A Contest between a Mortal and the Goddess of...

A Contest between a Mortal and the Goddess of Wisdom
There was a contest in which a mortal dared to come in competition with Minerva, the goddess of wisdom. That mortal was Arachne, a maiden who had attained such skill in the arts of weaving and embroidery that the nymphs themselves would leave their groves and fountains to come and gaze upon her work. One would have said that Minerva herself had taught her. But this she denied, and could not bear to be thought a pupil even of a goddess. "Let Minerva try her skill with mine," said she; "if beaten, I will pay the penalty." Minerva heard this and was displeased. She assumed the form of an old woman and went and gave Arachne some friendly advice. "I have had much experience," said she, "and I hope you will not despise my counsel. Challenge your fellow-mortals as you will, but do not compete with a goddess." Arachne stopped her spinning and looked at the old dame with anger in her countenance. "Keep your counsel," said she , "for your daughters or handmaids! I am not a afraid of the goddess; let her try her skill, if she dare venture." "She comes, " said Minerva; and dropping her disguise, stood confessed. Arachne was unterrified. She stood to her resolve, and with a foolish conceit of her own skill rushed on her fate. Minerva forbore no longer, nor interposed any further advice. They proceed to the contest. Each takes her station and attaches the web to the beam. Both work with speed; their skilful hands move rapidly, and the excitement of the contest makes the labor light.
Minerva wrought on her web the scene of her contest with Neptune. Twelve of the heavenly powers are represented. Jupiter, with august gravity, sitting in the midst. Neptune, the ruler of the sea, holds his trident, and appears to have just smitten the earth, from which a horse has leaped forth. Minerva depicted herself with helmed head, her Aegis covering her breast. Such was the central circle; and in the four corners were represented incidents illustrating the displeasure of the gods at such presumptuous mortals as had dared to contend with them. These were meant as warnings to her rival to give up the contest before it was too late.
Arachne filled her web with subjects designedly chosen to exhibit the failings and errors of the gods. Once scene represented Leda caressing the swan, under which for Jupiter had disguised herself; and another, Danae, in the brazen tower in which her father had imprisoned her, but where the god effected his entrance in the form of a golden shower. Still another depicted Europa deceived by Jupiter under the disguise of a bull.
Arachne filled her canvas with similar subjects, wonderfully well done, but strongly marking her presumption and impiety. Minerva could not forbear to admire, yet felt indignant at the insult. She struck the web with her shuttle and rent it in pieces; she them touched the forehead of Arachne and made her feel her guilt and shame. She could not endure it, and went and hanged herself. Minerva pitied her as she saw her suspended by a rope. "Live," she said, "guilty woman - and that you may preserve the memory of this lesson continue to hang, both you and your descendants, to all future times." She sprinkled her with the  juices of aconite, and immediately her hair came off, and her nose and ears likewise. Her form shrank up, and her head grew smaller yet; her fingers cleaved to her side and served for legs. All the rest of her is body, out of which she spins her thread, often hanging suspended by it, in the same attitude as when Minerva touched her and transformed her into a spider.
凡人与智慧女神的竞赛
从前发生过一场竞赛，一个凡人竟敢与智慧女神密涅瓦比试。这个凡人叫阿拉喀涅，她有一手非凡的纺织和刺绣本领，每当这位少女干活儿时就连林中和喷泉中的神女们也都拥来观看。人们会说，她是密涅瓦亲手教的。可是关于这一点阿拉喀涅予以否认，就是把她说成是女神的学生她都觉得不能忍受。“让密涅瓦来与我比试一下吧，”她说道，“如果我输了，甘愿受罚。”密涅瓦听到这个消息后很不高兴。她变成了一个老婆婆来到阿拉喀涅那儿并向她提出友好的忠告：“我有许多经验，”她说，“我希望你不要轻视我的劝告。你要是喜欢、就和你的人类同胞去比试，却千万不要和女神争高低。”阿拉喀涅停下了纺织，怒视着老婆婆。“收起你的忠告吧，”她说，“留给你的女儿或女仆们听吧。我不怕那位女神，如果她敢的话，就让她显示一下她的本领吧。”“她来了，”密涅瓦说完就丢下伪装，站在那里证实自己的身分。阿拉喀涅不感到害怕。她毫不动摇，一种对自己技艺的盲目自信驱使她选择了自己的命运。密涅瓦再也不能容忍了，她也不再提出进一步的忠告。她们开始了比赛，两人各就其位并把织物接到了桁架上。两人都干得很快，她们的巧手飞速地运动着，由于比赛带来的兴奋使她们不感到活儿很累。
密涅瓦在她的织物上织出了她与海神竞赛的场面。画面上有十二位天神出场。朱庇特威风凛凛地坐在当中。海的统治者尼普顿手执他那把三叉戟，好象刚刚撞击过地球，一匹马正从地面跃了出来。密涅瓦把自己描绘成带着头盔，用盾牌护住自己的胸部。这是图案的中心圈。图案的四角是一些神祗们由于一些狂妄自大的凡人竟敢与他们竞争而生气的情景；这是用来警告她的对手，劝她及时放弃这场比赛。
阿拉喀涅则故意地在自己的图案中织出了显示神祗们的缺点和错误的主题。一个场面是描述勒达轻抚着一只天鹅，那天鹅实际上是朱庇特的化身；另一幅描述了达那厄被她父亲关在一座铜塔里，而主神朱庇特却变成一阵金雨浇进了铜塔。再一幅是描写欧罗巴尼如何被化身成公牛的朱庇特所欺骗。
阿拉喀涅用类似的主题填满了她的画布，确乎精彩极了，但明显地表现出她的傲慢和对神的不敬。密涅瓦不得不佩服她的手艺，同时又对她的侮辱感到愤怒。她用梭子猛击织物，并把它弄得粉碎，之后她摸了一下阿拉喀涅的额头使她感到内疚和羞耻。阿拉喀涅忍受不了，就去上吊。密涅瓦看到她悬挂在绳子上，动了恻隐之心。“活下去吧，”她说道，“有罪的女人。为了使你永远记住这个教训，你和你的子孙后代将永远吊着。”她用附子汁向阿拉喀涅洒去，她的头发马上就脱光了，她的鼻子和耳朵也掉了。她的体形缩小了，她的头变得更小，手指紧贴身体两侧变成了脚。剩下的便是躯体，她从体内抽丝纺线，常常悬挂在那游丝上，跟当年密涅瓦触摸她把她变成蜘蛛时的情形完全一样。