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skill. They met, the story tells, to weave their separate thoughts 

 with fixed warp and bobbins of weft, each in her own loom. It 

 was a pleasure to observe Arachne winding the wool and curling 

 and twisting it into fine threads, ready to contend with Minerva 

 in the trial of her skill in weaving. Each put her loom in a 

 separate place and stretched the fine threads thereon. The com- 

 batants hastened to their work having first girded their robes 

 about their bosoms. They ply their deft hands, and their facile 

 brains encourage the work. Minerva weaves the Castle of the 

 Cecrops standing on the rock of Mars and of the quarrel con- 

 cerning the name of the country. Twelve immortals are seated 

 on their thrones in austere solemnity with Jupiter in their midst. 

 The individuality of each god is delineated and Jupiter is rendered 

 in regal splendour. Neptune the sea god alone is standing, and 

 with his trident he strikes the unhewn rock from which the salt- 

 water gushes forth. Minerva is shown furnished with the defending 

 ^gis, and having on her head a helmet and in her hand a pointed 

 lance. At the place where the lance has pierced the ground a 

 green olive tree bearing berries is sprouting. The work is sur- 

 rounded by a garland. The gods look at it with astonishment. 



But Arachne wove the story of Europa carried away by the bull. 

 The latter seems to be really living and the sea to be heaving. In 

 addition Arachne wove Asteria seized by the flying eagle, the loves 

 of Leda and the Swan, and of Antiope and the false Satyr. She 

 wove the scenes of Jupiter as Amphitrion wooing Alkmene ; 

 Mnemosin's seduction by Jupiter in the guise of a herdsman, 

 Aegina and Jupiter in the fire ; and lastly Dana3 tempted by gold 

 and Proserpine by a Dragon. An ivy garland went round the 

 border with flowers interwoven. The nymphs said about the 

 woven work of art that neither Minerva nor jealous mind could find 

 fault with the work ; Arachne's fertile skill brought her to Minerva's 

 level, but the latter's vvork was inspired by a nobler mind. Not- 

 withstanding Dante meeting her in Purgatory says : 



" Although in colours variegated more, 

 Nor Turks nor Tartars e'er on cloth of State, 

 With interchangeable embroidery wove, 

 Nor spread Arachne o'er her curious loom." 



Minerva viewed Arachne's work, and incensed, rent it into pieces, 

 chastising its founder with her broiding bobbins, whereat Arachne, 

 so keenly feeling her degradation, desired not to outlive it, took a 

 rope to a neighbouring tree, and hasted to end her troubled life. 

 As she in mid-air hung, Minerva with her wand changed her into 

 a spider (whence the Arachnida of our Entomology) her rope into 



