Arachne was a mortal who loved weaving and believed she was better at it than the goddess Athena. When Athena heard of Arachne's boasting, she challenged Arachne to a weaving contest disguised as an elderly woman. Arachne accepted. They wove intricate tapestries depicting the gods from their perspectives. Athena became jealous of Arachne's beautiful work and destroyed it. She then struck Arachne four times, turning her into a spider as punishment for her pride.