![]() ![]() If you thought that Athena was done with Medusa after turning her into a Gorgon, you are mistaken. Athena Hated Her Pallas Athena by René Boyvin, 16th century, Met Museum With time, Medusa transitioned from a horrible beast to a dangerously beautiful woman, which is how most people now know her through 20th and 21st-century visual art.ĥ. From the Hellenistic Period onwards, artists reimagined Medusa as a woman with slightly different eyes and snakes for hair. In any case, Medusa’s head for centuries appeared unnaturally large and round, bringing to mind Pindar’s Pythian Ode 12, where the Greek poet spoke of the “fair cheeked Medusa.” The most important ancient depiction of Medusa is, at least in the author’s personal opinion, the one from the temple of Artemis in Corfu dating to the 6th century BCE. The Gorgon Medusa at the Temple of Artemis in Corfu, 6th century BCE, Archaeological Museum of Corfu To support this theory, he offered parables from cultures across time and space. ![]() Stephen Wilk, who wrote a book on the Medusa, believes that the gorgoneion was an archetypal image of the dead. The gorgoneion has been called a mask of terror and no one can tell if the myth preceded the gorgoneion or the gorgoneion the myth. This was known as the gorgoneion and was typically a cartoonish spherical head, with big, wide eyes and open mouth with tongue and tusks showing. ![]() In the Archaic Greek Period, Medusa’s head was extremely popular as decoration with apotropaic abilities on houses, temples, and various objects including ceramics. Still, the best place to look for a description of the Gorgon Medusa’s appearance is ancient art. Terracotta painted gorgoneion antefix (roof tile), ca. “heads twined about with the scales of dragons, and great tusks like swine’s, and brazen hands, and golden wings, by which they flew” Apollodorus Library Apollodorus writes that the Gorgons had, amongst others, tusks and golden wings! The Library of Apollodorus was written sometime during the 2nd CE century and is considered one of the canonical versions of Medusa’s story. These different versions did not only record different storylines but also offered varying descriptions of Medusa’s appearance. There are many different versions of Medusa’s tale, from Archaic Greece to Late Antiquity. Medusa’s Appearance Changed Throughout the Centuries Perseus slaying Medusa, detail from an olpe attributed to the Amasis painter, 550-530 BCE, British Museum, London The hair that once attracted compliments as the source of her beauty became venomous snakes. Athena turned Medusa from a beautiful maiden into a hideous beast, unable to stare someone in the eye without turning them into stone. Therefore, Medusa had to take the punishment even though she was the victim. However, Poseidon was immortal and older than her. In any case, Athena had to avenge her house’s desecration. Athena Turned Her Into a Beast Medusa, attributed to the C. Only Ovid talks about the sea god violating the young woman, and not everyone agrees with this translation of the original text.Ģ. Indeed the Greek sources never mention Medusa being raped. However, many scholars argue that we have no evidence that the intercourse between Medusa and Poseidon was not consensual. The god of the sea raped Medusa inside the temple of Athena, according to the Roman poet Ovid. To her bad luck, she was beautiful enough to become Poseidon’s object of desire. Before turning into the monster that she was, Medusa was a beautiful young woman. Greek Mythology is a nice imaginary place, unless you are a woman, and more specifically, an attractive woman. Gorgon Medusa Was Raped by Poseidon The Return of Neptune, John Singleton Copley, c. ![]() So, here are 9 facts to learn everything you need to know about the beast with venomous snakes for hair and eyes with petrifying powers.ġ. However, even though Medusa’s image is so popular, not everyone knows the myth behind it. Other times as a powerful, nightmarish villain, and others as a symbol of dangerous (or fearless) femininity, Medusa never ceases to fascinate and inspire. Those familiar with art history have also probably seen various interpretations of Medusa’s image, from the ancient Medusa at Artemis’ temple in Corfu to the beheaded Medusa (1957) of Caravaggio. Be it in movies like Percy Jackson, 2010/2013, Clash of the Titans, 1981/2010, video games like Assassin’s Creed and God of War, the clothes of Versace, TV, and innumerable graphic art books, Medusa’s head has a special place in modern popular imagination. Everyone has seen her face at least once. The Gorgon Medusa is arguably Greek Mythology’s most famous being. Perseus Confronting Phineus with the Head of Medusa and a Terracotta painted gorgoneion antefix (roof tile), ca. ![]()
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