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Story of rV\eduSil in Greer Myrhology
by Mortho Leonard
The stories of Meduso are oflen contradictory. Was she a victim or a villian? Wos she always ugly or once
beautiful? How did someone with the body of a drogon and a head of snakes become known as thy
"guordion or protecioress"? Just what was her rote in the early Greek myths?
The name Medusa first oppears in eorly retigious history, when goddesses represented birth and eorth. It
was a time before lhe advenf of male gods. There ore references to o Meduso dmong the Libyan Amazons.
She was known then as the "serpent goddess". Those who study Greek mythology believe the goddess wos
transplanted into the Greek totes at a later date. Alt tates seem lo agree that she was a gorgon-o
terrible monster. Some stories sdy she wos born that way, the only mortal of three gorgon sisters born to
Echidne, a holf-woman, halfsnake and Typhon, the worst monster in the wortd. Another story siotes she
wos o beautiful woman born to two earth people named Phorcys and Celo.
The story of Medusa as a world renowned beauty says she offended Atheno, the beautiful goddess. One
myth says Meduso lived in the far north and had never seen the sun. She asked permission of Athena to
come south.
When Aiheno denied her request, she ongrily ocused Athena of being jealous of her (Meduso's) beauty.
Enraged, Atheno noi only removed her beauty, but even worse, mode her so ugly people, especiolly men,
furned to stone just looking of her.
A different sfory olso reports Meduso's beouty was so stunning that mony men courted her, but she
became a priestess in Athena's temple. Her golden hoir ond her beauty attracted the lustful eyes of the
sea god, Poseidon. They coupled in Atheno's temple, a terrible violation of o sacred ptoce. Stories differ as
to whether he raped Medusa or she enticed him first. Either way, she got pregnant. When Athena learned
what had happened she flew into a rage and cursed Medusa with snakes for hair, o body of a dragon ond
a face that turned those who looked at her to stone.
Eventuolly, o Greek hero named Perseus promised to kitt her. He borrowed (some stories soy he stole)
Hermes' winged sandals ond Hades' cap of invisibility. He carried a powerful scythe and a mirrored snietd.
His speed ond invisibility allowed him to get close to her. He used the mirror to "see" her without
becoming o sfone and beheaded her.
Again, different versions tett
that Athena assisted
him.
It
turned out that the head continued, at leost for owhile, to turn others fo sfone. Perseus used it to kitt
some of his enemies including King Potydectes who was forcing Persephus' mother to marry him. The story
continues that when her head left her neck, her offspring sprdng fulI grown from her blood. They were
the winged horse Pegasus (Poseidon wos o great horse lover) and a gianf warrior named Chrysaor. As
Perseus fransported ihe head, blood dripped onto the Sahara Desert ond created poisonous serpents.
When he laid the head down near fhe sea, the btood seeped onto the seaweed and crealed red corol.
Afterward this water wos known os the "Red Seo". It is also interesting to note that some species of
coral are colted medusa today.
The eventuol disposition of the head varies from tale to tale. Some soy thot Athena used it on her shield,
the Aegis, for awhile, ond then gove it away. Others say Persephus buried it in the marketplace of Argos.
Images of Medusa were found in the temples of Artemis, who also sometimes wore a Medusa mask at some
rites. Her image was also found on doors, flags and in cups.
It
was used to scare evil spirits oway.
to be ]earned from Medusa's stories. One is thai beauty cdn either be a gift or o curse,
depending on how o beoutiful womon behaves. Her beouty certoinly got Medusa into trouble. The second
lesson is that Medusa had more power os a gorgon than she did ds a womdn. This is how she became
known as a guordion or protectoress, especially for virgins. The curse of being able io turn men info stone
proved lo be o warning to all men who would force their unwonted attention on women. Finally, she
continued to have power even afler her death. Her head continued to kitl and her blood spowned her
children as wetl as snakes and corat. That power has continued even fo modern times. Several books on
women's rights and liberotion hove used Medusa's story olong with her heod as a symbo[ of rage. Perhops
every womdn has a tittle of Medusa in her both as beouty and rage.
fhere are
lessons
http:l /goo.gl/mEXf9
,V\EDt/sA
By: Nick Pontikis
Meduso the Gorgon. Medusa, along with her sisters, Stheno and Euryole, were the daughters of the sea Titans
Porcys and Celo. Meduso was the youngest ond most beoutiful (she was also the onty mortal one of the three).
Once soid fo hove been exlremely wise they alt served as prieslesses to the virgin goddess of wisdom, Athena.
However, the Seagod Poseidon (Neptune) desperatety desired Medusa. In a moment of row passion he raped Medusa
inside of Athena's temple of worship. Perhops in anger, the three sisters became petty and vindictive toward men.
Appatled eiiher by the sisters' pettiness, or by lhe socrilegious sexuaI oct, Athena transformed Meduso and her
sisfers (olt of whom were now wicked) into hideous beasts with scoty skin, drogon's wings and hair formed of dozens
of coiting snokes. As a result, all who behetd the Gorgons were instontly turned to sfone when their eyes met.
Medusa and her sisters become even more vicious and took great pleasure in torturing their victims until the day
when Pq$gus, guided and gifted by the Gods, slew Meduso. He used her head lo sloy the Sea-dragon Cetus lhen
gove the heod to Atheno who mounted it onto a breastplate (or shietd) catted the AEgis.
Upon her death, the seeds of fhe union of Poseidon & Medusa germinated into the young colt named Pegasus and the
giont (or onother winged horse) named Chrysoar, who sprang forth when the blood of Medusa mode contact with fhe
seafoam. Perseus married the princess Andromeda and they hod a daughter whom they calted Gorgophone (named for
the slain gorgon). Medusa was also identified with the Libyan Queen and serpent-goddess of wisdom of the Amazons.
Her name is derived from the Sanskrit medha, Greek metis, and Egyption met or maat all meaning "wisdom."
Meduso was one of the Gorgons. Her sisfers, Sthenno and Euryale, were immortal but Medusa was mortal. All three
were so hideous, fhe shock of seeing them would turn anyone to stone. Medusa is calted The Gorgon or simply,
Gorgon. They were daughters of the ancient pre-Titan gods Phorcys and Ceto
Myth Man's Nofe: Medusa's mofher Ceto was the daughfer of Gaia and Pontus. Her husband Phorcys was also her
brofher. She is the personification of the dangers and horrors of the sea and her name evenfually became a name
for any generic sea monster. Ceto is regarded as fhe mother of the Gorgons and many ofher monsfers. Her name
means "Sea Monsfer".
Meduso wosn'f always hideous. There is a porticulor myth in which Meduso was originalty a beautiful maiden with
long silky hair ihat she was very proud of . One day she unwisely desecrated Athena's femple by tying there wifh
Poseidon. Outroged, Athena turned Medusa's hair into living, hissing snokes, making it nearly impossible for Meduso fo
get o dote. All who saw her turned to stone!
The Gorgon Medusa was kilted by the hero Perseus with the help of Athena and Hermes. Using the winged sondols
and Hodes' helmet of invisibitity provided by Hermes, and Athena's silver shield, Perseus opproached the sleeping
Medusa.
Perseus kilted the monster by looking al her reflection on his shield, which prevented him turning into stone. He cut
off her heod and presented it to Athena, who placed it in ihe center of her Aegis, the protective shield which she
wore over her breastptate.
But first, Perseus hod to outrace Medusa's enraged sisters, who flew after him, the snokes on their heads and waists
hissing at his heels. Perseus managed to escope thonks to fhe winged sandols of Hermes, and by wearing Hades'
helmet of invisibitity.
From Meduso's deod body the giant Chrysoor and the winged horse Pegasus, her son by Poseidon, sprang
forth. Her
ndme means "Ruler".
Chrysoar the Golden Sword. Not neorly as famous as his brother Pegasus, Chrysoar has differing legends.
Sometimes he is depicted as a Giani who was given a golden sword (the meaning of the terms chrysos and soar) as o
morker to his godly heritage by Poseidon. As a Giant he was the father of the monsters Echidno, Orthrys, Cerberus
ond Geryon by Collirrhoe (an Oceanid).
Other myths cloim thot Chrysoar was o winged sleed,like Pegasus, who also sprang forth from the foom when the
btood of Medusa dropped into ihe sea. While this second myth would make a tofol of three winged steeds birthed
from the union of Poseidon & Medusa, the true tate is probably fhat only Celeris & Pegasus were horses ond
Chrysoor was a Giant, and the origin of Chrysoar as o horse is most likely a confusion of the CelerislChrysoar
legend.
Other accounts claim Chrysoar w6s named so for the golden sword thot Perseus used to slay his Gorgon mofher,
white others stote that Chrysoar is actuolty an epithet for Belterophon whose originol ndme wos Hipponous (meoning
'horse wisdom'). This, of course, re-enforces the foct that Pegasus and Betlerophon were actuatly 'brothers' (both
hoving the same father).
http://mythmon.com/
Greer MyUnology: MeduSil
by Tim Florry
of the best known villainesses from Greek mythology, most people wilt recognise her os the
turn peopte into stone just through them looking into her eyes. There is though a loi more to
her story lhcn there moy ai first appecr, and it actuolly storts with her being wronged by the gods of Mount
Meduso is one
Gorgon who can
Olympus.
Untike other stories from Ancienf Greece, the storyline of Medusa is fairly straightforward, without the complex
variotions that often occur with corresponding iales. Medusa wos from an ancieni line of gods, predating ihe
twetve Otympians, her porents were Phorcys and Ceto, offspring of Goia (Earth) and Okeanos (Ocean). Despite
being mortal, Medusa had iwo immorlol sisfers, Sthenno ond Euryale, who made up the Gorgons'.
In her youth, Medusa was a beaufiful woman, with long flowing hoir thot ottracted many suitors. Medusa acted
as a priestess in the temple of Athena. Worshipping the goddess, Poseidon saw Medusa, ond raped her.
of the sacrilege of her femple, thot she punished Meduso by turning her long hair info
that anyone who looked on her new ugliness directly would turn inio stone. As with many
such totes it is the mortal who were blamed for any tronsgression.
Atheno wds so ouiraged
snakes, ond ensuring
In an atternative version of evenfs, Medusa was cursed for ottempting lo compete wiih Athena about who was
more beoutiful. In this version Medusa argued with Atheno, and cloimed that the goddess was jealous of the
mortol Medusa. There is dn drgument over wheiher Medusa was made ugly, or whether she reioined her
beauly, and it was her sorrowful look ond snakes that coused the petrificaiion of observers.
This could well have been lhe end of her sfory, and Medusa may have lived out her doys in her cavern with her
sisters. The story of Medusa then crosses with the story of fhe hero Perseus. Perseus required the head of
Medusa, to aid his quesf of rescuing his mofher, Danae, from King Polydectes of Seriphus. With the assistonce
of the gods, Aihena, who provided her reflective shield, and Hermes, who gave Perseus the magic winged
sondats, Perseus embarked on his odventure.
Perseus first had to get information from the Groeoe, the three grey women', additional sisters of Medusa. The
Groeae hod but one eye and one tooih between them, so Perseus took the eye and kept it uniil the Graeoe totd
Perseus everything he required.
With the information oblained, Perseus made his way to Medusc's cavern. There he found the stony figures of
men and onimals who had gazed upon the Gorgon. Perseus managed fo get ctose to Medusa by using
Athena's shield as a mirror, lherefore avoiding a direct goze. Medusa was then beheaded.
Meduso was pregndnt by Poseidon, and from her decopitated body the winged horse Pegasus, ond the giant
Chrysaor were born. Pegasus was used by Betlerophon in his adventures, whitsf Chrysaor became the King of
Iberia.
Even in deafh, Medusa stilt had a rote to play in Greek mythotogy. Though the remoining Gorgons chased ofter
Perseus, they were unable to coich him. As Perseus then flew to rescue his mother, Medusa's head was used
to turn the Titan Atlos into stone as he hetd up the heovens. As he flew over fhe Red Sea, blood from the
decopitoied heod dripped creating the sea's corat. Perseus atso used Medusa's head as a weapon as rescued
Andromedo.
Perseus mode one finol use of the heod, rescuing his mofher from an imminent wedding, Perseus turned oll
those present, oside form his mother, into stone.
With the quest completed, Medusa's head was passed from Perseus to the goddess Athena, who ploced ii
her Aegis, her shield, to be used wlren she fought.
on
There are some similarities between Meduso and the goddess Hero. The worship of both women predotes the
creotion of the Mount Olympus gods. Prior io ancient Greece, Medusa was worshipped in Africa as a serpent
goddess. Just as Hera decreased in importance with the arrival of the Hellanes people in Greece, so did
Medusa. The more mate dominated religion of the Olympian gods saw Medusa relegated to a relaiive minor
role, and in many peoples' view on oppressed role.
httpz/ /goo.gllwe84i
/V\edusa - Greer Mythology
By Ankono Dey Choudhury
With the tetevision channels continually airing the troilers of the upcoming ond much expected movie "Closh of the
Titons", Medusa of Greek mythotogy is generaling o tot of interest. But who wos she and what was her fate?
" Beyond all others she
was famed for beauty, and the envious hope
of many suifors. Words would fail to tell
fhe glory of her hair, mosf wonderful
of all her charms--A friend declared fo me
he saw its lovely splendour." - Ovid's
description of Medusa in "Mefomorphoses" in
book 4:1181-95, as translated by Thomas More.
The tote of Medusa in Greek mythotogy con be calted nofhing more thon a lragedy, in my opinion. if the feminists of
today happen to come across her story they shotl feel violoted themselves. They say thaf the fale of women have
been elched by injusiices hurted at them throughout the history of humonity. The tale of of this maid, doomed to
become o beast, is one more example lo vouching for it. In soothe lhe hisfoires of Perseus and Medusa in Greek
mythotogyare intricotely woven together. In order to understond her ptight one needs lo know her original identity,
the injustice incorporated in her situotion and her downfall.
Meduso - Greek Mythology
The porentoge of Meduso is often debaled over in mythology even though she is most popularty believed lo be lhe
daughter of Celo ond her brother Phorcys, the primordiol sea god and goddess among all Greek gods and goddesses,
residing in the western oceon. She also had fwo sisfers nomed Stheno and Euryole.
Inifiatly Meduso was on officiator of socred rituals in the tempte of the Greek goddess Atheno: the goddess of
of zeus and Metis. It wos the wrath of this shimmery gray eyed goddess olwoys
armed with a cuirass and o hetmet and accompanied by an owl, that doomed the fair skinned damsel, Medusa, with
breothtoking hoir coscading down her lengih, into o hideous, atrocious chthonic or subterranean gorgon, derived from
Greek gorg6s literolty meoning "dreodfu[". However, lhere are primorily fwo variant versions of how this pitiful fate
befell on her.
wisdom ond wor and the daughter
Medusa
It
-
Greek Mythology
-
Legend
I
was no secret that Meduso's beauty was not eorthly. She was divinety mognificeni ond mesmerized onybody who
lay their eyes on her. As John Dryden put it,
"
Medusa once had charms; to gain her love
A rival crowd of envious lovers strove.
They, who have seen her, own, they ne'er did trace
More moving features in a sweeter face.
Yet above all, her lengfh of hair, fhey own,
In golden ringlefs wav'd. and graceful shone."
But being the fhe priestess of the shrine of Atheno, she could nevet experience lhe gtorious wormfh and beauty
bestowed on eorth by the sun ds the face of Helios, the Greek deity of the sun coutd almost never be seen in her
northern sonctuary. So, she sought permission from the goddess to journey to the soothing southern regions of the
eorih, blessed with the sun's visit everyday. Bul for some obscure redson Afhena dectined to grant her permission to
trovel to the summery pleosant south. Grovely enroged of being refused "fair-cheeked Medusa", os depicted by the
Ancient Greek lyric poet Pindar, dored lo utter the socritegious words wherein she oscribed Atheno's jeolousy of her
beouty os the reoson for not allowing her sojourn.
This angered the goddess beyond imaginotion ond she transformed the beautiful Medusa into o monstrous gorgon
wherein her enchanting locks were changed to o heodfut of venomous serpents. Her honds were allered lo razor
shorp bross claws ond she wos given tusk like fangs that were incisive.
This occount of Meduso's tronsformation into one of the bestiaI mythical creotures is not very shocking given that
through ouf mythology Greek deities have been known for their murderous tempers and helt roising every time
someone monoged to cross their poths. However, it is the next occount which is more shocking ond pififut.
Medusa
- 6reek Mythology -
Legend
II
Given that "she wos o very Iovely one", os penned by Humphries, Poseidon: god of the seo was greatty appealed by
her rovishing durd. Besides thot the focts on Poseidon indicate thot Afhena ond Poseidon were most often in a state
of competing wiih eoch other ond once even sought to win over the honor of the Grecian populace. Athena won that
battle by giving lhe people an olive tree which proved to be more usefuI in comparison with Poseidon's salt water
lake. Ever since the master of the seos iried to find ways to defile Atheno.
Both these redsons seemed to be enough for Poseidon, the Roman Neptune, and he violated and deflowered Medusa in
the oltor of Atheno itself, "And the goddess turned away, and hid her eyes/ Behind her shield'describes Humphries.
Aiheno's fury was infernal. She went insone wilh rage os her shrine was befouled by Poseidon. But her powers were
inferior to those of the Seo god. So, she venied her spteen on the priestess of her sanctuary. Some say thot she
gave Meduso a rofund, tusked face otong with eyes that turned all gazers to stone. Even her sisters transformed
into simitor gorgons. White Stheno became o gorgon os she stood by Meduso when Atheno bedamned her sister and
happened fo assume ihe most ferocious avator as she slew the moximum number of men, more thon the number of
victims thaf her fwo sisters together murdered. Even Euryale became o gorgon wifh a body covered in dragon like
scoles. But untike her siblings, Meduso was mortol. She was even conceiving Poseidon's offsprings in her womb when
the goddess showered her wrath upon her.
f ale wos sealed for a crime thot she was a victim of. From being sought afier by numerous
became
suifors, she
one of the most fear inspiring ond despised beasts ever exhibited by the Greek culture. After
thaf Medusa resided in the Iste of Cisthene, to the east of Ethiopia and in the Red Seo, in o rocky covern at the end
of the living world and the inception of the world of the deod. Her sisters stayed with her. Her cave was nigh the
springs of the Oceanus river, from which sprouted nine streoms fhot encircled the entire globe.
So, this is how her
Greek Mythology - Death of the Qorgon
juncture
the fate of the Grecian worrior Perseus get entwined with thot of the gorgon's which spells her
From this
Medusa
-
doom.
The Coming
It
of
Perseus
olI siarted on the fatefuI day when Dictys, the brother of King Potydectes. soved Danoii, the daughter of King
Acrisius of Argos ond Eurydice, and her child, Perseus. King Polydectes, the monarch of the isle of Seriphos, wos
smitten by the beouty of the lady ond wonted to have her instantoneousty. But the only bone of contention that
come in the way of his much desired motrimony wds Danda's young son, Perseus. Overtly protective of her mother
and ardent to sove her from the ctutches of Potydectes, Perseus wos odomont to let to the monarch have his ways.
Very cunning, ihe king too knew thot he could only rid off the young hindronce by some devious means otone. So, he
shrewdly declared that he was about to adopt Princess Hippodomia as a wife ond would be very pleosed if his
subjects showered exorbiiont presents on him os tokens of love and good wishes. But Perseus did not have sufficient
monetory resources to get the king anything of all. As port of the ploy, the king summoned him into the royal court
and floufed the young mon ond egged his courfiers on to do the same. His ego hurt, Perseus declored thot he would
wrest onything that Potydectes wished fo have, no matfer how difficutt and ot this point the king grabbed the
opportunity ond osked the boy to fetch the heod of the deadly gorgon, Meduso.
Confused ond yet too proud to say o no, Perseus set out on his quest fo obtain the unobtainobte. On reoching the
shrine of Athena he pleaded for hetp from the goddess throughout the night. Only too happy to hetp onybody on o
voyoge to destroy Meduso, Afheno presented him with o shietd os sheeny os o mirror, which would enable fhe
worrior to keep from tooking at the gorgon's Iethal goze ond slay her jusi from her mirror image.
Moreover, she asked him to visit the fountoin of the nymphs who would bestow him with friple presents to oid in the
of the mission. Finally, Hermes: the messenger GreeR god or the herald of the other gods, gove him
to help Perseus to fly to the end of the world. The nymphs gifted Perseus wiih a diomond tipped
steel to permeote successfully into fhe pett of fhe gorgon, Hades' cap to render him invisibte and finatly a sock fo
carry ihe fatol head of Medusa.
occomplishmen+
his winged soles
Finally, he hod to visit the sisters Groeoe, who shared dn eye thot saw all and a tooth and hod the some porents of
the gorgon sisters. These "groy witches" were bewildered when approached by Perseus donning Hades' cap and so
they couldn't see him. Thinking that the tollest of them would be oble to spot their visitor the other two possed
lheir eye lo the tatl wifch but Perseus grabbed hotd of it ond imperilted io hurl it into the oceanif they foited to
direct him fo the gorgon. At a loss, the sisters iold them where to find Medusa and Perseus dropped lhe eye into
the dusty ground and flew oway.
On reaching the den of Medusa, he found olI the three sisters sleeping peacefutly. Avoiding looking directly at her
ond onty envisioning her through the shietd reflection he hacked off Meduso's head with the hord, diamond clad sword
ond then stuffed it into the sack and used the soles to gei away. On waking up, Stheno and Euryale chased him
white the Iotter bawled ond cried toudty. It is believed thot since Medusa wos olso pregnant at the time of her
deaIh, from her dripping blood drops rose Chrysaor, the giant and Pegasus, fhe winged white equine who according to
the legend of Pegasus took ftight to Mount Helicon where he resided dmong the muses and thot he wos christened
offer "pegae" which were the nine springs river Oceanus. Chrysaor in certain versions is portrayed ds a young feltow
white in others as a boar with wings.
The Final Destinotion...
If is soid thot after marrying Andromeda on the woy bock and turning the titan Atlos, with the sky on his back, into
rock while ftying past him, Perseus went back to fhe rlanor of Potydectes. There he wos greatly grieved ond enraged
of the same time to see Donaii enslaved and treated os a meniol servant in ihe castle. He spirted into the court of
the king. Potydectes wos dumbsfruck to see the worrior otive and fhen refused lo believe that he hod accomptished
the kitting of the deadly gorgon all by himsetf. At this Perseus soid nothing and simply revealed the gorgon heod in
front of the king and his ministers. Att of them turned to stone instantoneously, such was the potency of even the
dead Meduso and the resi, as they say is history.
Legend hos it that Perseus, who seconded Athena's punishmenl ds just ds per Ovid, handed the heod over fo the
deity Afhena who wore it on the Aegis Pallas, her shield, forevermore...
It
is betieved thot her soul roomed the caverns of the Underworld and wos one of the spirits not to have fled,
besides Meleager, when the Grecian hero visited Hades during the 12 labors of Hercules. Hercules even fried to slay
her with his steel untit Hermes enlightened him that she had olready been reduced to a mere dppdrifion. So, this is
the lore of one of the hideous Greek mythicat creatures, Medusa. Punished for being a vicfim and then slain for the
purpose of gifting. A womon tronsformed into a commodity and used as o mere piece of armament. Greek mythology
would be incomplete without her mention os she is the epitome of immortal power. As portrayed in the words of
Jane Ellen Harrison more appropriately, "her potency onty begins when her head is seveted, ond thot potency resides
in the heod..."
hltp:l /goo.gUi9Mx7
cr)r)l)EssE\
GOI)S
*rHE
CORCONS
Monstrous sisters with wings, claws,
and serpent hain the most famous
being Medusa.
"""o f these monstrous
'{ " i sisters, Euryale ('Sfide,.,.
(Strong) were immortal, but
Medusa (Ruler) was mortal. All
three were so hideous that a mere
glance at one ofthem could turn
a person into stone.
It is in the story of Perseus
that Medusa reared her ugly
of Danae and
Zeus had been adopted by King
head. This son
Polydectes after the boy and his
mother were washed onto his
island. Now, the king had designs
to marry Danae against her will.
Perseus oflered to win whatever
gift the bridegroom desired, even
the head of Medusa if he so
wished, as long as Polydectes
married Hippodameia, his
ofEcial bride, and not Danae.
Polydectes accepted this rash
gesture, and asked Perseus to
bring back Medusa's head-a
seemingly impossible task.
The goddess Athena
overheard the conversation and,
as an enemy of the Gorgons, she
olTered to help Perseus in his
mission. She took him to the
island of Samos where all three
Gorgons could be seen in
pictorial form, so that he could
tell Medusa apart from her
immortal sisters. Athena warned
Perseus not to set eyes directly on
Medusa or he would be turned
to stone. To aid him in his
mission, she gave him a highly
polished shield.
The winged god Hermes,
patron of travelers, lent Perseus
a
sickle with which to cut off the
Gorgon's head. Well-prepared for
the task, he set off for the
western land of the
Hyperboreans where the
Gorgons dwelt. Perseus
approached stealthily as the
monstrous sisters slept among
their victims-men and beasts
who had been petrified. Looking
only at the image of Medusa
reflected in his shield, Perseus
raised his sickle and with one
blow sliced offher head. fu her
sisters stirred, Perseus quickly hid
the head with its serpent hair in a
wallet and took flight with the
aid of winged sandals lent to him
by nymphs. The speed and
nimbleness of the sandals enabled
Perseus to outstrip the enraged
pursuing Gorgons. As Perseus
flew over the desert, some drops
of Medusa's blood fell onto the
sand, and swarms of poisonous
snakes emerged.
Meous,r slnlN
The head of Medusa, with snakes
for hair.
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MEDIJSA
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god
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man
woman
r
.
Deborah Nourse Lattimore
Xavier Niz
Malcolm Day