Niobe & Arachne - Summary The Classical Heritage PDF

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Arachne Paige Woolstenhulme

Arachne was known as a gifted weaver whose tapestries she could weave day and night. She boasted, just like Niobe, about being a better weaver than even Athena the Greek goddess. This was offensive to Athena, as she was the goddess of skill, which weaving is considered. After hearing of Arachne's statement, Athena confronted her. A contest was planned to find which of them was a better weaver. The loser could never weave on their loom again. After both finished it was time to choose a winner. Athena's tapestry portrayed her winning a competition between herself and Poseidon. Arachne's tapestry showed the god’s past failures throughout history and was extremely beautiful. Athena herself was in awe after seeing it. Unfortunately, since Arachne’s work showed the god’s inadequacies, they rejected her work and made her the loser. Arachne, heartbroken at the fact that she would never be able to weave again, committed suicide by hanging herself. Athena, however, did not expect the death of Arachne, took pity on Arachne and transformed her into a spider, so that she could weave forever.

Niobe Paige Woolstenhulme

Niobe was the daughter of Tantalus, Queen of Thebes, and wife of King Amphion. She was very proud of her children. Some stories say that she had twelve to twenty children, while others say that she had seven boys who went on to marry seven women, making her a mother of fourteen. Because she was so proud she went around town boasting that she had more children than the Greek Goddess Leto, who had two children, the famed Artemis and Apollo. Artemis, goddess of archery, and Apollo, god of music proceeded to kill Niobe’s children because of her speeches. Artemis slaughtered the women while Apollo killed the men. At the sight of his dead children, Niobe’s husband killed himself. Devastated, Niobe fled to Mount Sipylus, later turning into stone. As she wept ceaselessly, water began to pour out of her stone eyes. Niobe and Arachne Share a common history in that they believed themselves to be better than the gods, resulting in the gods punishing them for their beliefs. Ancient Greek mythology shows that to survive, one must keep their head out of the clouds surrounding Mount Olympus.

Works Cited Arachne: 1.

Top Left Picture: https://orig00.deviantart.net/441e/f/2008/196/e/d/arachne_by_drawingnig htmare.jpg

2.

Bottom Right Picture: https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd =&ved=0ahUKEwiD2Izc27HWAhUEwWMKHY3-CbUQjxwIAw&url= https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pinterest.com%2Fpin%2F480900066440909825 %2F&psig=AFQjCNHb-EygWb-FFIdFfsWnBlZWMMhrKw&ust=15059 26552679679

3.

Info: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arachne

Niobe: 1.

Top Right Picture: Drawing of Uffizi Sculpture of Niobe

2.

Bottom Left Picture: Niobe by Jacque Louis David, 1772, Dallas MoA

3.

Info: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niobe...