Arachne

Minerva (Pallas Athena) and Arachne,  René-Antoine Houasse, 1706

In Greek mythology (and later Roman mythology), Arachne (/əˈrækniː/; from Greek: ἀράχνη "spider", cognate with Latin araneus) was a talented mortal weaver who challenged Athena, goddess of wisdom and crafts, to a weaving contest; this hubris** resulted in her being transformed into a spider. There are many versions of the story's weaving contest, with each saying that one or the other won.

Athena (Minerva) was the virgin goddess of music, poetry, medicine, wisdom, commerce, weaving, and the crafts. She is often depicted with her sacred creature, an owl usually named as the "owl of Minerva", which symbolised her association with wisdom and knowledge as well as, less frequently, the snake and the olive tree.

Confederate 100 Dollar Bill
displays a image of Athena (Minerva)
and her sacred creature, an owl.

Athena traps Arachne by disguising herself as an old lady with grey hair. Athena as the old lady asks Arachne to "yield the goddess place". Arachne refuses. Athena sprinkles her with dust of Hecate (Medea is Hecate in other places) and 

"Touched by the bitter lotion, all her hair 

Falls off and with it go her nose and ears. 

Her head shrinks tiny; her whole body small;

Instead of legs slim fingers line her sides, 

The rest is belly; yet from that she sends 

A fine-spun thread and, as a spider, still 

Weaving her web, pursues her former skill."


**In ancient Greek, hubris referred to actions that shamed and humiliated the victim for the pleasure or gratification of the abuser. The term had a strong sexual connotation, and the shame reflected upon the perpetrator as well. Violations of the law against hubris included what might today be termed assault and battery; sexual crimes; or the theft of public or sacred property.