Although her work was perfect and masterly, the Goddess was so vexed at the
subjects Arachne had chosen, that she struck her two or three times on the
forehead.
"The bright goddess, passionately moved,
With envy saw, yet inwardly approved,
The scene of heavenly guilt, with haste she tore,
Nor longer the affront with patience bore;
A boxen shuttle in her hand she took,
And more than once, Arachne's forehead struck."
The high spirited mortal, indignant at the blows, and in despair at her
defeat, hung herself, and was changed into a spider by Minerva.
--------"She sprinkled her with juice,
Which leaves of baleful aconite produce.
Touched with the poisonous drug, her flowing hair
Fell to the ground, and left her temples bare.
{90}
Her usual features vanished from their place,
Her body lessened--but the most, her face,
Her slender fingers, hanging on each side,
With many joints the use of legs supplied,
A spider's bag, the rest, from which she gives
A thread, and still, by constant spinning lives."