Arachne was a talented weaver who valued praise above all else. When the goddess Athene visited her and offered advice, Arachne refused out of conceit. They engaged in a weaving contest where Arachne depicted immoral gods, angering Athene. As punishment, Athene tore Arachne's tapestry, turned her into a spider, and condemned her and her descendants to spin webs forever, explaining the origin of spiders and teaching the values of humility and respect for the gods.

1. Twenty Questions
Arachne
by Olivia E. Coolidge

2. Twenty Questions
1 2 3 4 5
6 7 8 9 10
11 12 13 14 15
16 17 18 19 20

3. 1. What is a myth?
 A fictional tale that describes the actions of
gods or heroes.
 A myth can
– tell how the universe or a culture began.
– explain something in nature.
– teach a lesson.
– express a value, such as courage.

4. 2. What is a cause?
 A cause is an event, action, or feeling that
makes something happen.
 Cause—Reason

5. 3. What is an effect?
 An effect is what happens.
 Effect—Result

6. 4. What does Arachne value more
than anything else?
 She values praise.

7. 5. Why does Arachne refuse to accept
the advice of the old woman?
 She is conceited about her weaving talent.

8. 6. What character traits does Arachne
reveal through her behavior?
 She shows conceit and her competitive
nature when she dares Athene to compete
with her at the loom.

9. 7. What design does Athene weave?
 Athene weaves a scene depicting mortals
coming to awful fates after attempting to fight
with the gods.

10. 8. What is Athene’s original intention
toward Arachne?
 Athene’s original intention is to advise
Arachne against claiming equality with the
immortal gods.

11. 9. What makes Athene angry?
 Hearing Arachne’s bragging and seeing the
scene that Arachne weaves into the cloth
makes Athene angry.

12. 10. What does Athene do to Arachne?
 Athene tears Arachne’s work, strikes her
across the face, and turns her into a spider
so that she and her ancestors have to spin
forever.

13. 11.What is the effect of Arachne’s
skill as a weaver?
 Her skill draws much praise and admiration
from all over Greece.

14. 12.What causes Athene to visit
Arachne?
 Arachne has claimed to be more skillful than
Athene at weaving.

15. 13.What causes Arachne to show
unworthy actions of the gods in her
design?
 Arachne sees that Athene has worked faster
and has created a warning design.

16. 14.What is the effect of Athene’s
touching the rope and then
touching Arachne?
 Arachne is changed into a spider.

17. 15.Why does Arachne try to hang
herself?
 Athene has insulted her.

18. 16. What does this myth explain?
 The myth explains the origin of spiders.

19. 17.What beliefs and values are taught
in this myth?
 The values of modesty, humility, and respect
for the gods are taught in this myth.

20. 18. Obscure
 Not well known

21. 19. Mortal
 Referring to humans, who eventually die

22. 20. Obstinacy
 Stubbornness