Context Essay
Ovid’s myth of Arachne and Minerva is not just a battle to decide the better weaver, it is a political commentary on censorship and control. The story of Arachne and Minerva appears at the start of book six of the Metamorphoses, after the story of the Pierides contest against the Muses, at the end of book five. The Pierides’ story mirrors Arachne’s story about pride in that they had the hubris to believe their musical talent was better than the Muses. Ovid connects the two books by having Minerva act as the audience for the Muses’s tale about the Pierides’ punishment. The Muses' stories of how they defended the honor of the gods makes Minerva think of Arachne who she heard calling her talents superior. The stories made her realize she must silence anyone who denies her praise. There is a shift in focus between the stories from a contest of voices at the end of book five to a visual one involving the weavers’ artistry in book six. The story of the Pierides versus the Muses mirrors Arachne's story because they all thought that they could beat the gods but were punished for their art and insolence. However, unlike the story of the Pierides, the competition between Arachne and Minerva becomes political because it involves a commentary on those in power. Minerva doesn't just punish a mortal for failing, she destroys an artwork because its truth threatens the reputation of the gods: “The golden-haired warlike woman grieved the success. And tore the painted cloth and celestial crimes.”
The story of Arachne and Minerva is a cautionary tale about arrogance but also has a commentary of censorship by those in power. There is room for debate about whether Arachne or Minerva both suffer from pride, because it is shown that Minerva is upset by Arachne’s depiction of the gods’ worst acts of power. Despite the fact it is arguable that Arachne could have won the competition before an unbiased judge, Minerva, enraged by the sacrilege, destroys the tapestry and violates the rules of the contest.
Within the broader structure of the Metamorphoses, this story is more political than others. While earlier books in the Metamorphoses focus on physical change involving the characters, Arachne’s change highlights the themes in the middle books where mortal success threatens the god’s ego. Ovid uses his own experiences to hint that Arachne’s transformation is not just about her punishment, but also symbolizes the control that the Roman government had over art and other creative outlets.
This connection is significant in Ovid’s life because he was challenging the standard of Roman poetry by changing traditional myths to mock gods and tell stories in an ironic tone. This made many Roman officials upset, including Augustus, the then emperor. Much like Athena did to Arachne, Augustus banned Ovid’s Ars Amatoria and other love poems and removed them from libraries. This is similar to how Minerva tore down Arachne’s tapestry when she did not like the content and highlights Ovid’s own commentary on how people in power can keep others from speaking their mind or expressing themselves.