The myth of Arachne - Iseult Gillespie

Prevodilac: Milenka Okuka Lektor: Mile Živković

From sailors who were turned into pigs,

Od moreplovaca koji se pretvaraju u svinje,

nymphs that sprouted into trees,

nimfi koje izrastaju u drveće,

and a gaze that converted the beholder to stone,

i pogleda koji je mogao posmatrača da pretvori u kamen,

Greek mythology brims with shape-shifters.

grčka mitologija vrca preobražajima.

The powerful gods usually changed their own forms at will,

Moćni bogovi su obično svojevoljno menjali obličje,

but for mortals, the mutations were often unwanted.

ali za smrtnike, mutacije su često bile neželjene.

One such unnerving transformation befell the spinner Arachne.

Jedan takav parališući preobražaj je zadesio prelju Arahnu.

Arachne was the daughter of a tradesman

Arahna je bila kćerka trgovca

who spent his days dying cloth the deepest shades of purple.

koji je provodio dane bojeći platno u najtamniju nijansu ljubičaste boje.

She had a flair for spinning the finest threads,

Imala je dara da isprede najfinije niti,

weaving them into flowing fabric,

tkavši ih u glatko platno

and creating magnificent tapestries.

i stvarajući veličanstvene tapiserije.

People flocked to watch her hands flying across her loom,

Ljudi bi se sjatili kako bi posmatrali njene ruke kako lete po razboju,

as if thread sprung directly from her fingertips.

kao da su niti iznicale direktno iz njenih vrhova prstiju.

But as praise for her work grew, so did her pride.

No kako je njenim delima rasla slava, tako je rastao i njen ponos.

Arachne could often be heard boasting about her skills,

Često bi čuli Arahnu kako se hvališe svojim veštinama,

declaring that her talent surpassed anyone else’s—mortal or divine.

obznanjujući da njen talenat prevazilazi svačiji drugi - smrtnika i božanstava.

She refused to see weaving as a gift from the gods.

Odbila je da gleda na tkanje kao na dar bogova.

Rather, she flaunted it as her own personal genius.

Naprotiv, paradirala je njime kao svojom ličnom genijalnošću.

Unfortunately, the goddess of wisdom and crafts, Athena,

Nažalost, boginja mudrosti i zanata, Atina,

overheard Arachne making these claims.

čula je Arahnu kako iznosi ove tvrdnje.

Planning to teach the ungrateful girl a lesson,

S namerom da nauči nezahvalnu devojku lekciju,

Athena disguised herself as an old woman and stole amongst the mortals.

Atina se prerušila u staricu i ušunjala se među smrtnike.

She berated Arachne in public—

Javno je pokudila Arahnu -

how dare the weaver claim herself greater than the gods?

kako se tkalja usuđuje da za sebe tvrdi da je veća od bogova?

But Arachne only laughed, barely looking up from her loom.

No, Arahna se samo nasmejala, jedva podižući pogled s razboja.

Provoked, the old woman threw off her cloak to reveal her true form.

Isprovocirana, starica je sknula plašt kako bi otkrila svoj stvarni oblik.

If Arachne insisted on defaming the gods,

Ukoliko Arahna insistira na klevetanju bogova,

Athena would challenge her to a contest directly.

Atina će direktno da je izazove na megdan.

Masking her shock at the appearance of the grey-eyed goddess,

Prikrivajući svoju zapanjenost pojavom sivooke boginje,

Arachne accepted the challenge.

Arahna je prihvatila izazov.

Athena drew up her own glittering loom as a great crowd gathered to watch.

Atina je dovukla svoj blešteći razboj dok se velika gomila okupila da gleda.

The weavers began, eyes fixed and shuttles blurring.

Tkalje su otpočele, očiju prikovanih i munjevitih pokreta.

Athena conjured wisps of cloud from above

Atina je prizvala pramen oblaka iznad sebe

and slender threads of grass from below in a spectacle of strength.

i tanane vlati trave ispod u demonstraciji sile.

She wove tremendous scenes that showed the power of the gods:

Tkala je veličanstvene prizore koji su prikazivali moć bogova:

Poseidon riding the waves,

Posejdona kako jaše talase,

Zeus firing thunderbolts,

Zevsa dok baca munje

and Apollo hurtling across the sky.

i Apolona dok juri nebom.

In Athena’s splendid tapestry, the glory of the gods dwarfed mortal life.

U Atininoj divnoj tapiseriji, slava bogova je unizivala život smrtnika.

But Arachne had no interest in boosting godly egos.

No Arahnu nije interesovalo da veliča božanski ego.

Her tapestry showed the gods abusing their power:

Njena tapiserija je prikazivala bogove kako zloupotrebljavaju svoju moć:

squabbling amongst themselves,

kako se međusobno prepiru,

drinking and bragging,

opijaju i hvališu

and meddling in the lives of mortals.

i mešaju u živote smrtnika.

She represented Zeus as a philanderer, transfiguring himself to ensnare women:

Predstavila je Zevsa kao ženskaroša koji se preobražava da bi hvatao žene:

a swan for Leda,

u labuda za Ledu,

a bull for Europa,

u bika za Evropu,

a shower of gold for Danae.

u tuš od zlata za Danaju.

Arachne then turned to the misdemeanors of other gods,

Arahna se tada okrenula prestupima ostalih bogova,

from Pluto’s abduction of Persephone

od Plutonove otmice Persefone

to Bacchus’s wild pursuit of Erigone.

do Bahusove divlje potrage za Erigonom.

Even though she cast the gods in the most unflattering light,

Iako je prikazala bogove u najnelaskavijem svetlu,

Arachne’s work shone with her dazzling skill.

Arahnino delo je isijavalo njenon zapanjujućom veštinom.

Her tapestry was almost alive,

Njena tapiserija kao da je bila živa,

filled with movement and lustrous colors

ispunjena pokretom i bleštavim bojama

that winked triumphantly.

koje su trijumfalno treperile.

When Athena saw Arachne's undeniably better and flagrantly subversive work,

Kada je Atina ugledala Arahnino bez sumnje bolje i nepodnošljivo subverzivno delo,

she flew into a rage and turned on the human weaver.

ispunio je bes i obrušila se na ljudsku tkalju.

Arachne’s glee dimmed as she felt her body shrinking and contorting.

Arahnina razdraganost je utihnula dok je osećala kako joj se telo skuplja i krivi.

Her fingers waved wildly as her arms stuck to her sides,

Prsti su joj divlje mahali dok su joj se ruke lepile za bokove,

and black hair sprouted all over her body.

a crne dlake su joj izrastale po telu.

The goddess left Arachne with a single spool of thread unfurling from her belly,

Boginja Atina je ostavila Arahni jednu nit da joj se odmotava iz stomaka,

a slim reminder of her human talent.

bledi podsetnik njenog ljudskog talenta.

For challenging the assumption that the gods were untouchable,

Zbog dovođenja u pitanje nedodirljivosti bogova,

Athena had shrunk her adversary into the first spider.

Atina je pretvorila svog neprijatelja u prvog pauka.

To this day, Arachne and her children spin out her penance—

I dan-danas Arahna i njena deca ispredaju svoju pokoru -

or is it undaunted persistence?—

ili se radi o neustrašivoj istrajnosti? -

in the shadows of giants.

u senkama divova.