Arachne was a young woman who could weave beautiful things. But she was naïve and said no one could out weave her even Athena. Athena heard this and disguised herself as an old lady. As the old lady, Athena visited Arachne and told her to not be so cocky and to beg for forgiveness from Athena. Arachne did not listen and challenged Athena who then transformed from the old woman into herself.

6. Plot
They wove for a whole day until it was too dark to see so they continued the next day. Athena wove her contest with Poseidon or in other stories she wove a picture of the gods helping people while Arachne wove a scene which made fun of the gods by depicting them full of fear and weakness. Athena was so angry she smashed Arachne’s work. Arachne was so upset she ran of and killed herself by hanging herself or in some stories she just kills herself without the rope. Athena feels sad for Arachne and sprinkles her aconite juice, a poisonous plant, and turns Arachne into a Spider.

7. Outcome
Arachne and Athena’s contest describes the reason we have spiders. The weaving ability Arachne possesses is the same as a spiders ability to make a web and the poison Athena sprinkled on her in some of the stories is how spiders got their poison.

8. Sources
Website Title: Greek Stories about Athena-Athena, Arachne and the Weaving Contest
Article Title: Greek Goddess Athena
Date Accessed: February 17, 2016
Website Title: Text only version of Arachne the Spinner
Article Title: Myths and Legends