1. By Group Boardinghouse
Arachne and Athena
By Group Boardinghouse

2. 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

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. Allusions
Etymology: The suffix “Arach-” indicating spider i.e. Arachnid, Arachnophobia
Web Browser Arachne: suggests extreme skill or proficiency

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

7. Characters who meet their downfall by offending the gods
Poisonwood Bible?
Heart of Darkness?

8. Works Cited http://www.pantheon.org/articles/a/arachne.html
Title image:
Loom:
Transformation:
Web Browser:
Charlotte’s Web:
KEVIN SORBO: