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The Mythical Medusa: 10 Facts That Will Surprise You

The creepy snake-headed creature referred to as Medusa has been a talking point for centuries with people telling different stories about her. Despite some people claiming to know everything about Medusa, there are several hidden facts that we have never heard about. The story of Medusa takes several routes and is told in different versions, from her beginnings as a lovely mortal woman to the various representations in ancient art. Stories are told of a young and beautiful woman who became an ugly monster after being cursed. There are other facts about Medusa such as her evil presence and her powerful gaze that would turn people into stones. We are told that her beheading contributed to the establishment of a fabled city. Myths about Medusa have been interpreted in several different ways, including as cautionary tales about female strength and as symbols of evolution and wisdom. Further digging into the stories about Medusa would help uncover several facts about the ancient creature that terrorized people before being killed. Be ready for an adventure as we take you through ancient Greek mythology to uncover facts about Medusa.

The following are some of the ten amazing facts about Medusa that will surprise you:

1. Medusa Attracted Several Men during her Early Years

Young and attractive women were endangered species during the ancient Greek period. They attracted interest from men in their country including prominent leaders whom one could not say ‘no’ to. Medusa was a victim of rape because of her stunning beauty. Before becoming a monster, medusa was a beautiful young woman. However, to her bad luck, her beauty attracted Poseidon who would eventually rape her. Being the god of the sea, Poseidon was powerful and Medusa could not fight. Ancient poets stated that Poseidon raped her in the temple of Athena.

2. Athena Transformed Medusa from a Beautiful Young Woman into an Ugly Beast

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When Medusa was defiled by Poseidon in the temple, Athena was offended and felt that the temple was disrespected. Therefore someone had to be punished and Medusa became the sacrificial lamb. Despite being the victim, medusa was punished because Poseidon was older and he was immortal. Athena turned Medusa from a young beautiful woman into a hideous monster that would not stare into a person’s eyes without turning them into a stone. Medusa’s attractive hair was turned into venomous serpents and she became one of the gorgons.

Also see: Top 10 Facts about Athena, the Greek Goddess

3. She Was the Only Mortal among the Three Gorgons 

There are a few stories told about Medusa’s two sisters, Stheno and Euryale. The three were the gorgons, whose parents were Phorcys and Keto. The only thing known about her sisters is that they were immortal. The two sisters’ appearance is also in question but people have had to assume that the sisters looked like Medusa. Medusa was mortal because she would eventually be killed by Perseus.

4. Medusa’s Body Was Dynamic and Her Appearance Changed from Time to Time

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The ever-changing appearance of Medusa over the centuries created different stories about her. Archaic Greece and late antiquity are among several different versions told about the beast. Some old versions of her story written in the second century depict that Medusa had a golden wing.

5. Athena, the Greek Goddess of Wisdom Had an Unending Hatred for Medusa 

Despite turning Medusa into a hideous monster, Athena’s hatred for Medusa did not stop. The goddess of wisdom has a unique character when it comes to hating someone. As if turning Medusa into a gorgon was not enough, she held a grudge until the last day when Medusa was killed. When King Polydektes asked Perseus to kill Medusa, Athena offered help. She aided Perseus on the mission and was happy when the hero brought the head of Medusa.

6. She Gave Birth to Two Boys Before She Died

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Some stories say that when medusa became pregnant when she was raped by Poseidon but could not give birth. However, when Perseus pursued and beheaded her, two children came out through the opening. The children were Chrysaor and Pegasus who was a horse with wings. The two boys grew to become warriors.

7. Medusa’s Head was used by Perseus to Fight and Defeat the Enemies

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After beheading Medusa, Perseus carried her head to present to King Polydektes, the king of Seriphos Island. However, on the way back, Perseus came across fighters and adversities that would have ended his life. When Perseus was up against the titan called Atlas, he had no chance. However, he used Medusa’s head to destroy the enemy. He showed the head to Atlas who became so afraid and turned into the Atlas Mountain in Africa. Perseus would eventually use Medusa’s head to kill King Polydektes for trying to forcefully marry Dane, Perseus’s mother.

8. Medusa Was Initially a Priestess in Greece Before She Disobeyed the Law 

Before becoming an object of sex to Poseidon, medusa was a priestess. She went against the vows of being a priestess when she fell in love with Poseidon. She was eventually stripped of the priestess hood and eventually became an ordinary girl in the country.

Check out: 15 Great Facts about Zeus in Greek Mythology

9. She Was So Powerful that Perseus had to seek help to kill her

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Medusa was killed by Perseus but not without help. He was given a mirrored shield by Athena, winged sandals by Hermes, a sword by Hephaestus, and invisibility power by Hades. With all these powerful tools at his disposal, Perseus was able to attack Medusa before she could see him, beheading her before she could turn to him and possibly kill him.

10. Medusa is Thought to have Wandered in Africa After She was Cursed

According to Greek mythology, medusa walked through Africa releasing poisonous baby snakes wherever she went. The presence of several poisonous snakes in Africa has been used as evidence to back the theory.

Medusa is a fabled Gorgon that continues to be a center of attraction because of her mystical tales. Learning about the facts about Medusa would always challenge the myths and misconceptions that we had before. The myths about Medusa are fascinating, and have a lot of symbolism from her beauty as a young woman to becoming a monster. Her figure has continued to be used in the modern day to protect and empower women in society. For countless decades to come, Medusa’s legacy as a representation of strength, change, and resiliency will amaze and motivate people.