However, it was certainly not because Medusa could not turn gods to stone ; Perseus turned Atlas, a Titan, to stone (again according to Ovid): Perseus delaying resolutely, and combining that with calm words.
Can Medusa turn a woman into stone?
There are no recorded instances of Medusa turning a woman to stone.
Who can Medusa turn to stone?
Athena fought back by turning Medusa's hair into flesh eating snakes and turning anyone who looked into her eyes, to stone. There are many myths on how Medusa died. One myth stated that Athena killed Medusa while she was sleeping.
Can Medusa stone people?
Medusa is an instantly recognizable figure from ancient Greek art. ... Medusa is best known for having hair made of snakes and for her ability to turn anyone she looked at to stone , literally to petrify.
Was Athena jealous of Medusa?
Medusa was a beautiful young woman who was a priestess for the goddess of wisdom and war, Athena. ... Once Athena found out about this affair, her jealousy raged and she became furious! She then decided to put a nasty curse on Medusa for breaking her promise of celibacy.
Who was Medusa in love with?
Medusa and Poseidon engaged in a love affair and would have two children together, but not before Athena discovered the illicit affair. When Athena discovered the affair, she was enraged and immediately cursed Medusa by taking away her beauty.
What happens if a woman looks at Medusa?
Upon the realization that the myths are nothing more than a facade, women endow themselves with personal power. Cixous explains that if women do this, if they dare to “look at the Medusa straight on,” female explorations will result in the discovery that the Medusa “is not deadly, she's beautiful and she's laughing .”
Why did Athena punish Medusa?
If Athena were to hold Poseidon accountable for his transgressions against her, the goddess' father, Zeus, would have to punish him. ... So to get back at him, Athena cursed Medusa so that Poseidon couldn't seduce him anymore.
What did Medusa do wrong?
She was lovely, according to the poem—until she was raped in Athena's temple by Poseidon. Athena then punished her for this violation, by turning her into the monstrous, stony-glanced creature that we know. Yes: punished for being raped. In classical sources, in fact, she's not always monstrous.
Why did Medusa turn into Medusa?
Legend states that Medusa was once a beautiful, avowed priestess of Athena who was cursed for breaking her vow of celibacy. ... When Medusa had an affair with the sea god Poseidon, Athena punished her. She turned Medusa into a hideous hag , making her hair into writhing snakes and her skin was turned a greenish hue.
Did Poseidon and Medusa have a child?
Medusa, in Greek mythology, the most famous of the monster figures known as Gorgons. ... Medusa was the only Gorgon who was mortal; hence her slayer, Perseus, was able to kill her by cutting off her head. From the blood that spurted from her neck sprang Chrysaor and Pegasus, her two sons by Poseidon .
Is Medusa still alive?
In 1912, a specimen shot in Sulawesi measured a jaw-dropping 10 m (32 ft 10 in). However, unlike Medusa, the unnamed animal was never kept alive in captivity . Medusa is currently housed at “The Edge of Hell Haunted House” in Kansas City. ... When measured on 30 September 2009, she was found to be over 7.3 m (24 ft) long.
Who was the ugliest god?
Facts about Hephaestus
Hephaestus was the only ugly god among perfectly beautiful immortals. Hephaestus was born deformed and was cast out of heaven by one or both of his parents when they noticed that he was imperfect. He was the workman of the immortals: he made their dwellings, furnishings, and weapons.
What made Athena angry at Medusa?
Athena looked down in anger and cursed Medusa for betraying her . ... She was scared of her powers and angry at the gods for cursing her. She took her revenge on the men that were sent to kill her. Anybody who took one step on her island were marked now for death at the hands of the Gorgon Medusa.
Did Athena punish or bless Medusa?
Most writers credit Athena with laying a curse on Medusa . ... Thus, transforming Medusa was not an act of rage, rather, it was an act of protection. Athena could not punish Poseidon for what he did to Medusa. As a result, the goddess did the only thing she could do, which was to protect her former priestess.
Did Medusa have a lover?
Medusa's story was used as an allegory when I was younger. ... As I got older, the story of how Medusa went from being a woman to a beast became more venereal, Medusa's beauty charmed the god Poseidon, and they had an affair in Athena's temple which greatly angered the virgin goddess.
