And masterèd with workmanship so rare,
She stood astonished long, ne aught gainsaid;
And with fast fixèd eyes on her did stare.
Such was the central circle of Athēne’s web; 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 from Athēne to her rival to give up the contest before it was too late.
But Arachne did not yield. She filled her web with subjects designedly chosen to exhibit the failings and errors of the gods, wonderfully well done, but strongly marking her presumption and impiety. Athēne could not forbear to admire, yet was indignant at the insult. She struck the web with her shuttle, and rent it in pieces; then, touching the forehead of Arachne, she made her realize her guilt. It was more than mortal could bear; and forthwith Arachne hanged herself. “Live, guilty woman,” said Athēne, “but that thou mayest preserve the memory of this lesson, continue to hang, both thou and thy descendants, to all future times.” Then sprinkling her with the juices of aconite, the goddess transformed her into a spider, forever spinning the thread by which she is suspended.
CHAPTER IV
TREE AND PLANT MYTHS
To primitive man, trees and plants seemed as mysterious as animals, and there are many myths which tell of the descent of mankind from trees, and many cases in which plants were totems instead of animals. Among various Indian tribes who had such a belief may be mentioned the Miztecs, who declared they were descended from two majestic trees that stood in the gorge of the mountain of Apiola. The Chiapanecas thought they sprang from the roots of a silk cotton tree. The Tamaraquas of South America have a tradition that the human race sprang from the fruits of the date palm after the Mexican age of water. Passing half way round the world to the Damaras of South Africa we find still more remarkable qualities attributed to the first tree. “In the beginning,” they say, “there was a tree, and out of this tree came Damaras, Bushmen (the wildest of South African tribes), oxen and zebras. The Damaras lit a fire which frightened away the Bushmen and the zebras, but the oxen remained. Hence it is that Bushmen and wild beasts live together in all sorts of inaccessible places, but the Damaras and oxen possess the land.”
Even in Greek mythology, the idea of descent from trees had not quite died out, for we read in the “Odyssey” that Penelope says to Odysseus, while still in the disguise of a beggar, so that she does not recognize him, “Now, I pray, declare thy lineage, for thou surely art not sprung from the old fabulous oak nor from the rock.”
The oak was regarded with very great reverence by the Greeks. They declared it to be the first tree that grew upon the earth, its acorns being the earliest food of man. There is an interesting story to the effect that the Deluge was due to quarrels between Zeus (Jupiter) and Hera (Juno), and when the waters subsided an oaken statue emerged supposed to be a symbol of peace between the king of gods and his consort.