Arachne- A Sad Sorry Tradgedy

I am going to explain this myth in the form of a play. After all, I am a dramaturg.

(Curtains open onto a bright stage. A girl is sitting at a loom. Her weaving is dazzlingly beautiful. Tapestries sit at the girl's feet. Townspeople are bustling about, but many stop to stare at the weavings.) 
ARACHNE: (With a proud smile) My weavings are stunning aren't they?
OLD WOMAN: (Stops to gaze at the weaving) They are very beautiful.
ARACHNE: I bet that I can weave threads more colorful and patterns more extraordinary than Athena.
OLD WOMAN: Don't say that my child. The goddess might hear you.
ARACHNE: So what if she does? It wouldn't matter. All of Greece knows it's the truth.
OLD WOMAN: Hush! If she heard you, you could be in big trouble.
(Smoke billows and lights flicker as ATHENA suddenly appears beside the loom. The OLD WOMAN recoils. ARACHNE jumps to her feet. She curtsies frantically.)
ARACHNE: Lady Athena! I- I-
ATHENA: I believe I heard you say something that I disapprove of. Do you not realize that I myself am the goddess of weaving?
ARACHNE: Yes, m'lady. I do realize this. But, look! Are they not beautiful?
ATHENA: (Glances disdainfully at the weavings) You do have a talent for weaving.
ARACHNE: Could you do better?
ATHENA: (Sucks in her cheeks, irritated) Let the people decide. We shall have a contest. We each have 24 hours to weave the most intricate tapestry we ever have. When we're done, we'll let the people of this fine city decide whose is better. (She waves her hand and another loom appears. She sits at it and begins weaving. ARACHNE follows suit. As they work townspeople gather around them, mumbling and pointing. They cannot decide who's is better. When they are done both weavers stand and display their work. Both are viciously beautiful. More murmur from the crowd.)

ALTERNATE ALMOST-ENDING #1
OLD WOMAN: (Standing to represent the crowd) The people of the town have chosen a weaving. The most beautiful is... Athena's!
ARACHNE: (Throwing a tantrum) I'm the best weaver! Mine is way more fantastic than hers.

ALTERNATE ALMOST-ENDING #2
OLD WOMAN: (Standing to represent the crowd) The people of the town have chosen a weaving. The most beautiful is... Arachne's! (ARACHNE cheers and dances. ATHENA fumes.)

ALTERNATE ALMOST-ENDING #3
(Before the towns people can decide, ATHENA suddenly rushes to the looms and rips ARACHNE'S weaving in two. She stomps on it, thinking that ARACHNE'S weaving is better than her own.)

ENDING (Can be used with any alternate almost-ending)
ATHENA: (Turning viciously on the girl) Enough! For your insolent pride, I will teach you a lesson. From now on, you will weave always. And no one will ever want what you weave.  Your children will wander the world as you do. Let this teach you a lesson! (She taps ARACHNE'S shoulder and she shrivels down into a small black thing with eight legs- a spider. The spider scurries away. The towns people stand terrified. Athena is frowning, but seems proud. Curtains close.)

Picture from breakingthespidersweb.blogspot.com

And that is where a spider came from. Arachne is also where we get the word Arachnid. Cool, huh?

My Pet Peeves- Roman/Greek

One of my biggest pet peeves in Greek mythology, is when people say Hercules. It drives me crazy! The Romans took the Greek myths and changed them around a bit. The Greeks were first. They came up with it all. Yet the Romans get all the credit! Look at this list:

The planets are named after Roman gods, even the ones discovered in this century.
Cupid is the star of Valentines day, but no one knows who Eros is.
Who's the king of the sea? Neptune, never Poseidon.

But when people use the term Hercules in Greek mythology bugs me the most. Doesn't anyone know that Hercules is the Roman form? Does anyone realize that the first super-human hero was Heracles? That makes the plot thicker. Hera hates him even though he was named after her.
Yes, the true Greek name is Heracles. But even in Greek mythology does it betray itself by saying Hercules. It's sad really.