Perseus, on his journey home, stopped at Ethiopia where the kingdom of King Cepheus and Queen Cassiopeia was being tormented by Poseidon's sea monster, Cetus. We have also been recommended for educational use by the following publications: Ancient History Encyclopedia Foundation is a non-profit organization registered in Canada. Custom Medusa Greek mythology monster gorgons snake monster art Perfect for coffee, tea and hot chocolate, this classic shape white, durable ceramic mug in the most popular sizes - 11 oz. How Did Uranus get its Name as Per Greek Mythology? After Perseus was finished with the Gorgon's head, he gave it to Athena, who adorned her shield and breastplate with it. Athena would subsequently put the head of Medusa onto her own shield, her Aegis, making her shield an attacking weapon, as well as a defensive one. https://www.ancient.eu/Medusa/. This statue of Athena depicts a Gorgon's face on the goddess' breastplate. Garcia, Brittany. Perseus was the son of Danae and Zeus, who came to Danae in the form of a golden spring.It was foretold to Danae's father, Acrisius the King of Argos, that Danae's son would kill him.So Acrisius locked his daughter away in a bronze chamber, but Zeus transformed into a … Perseus managed to get Medusa’s location from Graeae. The Curse of Medusa in Greek Mythology Posted on November 26, 2019 by Madeleine Medusa is known as a winged Gorgon monster with snakes for hair who could turn anyone to stone just by looking into the person’s eyes, but Medusa wasn’t always this … Polydectes seized his opportunity to disgrace and even get rid of Perseus and asked for the head of the only mortal Gorgon: Medusa. Later authors such as Herodotus and Pausanias place the Gorgons' abode in Libya. The most famous of these myths concern her death and demise. It was foretold to Danae's father, Acrisius the King of Argos, that Danae's son would kill him. Written by GreekBoston.com in Greek Mythology Comments Off on How Medusa in Greek Mythology Turned Into a Monster. Sthenno from the ancient Greek "Σθεννω", is translated as "strength, might, or force," since it is related to the Greek word: σθένος. Please support Ancient History Encyclopedia Foundation. The Ancient History Encyclopedia logo is a registered EU trademark. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms. Her father, Phorcys, was known to be a primordial sea god who had a fish tail, crab-like forearms, and red, spiky skin. The Minotaur in Greek Mythology; The Head of Medusa. Perseus certainly made use of the head of Medusa upon Seriphos, for when he returned home, Perseus found that. Another myth holds that this is probably the reason why Libya has lots of snakes. Perseus & Medusa. What are the Most Famous Greek Mythology Paintings? Medusa's name is extremely fitting as it is synonymous with what a Gorgon's head became representative of on Athena's shield. Last modified August 20, 2013. 17 Nov 2020. In Hesiod's Theogony, he recounts how Perseus cut off the head of Medusa and from her blood sprang Chrysaor and Pegasus, Chrysaor being a golden giant and Pegasus the famous white winged-horse. The Story of Medusa ~ Greek Mythology. Medusa was a monster, a Gorgon, generally described as a winged human female with a hideous face and living venomous snakes in place of hair in Greek Mythology. The myth of Perseus and Medusa, according to Pindar and Apollodorus, started with a quest. It was Dictys who raised Perseus to manhood, but it was Dictys' brother Polydectes, the king, who would send him on a life-threatening quest. Perseus then put on the Helmet of Invisibility and made a rapid escape as Sthenno and Euryale were awake and now aware of the fate of their sister. Thank you! Medusa was one of three sisters born to Phorcys and Ceto known as the Gorgons. Medusa Mosaicby Mark Cartwright (CC BY-NC-SA). Ancient History Encyclopedia, 20 Aug 2013. This would be an appropriate name since she is the daughter of ancient sea deities, Phorcys and Ceto. Medusa was a formidable foe, since her hideous appearance was able to render any onlooker into stone. He, then, gave the kingdom to Dictys. Perseus, with the aid of divine gifts, found the Gorgons' cave and slayed Medusa by beheading her. Medusa's name comes from the ancient Greek verb "μέδω" which is translated as "to guard or protect." License. Acrisius, not wanting to provoke Zeus, hurled his daughter and grandson in a wooden chest into the sea. Perseus returned home to his mother, safe from King Polydectes' advances, but Perseus was infuriated with Polydectes' trickery. Numerous educational institutions recommend us, including Oxford University and Michigan State University and University of Missouri. The goddess Athena and Zeus were often portrayed with a shield (or aegis) depicting the head of a Gorgon, who is typically believed to be Medusa. Medusa’s family is known for their fierce features and impressive power. Polydectes contrived to trick Perseus; he held a large banquet under the pretense of collecting contributions for the marriage of Hippodamia, who tamed horses. The Gorgon MEdusa In the oldest Greek mythological tales, there were three Gorgons, of which Medusa was but one. Pegasus' adventures with both the hero Perseus and Bellerophon are classic tales from Greek mythology. The Gorgon sisters were Sthenno, Euryale, and Medusa; Medusa was mortal while her sisters were immortal. Brittany is a freelance writer and Classical Latin and Ancient Greek tutor. She is a volunteer Latin translator for the Iris Project with NASA's "Making Mars Speak Latin.". The word Gorgon derives from the ancient Greek word "γοργός" meaning "fierce, terrible and grim." and 15oz. Privacy, Jason Greek: Who is Jason in Greek Mythology. Poseidon would give into his lustful thoughts by raping Medusa in Athena’s temple. It was said that men who gazed upon her eyes would turn to stone instantly. "Medusa." Perseus slew the beast and won Andromeda's hand. So Acrisius locked his daughter away in a bronze chamber, but Zeus transformed into a shower of gold and impregnated her anyway. The Gorgons' names each have a particular meaning that helps to further describe their monstrousness. 3 Most Important Characters in Greek Mythology, 5 Awesome Greek Mythology Fiction Books for Kids, Aphrodite Facts: Awesome Facts about the Goddess of Love and Beauty. Ancient History Encyclopedia. . This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon this content non-commercially, as long as they credit the author and license their new creations under the identical terms. Books The myth of Perseus and Medusa, according to Pindar and Apollodorus, started with a quest. The Gorgon image appears in several pieces of art and architectural structures including the pediments of the Temple of Artemis (c. 580 BCE) in Corcyra (Corfu), the mid-6th century BCE, larger-than-life marble statue (that is now in the archaeological museum of Paros) and the celebrated cup by Douris. Unlike other figures of Greek mythology, most of us know Medusa—even if we can’t recall the details of her myth. By looking into the reflective shield, Perseus was able to approach Medusa, without being harmed by the gaze of the Gorgon, and then one cut with the razor-sharp sword was enough to cleave the head of Medusa from her body. As Perseus headed home, the blood from Medusa’s head dropped on the plains of Libya, causing them to turn into venomous snakes. Before his return to his home of Seriphos, Perseus met the titan Altas, who he turned to stone with Medusa's head after some quarrelsome words, thus creating the Atlas Mountains of North Africa. Poseidon's vengeance was being exacted on the kingdom for Cassiopeia's hubristic claim that her daughter, Andromeda, (or she herself) was equal in beauty to the Nereids. Hunted by many warriors that wished to claim the prize of her head, many tried, and many have failed. Related Content Perseus then picked up the head of Medusa and deposited it into the satchel that he had brought with him. and usually ends at around the 9th Century. with his quest completed, Perseus presented the head of Medusa to Athena, the goddess who had done much to aide Perseus during his adventures. Ancient History Encyclopedia Foundation is a non-profit organization. However, the gift bestowed upon him by Hades, the helmet of darkness, granted him invisibility. Perseus was the son of Danae and Zeus, who came to Danae in the form of a golden spring. Medusa is a character in Hesiod and Homer's myth. The pan-Hellenic mythological hero Jason was famed for his expedition... Until Sir Arthur Evans unearthed the palace of Knossos, the half-man-half... Women in the ancient Greek world had few rights in comparison to... A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology, Gorgon, Re-visioning Medusa: from Monster to Divine Wisdom, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike. When Perseus confessed that he had no gift, he offered any gift the king would name. Despite the death of Medusa, it is said that her head still had magical properties. Perseus avenged himself by turning Polydectes and his court to stone with Medusa's head. In some variations of the myth, Medusa was born a monster like her sisters, described as girded with serpents, vibrating tongues, gnashing their teeth, having wings, brazen claws, and enormous teeth. Garcia, Brittany. Medusa is one of the most well known and talked about beings from ancient Greek mythology that we have ever heard of. Our latest articles delivered to your inbox, once a week: Our mission is to engage people with cultural heritage and to improve history education worldwide. Medusa was in fact the prettiest and most famous among her sisters. High quality sublimation printing makes it an appreciated gift to every true hot beverage lover. Perseus and Medusaby wikipedia user: Amandajm (CC BY-SA). Perseus would choose a time when Euryale and Sthenno were asleep in their caves, before entering the cave of Medusa. The parentage of Medusa is an oft debated topic in mythology even though she is most popularly believed to be the daughter of Ceto and her brother Phorcys, the primordial sea god and goddess among all Greek gods and goddesses, residing in the western ocean. Written by Brittany Garcia, published on 20 August 2013 under the following license: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike. In Greek mythology there is, also, Hesiod's description of Hercules' shield which describes the events of Perseus and Medusa. There are also several archaeological examples of the Gorgon's face being used on breastplates, in mosaics and even as bronze end pieces on ship beams in the Roman period. Her mother, Ceto, was also a primordial sea goddess. Euryale is from the ancient Greek "Ευρυαλη" meaning "broad, wide-stepping, wide threshing;" however her name may also mean "of the wide briny sea." Ancient History Encyclopedia. For only $5 per month you can become a member and support our mission to engage people with cultural heritage and to improve history education worldwide. According to Hesiod's Theogony, the Gorgons were the sisters of the Graiai and lived in the utmost place towards the night by the Hesperides beyond Oceanus. He requested that his guests bring horses for their gifts but Perseus did not have one. Perhaps the most famous example of Medusa in art in antiquity was the Athena Parthenos statue from the Parthenon which was made by Phidias and described by Pausanias. At the beheading of Medusa, Pegasus and Chrysaor (Poseidon's and her children) sprang from her severed neck. Simultaneously with the birth of these children, Medusa's sisters Euryale and Sthenno pursued Perseus. Medusa. Also during the journey home, Medusa's head spilled some blood on the earth which formed into Libyan vipers that killed the Argonaut Mospos. It has been said that her hair was made of venomous snakes and one glance into her eyes can turn anyone to stone. Medusa is one of the Gorgon Sisters in Greek mythology and is always depicted as being a monster. Web. She débuts, with her appearance in around 700 B.C. Polydectes fell in love with Perseus' mother and wished to marry her but Perseus was protective of his mother since he believed Polydectes to be dishonorable. She maintains a personal blog and Facebook page about on news of the Ancient World. Together, they were known to have birthed some of the most fearsome creatures in Greek mythology. Medusa - Arnold Böcklin (1827–1901) - PD-art-100, The Perseus Series: The Death of Medusa - Edward Burne-Jones (1833–1898) - PD-art-100, Perseus Confronting Phineus with the Head of Medusa - Sebastiano Ricci (1659-1734) - PD-art-100, The Head of Medusa - Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640) - PD-art-100. Did a Lion-Headed Monster Exist in Greek Mythology. Andromeda was already betrothed, though, which caused a contestation to break out, resulting in Perseus using Medusa's head to turn her previous betrothed to stone. Some Rights Reserved (2009-2020) under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license unless otherwise noted. The mother and son were rescued by Dictys on the island of Seriphos. Accordingly, Ovid relates that the once beautiful mortal was punished by Athena with a hideous appearance and loathsome snakes for hair for having been raped in Athena's temple by Poseidon. She is killed by the hero Perseus, who cuts off her head. Ancient History Encyclopedia. This act of sacrilege could not go unpunished by Athena, but of course Poseidon could himself not be punished, and so Athena instead punished Medusa by transforming her into a monster. Most authors assert that Perseus was able to behead Medusa with a reflective bronze shield that Athena gave to him while the Gorgon slept. (2013, August 20). The Gorgon became a popular shield design in antiquity along with being an apotropaic (warding off evil) device. Some tell of how Medusa foolishly declared herself as beautiful as Athena, but this was not her only “indiscretion”, for the beauty of Medusa would attract the attention of the sea god Poseidon. Beyond the Gorgon's birth, there is little mention of the Gorgons as a group, but Medusa has several myths about her life and death. Medusa would then leave her home to live with the other Gorgons. Retrieved from https://www.ancient.eu/Medusa/. It is unclear if Perseus took Pegasus with him on his following adventures or if he continued to utilize the winged sandals Hermes gave him. Garcia, B. Ancient History Encyclopedia Limited is a non-profit company registered in the United Kingdom. Cite This Work "Medusa." Perseus now flew (either by Pegasus or winged sandals) with Medusa's head safely bagged, ever potent with its stony gaze. In later myths (mainly in Ovid) Medusa was the only Gorgon to possess snake locks, because they were a punishment from Athena. : Arguably Medusa is the most famous villainess and monster of Greek mythology, for Medusa was the monster with hair of snakes and a stony gaze encountered by the hero Perseus. Medusa was a formidable foe, since her hideous appearance was able to render any onlooker into stone.