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Medusa is one of the best known villainesses from Greek mythology, most people will recognise her as the Gorgon who can turn people into stone just through them looking into her eyes. There is though a lot more to her story than there may at first appear, and it actually starts with her being wronged by the gods of Mount Olympus.

Unlike other stories from Ancient Greece, the storyline of Medusa is fairly straightforward, without the complex variations that often occur with corresponding tales. Medusa was from an ancient line of gods, predating the twelve Olympians, her parents were Phorcys and Ceto, offspring of Gaia (Earth) and Okeanos (Ocean). Despite being mortal, Medusa had two immortal sisters, Sthenno and Euryale, who made up the Gorgons'.

In her youth, Medusa was a beautiful woman, with long flowing hair that attracted many suitors. Medusa acted as a priestess in the temple of Athena. Worshipping the goddess, Poseidon saw Medusa, and raped her. Athena was so outraged at the sacrilege of her temple, that she punished Medusa by turning her long hair into snakes, and ensuring that anyone who looked on her new ugliness directly would turn into stone. As with many such tales it is the mortal who were blamed for any transgression.

In an alternative version of events, Medusa was cursed for attempting to compete with Athena about who was more beautiful. In this version Medusa argued with Athena, and claimed that the goddess was jealous of the mortal Medusa. There is an argument over whether Medusa was made ugly, or whether she retained her beauty, and it was her sorrowful look and snakes that caused the petrification of observers.

This could well have been the end of her story, and Medusa may have lived out her days in her cavern with her sisters. The story of Medusa then crosses with the story of the hero Perseus. Perseus required the head of Medusa, to aid his quest of rescuing his mother, Danae, from King Polydectes of Seriphus. With the assistance of the gods, Athena, who provided her reflective shield, and Hermes, who gave Perseus the magic winged sandals, Perseus embarked on his adventure.

Perseus first had to get information from the Graeae, the three grey women', additional sisters of Medusa. The Graeae had but one eye and one tooth between them, so Perseus took the eye and kept it until the Graeae told Perseus everything he required.

With the information obtained, Perseus made his way to Medusa's cavern. There he found the stony figures of men and animals

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