There was once a mortal（人类）who dared to come in competition with Athena. That mortal was Arachne, a maiden who had mastered 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. It was not only very beautiful when it was done, but beautiful also in the doing. To watch her doing it with unbelievable（难以置信的）skill, one would have said that Athena herself had taught her. But this she denied, and could not bear to be thought a pupil even of a goddess. "Let Athena try her skill with mine." said she. "If beaten I will pay the penalty." Athena heard this and was displeased. She assumed the form of an old womanwent her home 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. On the contrary, I advise you to ask her forgiveness for what you have said, and as she is merciful perhaps she will pardon you." Arachne stopped her spinning and looked at the old woman with anger. "Keep your advice," said she, "for your daughters or maids. For my part I know what I say, and I stand to it. I am not afraid of the goddess. Let her try her skill, if she should dare." "She comes," said Athena， and dropping her disguise stood confessed. The nymphs bent low in homage, and all the bystanders（旁观者）showed respect. Arachne alone was not afraid. She stood to her resolve, and with a foolish pride in her own skill rushed on her fate. Athena could not bear any more, nor did she give any further advice. They were ready for the contest. Each took her station and attachedthe web to the beam. Both worked with speed, their skilful hands moved rapidly, and the excitement of the contest made the labor light.
　　Athena made on her web the scene of her contest with Poseidon. The canvas of Arachne was wonderful, but Arachne strongly marking her presumption and impiety. Athena could not help admiring, yet felt angry at the insult. She struck the web with her shuttle and tore it in pieces. She then touched the forehead of Arachne and made her feel her guilt and shame. Arachne could not endure it and went and hanged herself. Athena pitied her as she saw her suspended by a rope. "Live," she said, "guilty woman! 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 juice 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 stuck to her side and served for legs. All the rest of her was body, out of which she spans her thread, often hanging suspended by it, in the same way as when Athena transformed her into a spider.
　　
　　从前有个凡人竟敢与雅典娜竞赛。这个凡人便是阿拉喀涅，她掌握了一手非凡的编织和刺绣本领，就连神女们也离开自己居住的山林和喷泉，来看她工作。她做好的织物非常美丽，而且在编织的时候姿势也非常幽雅。看着她用令人难以置信的技术干活，人们都会说那是雅典娜亲手教的。可是她对此予以否认，说即使是女神她也根本不能忍受被人当作是她的学生。“让雅典娜来与我比试比试。”她说，“如果我输了，甘愿受罚。”雅典娜听说后很不高兴。她变成一个老婆婆，去了阿拉喀涅那里，给她一些善意的忠告。“我有很多经验，”她说，“我希望你不要轻视我的劝告。你要是愿意，就和你的人类同胞去比试吧。千万不要和女神争高下。而且，我还要劝你为你说过的话恳求她的宽恕，她是仁慈的，也许会原谅你。” 阿拉喀涅停下了手头纺织的活，怒视着老婆婆。“你的这些忠告，”她说道，“还是留给你的女儿和女仆吧。至于我，我知道自己在说什么，我坚持自己的看法。我不怕那个女神。只要她敢，就让她来显示一下自己的本领吧。”“她来了，”雅典娜说，随后卸掉伪装，站在那里亮出自己的身份。神女们都躬身施礼，而旁观者也个个表示出自己的敬意。只有阿拉喀涅无所畏惧。她毫不让步，对自己技艺的盲目自负使她匆匆选择了自己的命运。雅典娜再也不能容忍，也不再提出进一步的忠告了。她们准备开始比赛。双方各就各位，然后将织物固定在织机的桁架上。两个人都干得很快，巧手如飞，比赛的兴奋劲儿使她们没有感觉到活儿有多累。
　　雅典娜在她的织物上织出了她与海神波塞冬竞赛的场面。阿拉喀涅的织物虽然织得美轮美奂，却明显透露出她的傲慢与对神的不敬。雅典娜不得不佩服她的手艺，但同时又对她的侮辱感到愤怒。她用梭子猛击织物，将它撕碎。然后，她摸了一下阿拉喀涅的额头，让她感到内疚和羞耻。阿拉喀涅忍受不了，就去上吊自杀。雅典娜看到她悬挂在绳子上，便动了恻隐之心。“活下去吧，”她说，“你这有罪的女人！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。”雅典娜将香附子汁洒在阿拉喀涅身上。只见阿拉喀涅的头发马上脱光了，她的鼻子和耳朵也掉了。她的身体缩小了，脑袋变得更小。她的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，而且常常悬挂在那根游丝上，雅典娜把她变成了蜘蛛。
　　编辑：Aimee