by John Greece

Created on: March 20, 2008

According to the Greek Mythology, Gorgons were three and Medusa was one of the them. The other two were Stheno and Evriali. From these three sisters Medusa was the only mortal. Medusa had one more name that was Gorgo, meaning wild eyes.

Medusa, had a father, Forkeas and a mother Kitus. She also had more than two sisters. Graia, Enyo and Pefrido were the other three. She used to be a beautiful Centaur before turning into a Medusa.

One of the myths reports that she was so beautiful that the God of the sea, Poseidon wanted to unite with her. So, in order to fulfill his wish turned himself into a horse and manage to contact Medusa in the sacred land of Athena.

Then, Athena Goddess of wisdom, furious with the fact, not able to come to a rupture with Poseidon and thus unleashed on Medusa. She turned her into a hateful, ugly and wild monster.

From this moment and after, Medusa had snakes in her head instead of hair and huge teeth as a boar. Her eyes was so terrible that anyone who looked at her petrified. Her hands was from copper and she also had gold feathers, which enable her to fly with them. Medusa had a terrible death.

Killed by Perseus with the help of the God Hermes (the messenger of the Gods) and the Goddess Athena, when the king of Serifos, Polidektis would like to eliminate Perseus because of his obstacle standing in the wedding between him and his mother, Danae.

At this point, we should mention that Perseus with her mother Danae, found in Serifos because of Akrisios, the king of Argos. One day, a soothsayer told him that his grandson would killed him. Akrisios feared too much that took both Perseus and Danae, put them into a box and threw them in the sea but the box did not reached the depth of the sea and the waves pulled them in Serifos. Danae was the daughter of Akrisios.

So, Polidektis suggested Perseus to kill Medusa. He was so sure that Perseus would never come back. Perseus accepted the task and a little time later brought to Polidektis the head of Medusa. Polidektis petrified from his fear.

Then, Perseus gave the head of Medusa to the Goddess Athena, which took it and placed it in her shield. This is how the sufferings of Medusa come to an end.

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