The fifteen books comprising the Metamorphoses can be grouped according to several distinct themes. The first five and a half books recount the relationships between gods and mortals, primarily highlighting the theme of divine rape. At the beginning of Book 6 Ovid recounts an interaction between the goddess Athena and the mortal Arachne; highlighting issues of gender and the enormous inequality that exists between mortal and immortal. This story is an important addition to the theme of relationships between gods and mortals. Through a close reading of the text, I argue that Athena represents and supports the patriarchal society in which she resides, while Arachne rebels and, in turn, is punished.