Medusa, in Greek mythology, the most famous of the monster figures known as Gorgons. She was usually represented as a winged female creature having a head of hair consisting of snakes; unlike the Gorgons, she was sometimes represented as very beautiful. 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. (source)
I only mention it but the origin of Medusa’s snake tresses is this:
Though she was one of the three Gorgon sisters, Medusa was human. She was also a priestess of Athena, the goddess of wisdom, battle and crafts. Athena required all her faithful to be virgins (like nuns, I guess) but Poseidon didn’t give a good goddamn. He was violently smitten (not unlike that horrorshow human, Mr. I-just-grab-'em-by-the-pussy) with Medusa and raped her. Worse yet, the God of the Sea, abused and violated her on the steps of Athena’s temple. WHAT a vicious, vindictive shit-stain!
as if that wasn't heinous enough, Athena went all bitchy blame-the-victim on our sad, abused heroine. Poor Medusa’s hair was turned to snakes and she was banished to some odd island all by herself. I bet there wasn’t even a Starbucks or a diner nearby. Fucking cruel!
Here’s the thing about my Lego Medusa—she has a reptilian lower end! I knew she had the cool snake hairdo (which I’ve always envied). Has she always been a snake below the waist versus having legs? I can’t find any reference to this online but I did see that, back before that fucker Perseus sliced off her head, she had wings. Snakes for hair AND wings? I am SO jealous!
WHY did Perseus do such a vile, dastardly thing? He was trying to impress his daddy, Zeus. P-boy reeks of serious daddy-issues combined with tiny-dick energy. The original incel? Reminds me of Coke Junior and his pathetic, criminal attempts to gain Cheato’s love and respect. Good fucking luck!
“I transformed Medusa,' Athena continued, 'so that she would have protection against all those who would try to harm her.’
'That's bullshit. You didn't give her a choice, did you?' Lore bit back. 'And now history remembers her as a villain who deserved to die.’
'No. That is what men have portrayed her as, through art, through tales. They imagined her hideous because they feared to meet the true gaze of a woman, to witness the powerful storm that lives inside, waiting. She was not defeated by my uncle's assault. She was merely reborn as a being who could gaze back at the world, unafraid. Is that not what your own line did for centuries, staring out from behind her mask?”
~ Alexandra Bracken, Lore
I'd never known a change that wasn't monstrous.
~ Jessie Burton, Medusa
You’re probably wondering: why were Medusa’s kids a golden warrior and a winged horse? And how had they been stuck in Medusa’s body all those years?Heck, I dunno. I’m just telling you how it was. You want stuff to make sense, you’re in the wrong universe”
~ Rick Riordan, Percy Jackson's Greek Heroes
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