Arachne.
    Ovid tells of the Lydian woman Arachne, a daughter of Idmon of Colophon, whose skill in weaving was legendary. She was so boastful of her ability that she challenged her own teacher, Athena (Minerva), goddess of household and womanly skills, to a weaving contest. The goddess, in disguise, warned her of her folly, but Arachne persisted. Both of them wove beautiful tapestries that portrayed themes from mythology: Athena, her contest with Poseidon for the possession of Athens; Arachne boldly narrated in her tapestry the romantic conquests of Zeus, Poseidon, Apollo, and other gods. Furious at Arachne’s work, Athena beat the girl with her weaving shuttle and Arachne, in shame, hanged herself. Athena took pity and spared her life, but transformed her into a spider, who would weave forever.
    Ovid's account is alone among classical texts to convey Arachne's myth into Western literature. Artistic representations in postclassical art, often allegories of the punishment of presumption and pride, depict the weaving competition as well as the transformation of Arachne from mortal to spider.


    Ovid's account has Arachne and Minerva contend in two tapestries treating obscure myths — Minerva warns Arachne by reference to four obscure myths of mortals who challenged gods and suffered divine retribution: Rhodope and Haemus, Oenoe, Antigone of Troy, and Cinyras. Arachne's tapestry features better known stories of divine assaults upon mortal women and upon one man: Europa (Zeus), Asterie (Zeus), Leda, Antiope (Zeus), Alcmene (Zeus), Danaë (Zeus), Aegina (Zeus), Mnemosyne (Zeus), Prosperina (Zeus), Canace (Poseidon), Tyro or Iphimedeia Poseidon), Theophane (Poseidon), Demeter (Poseidon), Medusa (Poseidon), Melantho (Poseidon), Admetus, Issa, Erigone, Philyra.