Provoked to the breaking point, Athena dropped her disguise and the contest began. Arachne scoffed at her and persisted that she owed Athena no thanks and that she actually wished for a weaving contest between her and the goddess so she could prove her skill to others and the gods. Athena then warned Arachne not to offend the gods and to humble herself and ask for forgiveness for dishonoring them in her arrogance. Assuming the form of a feeble old woman, she joined the crowd that admired Arachne's weaving and acknowledged to herself that the girl was indeed talented. Though she was offended after hearing this, Athena still decided to give Arachne a chance to prove her worth. However, all the praise Arachne received went to her head and she eventually became extremely arrogant and conceited, claiming that she owed no thanks to Athena (the very goddess who had invented weaving) for her talent and that the goddess could actually learn from her if she were to engage in a weaving contest with her.

Soon, even the nymphs left their woods and their streams to join the common folk in admiring her weaving. She could weave exquisitely with effortless ease and had a particular proficiency in making tapestries, which could only be afforded by the wealthiest personages in those times. Though her parents died when she was young and left her with neither family, nor friends, nor fortune, Arachne still became the most famous girl in the kingdom because of her weaving skills. In the times of Ancient Greece, Arachne lived in a kingdom called Lydia (now called Turkey in the modern era) and was the daughter of lower-class wool-dyers. Her father Idmon was a son of Asteria, the Titaness of falling stars.

1.3 Transformation into the first spider.

The mark of athena chapter 3 official