Continuing on with my new passion of mythology, this week I will be talking about Medusa. Since I talked about a monster in Percy Jackson last week, I figured I would choose another one from the book. Medusa was one of three Gorgons which are daughters of the sea gods Phorcys and Ceto. Medusa was different from her sisters because she was born with a beautiful face and wonderful hair. Medusa was also born a mortal unlike her sisters Graeae, Echidna, and Ladon who were all monsters by birth. Unfortunately, she would eventually join them, becoming the worst of them all.

Due to Medusa’s beauty, Poseidon – the god of the sea- noticed Medusa and impregnated her in the temple of Athena. Of course, this angered Athena, the virgin goddess of wisdom. Athena, unable to due anything to Poseidon, cursed Medusa. Medusa’s hair turned into coils of serpents, and anyone who looked into her eyes would turn to stone. Medusa joined her sisters, becoming a monster.

After Medusa became a monster, Polydectes -king of Seriphos- sent the hero Perseus to retrieve him the head of Medusa, assuming Perseus fail; However, Perseus was determined and found the location of Medusa. With the help Athena and Hermes, Perseus finally reached Medusa, and she was, luckily, asleep. Perseus used Athena’s bronze shield as a mirror in order to not look directly at Medusa and be turned to stone. He reached Medusa and cut her head off with a sickle. Due to the fact Medusa was still pregnant at the time of death, two of her children, Chrysaor and Pegasus, sprang from her neck upon death. Perseus put Medusa’s head into a bag and went back to his home, Seriphos. On his way, He flew over Libya and Medusa’s blood dripped onto the ground. Those drops became snakes which is why Libya is full of serpents. Perseus arrived back and used Medusa’s head to turn Polydectes into stone. After all of this, Perseus gave the head to Athena.

This entire story was pretty interesting to read. I think it shows how cruel the god and goddesses were viewed in the Greek times. Medusa really did not do anything wrong and she ended up being turned into a monster. Then she was essentially assigned to be beheaded.

Next week I think I will finally move on from monsters to talk about a god of goddess from Greek mythology.

Works Cited

“Medusa.” Greek Mythology, www.greekmythology.com/Myths/Creatures/Medusa/medusa.html.