Gorgon Medusa is a famous mythical character of Ancient Greece. Many people know the story of this monster, since modern cinema quite often uses its image to create antiheroes. And the head of Medusa, covered with snakes, has become a symbol of antipathy and ugliness. But the Gorgon was not always so evil and scary, because she was born a real beauty.
Birth of the Gorgons
According to the original version, all the Gorgons (and there were three sisters) were born from the forbidden union of the chthonic deities of the sea, Forkia and Keto. At the same time, all the daughters inherited mystical powers from their parents, which put them on the same level as the demigods. For example, Medusa the Gorgon had the amazing ability to turn any object into stone.
At the same time, the myth says that the two older sisters were immortal and only the youngest could die at the hands of an ordinary person. And it is not difficult to guess that the youngest was Medusa. Much more curious is that Medusa is the name of the girl that she was given whenbirth. Only many centuries later, after the appearance of the myth about this creature, scientists will name the transparent inhabitant of the deep sea in honor of the terrifying monster.
Why is Medusa Gorgon's head covered in snakes?
Medusa was the most beautiful of the sisters. Because of this, many gods and demigods looked at her. However, the beauty's heart was impregnable, and she rejected all her boyfriends. But one day, Medusa was noticed by the ruler of the seas and oceans, Poseidon. An irresistible passion ignited in him, and he decided to forcibly take possession of the girl's body.
Having learned about this, Medusa Gorgon took refuge in the temple of Athena, hoping that the formidable warrior would save her. Alas, the hopes of the beauty did not come true. The goddess did not hear the prayers, and Poseidon, bursting into the temple, took possession of her right on the sacred altar. The frightened girl prayed and prayed to Athena for salvation, and finally she heard her call. But instead of help, Medusa saw the wrath of a zealous god, who was furious that her altar was desecrated.
Athena decided that the beauty of the girl who lures men is to blame. And at the same hour, the head of Medusa was covered with countless ugly snakes. Thus, the goddess not only did not save the gorgon, but also crippled her life forever.
Death of Medusa Gorgon
There are many stories in Greek mythology about Perseus, the earthly son of the god Zeus. One of them tells how this young man wanted to marry the daughter of King Polydectes - Danae. However, the ruler hated Perseus, and therefore decided to kill him. He said that only the head of the Gorgon Medusawill prove that the young man is worthy of the hand of his daughter.
Despite the fact that Perseus was the son of a god, he was clearly inferior in strength to a monster that could turn anyone into stone. Therefore, Hermes and Athena volunteered to help the hero. The first gave Perseus a helmet capable of endowing its owner with the gift of invisibility, and the second gave a shield with a mirror built into the inside.
Moreover, when Perseus made his way into the lair of the Gorgons, Athena told him which of them was Medusa. After that, a battle ensued between the hero and the monster. The main problem was that Perseus could not look at the Gorgon, and therefore in the battle he used a donated shield with a mirror. Such cunning stunned the beast, and at the moment of her weakness, the young man cut off her head. And the helmet of Hermes allowed the hero to escape from the lair of monsters unnoticed. And in the end, Perseus, with the head of Medusa in a bag, was able to come to Tsar Polyditka safe and sound.
The consequences of Medusa's death
If you believe the myths, then after the death of Medusa, the winged horse Pegasus and a young man with the golden sword Chrysaor appeared from her body. The ancient Greeks believed that they were the children of Poseidon and the young Gorgon. In addition, passing through the sands of Libya, Perseus did not notice that the head of Medusa was constantly bleeding. And where the drops fell, snakes subsequently appeared, which became a real punishment for the inhabitants of this desert.
Also, legends say that even after death, the head of this monster could turn any creatures into stone. Thanks to this, Perseus was able to defeat the mother of all the gorgons Keto, and also turn into stonethe titan Atlanta, holding the sky on his shoulders. It is noteworthy that at the end of his journey, the hero never married Danae. His wife was the daughter of King Kefei - Andromeda.
Cultural Significance
The cycle of stories about the son of Zeus has become one of the most popular in Ancient Greece. Therefore, it is not surprising that the statue of Perseus with the head of Medusa Gorgon became a favorite decoration for many houses of that time. Even today, many museums in Greece have beautifully preserved sculptures depicting this scene from the myth.
In addition, the image of the Gorgon Medusa has been repeatedly used in literature and cinema. True, in most cases she was portrayed as an evil character, forgetting that Medusa became a monster through no fault of her own, but only because she was unlucky to be born beautiful.
