2007-06-16 02:53:19 · 8 answers · asked by jcapril151996 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Mythology & Folklore
An epic hero of classic Greek mythology named Perseus was given the quest to go into the underworld to slay the gorgon Medusa. He was armed with a special shield so that he would not have to look at Medusa's face (and thus be turned into stone) when he chopped off her head. The story is a metaphor about 1) overcoming death or the fear of death and 2) overcoming one's unconscious drives, habits, and conditioning to become a more "real" and conscious person, 3) confronting, harnessing, and transforming essential and elemental energy within oneself and using it to become more fully "conscious" or "enlightened."
Medusa, although made into a monster in the Greek myth, was a goddess of life, death, and transformation--a highly mystical "wisdom" goddess (like the Hindu goddess Kali).
After Perseus slays Medusa, Pegasus arises from her blood, so here is the transformation of a wild creepy thing into a beautiful beneficent thing. Perseus flies away on Pegasus and encounters a beautiful damsel named Andromeda who is chained to a rock on some remote island and is about to be devoured by a dragon. Perseus kills the dragon by flashing Medusa's severed head at it. The dragon turns to stone. This whole sequence, again tells the same story about transforming inner chaotic primal energy into conscious energy. Metaphorically and esoterically the dragon BECOMES the damsel --who symbolizes energy--and merges with the hero--who symbolizes consciousness. This is the hero's journey and the final goal is enlightenment or its equivalent.
A similar motif appears in the myth of Hercules.
2007-06-16 14:00:58 · answer #1 · answered by philosophyangel 7 · 1⤊ 3⤋
IN The Story Of Perseus
Perseus caused The Death of Medusa.
2007-06-16 03:14:04 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
Perseus beheaded Medusa with the help of Athena.
2007-06-16 03:03:14 · answer #3 · answered by Jay 5 · 2⤊ 2⤋
Perseus beheaded Medusa with a sword, after having gotten directions by blackmailing(ish) the Graiae (three sisters who shared one eye; he stole it and wouldn't give it back). He looked at her in his mirrored shield, which Athena had given to him, and so didn't get turned into stone. He flew to and from the island with wings/winged sandals (sources disagree) that Mercury had given to him.
2007-06-16 08:05:36 · answer #4 · answered by Halcyon 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋
She slowly died of mercury poisoning after eating too many fish. She was carrying Poseidon's child, and Poseidon could only give her fish to eat during the pregnancy. (It wasn't Hercules that killed her.)
2016-04-01 00:04:55 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Perseus beheaded her by looking at her reflection in his shield.
That way he wasn't looking directly at her.
2007-06-16 05:06:02 · answer #6 · answered by cpt m 4 · 0⤊ 3⤋
Perseus by cutting off her head.
Be well.
2007-06-16 03:17:57 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
Accidental death involving a curling iron.
2007-06-16 03:10:38 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 5⤋