Story of rV\eduSil in Greer Myrhologyby Mortho Leonard

The stories of Meduso are oflen contradictory. Was she a victim or a villian? Wos she always ugly or oncebeautiful? How did someone with the body of a drogon and a head of snakes become known as thy"guordion or protecioress"? Just what was her rote in the early Greek myths?

The name Medusa first oppears in eorly retigious history, when goddesses represented birth and eorth. Itwas a time before lhe advenf of male gods. There ore references to o Meduso dmong the Libyan Amazons.She was known then as the "serpent goddess". Those who study Greek mythology believe the goddess wos

transplanted into the Greek totes at a later date. Alt tates seem lo agree that she was a gorgon-oterrible monster. Some stories sdy she wos born that way, the only mortal of three gorgon sisters born toEchidne, a holf-woman, halfsnake and Typhon, the worst monster in the wortd. Another story siotes she

wos o beautiful woman born to two earth people named Phorcys and Celo.

The story of Medusa as a world renowned beauty says she offended Atheno, the beautiful goddess. Onemyth says Meduso lived in the far north and had never seen the sun. She asked permission of Athena tocome south.

When Aiheno denied her request, she ongrily ocused Athena of being jealous of her (Meduso's) beauty.Enraged, Atheno noi only removed her beauty, but even worse, mode her so ugly people, especiolly men,

furned to stone just looking of her.

A different sfory olso reports Meduso's beouty was so stunning that mony men courted her, but shebecame a priestess in Athena's temple. Her golden hoir ond her beauty attracted the lustful eyes of thesea god, Poseidon. They coupled in Atheno's temple, a terrible violation of o sacred ptoce. Stories differ as

to whether he raped Medusa or she enticed him first. Either way, she got pregnant. When Athena learnedwhat had happened she flew into a rage and cursed Medusa with snakes for hair, o body of a dragon onda face that turned those who looked at her to stone.

Eventuolly, o Greek hero named Perseus promised to kitt her. He borrowed (some stories soy he stole)Hermes' winged sandals ond Hades' cap of invisibility. He carried a powerful scythe and a mirrored snietd.His speed ond invisibility allowed him to get close to her. He used the mirror to "see" her withoutbecoming o sfone and beheaded her.

Again, different versions tett that Athena assisted him.

It turned out that the head continued, at leost for owhile, to turn others fo sfone. Perseus used it to kittsome of his enemies including King Potydectes who was forcing Persephus' mother to marry him. The storycontinues that when her head left her neck, her offspring sprdng fulI grown from her blood. They werethe winged horse Pegasus (Poseidon wos o great horse lover) and a gianf warrior named Chrysaor. As

Perseus fransported ihe head, blood dripped onto the Sahara Desert ond created poisonous serpents.When he laid the head down near fhe sea, the btood seeped onto the seaweed and crealed red corol.Afterward this water wos known os the "Red Seo". It is also interesting to note that some species ofcoral are colted medusa today.

The eventuol disposition of the head varies from tale to tale. Some soy thot Athena used it on her shield,the Aegis, for awhile, ond then gove it away. Others say Persephus buried it in the marketplace of Argos.Images of Medusa were found in the temples of Artemis, who also sometimes wore a Medusa mask at some

rites. Her image was also found on doors, flags and in cups. It was used to scare evil spirits oway.

fhere are lessons to be ]earned from Medusa's stories. One is thai beauty cdn either be a gift or o curse,depending on how o beoutiful womon behaves. Her beouty certoinly got Medusa into trouble. The second

lesson is that Medusa had more power os a gorgon than she did ds a womdn. This is how she becameknown as a guordion or protectoress, especially for virgins. The curse of being able io turn men info stoneproved lo be o warning to all men who would force their unwonted attention on women. Finally, shecontinued to have power even afler her death. Her head continued to kitl and her blood spowned herchildren as wetl as snakes and corat. That power has continued even fo modern times. Several books on

women's rights and liberotion hove used Medusa's story olong with her heod as a symbo[ of rage. Perhopsevery womdn has a tittle of Medusa in her both as beouty and rage.

http:l /goo.gl/mEXf9

,V\EDt/sABy: Nick Pontikis

Meduso the Gorgon. Medusa, along with her sisters, Stheno and Euryole, were the daughters of the sea TitansPorcys and Celo. Meduso was the youngest ond most beoutiful (she was also the onty mortal one of the three).Once soid fo hove been exlremely wise they alt served as prieslesses to the virgin goddess of wisdom, Athena.However, the Seagod Poseidon (Neptune) desperatety desired Medusa. In a moment of row passion he raped Medusainside of Athena's temple of worship. Perhops in anger, the three sisters became petty and vindictive toward men.

Appatled eiiher by the sisters' pettiness, or by lhe socrilegious sexuaI oct, Athena transformed Meduso and hersisfers (olt of whom were now wicked) into hideous beasts with scoty skin, drogon's wings and hair formed of dozensof coiting snokes. As a result, all who behetd the Gorgons were instontly turned to sfone when their eyes met.Medusa and her sisters become even more vicious and took great pleasure in torturing their victims until the daywhen Pq$gus, guided and gifted by the Gods, slew Meduso. He used her head lo sloy the Sea-dragon Cetus lhengove the heod to Atheno who mounted it onto a breastplate (or shietd) catted the AEgis.

Upon her death, the seeds of fhe union of Poseidon & Medusa germinated into the young colt named Pegasus and thegiont (or onother winged horse) named Chrysoar, who sprang forth when the blood of Medusa mode contact with fheseafoam. Perseus married the princess Andromeda and they hod a daughter whom they calted Gorgophone (named forthe slain gorgon). Medusa was also identified with the Libyan Queen and serpent-goddess of wisdom of the Amazons.Her name is derived from the Sanskrit medha, Greek metis, and Egyption met or maat all meaning "wisdom."

Meduso was one of the Gorgons. Her sisfers, Sthenno and Euryale, were immortal but Medusa was mortal. All threewere so hideous, fhe shock of seeing them would turn anyone to stone. Medusa is calted The Gorgon or simply,Gorgon. They were daughters of the ancient pre-Titan gods Phorcys and Ceto

Myth Man's Nofe: Medusa's mofher Ceto was the daughfer of Gaia and Pontus. Her husband Phorcys was also herbrofher. She is the personification of the dangers and horrors of the sea and her name evenfually became a namefor any generic sea monster. Ceto is regarded as fhe mother of the Gorgons and many ofher monsfers. Her namemeans "Sea Monsfer".

Meduso wosn'f always hideous. There is a porticulor myth in which Meduso was originalty a beautiful maiden withlong silky hair ihat she was very proud of . One day she unwisely desecrated Athena's femple by tying there wifhPoseidon. Outroged, Athena turned Medusa's hair into living, hissing snokes, making it nearly impossible for Meduso foget o dote. All who saw her turned to stone!

The Gorgon Medusa was kilted by the hero Perseus with the help of Athena and Hermes. Using the winged sondolsand Hodes' helmet of invisibitity provided by Hermes, and Athena's silver shield, Perseus opproached the sleepingMedusa.

Perseus kilted the monster by looking al her reflection on his shield, which prevented him turning into stone. He cutoff her heod and presented it to Athena, who placed it in ihe center of her Aegis, the protective shield which shewore over her breastptate.

But first, Perseus hod to outrace Medusa's enraged sisters, who flew after him, the snokes on their heads and waistshissing at his heels. Perseus managed to escope thonks to fhe winged sandols of Hermes, and by wearing Hades'helmet of invisibitity.

From Meduso's deod body the giant Chrysoor and the winged horse Pegasus, her son by Poseidon, sprang forth. Herndme means "Ruler".

Chrysoar the Golden Sword. Not neorly as famous as his brother Pegasus, Chrysoar has differing legends.

Sometimes he is depicted as a Giani who was given a golden sword (the meaning of the terms chrysos and soar) as o

morker to his godly heritage by Poseidon. As a Giant he was the father of the monsters Echidno, Orthrys, Cerberusond Geryon by Collirrhoe (an Oceanid).

Other myths cloim thot Chrysoar was o winged sleed,like Pegasus, who also sprang forth from the foom when thebtood of Medusa dropped into ihe sea. While this second myth would make a tofol of three winged steeds birthedfrom the union of Poseidon & Medusa, the true tate is probably fhat only Celeris & Pegasus were horses ond

Chrysoor was a Giant, and the origin of Chrysoar as o horse is most likely a confusion of the CelerislChrysoarlegend.

Other accounts claim Chrysoar w6s named so for the golden sword thot Perseus used to slay his Gorgon mofher,

white others stote that Chrysoar is actuolty an epithet for Belterophon whose originol ndme wos Hipponous (meoning

'horse wisdom'). This, of course, re-enforces the foct that Pegasus and Betlerophon were actuatly 'brothers' (both

hoving the same father).

http://mythmon.com/

Greer MyUnology: MeduSilby Tim Florry

Meduso is one of the best known villainesses from Greek mythology, most people wilt recognise her os theGorgon who can turn peopte into stone just through them looking into her eyes. There is though a loi more toher story lhcn there moy ai first appecr, and it actuolly storts with her being wronged by the gods of MountOlympus.

Untike other stories from Ancienf Greece, the storyline of Medusa is fairly straightforward, without the complexvariotions that often occur with corresponding iales. Medusa wos from an ancieni line of gods, predating ihetwetve Otympians, her porents were Phorcys and Ceto, offspring of Goia (Earth) and Okeanos (Ocean). Despitebeing mortal, Medusa had iwo immorlol sisfers, Sthenno ond Euryale, who made up the Gorgons'.

In her youth, Medusa was a beaufiful woman, with long flowing hoir thot ottracted many suitors. Medusa actedas a priestess in the temple of Athena. Worshipping the goddess, Poseidon saw Medusa, ond raped her.

Atheno wds so ouiraged of the sacrilege of her femple, thot she punished Meduso by turning her long hair infosnakes, ond ensuring that anyone who looked on her new ugliness directly would turn inio stone. As with manysuch totes it is the mortal who were blamed for any tronsgression.

In an atternative version of evenfs, Medusa was cursed for ottempting lo compete wiih Athena about who wasmore beoutiful. In this version Medusa argued with Atheno, and cloimed that the goddess was jealous of themortol Medusa. There is dn drgument over wheiher Medusa was made ugly, or whether she reioined herbeauly, and it was her sorrowful look ond snakes that coused the petrificaiion of observers.

This could well have been lhe end of her sfory, and Medusa may have lived out her doys in her cavern with hersisters. The story of Medusa then crosses with the story of fhe hero Perseus. Perseus required the head ofMedusa, to aid his quesf of rescuing his mofher, Danae, from King Polydectes of Seriphus. With the assistonceof the gods, Aihena, who provided her reflective shield, and Hermes, who gave Perseus the magic wingedsondats, Perseus embarked on his odventure.

Perseus first had to get information from the Groeoe, the three grey women', additional sisters of Medusa. TheGroeae hod but one eye and one tooih between them, so Perseus took the eye and kept it uniil the Graeoe totdPerseus everything he required.

With the information oblained, Perseus made his way to Medusc's cavern. There he found the stony figures ofmen and onimals who had gazed upon the Gorgon. Perseus managed fo get ctose to Medusa by usingAthena's shield as a mirror, lherefore avoiding a direct goze. Medusa was then beheaded.

Meduso was pregndnt by Poseidon, and from her decopitated body the winged horse Pegasus, ond the giantChrysaor were born. Pegasus was used by Betlerophon in his adventures, whitsf Chrysaor became the King ofIberia.

Even in deafh, Medusa stilt had a rote to play in Greek mythotogy. Though the remoining Gorgons chased ofterPerseus, they were unable to coich him. As Perseus then flew to rescue his mother, Medusa's head was used

to turn the Titan Atlos into stone as he hetd up the heovens. As he flew over fhe Red Sea, blood from thedecopitoied heod dripped creating the sea's corat. Perseus atso used Medusa's head as a weapon as rescuedAndromedo.

Perseus mode one finol use of the heod, rescuing his mofher from an imminent wedding, Perseus turned ollthose present, oside form his mother, into stone.

With the quest completed, Medusa's head was passed from Perseus to the goddess Athena, who ploced ii on

her Aegis, her shield, to be used wlren she fought.

There are some similarities between Meduso and the goddess Hero. The worship of both women predotes thecreotion of the Mount Olympus gods. Prior io ancient Greece, Medusa was worshipped in Africa as a serpentgoddess. Just as Hera decreased in importance with the arrival of the Hellanes people in Greece, so did

Medusa. The more mate dominated religion of the Olympian gods saw Medusa relegated to a relaiive minorrole, and in many peoples' view on oppressed role.

httpz/ /goo.gllwe84i

r

/V\edusa - Greer MythologyBy Ankono Dey Choudhury

With the tetevision channels continually airing the troilers of the upcoming ond much expected movie "Closh of theTitons", Medusa of Greek mythotogy is generaling o tot of interest. But who wos she and what was her fate?

" Beyond all others shewas famed for beauty, and the envious hope

of many suifors. Words would fail to tellfhe glory of her hair, mosf wonderful

of all her charms--A friend declared fo me

he saw its lovely splendour." - Ovid's

description of Medusa in "Mefomorphoses" in

book 4:1181-95, as translated by Thomas More.

The tote of Medusa in Greek mythotogy con be calted nofhing more thon a lragedy, in my opinion. if the feminists oftoday happen to come across her story they shotl feel violoted themselves. They say thaf the fale of women havebeen elched by injusiices hurted at them throughout the history of humonity. The tale of of this maid, doomed tobecome o beast, is one more example lo vouching for it. In soothe lhe hisfoires of Perseus and Medusa in Greekmythotogyare intricotely woven together. In order to understond her ptight one needs lo know her original identity,the injustice incorporated in her situotion and her downfall.

Meduso - Greek MythologyThe porentoge of Meduso is often debaled over in mythology even though she is most popularty believed lo be lhedaughter of Celo ond her brother Phorcys, the primordiol sea god and goddess among all Greek gods and goddesses,

residing in the western oceon. She also had fwo sisfers nomed Stheno and Euryole.

Inifiatly Meduso was on officiator of socred rituals in the tempte of the Greek goddess Atheno: the goddess ofwisdom ond wor and the daughter of zeus and Metis. It wos the wrath of this shimmery gray eyed goddess olwoysarmed with a cuirass and o hetmet and accompanied by an owl, that doomed the fair skinned damsel, Medusa, withbreothtoking hoir coscading down her lengih, into o hideous, atrocious chthonic or subterranean gorgon, derived fromGreek gorg6s literolty meoning "dreodfu[". However, lhere are primorily fwo variant versions of how this pitiful fatebefell on her.

Medusa - Greek Mythology - Legend IIt was no secret that Meduso's beauty was not eorthly. She was divinety mognificeni ond mesmerized onybody who

lay their eyes on her. As John Dryden put it,

" Medusa once had charms; to gain her loveA rival crowd of envious lovers strove.

They, who have seen her, own, they ne'er did traceMore moving features in a sweeter face.

Yet above all, her lengfh of hair, fhey own,

In golden ringlefs wav'd. and graceful shone."

But being the fhe priestess of the shrine of Atheno, she could nevet experience lhe gtorious wormfh and beautybestowed on eorth by the sun ds the face of Helios, the Greek deity of the sun coutd almost never be seen in hernorthern sonctuary. So, she sought permission from the goddess to journey to the soothing southern regions of theeorih, blessed with the sun's visit everyday. Bul for some obscure redson Afhena dectined to grant her permission totrovel to the summery pleosant south. Grovely enroged of being refused "fair-cheeked Medusa", os depicted by theAncient Greek lyric poet Pindar, dored lo utter the socritegious words wherein she oscribed Atheno's jeolousy of herbeouty os the reoson for not allowing her sojourn.

This angered the goddess beyond imaginotion ond she transformed the beautiful Medusa into o monstrous gorgon

wherein her enchanting locks were changed to o heodfut of venomous serpents. Her honds were allered lo razorshorp bross claws ond she wos given tusk like fangs that were incisive.

This occount of Meduso's tronsformation into one of the bestiaI mythical creotures is not very shocking given thatthrough ouf mythology Greek deities have been known for their murderous tempers and helt roising every timesomeone monoged to cross their poths. However, it is the next occount which is more shocking ond pififut.

Medusa - 6reek Mythology - Legend IIGiven that "she wos o very Iovely one", os penned by Humphries, Poseidon: god of the seo was greatty appealed byher rovishing durd. Besides thot the focts on Poseidon indicate thot Afhena ond Poseidon were most often in a stateof competing wiih eoch other ond once even sought to win over the honor of the Grecian populace. Athena won thatbattle by giving lhe people an olive tree which proved to be more usefuI in comparison with Poseidon's salt waterlake. Ever since the master of the seos iried to find ways to defile Atheno.

Both these redsons seemed to be enough for Poseidon, the Roman Neptune, and he violated and deflowered Medusa in

the oltor of Atheno itself, "And the goddess turned away, and hid her eyes/ Behind her shield'describes Humphries.

Aiheno's fury was infernal. She went insone wilh rage os her shrine was befouled by Poseidon. But her powers wereinferior to those of the Seo god. So, she venied her spteen on the priestess of her sanctuary. Some say thot she

gave Meduso a rofund, tusked face otong with eyes that turned all gazers to stone. Even her sisters transformedinto simitor gorgons. White Stheno became o gorgon os she stood by Meduso when Atheno bedamned her sister and

happened fo assume ihe most ferocious avator as she slew the moximum number of men, more thon the number ofvictims thaf her fwo sisters together murdered. Even Euryale became o gorgon wifh a body covered in dragon likescoles. But untike her siblings, Meduso was mortol. She was even conceiving Poseidon's offsprings in her womb when

the goddess showered her wrath upon her.

So, this is how her f ale wos sealed for a crime thot she was a victim of. From being sought afier by numerous

suifors, she became one of the most fear inspiring ond despised beasts ever exhibited by the Greek culture. Afterthaf Medusa resided in the Iste of Cisthene, to the east of Ethiopia and in the Red Seo, in o rocky covern at the end

of the living world and the inception of the world of the deod. Her sisters stayed with her. Her cave was nigh thesprings of the Oceanus river, from which sprouted nine streoms fhot encircled the entire globe.

Medusa - Greek Mythology - Death of the QorgonFrom this juncture the fate of the Grecian worrior Perseus get entwined with thot of the gorgon's which spells herdoom.

The Coming of PerseusIt olI siarted on the fatefuI day when Dictys, the brother of King Potydectes. soved Danoii, the daughter of King

Acrisius of Argos ond Eurydice, and her child, Perseus. King Polydectes, the monarch of the isle of Seriphos, wos

smitten by the beouty of the lady ond wonted to have her instantoneousty. But the only bone of contention thatcome in the way of his much desired motrimony wds Danda's young son, Perseus. Overtly protective of her motherand ardent to sove her from the ctutches of Potydectes, Perseus wos odomont to let to the monarch have his ways.

Very cunning, ihe king too knew thot he could only rid off the young hindronce by some devious means otone. So, he

shrewdly declared that he was about to adopt Princess Hippodomia as a wife ond would be very pleosed if his

subjects showered exorbiiont presents on him os tokens of love and good wishes. But Perseus did not have sufficientmonetory resources to get the king anything of all. As port of the ploy, the king summoned him into the royal courtand floufed the young mon ond egged his courfiers on to do the same. His ego hurt, Perseus declored thot he would

wrest onything that Potydectes wished fo have, no matfer how difficutt and ot this point the king grabbed theopportunity ond osked the boy to fetch the heod of the deadly gorgon, Meduso.

Confused ond yet too proud to say o no, Perseus set out on his quest fo obtain the unobtainobte. On reoching theshrine of Athena he pleaded for hetp from the goddess throughout the night. Only too happy to hetp onybody on ovoyoge to destroy Meduso, Afheno presented him with o shietd os sheeny os o mirror, which would enable fheworrior to keep from tooking at the gorgon's Iethal goze ond slay her jusi from her mirror image.

Moreover, she asked him to visit the fountoin of the nymphs who would bestow him with friple presents to oid in the

occomplishmen+ of the mission. Finally, Hermes: the messenger GreeR god or the herald of the other gods, gove him

his winged soles to help Perseus to fly to the end of the world. The nymphs gifted Perseus wiih a diomond tippedsteel to permeote successfully into fhe pett of fhe gorgon, Hades' cap to render him invisibte and finatly a sock focarry ihe fatol head of Medusa.

Finally, he hod to visit the sisters Groeoe, who shared dn eye thot saw all and a tooth and hod the some porents ofthe gorgon sisters. These "groy witches" were bewildered when approached by Perseus donning Hades' cap and so

they couldn't see him. Thinking that the tollest of them would be oble to spot their visitor the other two possed

lheir eye lo the tatl wifch but Perseus grabbed hotd of it ond imperilted io hurl it into the oceanif they foited todirect him fo the gorgon. At a loss, the sisters iold them where to find Medusa and Perseus dropped lhe eye intothe dusty ground and flew oway.

On reaching the den of Medusa, he found olI the three sisters sleeping peacefutly. Avoiding looking directly at herond onty envisioning her through the shietd reflection he hacked off Meduso's head with the hord, diamond clad swordond then stuffed it into the sack and used the soles to gei away. On waking up, Stheno and Euryale chased him

white the Iotter bawled ond cried toudty. It is believed thot since Medusa wos olso pregnant at the time of herdeaIh, from her dripping blood drops rose Chrysaor, the giant and Pegasus, fhe winged white equine who according tothe legend of Pegasus took ftight to Mount Helicon where he resided dmong the muses and thot he wos christenedoffer "pegae" which were the nine springs river Oceanus. Chrysaor in certain versions is portrayed ds a young feltowwhite in others as a boar with wings.

The Final Destinotion...If is soid thot after marrying Andromeda on the woy bock and turning the titan Atlos, with the sky on his back, intorock while ftying past him, Perseus went back to fhe rlanor of Potydectes. There he wos greatly grieved ond enragedof the same time to see Donaii enslaved and treated os a meniol servant in ihe castle. He spirted into the court ofthe king. Potydectes wos dumbsfruck to see the worrior otive and fhen refused lo believe that he hod accomptishedthe kitting of the deadly gorgon all by himsetf. At this Perseus soid nothing and simply revealed the gorgon heod in

front of the king and his ministers. Att of them turned to stone instantoneously, such was the potency of even thedead Meduso and the resi, as they say is history.

Legend hos it that Perseus, who seconded Athena's punishmenl ds just ds per Ovid, handed the heod over fo thedeity Afhena who wore it on the Aegis Pallas, her shield, forevermore...

It is betieved thot her soul roomed the caverns of the Underworld and wos one of the spirits not to have fled,besides Meleager, when the Grecian hero visited Hades during the 12 labors of Hercules. Hercules even fried to slayher with his steel untit Hermes enlightened him that she had olready been reduced to a mere dppdrifion. So, this is

the lore of one of the hideous Greek mythicat creatures, Medusa. Punished for being a vicfim and then slain for thepurpose of gifting. A womon tronsformed into a commodity and used as o mere piece of armament. Greek mythologywould be incomplete without her mention os she is the epitome of immortal power. As portrayed in the words ofJane Ellen Harrison more appropriately, "her potency onty begins when her head is seveted, ond thot potency residesin the heod..."

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GOI)S cr)r)l)EssE\

*rHE CORCONSwith wings, claws,

the most famous

Monstrous sisters

and serpent hainbeing Medusa.

,.,. """o f these monstrous

'{ " i sisters, Euryale ('Sfide-

(Strong) were immortal, butMedusa (Ruler) was mortal. Allthree were so hideous that a mere

glance at one ofthem could turna person into stone.

It is in the story of Perseus

that Medusa reared her ugly

head. This son of Danae and

Zeus had been adopted by KingPolydectes after the boy and his

mother were washed onto his

island. Now, the king had designs

to marry Danae against her will.Perseus oflered to win whatever

gift the bridegroom desired, even

the head of Medusa if he so

wished, as long as Polydectes

married Hippodameia, his

ofEcial bride, and not Danae.

Polydectes accepted this rash

gesture, and asked Perseus to

bring back Medusa's head-aseemingly impossible task.

The goddess Athenaoverheard the conversation and,

as an enemy of the Gorgons, she

olTered to help Perseus in his

mission. She took him to the

island of Samos where all three

Gorgons could be seen inpictorial form, so that he could

tell Medusa apart from her

immortal sisters. Athena warned

Perseus not to set eyes directly on

Medusa or he would be turnedto stone. To aid him in his

mission, she gave him a highlypolished shield.

The winged god Hermes,

patron of travelers, lent Perseus a

sickle with which to cut off the

Gorgon's head. Well-prepared forthe task, he set off for the

western land of theHyperboreans where the

Gorgons dwelt. Perseus

approached stealthily as the

monstrous sisters slept amongtheir victims-men and beasts

who had been petrified. Lookingonly at the image of Medusa

reflected in his shield, Perseus

raised his sickle and with one

blow sliced offher head. fu her

sisters stirred, Perseus quickly hidthe head with its serpent hair in a

wallet and took flight with the

aid of winged sandals lent to himby nymphs. The speed and

nimbleness of the sandals enabled

Perseus to outstrip the enraged

pursuing Gorgons. As Perseus

flew over the desert, some drops

of Medusa's blood fell onto the

sand, and swarms of poisonous

snakes emerged.

Meous,r slnlNThe head of Medusa, with snakes

for hair.

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Deborah Nourse Lattimore

Malcolm Day