Hey everyone, welcome to Mythology Explained. In today’s video, we’re going to discuss Medusa.
We’re going to start by looking at what’s told in Hesiod’s Theogony - basically that
she was born a gorgon. Following that we’re going to look at the version of
her story told in Ovid’s Metamorphoses, which has her begin as a beautiful woman,
tragically transformed into a hideous monster by Athena after being forced upon by Poseidon. And
lastly, we’re going to look at what’s said in Apollodorus’ Library of Greek Mythology,
which gives a more detailed description of her appearance and recounts Perseus’ slaying of her.
Let’s get into it.
Phorcys and Ceto, both ancient sea deities, were brother and sister, both born to two primordial
deities, Gaia, the personification of the earth, and Pontus, the personification of the sea.
From their union came an abominable, barbarous brood that comprised many of the best known
monsters in Greek mythology, including: the trio of Graeae and the trio of Gorgons,
as well as others, and depending on the version, even Echidna.
The Graeae, this name meaning “the old ones” or “the grey-haired ones”, were a trio of women, old
from the moment of their birth. Their names were Enyo, Pemphredo, and Deino, meaning, respectively,
“Horror”, “Alarm”, and “Dread”. Counted together, they had but a single eye and a single tooth
between them, both of which they passed around, allowing them to see and eat by turn. Their best
known appearance in Greek mythology comes in Perseus’ quest to slay Medusa. The hero steals
their eye, using it to extort them into divulging the whereabouts of the Gorgons, threatening to
squish it in his fist, thereby reducing it to a gelatinous mess unless they capitulate.
The Gorgons were a trio of snake-haired monsters. Their names were Sthenno,
Euryale, both of whom were immortal, and Medusa, who was mortal, which is why,
being the only one of the three who could be killed, she was the object of Perseus’ quest.
When Medusa was decapitated, the abrupt end of a gory stump now where her head used to be,
out sprung two creatures: Chryasor, a man born with a golden sword in hand, who would
sire triple-headed Geryon, a giant Hercules would later kill, and Pegasus the winged horse,
whose majestic form departed from the earth when he flew to Olympus where he
would dwell amongst the gods, bearing thunder and lighting to Zeus, the king of the gods.
Here’s the passage from Theogony that discusses most of what’s been said thus far:
“To Phorcys Ceto bore old women fair of cheek, white haired from birth: the immortal gods and
men who on earth call them the Old Women… And she bore the Gorgons, who live beyond famed Oceanus
at the world’s edge hard by Night, where the dear-voiced Hesperides are: Sthenno, Euryale,
and Medusa, who suffered a grim fate. She was mortal, but the other two immortal and ageless…
And when Perseus cut off her head from her neck, out sprang Chryasor and the horse Pegasus.”
Also described in Theogony is medusa laying with Poseidon, here called the god of the Sable Locks,
in a verdant meadow abounding with wild flowers - this coupling in connection with
Medusa’s beheading making it clear Poseidon was the father of both Chryasor and Pegasus.
The alternative version of Medusa’s origin comes from Ovid, a Roman poet,
in his magnum opus, Metamorphoses, an extensive compendium of myths and legends,
many of them from ancient Greek sources. The stories told are presented in chronological order,
from the moment of creation to the death and godly ascension of Julius Caesar.
In his version of Perseus’ myth, he explains why it was that Medusa alone of the three Gorgon
sisters was mortal. Before her unfortunate transformation, she was a great beauty,
one of the most desired women in Greece. Neptune, Roman mythology’s version of Poseidon, took Medusa
against her will inside the temple of Minerva, Roman mythology’s version of Athena. Minerva,
a virgin goddess, couldn’t bear to the sight, so she shielded her sight with her aegis. Then,
following the attack, Medusa received the brunt of the goddess’ wrath, her hair, once her most
desirable feature, replaced with a writhing tangle of snakes. Here’s the passage that describes this:
“He was asked by one of the court why Medusa, alone of her sisters, had snakes entwined
in her hair. ‘That is an excellent question’, responded the guest, ‘let me give you the answer.
Medusa was once an exceedingly beautiful maiden, whose hand in marriage was jealously sought by
an army of suitors. According to some who told me he’d seen it, her marvelous hair was her crowning
glory. The story goes that Neptune the sea god… [forced himself on] this glorious creature inside
the shrine of Minerva. Jove’s daughter screened her virginal eyes with her aegis in horror,
and punished the sin, by transforming the gorgon’s beautiful hair into horrible snakes.’”
As with so many of his stories, Ovid exaggerates and embellishes, in this instance twisting what
sounds like a pleasant romp in the wilds between Medusa and Poseidon, as described in Theogony,
into an abject assault of the most odious kind. As I’ve mentioned in other videos, Ovid
believed Greek myths to be nothing more than silly stories believed by silly people of a bygone time.
Most of the descriptions of Medusa and her sisters are quite reserved, usually not offering up much
information; however, in Apollodorus’ Library of Greek Mythology, a detailed and frightening
picture is painted: venomous snakes for hair, jutting boar’s tusks from their maws, golden
wings, not decorative but granting flight, and slashing claws of bronze: all of these features
combining to petrify all those who looked upon them, hardening supple flesh to stone.
Perseus, though he was a demigod, the son of mighty Zeus, surely would have perished
were it not for an inordinate amount of divine intervention - his story often said by scholars to
be more akin to a fairy story, one in which Athena and Hermes play the part of fairy godmother,
than a traditional Greek myth. Among the armaments Perseus was lent were:
an impossibly sharp sword by Hermes, one whose blade would not be turned by Medusa’s scales,
Athena’s own bronze shield, so burnished it could be used as a mirror, allowing Perseus’ gaze to be
averted, protecting him from Medusa’s petrifying appearance, and three gifts from the Hyperboreans:
winged sandals that granted flight, a magic sack that would expand or contract according to
the holder’s need, and a cap of invisibility. But even with the benefit of all these boons,
still there were other favorable circumstances and yet addition aid: Perseus attacks Medusa while she
sleeps, and his sword swing is directly guided by Athena. Here’s the scene described by Apollodorus:
“So Perseus stood over them as they slept, and while Athene guided his hand,
he turned aside, and looking into a bronze shield,
in which he could see the reflection of the Gorgon, he cut off her head.”
And that’s it for this video. If you enjoy the content, please like and subscribe. Let
me know in the comments if there’s a topic you’d like covered. Thanks for watching!