The word Mythology itself is derived from the Greek word “mythos”, meaning story of people, and “logos” which means speech. It was known to show great power and was even thought to imply divine lineage or protection. Athena then turned Medusa into a gorgon. A story says that Hercules acquired a lock of Medusa’s hair from Athena and gave it to the daughter of Cepheus, Sterope, to protect the town of Tegea from being attacked. In Greek mythology, Medusa also called Gorgo, was one of the three monstrous Gorgons, generally described as winged human females with living venomous snakes in place of hair. As years go by, she becomes more and more vicious and vengeful. This symbol was thought to keep evil away from those who invoked its protection by wearing it as a pendant. The classic version of Medusa, however, was something that Freud saw as an Oedipus-type syndrome and the decapitation of the monster was thought to represent castration and fear. Athena then puts the head on her shield – the Aegis. The Minotaur in Greek Mythology; The Head of Medusa. Together, they … Lastly – but perhaps most interestingly – the blood of the famous Gorgon is thought to have been the reason that the corals of the Red Sea were formed. Medusa is a native of the planet Caltos. Although Medusa was a devout priestess to Athena, she was not protected from being violated by Poseidon and is unjustly punished for a situation she had no control over. User with this ability either is or can transform into an gorgon, a terrifying female creature of Greek mythology. [32][33] In this interpretation of Medusa, attempts to avoid looking into her eyes represent avoiding the ostensibly depressing reality that the universe is meaningless. Because her head was placed on Athena’s shield (the Aegis) and her blood was revealed to hold the power of both life and death, Medusa’s head became a symbol of protection. Since Medusa was the only one of the three Gorgons who was mortal, Perseus was able to slay her while looking at the reflection from the mirrored shield he received from Athena. The most influential depiction of Medusa in film is arguably the stop motion animation created by Ray Harryhausen for Clash of the Titans (1981). Medusa becomes pregnant and is both angered and confused. A story of victim blaming, one that she says sounds all too familiar in a current American context. Another myth holds that this is probably the reason why Libya has lots of snakes. The second is that because she lost her virginity to Poseidon (and is now pregnant by him) she is technically his wife according to the laws of the day. Municipal coat of arms of Dohalice village, Hradec Králové District, Czech Republic, Ceremonial French military uniform belt of World War I, Medusa is honored in the following scientific names:[37], Classical Greek depiction of Medusa from the fourth century BC, The triple form is not primitive, it is merely an instance of a general tendency... which makes of each woman goddess a trinity, which has given us the. Because of this, Libya is still full of poisonous vipers to this day. Perseus is able to overcome the monster with the powerful head of Medusa and is able to save Andromeda (who later becomes his wife). Cerberus' job was to make sure the dead stay within the gates and the living stay away from them. Like the lesser Gorgons, Medusa has the power to turn Kratos to stone with her gaze. Medusa is one of the more unusual divine figures of ancient Greece mythology.. One of a trio of Gorgon sisters, Medusa was the only sister who was not immortal. Petrification: The ability to turn living beings into stone. The first is that Medusa is no longer a virgin – though she was deflowered against her will. Energy Slash: The Medusa Beastmate can generate energy slashes from the Krisgon Blade. Athena is enraged that her temple has been desecrated – especially because it had been defiled by her rival, Poseidon. Powers and Abilities. She doesn’t know what to do – she had planned on devoting the rest of her life to Athena. Medusa possesses the same Stonegaze ability as King Basilisk, allowing her to turn people and Titansinto stone. As he flies over Libya, each drop of blood that falls to the ground transforms into a venomous viper. Their anger for being wrongfully punished made them turn against the mortals of the world in spite – they would all go on to kill many men, though Stheno would be the most vengeful of the three. "[22], In issue three, Fall 1986 for the magazine Woman of Power an article called Gorgons: A Face for Contemporary Women's Rage, appeared, written by Emily Erwin Culpepper, who wrote that "The Amazon Gorgon face is female fury personified. an actual historic rupture, a sort of sociological trauma, which has been registered in this myth, much as what Freud terms the latent content of a neurosis is registered in the manifest content of a dream: registered yet hidden, registered in the unconscious yet unknown or misconstrued by the conscious mind. Beastmate Type : Human Originated As well has having snakes for hair, she was given a serpent-like body and rattlesnake-like tail. [30] "You only have to look at the Medusa straight on to see her," writes Cixous. Though Medusa was known to be a desirable young maiden, she decided to pledge herself to Athena – the goddess she considered to be the most powerful of all those who resided on Mount Olympus. Looking at forbidden mother (in her hair-covered genitals, so to speak) stiffens the subject in illicit desire and freezes him in terror of the Father's retribution. In Freud's interpretation: "To decapitate = to castrate. He then sneaks onto the island of Sapharose and beheads Medusa while she sleeps by using Athena’s mirrored shield to guide his movements so that he does not have to look at Medusa directly. [24], Even in contemporary pop culture, Medusa has become largely synonymous with feminine rage. Then Perseus gave the Gorgon's head to Athena, who placed it on her shield, the Aegis.[10]. They argue that any woman who has recognizable power – especially power over men – is immediately criminalized and turned into a monster. They also have the power to turn anyone who gazes upon their faces to stone. He believes that one reason for her longevity may be her role as a protector, fearsome and enraged. Among the many historical figures to become fascinated with Medusa’s story was Sigmund Freud. She remained a priestess to Athena after her death and was risen with fresh hair. In most versions of the story, she was beheaded by the hero Perseus, who was sent to fetch her head by King Polydectes of Seriphus because Polydectes wanted to marry Perseus's mother. "[29] Cixous wants to destroy the phallogocentric system, and to empower women's bodies and language. Those who gazed into her eyes would turn to stone. Particularly powerful gorgons, like The Medusa of ancient Greek legend have been known to petrify victims with a single glance. Her father, Phorcys, was known to be a primordial sea god who had a fish tail, crab-like forearms, and red, spiky skin. "[31], Medusa has sometimes appeared as representing notions of scientific determinism and nihilism, especially in contrast with romantic idealism. From Hades should send up an awful monster's grisly head. He took great interest in the story of Medusa and what it may symbolize in terms of the psychology of young men. Many authors claim that the corals were created when drops of blood spilled onto seaweed in the waters below. It was after the Gorgon sisters were wrongfully punished by Athena that their horrific transformation really began. Another example is the coat of arms of Dohalice village in the Czech Republic. Medusa’s only real “power” was that if you looked directly at her, you would be turned into stone. The head of Medusa is featured on some regional symbols. 1 Power and Abilities 2 Weaknesses 3 Appearances 4 Lore 5 Trivia Paralyzing Poison - Gorgons possess a powerful paralyzing poison, the source of the myth about Medusa and gorgons in general being able to turn people into stone. In Greek mythology, Medusa is eventually killed by Perseus. According to legend, after Perseus beheaded Medusa, he was traveling back to save his mother when he happened upon Atlas – the giant Titan who held up the sky. [26] Beyond that, Medusa's story is, Johnston argues, a rape narrative. Glamouring: The ability to change one's appearance. Arsenal. Freud hypothesized that the myth could symbolize the reaction of a young boy who has, up until a certain point in time, refused to entertain the idea of castration as a real possibility. Despite the death of Medusa, it is said that her head still had magical properties. A false story about her told that she was defeated by the hero Jasonby reflecting her image back at herself. However, she earned Athena's wrath by first boasting that she was more beautiful than the goddess, and by having intercourse with Poseidon in Athena's temple. It is also known that two drops of her blood were placed in a vial. Together, they were known to have birthed some of the most fearsome creatures in Greek mythology. The blood of Medusa also spawned the Amphisbaena (a horned dragon-like creature with a snake-headed tail). Classic Medusa, in contrast, is an Oedipal/libidinous symptom. Make sure you keep on reading to learn 50 facts about the mysterious Gorgon, Medusa. Less powerful ones, such as Hitomi Ishigamimust first "bite" an opponent with one of her snake-like appendages. Gorgons also have the standard superhuman strength and agility common of most Yōkai species. When Perseus beheaded her, Pegasus, a winged horse, and Chrysaor, a giant wielding a golden sword, sprang from her body.[7]. Medusa was once a beautiful women with long golden hair. Their genealogy is shared with other sisters named the Graeae. Medusa is transformed into a terrible beast that has bronze hands and wings. From Hephaestus (the god of blacksmiths and metal workers) he receives a sword. He plots to kill Perseus so that he may marry the young hero’s mother, but Perseus is able to stop the attack by using Medusa’s head to turn Polydectes and his accomplices to stone. Elizabeth Johnston's November 2016 Atlantic essay called Medusa the original 'Nasty Woman.' The Gorgon/Medusa image has been rapidly adopted by large numbers of feminists who recognize her as one face of our own rage. Stheno in Greek mythology was the eldest of the Gorgons, vicious female monsters with brass hands, sharp fangs and "hair" made of living venomous snakes. From Athena he receives a mirrored shield. "Medusa has since haunted Western imagination, materializing whenever male authority feels threatened by female agency," writes Johnston. Upon his birth from the beheading of Medusa, he is said to have ascended to the heavens where he was greeted by Zeus. Noted by Marjorie J. Milne in discussing a, WoRMS Editorial Board (2017). They use the symbolism of being unable to look into Medusa’s eyes as a symbol of how many people navigate the modern world. She's beautiful and she's laughing. Medusa was one of the three Gorgons, daughters of Phorcys and Ceto, sisters of the Graeae, Echidna, and Ladon – all dreadful and fearsome beasts. Author Sibylle Baumbach described Medusa as a “multimodal image of intoxication, petrifaction, and luring attractiveness," citing her seductive contemporary representation, as well as her dimensionality, as the reason for her longevity.[25]. Beth Seelig analyzes Medusa's punishment from the aspect of the crime of having been raped rather than having willingly consented in Athena's temple as an outcome of the goddess' unresolved conflicts with her own father, Zeus. Throughout time, the story of Medusa has gone on to inspire many great thinkers and artists. It was then that Pegasus was instructed to carry the lightning and thunderbolts on behalf of the Olympians. “Near them their sisters three, the Gorgons, winged; 2. Soon after Medusa became a priestess for Athena, she caught the eye of Poseidon. Powers and Abilities Edit. Beastmate Info. It is said that the blood that came from the left side of her head had the power to take life, while the blood from the right side of her head had the power to resurrect the dead. The inclusion of Medusa in the center implies the protection of the goddess Athena, who wore the Gorgon's likeness on her aegis, as said above. "[8] In the Odyssey xi, Homer does not specifically mention the Gorgon Medusa: Lest for my daring Persephone the dread, Herculesclaimed to have fought Medusa as part of his Twelve Labours. (Pythian Ode 12). Archetypal literary criticism continues to find psychoanalysis useful. Only a few heroes ever escaped Cerberus's guard. Medusa is widely known as a monstrous creature with snakes in her hair whose gaze turns men to stone. Medusa’s blood is also credited with creating the Amphisbaena – a fearsome creature that resembled a dragon and had a snake’s head on the end of its tail. That is to say, there occurred in the early thirteenth century B.C. Harrison's translation states "the Gorgon was made out of the terror, not the terror out of the Gorgon."[8]. Jane Ellen Harrison argues that "her potency only begins when her head is severed, and that potency resides in the head; she is in a word a mask with a body later appended... the basis of the Gorgoneion is a cultus object, a ritual mask misunderstood. It is their thought that people keep their eyes down to avoid facing reality (Medusa) so that they are not frozen by the realization that life means nothing. Medusa could change between her gorgon and human appearance. In 1940, Sigmund Freud's "Das Medusenhaupt (Medusa's Head)" was published posthumously. Many scholarly feminists tend to liken the image of Medusa to society’s attitude towards women of power. Her history is very important in terms of context to what she became and how she impacted history. Lastly, from Hades he receives a helm of invisibility. This is when Poseidon decides to ravage Medusa in Athena’s temple. He uses these gifts to help him conqueror Medusa. The cover featured the image of the Gorgon Medusa by Froggi Lupton, which the editors on the inside cover explained "can be a map to guide us through our terrors, through the depths of our anger into the sources of our power as women. While Medusa is known to be one of the most famous monsters in Greek mythology, there is relatively little that is recorded of her existence before she was beheaded by Perseus. While flying through Ethiopia, Perseus spies the young Princess Andromeda tied to a rock as a sacrifice to the sea monster Cetus. The maiden turned monster has inspired many great works of art and philosophy – and has experienced a reemergence in popularity in modern day. She was born on an island named Sarpedon – which is thought to be somewhere in the general area of Cisthene – and was known to have been one of the Gorgon sisters. Most sources describe her as the daughter of Phorcys and Ceto,[2] although the author Hyginus makes her the daughter of Gorgon and Ceto.[3]. They fly out of her neck, fully grown. This power was given to Asclepius who used it accordingly. Most of what we know of Medusa comes from her short time serving in Athena’s temple and the way in which her head was used after she was beheaded by Perseus. Super Strength - Gorgons … [23], Elana Dykewomon's 1976 collection of lesbian stories and poems, They Will Know Me by My Teeth, features a drawing of a Gorgon on its cover. The King wishes to marry Perseus’ mother, but Perseus won’t allow it. The three Gorgon sisters; Medusa, Stheno, and Euryale, were children of the ancient marine deities Phorcys and his sister Ceto, (the spelling vary based on accounts), chthonic monsters from an ancient world. ... she didnt have any super powers....but she was the greek queen of gods in the greek mythology ... Uranus is in Roman mythology, not Greek. "From Gorgon and Ceto, Sthenno, Euryale, Medusa". Medusa embodies menstruation’s protective powers. There are several variations of the order of the events that come next, but the conclusion is always the same. He was also known to have ruled as king of Iberia. "And she's not deadly. Her fondness of Athena was reciprocated for a time. She has difficulty reconciling with her new identity, but eventually comes to embrace her role and begins to take her vengeance on men as this is one of the only ways that she can attempt to get even with Poseidon. In one myth reported by the Greek poet Pindar (517–438 BCE), Medusa was a beautiful mortal woman who one day went to Athena's temple to worship. Those who gazed into her eyes would turn to stone. She doesn’t have any sympathy towards Medusa. During one of her rampages, she turned her attention to … Medusa’s family is known for their fierce features and impressive power. These sisters comprised a race of monsters known as Gorgons and Medusa was the only one of them that could be killed, she was said to be able to turn people to stone with a glance: her hair was said to be made of snakes and she has become one of the most iconic Grecian monsters of all time. Cultural depictions of Medusa and Gorgons, "Bulfinch Mythology – Age of Fable – Stories of Gods & Heroes", Frank Justus Miller translation, as revised by G. P. Goold, "The Rape of Medusa in the Temple of Athena: Aspects of Triangulation", "Endless the Medusa: a feminist reading of Medusan imagery and the myth of the hero in Eudora Welty's novels. Updated March 7, 2020. One example is that of the flag and emblem of Sicily, together with the three legged trinacria. Of the three Gorgons, Sthen… This shield is sometimes called a mirror and other times called a shield of bronze that was polished so much it reflected quite easily. The gods give him gifts to help him on his journey. In an ode written in 490 BC, Pindar already speaks of "fair-cheeked Medusa".[5]. The following explains the origin story and the meaning of Medusa, the terrifying gorgon in Greek mythology: The head of Medusa. Johnston goes on to say that as Medusa has been repeatedly compared to Clinton during the 2016 presidential election, she proves her merit as an icon, finding relevance even in modern politics. However, Medusa would not serve as a priestess for long. They scour the island for Medusa’s killer but they are unable to find Perseus because of the gifts that were offered to him by the gods. Perseus was told to kill Medusa by Polydectes. Furthermore, the poisonous vipers of the Sahara, in the Argonautica 4.1515, Ovid's Metamorphoses 4.770 and Lucan's Pharsalia 9.820, were said to have grown from spilt drops of her blood. The reason for this varies. The study of these stories of creation, good versus evil, life and death, god and the afterlife is Mythology. Regardless of which version is told, Medusa decides not to leave Athena’s temple because of her devotion. Gorgon Powers. Inspired by the #metoo movement, contemporary figurative artist Judy Takács returns Medusa's beauty along with a hashtag stigmata in her portrait, #Me(dusa)too. 1 Background Information 2 Powers and Abilities 2.1 Super Powers 3 Medusa's Temple 4 Episode Appearance 5 External Links In Greek mythology, Medusa, one of the three Gorgons, was the daughter of the ancient marine deities Phorcys and his sister Ceto. Freud compared Medusa as a fair maiden to the image of a mother in the eyes of the innocent before a young boy had seen adult female genitals. Medusa could only use it to summon lightning. Aeschylus's Prometheus Bound describes them thus: 1. The first to emerge is Pegasus – one of the most famous creatures in all of mythology. In classical antiquity the image of the head of Medusa appeared in the evil-averting device known as the Gorgoneion. Because she had allowed herself to be defiled in Athena’s temple, Athena transformed her into the most hideous of all the Gorgons and made her features so terrible to behold that she could instantly turn a man into stone if he were to gaze at her directly. Perseus asked the Titan to allow him to rest, but Atlas refused and tried to attack him. Because the gods showed favor on him, he was given Hades' Helm of Invisibility, Winged Sandals from Hermes, a magnificent sword made by Hephaestus, and a shield from Athena which would later become the Aegis. While living on Shanazar, Medusa would terrorize cities by turning their populations into statues, including Death-Trap. According to Hesiod and Aeschylus, she lived and died on an island named Sarpedon, somewhere near Cisthene. [9] In a similar manner, the corals of the Red Sea were said to have been formed of Medusa's blood spilled onto seaweed when Perseus laid down the petrifying head beside the shore during his short stay in Ethiopia where he saved and wed his future wife, the lovely princess Andromeda who was the most beautiful woman in the world at that time. Her hair held the same powers as her head so that when it was exposed it caused a storm which chased away the foes. There are some variations - some versions of the myth say that it was eye contact that turned you to stone, others say that it was any part of her, others still say it was her snake hair (which is the only other supernatural thing about her). The legend of Perseus beheading Medusa means, specifically, that "the Hellenes overran the goddess's chief shrines" and "stripped her priestesses of their Gorgon masks", the latter being apotropaic faces worn to frighten away the profane. Some classical references refer to three Gorgons; Harrison considered that the tripling of Medusa into a trio of sisters was a secondary feature in the myth: A number of early classics scholars interpreted the myth of Medusa as a quasi-historical – "based on or reconstructed from an event, custom, style, etc., in the past",[11] or "sublimated" memory of an actual invasion.[12][13]. Perseus knew that he would be unable to fight of Atlas on his own, but with quick thinking realizes that he can use Medusa’s head to his advantage. Now that she has been transformed, there are many men that come to the island – no longer as suitors, but as hunters looking to behead her. Her mother, Ceto, was also a primordial sea goddess. This poison is so potent that it can even affect a Seraphim. Their genealogy is shared with other sisters, the Graeae, as in Aeschylus's Prometheus Bound, which places both trinities of sisters far off "on Kisthene's dreadful plain": Near them their sisters three, the Gorgons, winged Perseus complies and goes to the gods to help him on his journey. During that time, Medusa was pregnant by Poseidon. Andromeda is being sacrificed as a punishment to Cassiopeia (her mother), who was foolish enough to boast that her daughter was more beautiful than the Nereids. Numerous analyses have made us familiar with the occasion for this: it occurs when a boy, who has hitherto been unwilling to believe the threat of castration, catches sight of the female genitals, probably those of an adult, surrounded by hair, and essentially those of his mother. Teleportation: The ability to instantly teleport from one location to another. "Only the Gorgon has the savage, threatening appearance to serve as an immediately recognized symbol of rage and a protector of women's secrets," wrote Wilk. However, she is also reclusive and does not leave her island often. The model was one Harryhausen’s most complex and in 2020 it was voted third favourite among his many creations. As Perseus traveled throughout the land significant changes began to happen as the drops of blood from Medusa’s head began to fall. Medusa has been depicted in several works of art, including: Medusa remained a common theme in art in the nineteenth century, when her myth was retold in Thomas Bulfinch's Mythology. Medusa was beheaded by the Greek hero Perseus, who thereafter used her head, which retained its ability to turn onlookers to stone, as a weapon[4] until he gave it to the goddess Athena to place on her shield. As a trick, Polydectes tells Perseus to bring him the head of Medusa (which is essentially a suicide mission). In so doing, we unravel a familiar narrative thread: In Western culture, strong women have historically been imagined as threats requiring male conquest and control, and Medusa herself has long been the go-to figure for those seeking to demonize female authority. Thus, his mother is saved by the protective powers of Medusa. Athena also makes use of the remaining blood that still comes forth from Medusa’s severed head. However, she is slightly less vulnerable and thus more hits from the Blades of Chaos are needed to kill her. He received a mirrored shield from Athena, gold, winged sandals from Hermes, a sword from Hephaestus and Hades's helm of invisibility. As Perseus headed home, the blood from Medusa’s head dropped on the plains of Libya, causing them to turn into venomous snakes. He is able to escape unseen thanks to his helm of invisibility. World Register of Marine Species. He believed that the viewing of a woman’s genitals (especially a mother’s genitals) in their adult state would have posed a real terror for young men and thought that the story of Medusa could have been created to symbolize this idea. Medusa’s family is known for their fierce features and impressive power. "[22] Griselda Pollock analyses the passage from horrorism to compassion in the figure of the Medusa through Adriana Cavarero's philosophy and Bracha Ettinger's art and Matrixial theory. Its purpose was to act as a guardian for female power, keeping the book solely in the hands of women. Edward Burne-Jones' Perseus Cycle of paintings and a drawing by Aubrey Beardsley gave way to the twentieth century works of Paul Klee, John Singer Sargent, Pablo Picasso, Pierre et Gilles, and Auguste Rodin's bronze sculpture The Gates of Hell.[36]. Into a monster character of Medusa is a Gorgon Andromeda tied to a rock as a beautiful was. 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