Medusa is known as a winged Gorgon quái nhân with snakes for hair who could turn anyone to stone just by looking into the person’s eyes, but Medusa wasn’t always this despicable monster that she became known as. Believe it or not, Medusa was a beautiful mortal before she was transformed into a monster.
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Medusa Turns Into a Monster
While Medusa was a beautiful mortal woman, she served beside Athena, goddess of wisdom and knowledge. Athena was one of only three virgin goddesses, so Medusa vowed lớn remain a virgin while she served her.
While serving Athena, mortals & gods would both take notice of Medusa’s beauty. Medusa did not take part in any of the attention she received until Poseidon, the god of the seas, took notice of her.
Poseidon was enamored by Medusa’s beauty, và Medusa returned the same feelings. Medusa và Poseidon engaged in a love affair & would have two children together, but not before Athena discovered the illicit affair.
When Athena discovered the affair, she was enraged và immediately cursed Medusa by taking away her beauty. She turned her long hair into venomous snakes và made her beautiful face so hideous that those who looked into her eyes would immediately be turned to lớn stone. Medusa’s life was forever changed.
Medusa is Beheaded
Being the mystical creature she was, Medusa’s head was sought after by King Polydectes. King Polydectes ordered Perseus, a Greek hero, khổng lồ bring him the head of Medusa.
There are two versions of why King Polydectes requires Perseus lớn bring him the head of Medusa.
One version of this myth says that King Polydectes required gifts lớn be brought to him in honor of the king marrying Danae, Perseus’s mother, and Perseus did not have a gift; therefore, he was ordered by King Polydectes to lớn bring him the specific gift of Medusa’s head.
Another version of this myth says that King Polydectes sent Perseus on this quest for Medusa’s head to keep him from overpowering him on the throne.
Regardless of the reason, Perseus accepted the request and set out lớn fetch the head of Medusa.
Perseus Beheads Medusa
Perseus sets out on his quest lớn find Medusa và behead her. He is given gifts from the gods khổng lồ help defeat her, including a shield made by the goddess of knowledge và wisdom, Athena. Without this shield, Perseus would not have been able khổng lồ behead Medusa.
The shield was polished & reflective, so Perseus used it as a mirror to lớn sneak up behind Medusa without looking her in the eyes. As he closed in on Medusa, he beheaded her & placed her head in his satchel to take back lớn King Polydectes.
Medusa Gives Birth lớn Two Children
During their love affair, Medusa and Poseidon would have two children together. The children were sons who would be born when Perseus beheaded Medusa. As Perseus beheaded Medusa, her two children sprang from her neck. The sons were Pegasus and Chrysaor.
Pegasus was an immortal winged horse who could fly & create streams of water just by striking his hoof. Pegasus would have future ties with Greek anh hùng Bellerophon. Athena gifted Pegasus lớn Bellerophon for his devotion to lớn her.
Chrysaor was a young man whose name means “he who bears a golden sword.” Chrysaor does not have a large role in Greek mythology as his brother Pegasus.
Medusa Turns King Polydectes to lớn Stone
In an ironic turn of events, Perseus uses Medusa against King Polydectes by turning him khổng lồ stone after he returns. Perseus pulls Medusa’s head from his satchel and holds it up, causing King Polydectes to look into the eyes of Medusa and consequently be turned to stone.
Keep reading to lớn find out the reason for the curse and its consequences!
Why Was Medusa Cursed?
Medusa was cursed as a punishment for bringing dishonor to the goddess Athena and her temple. Athena intentionally turned Medusa into a monster và changed her for Medusa protection. The curse was Medusa’s snake hair & her ability lớn turn any living man into stone lớn protect her from harm.
How Medusa Got Curse
According to lớn ancient Greek literature, Medusa was born with a monstrous appearance, but if the Roman version is lớn be considered, she was once a beautiful young woman. In fact, her beauty was the reason why Medusa cursed.
In other written accounts, she was described as a very beautiful woman who captured hearts everywhere she went. Her beauty was admired not only by men but even by the god of the sea, Poseidon.
The story of Medusa & Poseidon reveals the root cause of the change in Medusa’s appearance. Ever since Poseidon saw Medusa’s beauty, he fell in love with her and pursued her. However, Medusa was a devoted priestess lớn Athena và continued to lớn reject the sea god. Given that Poseidon & Athena already had a personal feud, the fact that Medusa was serving Athena only added lớn the bitterness that Poseidon felt.
Tired of being rejected, Poseidon decided lớn take Medusa by force. Medusa desperately ran khổng lồ the temple to seek protection, but Poseidon easily caught up with her, & right there, inside the sacred place where Athena was being worshipped, her most devoted priestess was raped.
Athena was enraged, but since she could not confront Poseidon as he was a more powerful god than her, she blamed Medusa for seducing Poseidon and bringing dishonor to her & her temple. As Athena heard this, she cursed Medusa and turned her into the gorgon Medusa we know—with a head full of snakes as her hair, a green-colored complexion, and a gaze that can turn a man into a stone.
The Consequences of the Curse và Medusa
After Athena cursed her, she changed from what she was turning into a monstrous creature.
Before the curse that Athena placed on her, Medusa was exceptionally beautiful. She was one of the loyal priestesses of the temple of Athena. She even used to be considered the odd thành viên of her family due to lớn her looks, và gracefulness. Coming from a family of sea monsters và nymphs, Medusa was the only one with striking beauty.
She had magnificent hair that was said khổng lồ be more beautiful than Athena’s. Even though she was being admired và pursued by many admirers, she stayed pure và chaste.
Medusa was turned into a monstrous creature. Unfortunately, when Medusa was cursed by Athena, the goddess of wisdom, she was transformed from being the most beautiful in her family to lớn having the worst appearance and looking hideous, especially when compared to her two Gorgon sisters, in addition to lớn her previous self who was beautiful & chaste.
Her hair was changed khổng lồ heads of poisonous snakes, that would have killed anyone who got close to her. She had the strength to lớn match its endurance. It was armed with tentacles as well as a gaping maw loaded with numerous pointed fangs. The creatures on her hair had numerous tentacles that allowed her to lớn swim with incredible speed.
After she was cursed, Medusa, together with her sisters, lived on a remote island away from humankind, because she was constantly chased by warriors as she became a prized target. Nevertheless, none of the warriors who tried khổng lồ kill her succeeded, all of them were eventually turned into stone.
The tentacles were powerful enough to easily destroy cities and pull entire ships under the water. However, some people think that the writhing snakes on her head were protection from men.
FAQ
Who Killed Medusa?
Perseus was a young man who succeeded in killing Medusa. He was the son of Zeus, king of the gods, and a mortal woman named Danae. Because of this, when he was tasked to bring the head of the only mortal Gorgon, many of the gods helped him by giving him gifts and weapons he could use khổng lồ kill Medusa.
In order lớn find Medusa’s location và obtain the tools necessary khổng lồ kill her, Perseus was advised by Athena to travel to the Graeae. In addition lớn the winged sandals lent to lớn him, Perseus received the invisibility cap, the adamantine sword, the reflective bronze shield, and a bag.
When Perseus finally reached Medusa, he discovered her sleeping. He silently crept up lớn Medusa khổng lồ cut off her head using the reflection on his bronze shield. Perseus immediately put the head inside the bag. He became famous in Greek mythology as Medusa’s slayer.
From the blood on her neck, Medusa’s children with Poseidon were born—Pegasus & Chrysaor. Even after her death, Medusa’s head was still powerful, & her killer utilized it as his weapon before giving it lớn Athena, his benefactor. Athena placed it on her shield. This served as a visual representation of Athena’s ability to lớn defeat her foes by killing & destroying them.
How Did Medusa Die?
She was killed by decapitation. Even though Medusa had all the protection she needed from the writhing snakes on her head, which served as her protection for any man who was able khổng lồ come close lớn her—that is, if that man has not yet been turned to lớn stone by her gaze—she was still a mortal & still possessed vulnerability.
Medusa was killed by a man who owned special weapons & tools from the gods. He used them khổng lồ come close khổng lồ a sleeping Medusa & swiftly cut off her head. Even Medusa’s two sisters, who were suddenly awoken from their sleep, could not take revenge on their sister’s killer as they could not see him.
Is Medusa a God?
For the Greeks, Medusa was not directly mentioned as a god or a goddess. Even though she was the daughter of two primordial gods of the sea, và even if she later possessed a powerful gaze that can turn any man into stone, she was still a mortal. In fact, she was known to be the only mortal in the group of three Gorgon sisters. Being mortal is considered Medusa weakness.
The closest that Medusa ever came lớn being a god is her being a mother to lớn the children of Poseidon. Upon her death, she birthed two unique creatures, a white-winged horse named Pegasus & the other, Chrysaor, the owner of the golden sword or what he called “Enchanted Gold.” However, some worshipped her and even composed a prayer khổng lồ Medusa, especially those who considered her a symbol of feminine rage.
Conclusion
Medusa was known as the snake-haired Gorgon who had the capability to lớn turn any man into stone. However, there are various versions of her narrative that explain why she looks the way she does. Let us summarize what we have learned from this article:
There were no references to determine whether there were any women turned into stone; therefore, whatever the reason for her transformation, Medusa is unquestionably one of the figures in Greek mythology who symbolize feminism.
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Because of this, pagan believers continue khổng lồ adore her today.