Arachne
Arachne are creatures made by Eve, the Mother of All, that are spider-like in nature. They can create strong webs, just like real spiders can do, which makes it easier for them to trap their victims. They can also turn humans into Arachne by biting them, which helps their species to stay active and stops them from them going extinct. They can also poison and kill humans through their bite and it is implied that they feed upon human flesh. Due to their multiple eyes, their field of vision is split into several images. Next to their many eyes, which are white in color with large sky-blue irises and black pupils, they also have crusty skin, though they can appear like normal humans. While they can regrow their limbs, much like actual spiders, it is possible to kill them, by simply decapitating them.
Arachne were last seen on the Greek island of Crete, two thousand years ago. That was before one turned up in season 6 of Supernatural, featuring in the episode “Unforgiven”. It was set in Bristol Rhode Island, where it began attacking men in their thirties. In this episode, while it was hunted down and killed, it had already infected its victims, who were shot and burned, as it was believed to be an act of mercy. However, since the victims were no longer human, they survived and fled. Eventually, most of the new Arachne were killed - but it would appear some survived…
The name “Arachne” comes from Greek mythology, namely through the Roman poet, Ovid, in Metamorphoses, who depicted her as a Lydian maiden who was the daughter of Idmon of Colophon, who was a famous dyer in purple. She was credited with having invented linen cloth and nets, while her son Closter introduced the use of spindles in the manufacture of wool. She was said to have been a native of Hypaepa, near Colophon in Asia Minor. While she began weaving at an early age, she became a great weaver and boasted that her skill was greater than Athena's, refusing to believe that her skill came, at least in part from the goddess. The story goes that Athena took offense to this and disguised herself as an old woman, who approached the girl and warned her that it was unwise to compare herself to any of the gods.
Unafraid, Arachne said that if Athena wanted her to stop, she'd appear in person, which was when Athena removed her disguise and upon doing so, the two of them started weaving straight away. Athena's weaving represented four separate contests between mortals and the gods in which the gods punished mortals for setting themselves as equals of the gods. Arachne's weaving depicted ways that the gods, particularly Zeus, had misled and abused mortals, tricking, and seducing many women. When Athena saw that Arachne had not only insulted the gods but done so with a work far more beautiful than Athena's own, she was enraged. She ripped Arachne's work to shreds and hit her on the head three times with her shuttle. Shaken and embarrassed, Arachne took her life by hanging. Seeing this, Athena took pity for the girl and transformed her into a spider, which would go on to create webs for all time, as would her descendants. Athena did this by sprinkling her with the juice of Hecate's herb.
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