Here are some notes on Ovid (pt. 2)
The first part of this myth introduces the brash Arachne. Even after Minerva comes down to her in the form of an old woman and pleads that she praise Minerva, Arachne refuses and even insults the woman. This arrogance leads to what I imagine looked like a high-noon showdown in the Wild West, where Minerva reveals herself and the two look at each other and get to work. While Arachne does amazing work, she has no chance against a goddess. Her foolish confidence blinds her.
In her work, Minerva created a brilliant depiction of the gods and in each corner included an image that foreshadowed Arachne’s fate. Her work saying never mess with a god or goddess. However, it is now Arachne’s turn and she depicts many crimes of the great gods. Although the work is perfect, it is blasphemous and Minerva destroys it. Shamed, Arachne wants to die but Minerva punishes her by changing her to a spider. Never mess with a god or a goddess.
Niobe, actually a friend of Arachne, finds herself in a very similar situation. Niobe, with blood of the gods coursing through her veins, the beauty of a goddess, and more sons and daughters than many others, wonders why others praise Latona and reject her. She denounces Latona and compels others to do the same. Her excess pride will be her ultimate downfall (sound familiar)?
Although the stories are very similar, I included both Arachne and Niobe in the diary to keep up with my following of women in Greek Mythology. To punish Niobe, Latona had all seven of her sons killed. Even after that, Niobe taunts the goddess by saying she still has more children. And to this Latona kills her seven daughters; then, she turns Niobe to a statue.
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| (Image Information: Plaster cast of marble statue in Uffizi Gallery, Florence; Web Source: Oxford Classical Art) |
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