Arachne

A new story, weaved in fate's loom.

11 Nov, 20243 min read

One of the lesser known myths in the Greek pantheon, the myth of Arachne sheds light on how spiders came into being. When we use the word 'arachne' or its latin form 'arakhne' in scientific instances like 'arachnid' or 'arachnaphobia', we almost always refer to spiders. This word, like many other things, has its roots way back in Ancient Greece. In this article we'll discuss how the very first spider came into being.

What we know of Arachne mainly comes from Ovid's account in his Metamorphoses as it is the oldest known source. The myth itself takes place in Lydia which is located in Western Anatolia. As per the name suggests, the main focus is on a human named Arachne. Throughout Lydia, Arachne is renowned for her tapesteries and weaving skills. She is quite familiar in this craft as her family is earning their bread from the textile industry. The family itself is also credited for their contributions to the industry, such as dyes, linen cloth and nets, along with the spindle to manufacture wool.

Arachne, like any other tragic hero, had a tragic flaw. In her case this was hubris, which basically meant excessive pride. Arachne herself believed that her skills in weaving were not only unmatched among humans, but it was alsu unmatched among gods themselves. To her, even Athena, the virgin goddess of war, wisdom, knowledge, and of crafts could not match her skills. While other people warned her against comparing herself to gods, Arachne didn't heed to any of the warnings. Of course, such arrogance would also be noticed by Athena as well. One fateful day, Athena herself would descend from Mount Olympus in order to confront Arachne. In the disguise of an elderly lady, Athena warned her not to compare herself to the goddess and to beg for forgiveness. Out of her pride and vanity, Arachne said that if she was to do such a thing Athena herself would have to appear before her. Upon hearing this, Athena revealed her true identity.

The goddess offered a competition with the weaver since she was overly confident in her skills. Arachne accepted instantly and both of them began weaving right in that moment. Athena's tapestry depicted the gods of Olympus in all of their glory as it showed their great deeds and victories. On the other hand, Arachne's tapestry was the exact opposite. It showed how gods abused, punished, and used humans to their liking. One grand example of this which was included among the many depictions in Arachne's tapestry was Zeus and his sexual abuses against mortal women. The tapestry itself was mesmerizing, maybe even more so than Athena's. Upon seeing both the beauty and the accusations about Olympians, Athena gave into her rage and punished Arachne. There are two versions on what happens after Arachne wins the concept. In one version, Athena hits Arachne thrice. Embarassed, Arachne hangs herself. Upon seeing Arachne's death, Athena takes pity on her and from her remains, transforms the young woman into a spider. In another version, she is directly transformed into a spider as punishment. In each case, in this new form, she carries her ability to weave as a gift or an inheritance from her previous life. Even though there are other versions that have reached today, this is one narration of the origins of spiders in Ancient Greece. The myth itself has also been touched upon by many other writers and has a huge influence.