Who was the real Medusa?

According to Hesiod's Theogony, she was one of three Gorgon sisters born to Keto and Phorkys, primordial sea gods; Medusa was mortal, while the others, Stheno and Euryale, were immortal. The best known myth recounts her fateful encounter with the Greek hero Perseus.

How did Medusa died?

For Medusa was pregnant at the time of her death, and when Perseus severed her head, her two unborn children, Chrysaor and Pegasus, suddenly sprang from her neck.

Who was Medusa in love with?

Medusa and Poseidon engaged in a love affair and would have two children together, but not before Athena discovered the illicit affair.

Was Medusa originally a monster?

This has to do with the fact that originally Medusa was not a single creature but one of three monstrous entities known as the “Gorgons”, or “the Ones who Strike Fear”. These Gorgons were the three female demon kids of the primordial sea deities Phorcys and Ceto (Glennon, 2017).

What god killed Medusa?

Because the gaze of Medusa turned all who looked at her to stone, Perseus guided himself by her reflection in a shield given him by Athena and beheaded Medusa as she slept.

The Story Of Medusa - Greek Mythology Explained

Who was the ugliest god?

Hephaestus. Hephaestus is the son of Zeus and Hera. Sometimes it is said that Hera alone produced him and that he has no father. He is the only god to be physically ugly.

What does a Medusa Tattoo mean for a girl?

From Ancient Greek mythology, the story can be interpreted in many ways; to some, Medusa represents female power, freedom, and transformation, but she has evil and jealous qualities to others. Her reptilian skin and hair could also symbolize a cycle of death and rebirth.

What is Medusa's birth story?

Medusa was the daughter of Phorcys and Ceto. Phorcys was a sea god and Ceto was the goddess of sea monsters. Ceto gave birth to all three of the gorgons; Sthenno, Euryale, and Medusa. Medusa was the only one of the gorgons who was mortal, while the other two were immortal.

Is Medusa still alive?

Medusa was beheaded by the Greek hero Perseus, who then used her head, which retained its ability to turn onlookers to stone, as a weapon until he gave it to the goddess Athena to place on her shield.

Was Medusa raped by Perseus?

Medusa. The Medusa we know was raped by Poseidon in the goddess Athena's temple. Athena then punished her for desecrating her sacred space by cursing Medusa with a head full of snakes and a gaze that turns men to stone. Then, a heroic Perseus severed the serpent-headed Medusa, turning her into a trophy.

Who is the most badass goddess?

Was Athena jealous of Medusa?

The Goddess of wisdom, Athena, is jealous of Medusa's beauty. Because of this, she summons Perseus, the son of the god Zeus and the mortal Danae, for a mission. The mission seems simple enough: to behead the monster that is Medusa.

What color was Medusa's skin?

Her pure white milky skin turned a scary green hue. From then on she roamed, shamed, shunned and loathed by everyone. Thence, by Athena's curse anyone she looked upon turned to stone.

How did Medusa become evil?

It is in the Roman poet Ovid's Metamorphoses that her story is most deeply elaborated. She was lovely, according to the poem—until she was raped in Athena's temple by Poseidon. Athena then punished her for this violation, by turning her into the monstrous, stony-glanced creature that we know.

Is Medusa a god?

Medusa, in Greek mythology, the most famous of the monster figures known as Gorgons. She was usually represented as a winged female creature having a head of hair consisting of snakes; unlike the Gorgons, she was sometimes represented as very beautiful.

Who are Medusa's sisters?

Medusa was the only mortal of the three Gorgons, with her sisters Stheno and Euryale both being immortal.

Who turned Medusa into Medusa?

When Medusa had an affair with the sea god Poseidon, Athena punished her. She turned Medusa into a hideous hag, making her hair into writhing snakes and her skin was turned a greenish hue. Anyone who locked gaze with Medusa was turned into stone.

Is Medusa Greek or Egyptian?

425 BCE) wrote in Histories 2.91 that Medusa and her sisters lived in the land of Libya, which, for the ancient Greeks, meant the whole part of North Africa west of Egypt. Some suggest that the origins of the character Medusa may be rooted in the Egyptian Cobra Goddess Wadjet.

Why did Athena put a curse on Medusa?

Medusa prayed to Athena for guidance and forgiveness. After all, in those days, the gods claimed their mates as their partner forever, and Medusa was now Poseidon's wife. Athena looked down in anger and cursed Medusa for betraying her. Medusa was sent to a faraway island and was cursed so that no man would want her.

Why did Athena punish Medusa and not Poseidon?

Poseidon was a god, and Athena was a goddess. She was not powerful enough to punish Poseidon. He is a elder god, which makes him second only to Zeus.

Who was Medusa best friend?

Since childhood, Medusa was devoted to the goddess Athena, and when playing with her sisters, she always pretended to be the goddess Athena, while her sisters love to be the villains. Together with the girls, she also played with Iphicles, who is Medusa's best friend. The two were inseparable.

Is Pegasus Medusa's son?

Pegasus, the divine, winged white horse, was the offspring of the god Poseidon and the gorgon Medusa. He was born from Medusa's blood after she was beheaded by Perseus, arising from her head or from the blood that had seeped into the earth.

Is it disrespectful to get a Medusa Tattoo?

Is the Medusa tattoo offensive? The Medusa tattoo is not regarded as offensive as it has now been adopted as an emblem of power for sexual assault survivors. Medusa is recognized as a victim rather than a villain, which gives the inkings of her a poignant meaning.

What does 3 butterflies mean?

They symbolize transformation, rebirth, and freedom. The meaning behind the butterfly tattoo is that of good luck or fortune in some cultures while others believe it represents renewal after death. What is this? Report Ad. It is also said that the three butterflies together is a sign of good luck.

Why is Medusa a feminist icon?

She was cold, calculated, and terrifying. Now, the same generation has turned her into a feminist icon with a story too many can relate to; instead of being a symbol of fear, Medusa has become the symbol of justice for sexual assault victims.