Perseus and the Gorgon Medusa characteristics of the heroes. The truth about the death of the gorgon jellyfish
In ancient times Greek mythology There are many terrible monsters, but one of the most terrible is the Gorgon Medusa (medusa is the name, and the gorgon is the type of monster). With one glance, she turned anyone who dared to look into her face to stone, and instead of hair, poisonous snakes curled around her.
This is one of the three daughters of the sea god Phokias and the goddess of the monstrous depths Keto. In fact, Medusa used to be a very beautiful and kind girl, and therefore the god of the oceans, Poseidon, really liked her. Only he chose a completely inappropriate place for his courtship - he waylaid the girl in the temple of Athena. The formidable warrior maiden could not tolerate such liberties and, instead of punishing her uncle, she punished the innocent Medusa. Her beautiful body was covered with impenetrable scales, sharp claws grew on her delicate hands, and wings with golden feathers appeared behind her back. But the worst thing was that her hair was wrapped in balls of poisonous snakes and now everything living that she glanced at turned into stone. 
The Gorgon Medusa fled to the ends of the earth, to Hyperborea and lived until then. until the son of the beautiful Danae and Zeus arrived - Perseus. King Polydectes gave the hero the task of killing the monster, and Perseus boasted that he would get the head of the gorgon. Before a difficult campaign, he visited the sisters of Medusa, who among the three of them had one eye and one tooth. By cunning, he stole these two valuables in exchange for winged sandals, a magic bag and an invisibility hat. Also, the son of the Thunderer was actively helped by Athena, who gave her a mirror shield, and Hephaestus forged a sharp sickle sword.
Athena gives Perseus a mirror shield
Having found Medusa, Perseus quietly crept up and entered into a fierce battle with her. To hide from the murderous gaze, the hero looked at her reflection in the mirror shield and, of course, won. He cut off the head of the defeated gorgon, put it in a magic bag and flew home.
Head of Medusa Gorgon
Medusa's blood dripped into the sea and turned into precious scarlet corals.
Hero Perseus with the head of the Gorgon Medusa
The monster’s head had not lost the ability to turn all living things into stone, so on the way back, Perseus, with its help, turned the titan Atlas into a mountain, which did not receive him very hospitably. And then he saved from death his betrothed Andromeda, the daughter of the king of Ethiopia, who was just about to be sacrificed to the terrible Keto. Perseus presented the head of the gorgon Medusa to Athena, and she, in turn, attached it to her shield - the aegis.
Ancient Greece. Many people know the story about this monster, since modern cinema quite often uses her image to create anti-heroes. And the head of Medusa, covered with snakes, became a symbol of antipathy and ugliness. But the Gorgon was not always so evil and scary, because she was born a real beauty.
Birth of the Gorgons
According to the original version, all the gorgons (and there were three sisters) were born from the forbidden union of the chthonic deities of the sea Phorcys and Keto. Moreover, all daughters inherited mystical powers from their parents, which put them on the same level as demigods. For example, she had the amazing ability to turn any objects into stone.
Moreover, the myth says that the two older sisters were immortal and only the youngest could die at the hands of an ordinary person. And it’s not hard to guess that Medusa was the youngest. What's more interesting is that Medusa is the girl's name given to her at birth. Only many centuries later, after the appearance of the myth about this creature, would scientists name the transparent inhabitant of the deep sea in honor of the terrifying monster.
Why is the head of Medusa the Gorgon covered with snakes?
Medusa was the most beautiful of the sisters. Because of this, many gods and demigods looked at her. However, the beauty's heart was unapproachable, and she rejected all her suitors. But one day, Medusa was noticed by the ruler of the seas and oceans, Poseidon. An irresistible passion burned within him, and he decided to forcibly take possession of the girl’s body.
Having learned about this, Medusa the Gorgon took refuge in the hope that the formidable warrior would save her. Alas, the beauty’s hopes did not come true. The goddess did not hear the prayers, and Poseidon, bursting into the temple, took possession of her right on the sacred altar. The frightened girl begged and begged Athena for salvation, and finally she heard her call. But instead of help, Medusa saw the anger of a zealous god, who was furious because her altar was desecrated.
Athena decided that the beauty of the girl who lured men was to blame. And at that same hour, Medusa’s head was covered with countless ugly snakes. Thus, the goddess not only did not save the gorgon, but also crippled her life forever.
Death of Medusa the Gorgon
In Greek mythology, there are many stories about Perseus, the earthly son of the god Zeus. One of them talks about how this young man wanted to marry the daughter of King Polydectes, Danae. However, the ruler hated Perseus, and therefore decided to kill him. He said that only the head of Medusa the Gorgon would prove that the young man was worthy of his daughter’s hand.
Despite the fact that Perseus was the son of a god, he was clearly inferior in strength to the monster, which could turn anyone into stone. Therefore, Hermes and Athena volunteered to help the hero. The first gave Perseus a helmet capable of giving its owner the gift of invisibility, and the second gave Perseus a shield with a mirror built inside.
Moreover, when Perseus made his way into the lair of the Gorgons, Athena told him which of them was Medusa. After this, a battle ensued between the hero and the monster. The main problem was that Perseus could not look at the Gorgon, and therefore in the battle he used a donated shield with a mirror. Such a cunning stunned the beast, and in a moment of weakness, the young man cut off her head. And the helmet of Hermes allowed the hero to escape from the monsters’ lair unnoticed. And in the end, Perseus, with the head of Medusa in a bag, was able to come to King Polyditcus safe and sound.
Consequences of Medusa's death
If you believe the myths, then after the death of Medusa, the winged horse Pegasus and a young man with a golden sword, Chrysaor, emerged from her body. The ancient Greeks believed that these were the children of Poseidon and a young gorgon. Moreover, while passing through the sands of Libya, Perseus did not notice that Medusa’s head was constantly bleeding. And where the drops fell, snakes subsequently appeared, which became a real punishment for the inhabitants of this desert.
Legends also say that even after death, the head of this monster could turn any creature into stone. Thanks to this, Perseus was able to defeat the mother of all gorgons, Keto, and also turn the titan Atlas, who held the sky on his shoulders, into stone. It is noteworthy that at the end of his journey the hero never married Danae. His wife was the daughter of King Kepheus - Andromeda.
Significance in culture
The cycle of stories about the son of Zeus became one of the most popular in Ancient Greece. It is therefore not surprising that the statue of Perseus with the head of the Gorgon Medusa became a favorite decoration for many homes of that time. Even today, many museums in Greece have beautifully preserved sculptures depicting this scene from the myth.
In addition, the image of Medusa the Gorgon has been repeatedly used in literature and cinema. True, in most cases she was portrayed as an evil character, forgetting that Medusa became a monster through no fault of her own, but only because she was unlucky to be born beautiful.
They are very entertaining and interesting. The most powerful civilization at one time described the interaction of the gods of Olympus and ordinary people. Tales about various heroes played an important role in the myths of the ancient Greeks. One of such famous characters is Perseus (Greece). He is credited with defeating the deadly monster Medusa the Gorgon. The ancient Greek legend about Perseus will be briefly told in the article.
Birth of a Hero
In ancient times, the sayings of oracles were of great importance to the ancient Greeks. The ruler of Argos, Acrisius, tried to avoid the predicted fate by imprisoning his own daughter Danae, who was famous for her unearthly beauty. According to the prediction, the king was supposed to die at the hands of his grandson. However, the measures taken by Acrisius did not become a difficult obstacle for the great Zeus, who penetrated into the inaccessible place where Danae was kept, under the guise of golden rain. The son born from the thunder god was named Perseus. The news of the birth of Perseus greatly frightened the king of Argos. He ordered Danae and the baby to be put in a box, after which they were beaten tightly and thrown into the sea.
Serif
The myths of Ancient Greece about Perseus tell that it was not easy for the little future hero and his mother. After long wanderings across the endless expanses of the sea, the boarded up box, thanks to the roaring waves, finally landed on the shore of the island of Serif. At that time, the fisherman Dictis was throwing his fishing nets into the water. It was he who became the savior of Danae and Perseus. After opening the box, the fisherman’s surprise knew no bounds, because he clearly did not expect to see beautiful woman and a cute baby. Subsequently, Dictys decided to show them to his brother Polydectes, who ruled Serif.
Danaë and Polydectes
The king of the island, Polydectes, welcomed Danae and her son. He left them to live in his luxurious palace. Thus, Perseus spent his childhood and youth under the tutelage of King Polydectes on Serif.
Over time, the young man became strong and slender. Perseus was noticeably different from his peers in his divine beauty, strength, dexterity and courage. Not a single guy on the island could compare with him in anything.
Polydectes could not resist the unearthly beauty of Danae. That is why the king wanted to take her as his wife. However, Perseus was categorically against such a marriage, making every effort to prevent it from taking place. Because of this, Polydectes disliked him and decided to get rid of the only obstacle on the way to his cherished goal. Perseus was tasked with going to a distant land to behead the Gorgon Medusa. No mortal has yet managed to survive an encounter with a terrible monster. Therefore, King Polydectes prepared a one-way mission for Perseus.
Medusa Gorgon and her sisters
According to the myths of Ancient Greece, the sea deity Phorcys and his sister Keto had three daughters who looked like snake-haired monsters. Euryale and Stheno were immortal from birth, and only their younger sister Medusa remained vulnerable.
According to legend, Medusa the Gorgon was a pretty girl with beautiful hair. Trying to find protection from Poseidon's advances, she hid in the temple of Athena. However, God still managed to penetrate the girl’s shelter in the form of a bird and take possession of her. The angry goddess took out her anger on Medusa, turning her into a terrible monster with snake-like hair.
Medusa Gorgon, unlike her sisters, although she was not immortal, could fascinate people with her gaze. Her amazing gift served as a deadly weapon. It was enough for a person to see the direct gaze of the Gorgon Medusa, as he instantly turned into a stone statue.
Perseus fees
According to the myths about Perseus, the various gods of Olympus provided the hero with great help. Among his patrons, it is worth noting Athena, who was known for her hatred of Medusa the Gorgon. The god Hermes, his half-brother, also played an important role in equipping the hero. Thus, before the journey, Perseus became the owner of very valuable artifacts.
The hero received a metal shield from Athena. It was so smooth that it was practically indistinguishable from a mirror. Hermes handed him a sharp weapon. Perseus's sword, like soft wax, cut even the hardest steel.
Journey of Perseus
The young hero needed to get to the western edge of the earth, because that’s where the Gorgons lived. Perseus had to go through many countries and see various peoples on the way to a dark place.
To find out the exact location of Medusa, the hero had to outwit the three Gray sisters, who shared one tooth and one eye. Perseus waited in ambush for an opportune moment while one gray-haired old woman was handing over the only eye to another, and with a quick movement he intercepted it. The sisters had no choice but to tell Persia the location of the Gorgons.
Before the battle with Medusa the Gorgon, Perseus visited the inhabitants of the legendary northern country of Hyperborea. They made a solemn sacrifice for the god Apollo, and also presented Perseus with a Hades cap made of dog skin. It made it possible to make its owner completely invisible. IN ancient greek mythology the hat was of great importance, because it was often used by the gods themselves. Perseus was also given magic sandals, with which he could quickly soar above the ground. The donated bag had the magical ability to change in size depending on the volume of things placed inside. Having put the sandals and hat of Hades into it, Perseus went to the decisive battle.
Battle with Medusa the Gorgon
Thanks to the magic sandals, Perseus managed to cross the sea and get to the island where the snake-haired monsters lived. When the hero managed to find the Gorgons, they were all asleep, to his happiness. The mirror-polished shield served Perseus as eyes. With its help, he was able to clearly see the sleeping sisters with steel scales and golden wings. Only the snakes on the Gorgons' heads moved a little.
The myth of Perseus and Medusa the Gorgon says that the hero’s task was complicated by the fact that the deadly sisters were like two peas in a pod. The slightest mistake could cost lives, because only one of them did not have immortality. However, even here the gods of Olympus came to his aid. Quick Hermes told Perseus the exact location of Medusa. Using the mirror shield donated by Athena, the hero cut off the Gorgon's head with one blow with his sharp sword.
Perseus's path home
The myths of Ancient Greece about Perseus contain information that, having thrown Medusa’s head into a magic bag, the hero hastened to quickly get away from the ominous island. However, the body of his victim fell from a cliff into the sea, thereby awakening the two Gorgons. Thanks to Hades' hat, the hero managed to avoid death from winged monsters and leave the island unhindered.
Perseus's way home lay through Libya. Drops of blood flowed from the severed head of Medusa to the ground, which turned into poisonous snakes. Subsequently, Libya turned into a desert country.
The next place on the way home was the refuge of Atlas, who, like the apple of his eye, protected a tree with golden branches, leaves and apples. The giant was predicted by the goddess Themis that his fruits would be stolen by the son of Zeus. Tired Perseus asked Atlas to take a break. However, the giant, because of the prophecy, ordered him to leave. After this, the angry hero pulled Medusa's head out of his bag and turned Atlas into a huge stone statue, which began to constantly support the entire vault of heaven.
Rescue Andromeda
In Ethiopia, the hero decided to take a break after a difficult flight. Just then the lovely girl Andromeda had to atone for the guilt of her stupid and arrogant mother. Queen Cassiopeia was proud of her beauty, declaring to everyone that she was the most beautiful. The nymphs begged Poseidon to punish the ruler of Ethiopia and her entire country. The sea god, as his punishment, sent a gigantic monster that rose from the depths and devastated everything in its path.
According to the statement of the oracle of Zeus, only the sacrifice of Andromeda could put an end to Poseidon's punishment. However, before the death of the beautiful girl, pale with horror, Perseus arrived in time. At the sight of Andromeda, a strong feeling of love burned in the hero’s heart. Perseus invited her parents to marry their daughter, promising to save her. Having received an approving response, the hero entered into a stubborn confrontation with the sea monster, striking him one blow with his sword after another. After the end of the terrible battle, all the inhabitants of Ethiopia glorified Perseus.
Perseus' wedding
On the eve of the wedding ceremony, the hero made rich sacrifices to his patrons from Olympus. A luxurious feast took place in the royal palace, which was covered with greenery and flowers in honor of the newlyweds. All the people also feasted with the rulers of Ethiopia. During the feast, Perseus told the guests about his exploits. However, the wedding feast was ruined after Andromeda's first groom appeared with a large army. Phineus in the palace began to accuse the hero of stealing his bride, after which a desperate battle began. Perseus bravely fought against superior enemy forces, but was able to win only with the help of the head of Medusa. Thus, the statue of Phineus with an expression of fear and slavish prayer in his eyes remained forever in the palace.
Return to Serif and revenge on Polydectes
Perseus did not stay long in Ethiopia after the bloody battle. Together with his beautiful wife, he hurried to return to his native island. Perseus's mother was in despair at this time, because she had to constantly hide in the temple of Zeus from Polydectes. The angry Perseus decided to get even with the king of Serif. Entering the palace, Perseus found him at a luxurious feast. Polydectes' surprise knew no bounds, because the king could not even doubt the victory of the Gorgons. The hero told those present that he had brought the head of Medusa. The ruler of Serif did not believe Perseus and began to accuse him of lying. When the hero’s cup of patience was overflowing due to the bullying of Polydectes and his friends, he took his head out of the bag and showed everyone irrefutable proof. After this, the king and all those who feasted instantly turned into stone statues.
A prediction that came true
Danae and Perseus wanted to meet with Acrisius, who continued to rule Argos. However, he, fearing the oracle’s prediction, did not allow his daughter and grandson into his house. Many years later, at the Olympic Games, Perseus accidentally launched a disk to the audience. A heavy projectile instantly killed Acrisius, thereby fulfilling the oracle's prophecy.
The myth of Perseus in cinema
The famous feat of the famous hero was successfully transferred to the cinema. In 1981, the feature adventure film “Clash of the Titans” was shot in the USA. The film was directed by Desmond Davis. And although the American film was somewhat different from the ancient Greek myths, the film adaptation of the feat of Perseus was a tremendous success. The sea monster in Clash of the Titans was called the Kraken, which was borrowed from Scandinavian mythology. If in the myth snakes appeared from the blood of Medusa, then in the film - scorpions. In any case, the audience really liked the film, and the special effects, for 1981, were simply excellent.
In 2010, the American film industry decided to update the film adaptation of the myth about the feat of Perseus. The remake of the 1981 film was also called Clash of the Titans. The director was Louis Leterrier, and main role performed by Sam Worthington. In addition to the traditional version, the film was also shown in 3D format. While the 1981 film adaptation cost $15 million, the remake's budget was $125 million. The 2010 film was overall successful, grossing $493 million.
The creators of the remake also made changes to ancient Greek myths. The god Hades was presented in the film as a negative character who hated people and opposed himself to Zeus. However, Perseus, thanks to the head of Medusa, managed to cope with the Kraken and send Hades back to the underworld. Instead of ruling Argos or moving to Olympus, the brave hero wanted to enjoy an ordinary human life.
Thus, thanks to the myth of Perseus, you can learn about the legendary feat of the greatest hero of Ancient Greece. American film adaptations will allow everyone to plunge into the exciting atmosphere of adventure and battles with various monsters.
Ancient Greek mythology was reflected in culture: ancient painters depicted gods, monsters and titans with oil paints on canvas, and sculptors carved heroes from marble. Modern creators continue to admire the culture of the inhabitants of the southeastern state. And, of course, the terrifying Gorgon Medusa still continues to inspire artists and directors to new feats.
History of appearance
Medusa is one of the Gorgon sisters, monsters who had poisonous snakes instead of hair. In the later version of the myth, which was conveyed in a work called “Metamorphoses,” the reason for the appearance of mystical creatures was.
The fact is that the angry goddess of organized war turned Medusa and her sisters into monsters after the ruler of the sea waves, who turned into a bird, took possession of Medusa in the temple of the goddess - there Medusa was hiding from persecution. Before her “reincarnation,” Medusa was an attractive girl with beautiful hair.
However, there is another variation of the legend, according to which the sisters of the unfortunate snake-haired girl - Euryale and Stheno - themselves wanted to become monsters out of compassion for their relative. They were immortal, while Medusa died from the sword of her son -. According to another version, the gorgons were the children of Typhon and Echidna.
In addition, some researchers have presented their own hypotheses about monsters. Scientists believe that gorgons are spirits of storms and cold winters, which periodically visit Boreas, located in the north of Ancient Greece.
However, this is not surprising, because from the gaze of Medusa and her sisters, even the water is covered thin ice, and the Gorgons themselves fly through the air faster than the wind. The otherworldly nature of the relatives is indicated by the fact that they were given birth to by Forkis and Keto, that is, the foremother of sea monsters and the personification of the stormy sea. This means that Gorgons are chthonic monsters - creatures that originally personified the natural power of the earth, the embodiment of the hostile elements of water and air.
Others find in appearance Gorgons have a certain “dragon-likeness”. The sisters' entire body was covered with scales as strong as steel, which only a sword could cut; their mouth was decorated with sharp fangs, and their fingers were long claws. The person who encountered these monsters on the way was unlucky: they tore the unfortunate man’s flesh and drank his blood. Some believed that gorgons only killed men. Scientists point to Medusa's resemblance to characters such as the old snake, which appeared in Slavic myths.
Russian and Soviet philosopher Yakov Golosovker believed that the Gorgons, along with the Grays and other mystical creatures, are the remnants of the pre-Olympic pantheon, but in the minds of the Greeks they gradually turned into monsters, which was facilitated by the influence of the “Olympians”. The ancients believed that the gorgons embodied the danger emanating from the distant West.
Medusa Gorgon in myths
Of the three sisters, only Medusa the Gorgon could turn all living things into stone. She literally enchanted with her own gaze. Perhaps the heroine of ancient Greek myths would have lived a quiet life in the far West near the banks of the Ocean River and fed on people, but Perseus killed the mortal Gorgon.
The son of Zeus was unlucky from birth. His grandfather King Acrisius received a prediction from the oracle that he was destined to fall at the hands of his own grandson. Therefore, initially he did not allow potential suitors near his daughter Danae, and when the girl had a son from the cunning Zeus, the owner of the crown imprisoned his daughter and grandson in a box and threw it into the sea.
The wooden box sailed to the island of Seriphos, which was ruled by Polydectes. The king fell in love with the beautiful Danaya, who did not reciprocate his feelings. Then the ruler wanted with all his might to gain the woman’s attention, and in her young son Perseus the king saw an obstacle preventing him from accomplishing his plan. Polydectes once allegedly doubted his divine origin young man, so he asked him to perform a similar feat and bring the head of Medusa. Perseus, wanting to prove to the ruler his blood connection with the thunderer Zeus, set off on a journey.
The ancient Greek hero could not have dealt with the monsters alone, so Athena and Hermes contributed to his heroic feat. The goddess of war gave Perseus a polished copper shield, in which everything was reflected as if in a mirror, and the young man received a curved sword from the patron of trade.
On the advice of his allies, Perseus went to the prophetic old women Graia (sisters of the Gorgons), who between them had one tooth and one eye. By cunning, the young man stole their secret things and then exchanged the loot for an invisibility cap, winged sandals and a magic bag. Among other things, the old women showed him the way to the Gorgons.
Having walked through terrible and dense forests, Perseus found the refuge of Medusa and her sisters. Using his enchanted attributes, he cut off Medusa's head, put it in a bag and ran away from the angry Gorgons. Since Perseus looked at the monster with the help of a shield, he did not turn to stone.
It is worth noting that Medusa’s abilities survived even after her death: everyone who looked at her severed head turned into a lifeless block of marble. Perseus took advantage of this, saving Andromeda and destroying the kingdom of Polydectes.
According to legend, during the duel with Perseus, Medusa was pregnant by Poseidon. Therefore, when she was beheaded, her children came out with a stream of blood - the winged horse Pegasus and the giant Chrysaor. The hero hid the Gorgon's head in a bag, and while traveling through Libya, the blood seeped through the fabric and turned into poisonous snakes that destroyed all life in this hot place. And from the flow of blood that fell into the waters, corals appeared - this is what the local legend says.
The god of medicine and healing, Asclepius, used the blood of Medusa. According to legend, the one that flowed from the left side of the head was poisonous and killed everyone alive in the blink of an eye, while the other, flowing from the right hemisphere, saved people’s lives.
Film adaptations
Famous directors also admire the myths of Ancient Greece, which migrated from the works of writers to the big screen. Let's consider popular cinematic works with the participation of Medusa the Gorgon.
Director Chris Columbus, whose track record includes films about, brought the writer’s book to the screens in the film “Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief” (2010). The plot tells the story of a demigod, the son of Poseidon, who lives in modern America. When the boy learned of his divine origin, he faced a series of troubles.
The antagonist Medusa Gorgon was played by a favorite