Medusa

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For other uses, see Medusa (disambiguation)}}}.

In Greek mythology, Medusa (Greek: Μέδουσα), was a monstrous female character whose gaze could turn people to stone.

Some classical references describe her as one of three Gorgon sisters. Medusa, Stheno, and Euryale were monsters with brass hands, sharp fangs and hair of living, venomous snakes. The Gorgons and their other sisters the Graiae (and possibly the Hesperides), and their brother Ladon were kids of Phorcys and Ceto. Some versions read that Medusa's sisters transformed themselves into monsters in order to protect Medusa.

One of the theories was that Medusa was the daughter of Hades and Aphrodite. They couldn't decide who she was left with. Eventually Aphrodite just took her. Hades was angry so he went and kidnapped her while Aphrodite was helping others. Hades raised her to use her "special powers" to hurt people. With her other sisters Euryale and Stheno, the were the most powerful people in the mystical world. One day a brave soldier decided to give the sisters a taste of their own medicine. He stood infront of Medusa, Euryal, and Stheno and put his golden shield up. All three of them saw their own relection and were turned into stone.^{[[Citing sources citation needed]]}

In other stories Stheno wasn't the name of the sister, her name was Furie. Furie was the only different gorgon. Furie couldn't turn people into stone. If she were to stare at a human in the eye she could hypnotise them and help her do evil. In the most well known version of the myth, Medusa originally started out as a beautiful woman. She had sex with — or was raped by — Poseidon in Athena's temple. Poseidon was an arch-rival of Athena's since at one time he vied for patronage of Athens; the soon-to-become Athenians chose Athena's offering of the olive tree over Poseidon's offering of horses or a spring of water.

Upon discovery of the desecration of her temple, Athena changed Medusa's form to match that of her sister Gorgons as punishment. Medusa's hair turned into snakes and her glance would turn all living creatures to stone. She was banished beyond the Hyperborean lands.

While Medusa was pregnant by Poseidon, she was beheaded in her sleep by the hero Perseus with help from Athena and Hermes, who supplied him with winged sandals, Hades' cap of invisibility, a sickle, and a mirrored shield. Perseus was either blindfolded or was able to slay Medusa by looking at her reflection in the mirror instead of directly at her to prevent being turned into stone. In any case, Perseus severed Medusa's head and from her neck came her offspring: Pegasus and Chrysaor. Perseus used Medusa's head to rescue Andromeda, kill Polydectes, and, in some versions, petrify the Titan Atlas. Then he gave it to Athena, who placed it on her shield Aegis.

Medusa in art and legend

Medusa is a well-known mythological icon throughout the world, having been portrayed in artwork as well as popular media over the ages.

Examples of Medusa and the Perseus legend in art form:

• [Perseus with the Head of Medusa] (bronze sculpture) by Benvenuto Cellini (1554)
• [Perseus with the Head of Medusa] (marble sculpture) by Antonio Canova (1801)
• [Perseus]] (bronze sculpture) by Salvador Dalí
• [Medusa] (oil on canvas) by Arnold Böcklin
• [Medusa] (oil on canvas) by Caravaggio

Medusa as a sexual image

Some writers, including Camille Paglia, author of Sexual Personae, have characterized Medusa as a sexual image. For example, in Sexual Personae, Paglia writes, "It is against the mother that men have erected their towering edifice of politics and sky-cult. She is Medusa, in whom Freud sees the castrating and castrated female pubes. But Medusa's snaky hair is also the writhing vegetable growth of nature. Her hideous grimace is men's fear of the laughter of women."

Medusa in popular culture

• Medusa is featured in the visual novel game and anime series Fate/stay night as an example of the Rider-class Servant.
• Medusa is used as one of the many symbols of the haute couture house Versace.
• Medusa is the name of a Marvel comics fictional character.
• "Medusa" is a song by the thrash metal band Anthrax (band) from their classic 1985 album Spreading the Disease.
• Medusa is the name of the second solo album by Annie Lennox, released in 1995.
• "Medusa" is a song by the American indie rock band Helium, from their 1995 album The Dirt of Luck.
• Medusa's Path is a song of The Prodigy
• Medusa is the name of a floorless, high octane roller coaster at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, New Jersey.
• Medusa appears as a charcter in numerous computer games, among them Heroes of Might & Magic II, Heroes of Might & Magic III and the Castlevania series. In Castlevania, oddly, creatures known as "Medusa Head"s are extremely common.
• Medusa and other Gorgons appears as adversaries in the video game God of War for the Playstation 2.
• In , Medusa and her sisters Stheno (called Fury) and Euryale appear in the Season 2 premiere episode "Bring It On".
• The story of Medusa is told in the movie Clash of the Titans and the fight between her and Perseus is one of the films highlights.
• The myth was updated and used as the basis of the Hammer horror film The Gorgon released in 1964. The Gorgon character, Magaera, is clearly based on Medusa.
• Medusa is seen as a major adversary of Wonder Woman which also inspired the creation of Darna.
• Medusa is referenced in the song "Go or Go Ahead" by musician Rufus Wainwright.
• Medusa is featured as a main enemy in the PC Game Titan Quest along with her sisters.
• Medusa fights Steve Irwin in Celebity Deathmatch.

External links

• [Macula's (Medusa)]

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