Gorgon Medusa is a famous mythical character of Ancient Greece. The history of this monster is known to many, since modern cinema quite often uses its image to create anti-heroes. And the head of Medusa, covered with snakes, has become a symbol of antipathy and ugliness. But Gorgon was not always so angry and terrible, because she was born a real beauty.
The birth of the gorgon
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 of Forky and Keto. At the same time, all the daughters inherited mystical powers from their parents, which put them on a par with the demigods. For example, the Gorgon Medusa had an 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 easy to guess that the youngest was just Medusa. What is more curious is that Medusa is the name of the girl who was given to her at birth. Only many centuries later, after the appearance of the myth of this creature, scientists will name the transparent inhabitant of the deep sea in honor of the terrifying monster.
Why is the head of the Gorgon Medusa covered with snakes?
Jellyfish was the most beautiful of the sisters. Because of this, many gods and demigods stared at her. However, the beauty's heart was impregnable, and she rejected all her boyfriends. But once, Medusa was noticed by the master of the seas and oceans Poseidon. An irresistible passion ignited him, and he decided to forcibly seize the girl's body.
Upon learning this, the Gorgon Medusa took refuge in the temple of Athena, hoping that the formidable warrior would save her. Alas, the beauty's hopes 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 because her altar was desecrated.
Athena decided that the beauty of the girl who lured men was to blame. And at that very hour, the head of Medusa was covered with countless ugly snakes. Thus, the goddess not only did not save the gorgon, but also forever mutilated her life.
Death of the Jellyfish Gorgon
In Greek mythology, there are many stories about Perseus, the earthly son of the god Zeus. One of them says that this young man wanted to marry the daughter of Tsar Polydekt - Danai. However, the ruler hated Perseus, and therefore decided to kill him. He said that only the head of the Gorgon Medusa will prove that the young man is worthy of the hand of his daughter.
Despite the fact that Perseus was the son of 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 that can give his owner the gift of invisibility, and the second - sewn with a mirror built into the inside.
Moreover, when the Persian sneaked into the lair of the gorgon, 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 a cunning stunned the beast, and at the time of its weakness, the young man chopped off her head. And the helmet of Hermes allowed the hero to escape from the den of monsters unnoticed. And in the end, Perseus with the head of Medusa in the bag, was able to come to Tsar Polyditk safe and sound.
The consequences of the death of Medusa
If you believe the myths, then after the death of Medusa, the winged horse Pegasus and the 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, later snakes appeared, which became a real punishment for the inhabitants of this desert.
Traditions also say that even after death, the head of this monster could turn any creature into stone. Thanks to this, Perseus was able to defeat the mother of all the Keto gorgons, as well as turn into a stone the Atlas titan, who held the sky on his shoulders. It is noteworthy that at the end of his journey the hero never married Danai. His wife was the daughter of King Kefey - Andromeda.
Cultural significance
The series of stories about the son of Zeus has become one of the most popular in ancient Greece. Therefore, it is not surprising that the Perseus statue with the head of Medusa the 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 a 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 not lucky to be born beautiful.