Description
Medousa (Ancient Greek: Μέδουσα) or Medusa (Latinized) is a monstrous chthonic figure from Greek mythology. Medusa is the daughter of Phorcys and Ceto and is the most famous of the three Gorgons. Medusa was once exceptionally beautiful. However, to her sorrow, she lived in a land where the sun never shone. Medusa begged Athena to let her depart for sunny regions. Athena refused, fearing that people would praise Medusa's beauty, not her. In another version of the myth, Medusa is said to have provoked Athena's wrath by making love to Poseidon in Athena's temple. The enraged Athena took revenge by turning Medusa's beautiful hair into a nest of writhing snakes. Furthermore, anyone who looked Medusa in the face would be petrified on the spot. From then on, it was her duty to petrify as many people as possible. Her sisters (who had helped her enter the temple) were similarly cursed. Ultimately, she was killed and beheaded by the hero Perseus, aided in part by Athena. From her blood were born (as a result of a previous love affair with Poseidon) the winged horse Pegasus and the giant Chrysaor. Finally, Perseus gave her head to Athena, who placed it on her shield to petrify enemies.
