延安大学：《古希腊罗马神话赏析 Greco-Roman Mythology Appreciation》课程教学资源（讲义）4. Athena.pdf_大学文库

4. Athena Summary 雅典娜是一位女天神,乌云和雷电的主宰者,丰产女神,和平劳动的庇护者英雄的养母,女战神。她教会人们驯养牛马、制造车船;她赐予世人犁和耙、纺锤和织布机,因此被认为是妇女劳动,尤其是织布技术的保护者。她有一个别名叫厄耳伽涅,意思是女工。她又是科学的庇护者、智慧女神;她赐予人间法律, 维护社会秩序希腊神话讲究神人同性( anthropomorphism)。作为最聪明的女神,是智慧与力量的完美结合。但作为古希腊老百姓想象力的产物,雅典娜也脱不了“俗” 于是就有了与波塞冬一决雌雄,与凡间女子一比织艺高下的故事。 Selected Reading Athena(Minerva), the goddess of wisdom, was the daughter of Jupiter (Zeus). She was said to have leaped forth from his brain, mature, and in complete armor. She presided over the useful and ornamental arts, both those of men---such as agriculture and navigation---and those of women---spinning, weaving, and needlework. She was also a warlike divinity; but it was defensive war only that she patronized, and she had no sympathy withAres's(mars) savage love of violence and bloodshed. Athens was her chosen seat, her own city, awarded to her as the prize of a contest with Poseidon(Neptune), who also aspired to it The tale ran that in the reign of Cecrops, the first king of Athens, the two deities contended for the possession of the city. The gods decreed that it should be awarded to that one who produced the gift most useful to the he Minerva produced the olive. The was the more useful of the two6 nd awarded the city to the godde and it was named after her. Athens Athena, though as modest as Artemis, is far more generous. When Teiresias,, one day, accidentally surprised her in a bath, she laid her hands over his eyes and blinded him, but gave him inward sight by way of compensation. She is not recorded to have shown petulant jealousy on more than a single occasion. The following is such a story There was a famous contest between Athena and a mortal girl who dared to come in competition with her. That mortal was Arachne. a maiden who had attained such skill in the arts of weaving and embroidery that the nymphs themselves would leay

15 4. Athena Summary 雅典娜是一位女天神，乌云和雷电的主宰者，丰产女神，和平劳动的庇护者，英雄的养母，女战神。她教会人们驯养牛马、制造车船；她赐予世人犁和耙、纺锤和织布机，因此被认为是妇女劳动，尤其是织布技术的保护者。她有一个别名叫厄耳伽涅，意思是女工。她又是科学的庇护者、智慧女神；她赐予人间法律，维护社会秩序。希腊神话讲究神人同性(anthropomorphism)。作为最聪明的女神，是智慧与力量的完美结合。但作为古希腊老百姓想象力的产物，雅典娜也脱不了“俗”，于是就有了与波塞冬一决雌雄，与凡间女子一比织艺高下的故事。 Selected Reading Athena (Minerva), the goddess of wisdom, was the daughter of Jupiter (Zeus). She was said to have leaped forth from his brain, mature, and in complete armor. She presided over the useful and ornamental1 arts, both those of men---such as agriculture and navigation---and those of women---spinning, weaving, and needlework. She was also a warlike divinity; but it was defensive war only that she patronized2 , and she had no sympathy with3 Ares’s (Mars) savage love of violence and bloodshed. Athens was her chosen seat, her own city, awarded to her as the prize of a contest with Poseidon (Neptune), who also aspired to it. The tale ran that in the reign of Cecrops, the first king of Athens, the two deities contended4 for the possession of the city. The gods decreed5 that it should be awarded to that one who produced the gift most useful to mortals. Neptune gave the horse; Minerva produced the olive. The gods gave judgment that the olive was the more useful of the two6 , and awarded the city to the goddess; and it was named after her, Athens. Athena, though as modest as Artemis, is far more generous. When Teiresias7 , one day, accidentally surprised her in a bath, she laid her hands over his eyes and blinded him, but gave him inward sight by way of compensation. She is not recorded to have shown petulant8 jealousy on more than a single occasion. The following is such a story. There was a famous contest between Athena and a mortal girl who dared to come in competition with her. 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. It was not only beautiful when it was done, but beautiful also in the doing. To watch her, as she took the wool in its rude state and formed it into rolls, or separated it with her fingers and cardedit till it looked as light and soft as a cloud, or twirled the spindle with skillful touch, or wove the web. or. after it was woven adorned it with her needle. 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. 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 dame with anger in her countenance. " keep your counsel, said she, for your daughters or handmaids; 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 dare ventu Ire. She comes, said Minerva, and dropping her disguise stood confessed The nymphs bent low in homage 4, and all the bystanders paid reverence.Arachne alone was unterrified. She blushed, indeed; a sudden color dyed her check, and then she grew pale. But 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. Then the slender shuttle is passed in and out among the threads. The reed with its fine teeth strikes the woof into its place and compacts the web. Both work with speed; their skillful hands move rapidly, and the excitement of the contest makes the labor light. wool of Tyrian dye is contrasted with that of other color shaded off into one another so adroitly that the joining deceives the eye Miverva 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 rule of the sea, holds his trident, and appears to have just smitten the earth, from which 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

16 their groves and fountains to come and gaze upon her work. It was not only beautiful when it was done, but beautiful also in the doing. To watch her, as she took the wool in its rude state and formed it into rolls, or separated it with her fingers and carded9 it till it looked as light and soft as a cloud, or twirled10 the spindle with skillful touch, or wove11 the web, or, after it was woven, adorned it with her needle, 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 despise12 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 dame with anger in her countenance. “keep your counsel,” said she, “for your daughters or handmaids; 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 dare venture.” “She comes,” said Minerva, and dropping her disguise stood confessed13. The nymphs bent low in homage14, and all the bystanders paid reverence. Arachne alone was unterrified. She blushed, indeed; a sudden color dyed her check, and then she grew pale. But she stood to her resolve, and with a foolish conceit15 of her own skill rushed on her fate. Minerva forbore16 no longer nor interposed17 any further advice. They proceed to the contest. Each takes her station and attaches the web to the beam. Then the slender shuttle is passed in and out among the threads. The reed with its fine teeth strikes the woof into its place and compacts the web. Both work with speed; their skillful hands move rapidly, and the excitement of the contest makes the labor light. Wool of Tyrian18 dye is contrasted with that of other color, shaded off19 into one another so adroitly20 that the joining deceives the eye. Miverva wrought21 on her web the scene of her contest with Neptune. Twelve of the heavenly powers are represented, Jupiter, with august gravity22, sitting in the midst. Neptune, the ruler of the sea, holds his trident, and appears to have just smitten23 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 presumptuous24 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 designed chosen to exhibit the failing and errors of the gods. One scene represented Leda caressing the swan, under which form Jupiter had disguised himself, 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. Encouraged by the tameness of the animal Europa ventured to mount his back whereupon Jupiter advanced into the sea and swam with her to Crete. You would have thought it was a real bull, so naturally was it wrought, and so natural the water in which it swam. She seemed to look with longing eyes back upon the shore she was leaving, and to call to her companions for help She appeared to shudder with terror at the sight of the heaving waves, and to draw back her feet, from the water Arachne filled her canvas with similar subjects, wonderfully well done, but strongly marking her presumption and impiety. Athena could not forbear to admire yet felt indignant at the insult. She struck the web with her shuttle and rent" 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 she saw her suspended by a rope. " Live, she said, guilty woman! And that you may preserve the memory of this lesson, continues 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 leaved 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 Athena touched transformed her into a spider. NOTES 1装饰的、点缀的 serving an esthetic purpose 2庇护 protect 3.不赞成 4竞争 have an argument about something 5裁定 decide with authority 6马代表战争,橄榄代表和平 7.泰瑞西亚斯,希腊神话中著名的盲眼先知,他本身既当过男人也当过女人(看到两条蛇在交配,他用棍子打公蛇,就被变成了女人,7年后又用此方法变回男人),一次赫拉和宙斯问他,性交时男人更享受还是女人更享受,他回答说“如果把这份快乐算作10分,那么男人只享受到其中的1分,而女人享受到另外的9分”,于是赫拉把他变瞎,宙斯作为弥补给了

17 to give up the contest before it was too late. Arachne filled her web with subjects designed chosen to exhibit the failing and errors of the gods. One scene represented Leda caressing25 the swan, under which form Jupiter had disguised himself; 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. Encouraged by the tameness of the animal Europa ventured to mount his back, whereupon Jupiter advanced into the sea and swam with her to Crete. You would have thought it was a real bull, so naturally was it wrought, and so natural the water in which it swam. She seemed to look with longing eyes back upon the shore she was leaving, and to call to her companions for help. She appeared to shudder with terror at the sight of the heaving26 waves, and to draw back her feet, from the water. Arachne filled her canvas with similar subjects, wonderfully well done, but strongly marking her presumption and impiety27. Athena could not forbear to admire, yet felt indignant at the insult. She struck the web with her shuttle and rent28 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! And that you may preserve the memory of this lesson, continues to hang, both you and your descendants, to all future times.” She sprinkled her with the juices of aconite29, and immediately her hair came off, and her nose and ears likewise. Her form shrank up, and her head grew smaller yet; her fingers cleaved30 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 attitude31 as when Athena touched her and transformed her into a spider. NOTES 1.装饰的、点缀的 serving an esthetic purpose 2.庇护 protect 3.不赞成 4.竞争 have an argument about something 5.裁定 decide with authority 6.马代表战争，橄榄代表和平 7.泰瑞西亚斯，希腊神话中著名的盲眼先知，他本身既当过男人也当过女人（看到两条蛇在交配，他用棍子打公蛇，就被变成了女人，7 年后又用此方法变回男人），一次赫拉和宙斯问他，性交时男人更享受还是女人更享受，他回答说“如果把这份快乐算作 10 分,那么男人只享受到其中的 1 分, 而女人享受到另外的 9 分”，于是赫拉把他变瞎，宙斯作为弥补给了