MEDUSA

Medusa

Medusa 

(Greek: Μέδουσα) was in Greek mythology one of the three Gorgons (the others are Stheno and Euryale) and the daughter of Phorkys and Keto.

She is the only Gorgon who can die and therefore died, as Perseus has beheaded her.

Story

Initially, Medusa was beautiful, but when Athena saw Poseidon in her own temple rape Medusa (some other versions speak of sexual intercourse without mentioning any rape), she became so angry that she turned Medusa into an ugly monster: snake hair, long tongue and glowing eyes. A look into her face was enough to turn a man into stone. According to another tradition, all three sisters were of extraordinary beauty and, because of their great pride, were turned into serpentless monsters by the gods.

Perseus

Perseus, the son of Zeus and Danaë, was instructed by Polydektes to bring him the head of Medusa. This was what Polydectes Perseus hoped would die, as he himself imitated Danae and aroused Perseus' displeasure. If Perseus were to die, his path would have been paved.

But Perseus received help: Athena gave him a mirror shield, nymphs gave him a cloak of invisibility and Hermes handed him winged shoes. Athena explained to him hoping that Medusa would die, how he could behead Medusa without looking her in the face. As the three Gorgons closed, Perseus sneaked up to Medusa with his invisibility cloak. He did not look her in the face, but used her reflection, which he saw in his mirror. He beheaded her and fled from Medusa's sisters, who, unlike her, were immortal.

From Medusa's body sprang the winged horse named Pegasos, as Medusa was impregnated by Poseidon when he was in the form of a horse. Even the giant Chrysaor sprang from her body.

With the Medusa head in his luggage, Perseus flew to Ethiopia, where he saved Andromeda from keto. Atlas did not want to act as Perseus wanted him to, so he petrified him with the Head of Medusa and became the Atlas Mountains.

During Andromeda's and Perseus' wedding, Perseus used the Medusa head to freeze some of the attackers to stone.

Athena attached the head of the Medusa to her shield Aegis, which made him more powerful and dangerous. The blood of Medusa gave Athena to the Asklepios and Erichthonios.