Greek Gods and Goddesses

If someone is really good at something, do they have a right to be prideful about it, and brag about their skill?

By Ms. Caudill

Poll

I have a specific hobby that I am good at.

• Agree

• Disagree

Poll

I think I might be better than another person who shares the same hobby

• Agree

• Disagree

Poll

I am a competitive person.

• Agree

• Disagree

Poll

When I compete I become upset if I lose.

• Agree

• Disagree

Poll

I sometimes speak without thinking.

• Agree

• Disagree

Poll

Sometimes my comments get me into trouble.

• Agree

• Disagree

Open Ended

What is the hobby or skill that you are best at?

Open Ended

“A competitor will find a way to win. Competitors take bad breaks and use them to drive themselves just that much harder. Quitters take bad breaks and use them as reasons to give up. It's all a matter of pride.” By Nancy Lopez

Based on the quote and the statements: what do you think the text will be about?

Multiple Choice

Let's test what you can remember about the characteristics of myths!

Which characteristic is NOT common in myths?

• They involve natural phenomenon (weather, animals, insects, etc.)

• They involve religion (have gods/goddesses) that often have human feelings, magical powers, or great strength.

• They involve a metamorphosis or change, either in the gods themselves, or in the humans that are involved.

• They often reveal that the gods/goddesses are not as powerful as they think, and humans usually win.

While it's true that in some myths, humans do win against the gods/goddesses, the real truth is that they teach lessons to humans that we can apply to our own lives.

Remember, one characteristic of a myth is that they involve a moral or lesson for the reader!​

Think about the lesson we're supposed to learn from the story of Arachne as we read today!

There once lived a young country girl named Arachne, who was a very talented weaver. A daughter of Idmon of Colophon, Arachne was naturally surrounded by linens most of her life. Idmon (her father) was a famous linen dyer who drenched garments in purple.

People came from miles around to admire Arachne’s work, and she soon became quite conceited.   “My weaving is even more beautiful than that of the goddess Athena”, she boasted  to her visitors. 

Multiple Choice

What is the meaning of the word " conceited" as used in the text?

People came from miles around to admire Arachne’s work, and she soon became quite conceited.

• Humble

• modest

• prideful

• anxious

In Ancient Greece, skills were thought to be a gift from the gods and goddesses. Those who showed exceptional skill often thanked the appropriate god for granting those talents to their mortal being.

​

This standard practice presented a unique issue for Arachne.

Athena was the goddess of many talents. In addition to being the goddess of warfare, she was also goddess of wisdom, crafts, and even weaving! Arachne’s bragging that her skills were better than Athenas controversial, to say the least.​

Disguised as an old woman, Athena went down to earth to scold Arachne for being so conceited.

​

In her disguise, she came up to Arachne as the old woman and warned, “Be careful, it is wrong to compare yourself to a goddess.”

​

“But I am a better weaver,” the girl haughtily, insisted. “Let Athena come, if she dares, and we’ll have a competition.”

​

With that, the old woman disappeared. In her place stood the radiant, gray-eyed goddess Athena crowned with her golden helmet. “Let the contest begin,” she said. “We’ll soon see who is more skilled.”

Multiple Choice

What was Athena's main purpose in coming to earth to visit Arachne?

• To show her she was a better weaver

• To tell her she was to be Queen

• To scold her

• To start a competition of spinning

Arachne and Athena sat down at their looms and began to weave. With shimmering threads of gold and silver, of clouds and lush grass, Athena wove wondrous pictures of gods in all their glory. In the corners of her tapestry, she designed scenes of punishments of mortals who had dared to compete with the gods.

“Take note, foolish girl, before it’s too late,” she cautioned Arachne.

​But Arachne paid no attention. Her loom, strung with rainbow- colored thread, flew back and forth across her loom. She smiled to herself as she filled her tapestry with scenes showing gods’ the weaknesses, trickery and faults.

When Athena saw Arachne’s work, she was furious. “Your weaving is indeed skillfully done, but your pictures are an insult to the gods. You will pay for your arrogance and your lack of respect,” she declared angrily.

​The goddess took her loom and ripped the girls tapestry to pieces.

Then, she sprinkled Arachne with a magic liquid. (Although other tellings of this story say that Athena used her goddess powers) The girl’s body shrank and shrank until it was no bigger than a pebble. Her agile fingers, which had been so clever at weaving turned into eight legs. Athena had transformed Arachne into a spider.

“For all your days you will weave and spin,” said the goddess, “and so will your children and your children’s children.”

Multiple Choice

What is the central conflict between Arachne and the Goddess in the story?

• The Goddess ripped her tapestry to shreds.

• To tell her she was to be Queen

  The Goddess felt she was better than Arachne because she was a God

• The Goddess turned her into a small pebble; place a magic liquid upon her that made her spin an eternal web.

• Arachne believed that was a better weaver than Athena.

Multiple Choice

Q.

What caused the Goddess to say, “You will pay for your arrogance and your lack of respect?”

When Athena saw Arachne’s work, she was furious. “Your weaving is indeed skillfully done, but your pictures are an insult to the gods. You will pay for your arrogance and your lack of respect,” she declared angrily.

• It was because Arachne paid no attention to the Goddess during the weaving competition.

• It was because Arachne made a tapestry that showed the god’s have having weaknesses and faults.

• It was because Arachne was making a tapestry that was better than the Goddess’ during the weaving competition.

• It was because Athena was jealous of Arachne's weaving

Open Ended

Which TWO character traits would you use to describe Arachne in the story?

Poll

How well did you like the story?

• LOVED it! Very interesting.

• Liked it, it was pretty good.

• Meh, I didn't really care for it.