Apollo's Tree and Arachne Lesson

Greek Mythology Lesson

Apollo's Tree

Arachne

Can Pride Ever Hurt You?

It’s good to have pride in yourself as well as in your accomplishments. But when pride turns to conceit and boasting, it can get you into trouble. Some classical myths, such as the two you are about to read, serve as warnings about the dangers of being overly sure of yourself. 

Open Ended

Discuss a time when you or someone you know witnessed the bad side of pride. What were the consequences?

Cultural Values in Myths

Cultural values are the standards of behavior that a society expects from its people. Myths and their themes reflect the cultural values of the societies in which they were first told.  

Cultural Values in Myths

• Some values often taught in Greek and Roman myths are:

• Respecting your elders

• Respecting and obeying the gods, who are often involved in humans’ everyday lives

• Knowing your place

Open Ended

Reread lines 25–34. In what way does Daphne’s behavior show disrespect toward elders?

Multiple Choice

Apollo's difficulties begin in Apollo's Tree when he insults

• Daphne

• Diana

• Cupid

• Daphne's father

Multiple Choice

What does Apollo mean when he says that the wounds from Cupid's weapons are worse than those from his own arrows?

• Apollo's arrows cause people to run away, while cupid's arrows kill people.

• Apollo's arrows are deadly, but Cupid's arrows cause love that can't be attained.

• Cupid's arrows hurt serpents, but Apoloo's can harm everyone.

• Cupid's arrows work only on gods, while Apollo's work only on mortals.

Multiple Choice

How does Daphne react in Apollo's Tree right after the leaden arrow hits her?

• She roams the woods and the fields

• She fears love and marriage

• She becomes a laurel tree

• She runs as fast as the wind

Open Ended

Reread lines 37–50. What value is Arachne showing no respect for?

Multiple Choice

What message do both "Apollo's Tree" and "Arachne" have in common?

• Being too proud can have negative consequences.

• Challenges happen often when dealing with gods.

• Mortals should be proud of their accomplishments.

• Gods and mortals should only live for praise.

Multiple Choice

Who was the goddess of weaving? 

• Aphrodite. 
• Athena.
• Hera. 

Multiple Choice

In addition to her skill as a weaver, what makes Arachne's work so beautiful?

• A loom and shuttle that she made of special wood

• The friendly way that she allows visitors to help

• the skeins of wool her father dyes in beautiful colors

• a chair that makes it easy for her to weave quickly

Multiple Choice

In Arachne, Athena first appears to Arachne in the form of

• an olive tree

• a graceful nymph

• a brown spider

• an old woman

Multiple Choice

Why does Athena become angry at Arachne at the beginning of the story?

• Arachne does not like Athena's weaving. 
• Athena does not like the way Arachne brags. 
• Athena does not like humans who weave well. 
• Athena does not like the challenge Arachne has given her. 

Multiple Choice

What detail in Arachne helps you predict that Athena will finish her weaving before Arachne does?

• Athena is weaving a pattern of many pictures

• Athena is the quicker of the two

• Arachne keeps glancing at Athena

• An evil thought comes into Arachne's head

Multiple Choice

Athena tries to give Arachne a final warning by--

• trying to explain again why Arachne should respect the gods

• asking the people to convince her that she is wrong

• praising Arachne for her wonderful weaving and going away

• weaving a design showing the suffering of people who challenge the gods

Multiple Choice

Which illustration would BEST match the end of the Arachne story? 

• A picture of Athena. 
• A picture of a woman weaving. 
• A picture of a spider in a web. 
• A picture of a beautiful weaving. 

Multiple Choice

Both of these myths teach the value of

• respecting the gods

• giving credit to others

• being kind to elders

• doing excellent work

Multiple Choice

Distorted means ...

• wrapped tightly

• twisted out of shape

• thrown away

• shrunken in size

Multiple Choice

What does immensely mean?

• quickly

• instantly

• extremely

• largely

Multiple Choice

Sacred means ...

• alone

• hurt

• afraid

• holy

Multiple Choice

What does ominous mean?

• angry

• frightening

• quiet

• lonely