2006-06-21 21:38:20 · 15 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Mythology & Folklore
Medusa was one of the Gorgons, and the only one who was mortal. Her gaze could turn whoever she looked upon to stone. There is a particular myth in which Medusa was originally a beautiful maiden. She desecrated Athena's temple by lying there with Poseidon. Outraged, Athena turned Medusa's hair into living snakes.
2006-06-21 21:42:16 · answer #1 · answered by Bog woppit. 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Medusa had snakes in her hair because this fact was considered by greeks like an ugliness. They had only the power to scare the ones around her.
2006-06-21 23:17:50 · answer #2 · answered by ancutzabatalar 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Medusa had snakes in her hair because she was a Gorgon. They were one of the Gods' creations that, well, had snakes for hair.
Medusa was a little different, though. She was turned into a Gorgon by a Goddess who had become angry with Medusa's actions. Not sure but I think Medusa was the only gorgon who could turn you to stone.
2006-06-21 21:45:44 · answer #3 · answered by Luce's Darkness 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Medusa in Greek mythology, most famous of the three monstrous Gorgon sisters. She was once a beautiful woman, but she offended Athena, who changed her hair into snakes and made her face so hideous that all who looked at her were turned to stone. When Medusa was with child by Poseidon, Perseus killed her and presented her head to Athena. Chrysaor and Pegasus sprang from her blood when she died. Medusa's head retained its petrifying power even after her death. Because of this power, her image frequently appeared on Greek armor. In some myths Athena used the Medusa head on her aegis. hope this would help you.. thanks!
2016-05-20 10:47:59 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Medusa started out as a beautiful girl. She then was raped by Poseidon in his arch-enemies, Athena, temple. When Athena discovered this she turned Medusa into a Gorgon which could turn you into stone with a glance. The hair of snakes didn't actually have powers but they could have helped with it.
2006-06-22 01:06:28 · answer #5 · answered by pouncival2003 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Medusa was one of the Gorgons, and the only one who was mortal. Her gaze could turn whoever she looked upon to stone. There is a particular myth in which Medusa was originally a beautiful maiden. She desecrated Athena's temple by lying there with Poseidon. Outraged, Athena turned Medusa's hair into living snakes. She did not have snakes IN her hair, she had snakes growing out of her head instead of hair.
Medusa was killed by the hero Perseus with the help of Athena and Hermes. He killed her by cutting off her head and gave it to Athena, who placed it in the center of her Aegis, which she wore over her breastplate.
From Medusa's dead body the giant Chrysaor and the winged horse Pegasus, her son by Poseidon, sprang forth.
2006-06-22 03:43:00 · answer #6 · answered by BlueManticore 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Medusae- in one set of stories she was one of three sisters (Gorgons) in another story, Aphrodite cursed her because she was jealous of her beauty. A man actually told the goddess of beauty that a mortal was purtier than she was, what a dolt! Anyways, both stories confirm she was a cursed creature of godly creation and lived on the gorgon island with two other snakey women, who may or may not have had a simular situation.
medusae was said to turn people to stone by gazing at them. As such Perseus slew Medusae by looking at the reflection of her to see her and not her specifically. And her blood ran as if acid, cursed with the magic she was a part of.
I don't remember ever running into any specific mention of what abilities the snakes specifically had. But I can well imagine, if someone was to get too close to her, they could move on their own, bite, see for her, alert for her, and possibly envenom another. More than likely they just added to her appearance.
2006-06-21 23:27:56 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Medusa dared to challenge the beautiful Athena. Athena in rage turned Medusa's hair into hissing serpents. It is said that anyone who looked directly at her would immediately turn to stone.
2006-06-22 02:35:35 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
What i know about medusa that those snakes act like a real snakes except they can make themselves taller
and if you look at her eyeys you will become stone
2006-06-21 21:42:13 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
A. She was a Mythological Grecian character....To the Greeks, Snakes we're considered signs of danger, evil (Go figure).
B. I beleive she was cursed and exiled to her grotto island. (you'll need to check this).
C. She caused those that layed eyes on her to turn flesh to stone.
2006-06-21 21:45:09 · answer #10 · answered by Todd's 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋