• ARACHNE •

Arachne, The Weaver.

Weaving was and still is a beautiful form of craft. Developed thousands of years ago it was dominated by the female counterparts of the home. The intricacy of being able to control a complex machine in order to be able to create an image from a crude material such as wool took a good amount of intelligence, so women were naturally able to boast about their work. One woman from Ancient Greece liked to boast about her work, considering she was the most talented weaver in the land, some thought it was okay for her to do so, but some thought not...

Arachne lived thousands of years ago during the time of myths and legend, magic and gods. She grew up in a Village called Hypaepa, which was located in a part of North-Eastern Greece called Lydia. The weather here was textbook, beautiful hot summers and cold icy winters. This allowed Arachnes' father, Idmon, to hone his craft of dying wool. It was his craft that enabled Arachne to be able to pick up her skills as a weaver as Idmons' speciality was dyeing the wool Purple. Purple was a colour only Royal people would wear so the wool had to be absolutely perfect. When things went wrong for Idmon, as they occasionally did, he would give the soiled wool to Arachne so she could practise her art of weaving. For years she was able to craft and eventually she went on to sell her intricately embellished textiles. Arachnes' mother whom is never mentioned was tragically killed in childbirth, so it was down to her to support her father and take on not only the role of daughter but of Matriarch of their household.

As time went by, both Arachnes' beauty and her skill in weaving had grown, thus she soon became the most beguiling weaver in Lydia. Her friends and family would often watch her weave, something she did so effortlessly and with such joy. She gained a lot of friends and many men would chase after her, as rumours sprang that it was the Goddess Athena that was her teacher and muse for her weaving. As her role of talented weaver, matriarch and woman blossomed into perfection, she attracted the attention of the Muses. These sprightly groups of young women would watch her for days on end, without being noticed of course; they would admire the way she would leave her humble home, stroll down to the farm house complex a few miles towards the ocean where she did her weaving, her jet black hair billowing in the sea breeze, the scents of Olives and Orchids lifting from her tanned glistening skin enticed the muses to keep following and watching. Arachne knew her worth, she now knew she had her prideful place in the world.

It was this day, the day she strolled to the farmhouse complex as the muses scantily danced behind her, that she truly knew she was the best weaver in the land. She bumped into a childhood friend that warm, dry morning. They gossiped for some time as the muses kept attentive ears, it wasn't until Arachne started talking about her weaving that she got excited and arrogant. She boasts 'Of course I have no competition, no one! From the towns of Sparta to the Villages of the Black Sea, no person could weave anything as beautiful as I can'.

To which her friend replies, 'Oh Arachne, be careful, the gods might not like this boasting of yours, remember Athena may be listening', although lucky for Arachne, Athena wasn't.

Arachne replies 'Oh do be quiet, Athena herself couldn't challenge me and win, my talents at weaving are far superior to hers! She didn't teach me a thing, how could she, have you seen my craft? It's worthy of being displayed in the halls of Mount Olympus'. Her friend gasped, looked away sharply and didn't respond. They separated and got on with their weaving duties for the rest of the day.

Of course, unlucky for Arachne, the muses were listening to her intently. As they danced back to their hollows and lakes they politely asked for the presence of Athena. As they bathed and frolicked Athena emerged from the sky in a glistening beam of light, the muses scarpered hastily to put their clothes back on as to not offend the virgin goddess. Athena had already been recently insulted by the Pierides Muses, whom she turned to noble birds just days before, naturally the muses were hesitant to tell her. One brave muse eventually approached her after Athena demanded why she had been summoned. 'Oh wise Athena, please heed our word, a mortal woman by the name of Arachne whom lives in the village of Hypaepa has become very talented at weaving, rumours have it she learnt the craft from you. She has taken it upon herself to boast that you couldn't be her teacher as her craft is far superior than yours!'

Athena took a deep breath in, her anger slowly rising. For she knew that as the goddess of arts and crafts, no one could be better than her, no one can be better than a god. Her intuition of Wisdom and War controlled her emotion, she knew she could not get angry and punish these muses.

Athena paced up and down the grove until the early hours of the morning, she'd worn a track leading from the small ethereal lake to the outline of the woods. Advising the muses to leave with her as now the mortal men might find them she took them with her as she travelled to village of Hypaepa. She travelled with a cunning plan to put Arachne in her place. Moments passed as Athena arrived in the village, she had disguised herself as an old, wrinkled hag to trick Arachne. She wore a dirty, hooded robe and held onto a twisted cane made from an Olive tree. She was so convincing even the muses found it difficult to recognise her. The muses then led her down to the farm house complex where Arachne did her weaving.

Athena waited in the glistening morning sun, the sea breeze lifted the dust from the dirt track creating a haze that enveloped the complex. As time went on she saw a lonely figure walking down the track from the steep hillside. As the figure approaches, the outline shows a curvy woman, the details of her jet black hair soon become visible, the chestnut brown of her eyes fix on to Athena.

'Hello dear' Athena calmly says to Arachne. 'I hear you have extraordinary talents at weaving'.

'Good morning madam, the whole of Greece clearly knows of my skills, my weaving even has Athena herself writhing in jealousy!' boasts Arachne.

'Well I was once the greatest weaver on the mainland, Athena blessed me herself' claims Athena disguised as the old hag.

Arachne brushes this off, 'I am owed no such debt, I didn't need a blessing from her for my talents'. By this point a small crowd of workers and women were waiting to be let into the farmhouse complex to start their daily tasks, all listening to the conversation between Arachne and the old hag. Arachne laughs and continues 'Why don't we have a small contest old lady? If i lose, i'll pay my debts to the Wise Athena'.

The old hag smirks, Athena knows that Arachne, full of indignant pride is falling into her trap. 'My dear, experience can teach you a lot of things, but you crave to be the best in the land, yet you do not praise Athena for your skills, yield to her now and my guess is that you'll be forgiven'.

Arachne looks sullen as the gates open and they tread into the courtyard, Arachne figures this old lady is trying to upset her, 'Listen old hag, no amount of advice could stray me from my glorious path, you have clearly lived too long and lost your mind. I'm too clever and talented, you'll surely lose this contest, now go away!'

The old hag replies, 'You'll regret those words young foolish dear, Athena will surely be insulted by your pride and arrogant nature!'

Arachne shakes her head with anger, 'Do shut up you old crone, if Athena was so powerful and wise why doesn't she show herself, she clearly knows of your intentions to challenge me, yet she hides from this contest!'.

The old hag laughs, unbeknown to Arachne, she has just sealed her fate...