He later used her head as a weapon to turn enemies to stone. In around the year 8 CE, the Roman poet Publius Ovidius Naso (lived 43 BCE – c. 17 CE)—who is better known in English as simply “Ovid”—wrote a long … Legend states that Medusa was once a beautiful, avowed priestess of Athena who was cursed for breaking her vow of celibacy. Despite being warned about sea gods by her sisters, she was actually flattered that Poseidon liked her. My work has also been published on Buzzfeed and most recently in Time magazine. Even the House of Versace found inspiration in the Gorgon, placing the beautiful (pre-curse) version at the heart of its iconic logo. Medusa was one of the three Gorgons, daughters of Phorcys and Ceto, sisters of the Graeae, Echidna, and Ladon – all dreadful and fearsome beasts. The characterization of Medusa as a formerly beautiful young woman was a very late addition to the mythology of the ancient Mediterranean world. Asked by Wiki User. Maybe Athena didn't want to save Medusa because she disliked her. Medusa was a beautiful woman who was known for her fair, golden locks and lovely features. Also, the flag and emblem of Sicily feature her head. Herodotus the historian said her home was Libya. It is generally believed that she was born at sea. Medusa was one of three Gorgon sisters who lived in a cave at the edges of the known world. Medusa is an instantly recognizable figure from ancient Greek art. Medusa is a monster who can petrify people to stone if they look her directly in her eyes.. She is a daughter of Phorkys and Keto and was once a priestess of Athena.After Medusa and Poseidon desecrated Athena's virgin temple, Athena cursed Medusa and her sisters.Her hair was turned to snakes and anyone who would look upon her gaze would turn to stone. Together, the three daughters are known as the Gorgons. When Medusa saw the sculptures, she whispered that she would have made a much better subject for the sculptor than Athena had. The godess Athena gave her snakes for hair ,and made her so ugly that anyone that stared at her turned to stone. Athena Curses Medusa. She is famed for her snake-like hair and her gaze, which turns those who look at her to stone. The story had be be embellished so that one of Greece’s most famous heroes and founding kings could be included in a thematically-appropriate way. So, in a twisted series of events, Medusa fulfills her role of protecting Athena. Unfortunately, Medusa was very proud of her beauty and thought or spoke of little else. Her When he reached the garden, the nymphs gave him two powerful tools. Medusa was the high priestess of Athena. When Medusa saw the artwork, she commented that the artist had done a fine job considering the goddess's thick eyebrows -- but imagine how much more wonderful the painting would be if it was of someone as delicate as Medusa. So how does Medusa become a monster? Some say that baby snakes fell from her head here, which is why there are so many snakes in Africa. Today, many accept the story of Medusa as a victim of Athena’s anger as a standard part of the story of the monster and her death at the hands of Perseus. These scant descriptions of Medusa before her beheading by Perseus inspired the Roman poet Ovid to re-imagine her in the 1st century AD. The myths depict her transformation into the monster as incredibly painful. Some ancient sources hinted at the idea that Medusa may not have always been so terrible to look upon, however. It's time to reassess one of Greek mythology's most famous characters. Her transformation began shortly after that. When Athena found out what had happened, she cursed Medusa. Medusa is an instantly recognizable figure from ancient Greek art. Poseidon was bitter at Athena for recently turning his beloved Koroneis into a raven, so he decided to get back at her by becoming obsessed with the beautiful girl. She is not considered a goddess or Olympian, but some variations on her legend say she consorted with one. The myths have it that Neptune, or in some stories Poseidon, impregnated Medusa after their brief encounter. An image of Medusa's head was placed on Athena's own armor or shown on her shield. Half Human, Half Beast: Mythological Figures of Ancient Times, The 10 Greatest Heroes of Greek Mythology. Maybe Athena didn't want to save Medusa because she disliked her. Her supposed crime was an assault by Poseidon in the goddess’s temple. Medusa is a monster who can petrify people to stone if they look her directly in her eyes.. She is a daughter of Phorkys and Keto and was once a priestess of Athena.After Medusa and Poseidon desecrated Athena's virgin temple, Athena cursed Medusa and her sisters.Her hair was turned to snakes and anyone who would look upon her gaze would turn to stone. So, all three sisters get a punishment, but Medusa's is worse in that she can be killed. I am the owner and chief researcher at this site. Medusa Is Full Of Surprises And Death Did Not Stop Her. She was known to have been a lover of Poseidon and was occasionally referenced with favorable attributes of beauty. As early as the 4th century BC, Pindar referred to her as “fair-cheeked,” a term associated with traditional feminine beauty rather than a grotesque monster. And since Athena was more like a male air, sex was part of her world so, Medusa … Although Hesiod gives an account of Medusa’s origins and the death of Medusa at the hands of Perseus, he does not say more about her. Poseidon was bitter at Athena for recently turning his beloved Koroneis into a raven, so he decided to get back at her by becoming obsessed with the beautiful girl. With such an eye for theme and symbolism, Ovid likely elaborated on many older and less fleshed-out stories to achieve his desired effect. Fact 6: Medusa’s curse made anyone who … Medusa was not done transforming, though. After catching word of Poseidon’s attack on Medusa, a supposedly jealous Athena turned Medusa’s lovely hair into snakes and cursed her with the ability to turn men who looked at her into stone. https://www.thoughtco.com/greek-mythology-medusa-1524415 (accessed February 9, 2021). ... You may also remember the story of Medusa who was raped by Poseidon and was subsequently also punished for being raped in Athena’s temple. Her supposed crime was an assault by Poseidon in the goddess's temple. Ovid was certainly familiar with the unclear origin story of Pegasus and Chrysaor, and may have known the few texts that alluded to Medusa as having once been a great beauty. Her face, whether fierce and grotesque or feminine and composed, appears in virtually all media in varying contexts. In the oldest stories of the Gorgon, she had been born just as monstrous as her sisters. Cixous explains that this monstrous image of the Medusa exists only because it has been directly determined by the male gaze. Hers was not the only story of transformation created by Ovid. The poet collected nearly 250 stories in Metamorphoses, several of which can be found nowhere else in the surviving texts of the ancient world. The work is still considered a masterpiece for the ways in which it connected stories and drew both parallels and contrasts between the tales. Athena got jealous from medusa's beauty because everyone wanted Medusa. Poseidon was one of the most venerated gods in all of the Greek world, but who... Like many Greek gods, Poseidon was worshiped under many names that give insight into his importance... there, Ovid’s tale continues the familiar narrative of her beheading by the hero Perseus. Throughout most of ancient literature, Medusa was considered the most hideous monster to have ever existed. The symbol of designer and fashion icon Versace is a Medusa-head. The real change in Medusa’s character came in the Roman era. The snake-headed, petrifying image of Medusa is instantly recognizable in popular culture. When she is depicted in art, usually only her head is shown. My name is Mike and for as long as I can remember (too long!) Born to the sea god Phorcys and Ceto (Phorcys’ wife and sister), Medusa (queen or ruler) was one … Athena decided to curse Medusa ; According to him, Medusa had been cursed by Athena. Ancient statuary, bronze shields, and vessels have depictions of Medusa. Medusa was once very beautiful but she was cursed by Athena. After catching word of Poseidon’s attack on Medusa, a supposedly jealous Athena turned Medusa’s lovely hair into snakes and cursed her with the ability to turn men who looked at her into stone. The only difference between Medusa and the other Gorgons was that she could be killed while they were immortal. While they were immortal monsters, she was renowned as one of the most beautiful women in Greece. The transformation of Medusa seems to have been an invention to give the larger tale of Perseus and Andromeda’s love story a place in his collection. Jason acknowledges that back in the parallel world a similar story was told in Greek Mythology, where a woman with the same name becomes cursed and as a result a hideous Gorgon; Jason fears that Medusa could possibly have a similar fate (Whereupon her stare turns people to solid stone and her hair becomes snakes). Medusa is one of the most famous monsters in Greek mythology.She is most recognized for having live snakes as hair. Medusa would be confined to a cave, and anyone who made eye contact with the Gorgon would be turned to … Medusa, along with her two immortal sisters, was one of three Gorgons, which comes from the Greek word gorgós, meaning “fierce, terrible, and grim.” Why Did Medusa Get Cursed? Medusa, in Greek mythology, the most famous of the monster figures known as Gorgons. Although Hesiod gives an account of Medusa’s origins and the death of Medusa at the hands of Perseus, he does not say more about her. Greek Mythology: Medusa and Poseidon: The Curse of Athena (Medusa Story Remake)#GreekMythology #Mythology #SeeUinHistory #History #MythologyExplained Athena, as the virgin goddess, was incredibly enraged by this defilement of her temple and chose to punish Medusa for her part in the whole affair—she cursed Medusa’s beauty. Athena cursed the mortal Medusa with a hideous face and snakes for hair. And since Athena was more like a male air, sex was part of her world so, Medusa could not get married. Then Poseidon left her in the temple, facing Athena's wrath and cursed her and turned her hair into snakes making everyone who looks at her turned into stone. After all, in those days, the gods claimed their mates as their partner forever, and Medusa was now Poseidon's wife. Phorcys was a subterranean monster from an archaic world in Greek mythology. When Athena found out what had happened, she cursed Medusa. By contrast, a more comprehensive account of Perseus and Medusa can be found in Ovid’s Metamorphoses. DeTraci Regula is a freelance writer who has specialized in Greek travel and tours for 18 years. Medusa was a beautiful mortal who was well-known for her hair. In Ovid’s version of the tale, Medusa had been born with much different features than her sisters. Instead, it is grouped with the love stories as a single scene in the larger tale of Perseus and Andromeda. ThoughtCo. It was one thing to cast Medusa out of the temple but when setting a curse on Medusa just sent it overboard. Medusa was a temptress among the gods, and Poseidon had impregnated the mortal while in the temple of Athena.

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