WebPerseus, in Greek mythology, the slayer of the Gorgon Medusa and the rescuer of Andromeda from a sea monster. You know how looking at a math problem similar to the one you're stuck on can help you get unstuck? [45] Philostratus's tale was reworked by Keats in his poem Lamia,[83] where it is made clear she bears the guise of a snake, which she wants to relinquish in return for human appearance. Translating names in this way is called interpretatio graeca. Unlikely, it is possible that the character of Medusa may have derived from some form of early snake goddess worship, with possible relations to an How the West made Arabs and Berbers into races.. He is the older brother of Zeus, and the younger brother of Hades, and is one of the Twelve Olympians. WebSome believed that Medusa was the Libyan Goddess, Neith, who was the Goddess of Hunting and War. In Greek: " , ", Cupid refers to Psyche's sisters as Lamiae, Apul. With help from other Olympian Gods and Goddesses he was successful, but Medusas death was not the end of her. [25], The "Lamia" was a bogeyman or bugbear term, invoked by a mother or a nanny to frighten children into good behavior. [89], Some commentators have also equated Lamia with Hecate. Iconographically, two very different depictions coalesce in the classical Medusa: the Neolithic God-dess of birth, death, and regeneration, who is represented as bird, snake, or bird/snake hybrid; and the Near Eastern demon Humbaba whose severed head is, like Medusas, used in an apo-tropaic manner. The one part about Reddit I love is the mix of opinions. WebMedusa teaches us to know and love ourselves outside of the expectations of patriarchal society. A German folk belief, documented as late as the eighteenth century, suggests that if a menstruating womans hair is buried in Earth, it will become a snake. Coral is allegedly Medusas blood, which spilled into the sea and was petrified. Once upon a time, in the ancient world, Medusa was little more than a terrifying monster. She may be Athenas mother, a closely related spirit, or possibly even the identity Athena left behind when she moved from North Africa to Greece. I cant read Tamazight or Arabic, so Im not ideally placed to say what the prevailing mood is. (Herod. It's founded on a distortion, but as you say, myths are malleable. Thank you for the reference in the "further reading" section!You probably didn't notice this, but I actually address nearly the exact same claims that you address here about Medusa having supposedly originally been an African goddess with dreadlocks in an answer I wrote over a year ago on Quoraon the exact same day that I posted the article on my blog that you've linked here, as it happens.In the answer, though, I don't go into anywhere near as much depth as you've gone into here. [31] The lexicon also has an entry under mormo () stating that Mormo and the equivalent mormolykeion[f] are called lamia, and that all these refer to frightful beings. Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh. She is depicted as the daughter of Hecate and as having glowing green eyes with serpentine slits, shriveled-up hands with lizard-like claws on them, and crocodile-like teeth. The technical term for the image of Medusas severed head is gorgoneion. Perseus beheaded Medusa while she slept, but her severed head retained its power to paralyze and turn viewers to stone. Yes, Medusae. Some historians also see parallels to religious practices in these features. Both sexes resemble the scaly humanoid from 3rd edition, though with less haggish features. Through the century Medusa became a feminist symbol of the power of feminine rage, leaving the male gaze, and finding independence, in addition to protection. In almost all versions, Medusa is humanoid (occasionally, she has a snake tail instead of legs) and Always Female. Yes, she was. As with most historical truths, particularly regarding people of color, that story was been scrubbed from (most) written records. The [64], In Pausanias's version, the monster is called Poin (), meaning "punishment" or "vengeance", but there is nothing about a snake on her forehead. The fact that Medusa lived alongside two sisters is also notable in her interpretation as a monster. [88], Close comparison is also made with the serpentine Medusa. Medusa, to me, is the monstrous version of a heroic mortal. She was considered the destroyer aspect of the Great Triple Goddess also Athena was once part of the Trinity of Snake Goddesses however the Grecos wanted to separate themselves from other regions so they demonized the Goddess Neith Athena Feather Studied the myths extensively Author has 168 answers and 111.6K answer views 2 y Im not sure what answer you want. Left: a Gorgoneion or Gorgons head on a hydria from Attica, Greece, ca. [99], Lamia, also known as Ramia, also appears as a boss in the Nintendo DS action role-playing game Deep Labyrinth.[100]. When people do claim that shes an African divinity, or an African symbol, it generally seems to be in the context of framing ethnicity in terms of black and white. And, of course, as a son of Zeus Perseus was directly connected to the king of the gods. Met. What hooks you? Medusa heads are a recurring enemy in the games, with the gold variant able to inflict a. Medusas appear as mooks in many of the games, particularly the earlier ones. We'll take a look right away. : A good friend of mine worships her as a goddess. [87][88] It is noted that this character terrorized Delphi, just as the dragon Python had. English composer Dorothy Howell composed a tone poem Lamia which was played repeatedly to great acclaim under its dedicatee Sir Henry Wood at the London Promenade concerts in the 1920s. 1495.). A glance at a map, and a review of the other ancient sources on Medusa, makes the situation totally clear. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. "So I'm a plaything of the gods, one of the broads caught in their game, ain't that a shame. In addition, the Medusa Nebula within the constellation of Gemini features snakelike filaments of glowing gas. This action will also remove this member from your connections and send a report to the site admin. [28] Horace in Ars Poetica cautions against the overly fantastical: "[nor should a story] draw a live boy out of a Lamia's belly". Many ancient religions used masks in their ceremonies. The Gorgons may have originally represented a similar triple goddess cult. They saw parallels between the punishment and isolation the Gorgon faced for her own assault and the way women are so often maligned for the mistreatment they endure. Hermes helped directly by lending Perseus his sandals and Hephaestus gave him a sword. Note the snakeskin wrapped around her arm and waist. Some of the Gorgons' depictions make them Snake People. WebMedusa was one of the three Gorgons ("the Terrible Ones"), the daughters of Keto ("Whale," daughter of Gaea and Pontos, the outer sea) and her brother Phorkys (also a The Makhlyes wear their hair long behind, the Auseans in front. 180 (trans. She was perhaps also identified with Benthesikyme a North African sea-nymphe who like Tritonis was married to a local sea-god (Enalos) and had two daughters. Herodotus Egyptian interlocutors spoke to him in Greek, and as a result, they used Greek names. Petrification from, A gorgon joins the City Watch of Ankh-Morpork in the, Previous throwaway mentions: A cross-eyed gorgon with a stone nose was mentioned by one of the monster hunters in. Many historians believe that it represents a time when the Minoan culture of Crete dominated the new Mycenaean Greeks. Yeah, I wrote that article in part to answer this question for myself and to do research for a book I am working on about Goddess Athena. For this reason. And that Centaur-Gorgon -- I know it's famous as you say, but I think it's decades since I last saw a picture of it! Most frequently, only her severed head is depicted. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Kibin, 2023. http://www.kibin.com/essay-examples/the-views-on-medusa-goddess-in-mythology-u4hTw2Vu. edd., Strabo. What Were the Hamadryads in Greek Mythology? Perseus used it as a weapon before surrendering it to Athena. Lamia appears as an antagonist in Rick Riordan's The Demigod Diaries, appearing in its fourth short story The Son of Magic. In some versions, her hair-snakes are venomous. And then, there's the 2021 Amazon Prime commercial in which Medusa buys sunglasses, and becomes the life of the party (but doesn't hesitate to petrify someone who is annoying her and her new friends). Athenas participation in the destruction of Medusa may be interpreted as the goddess destroying her own past. to view the complete essay. For this Athena punished her hideously. In Greek mythology, Medusa bears many of the hallmarks of a monster. When ancient Greek writers say Libya, they dont mean the modern country. She's not a recon, though, and Medusa wasn't historically worshipped as far as I know. At the moment of her death, two sons sprung from her blood: Pegasus (the famed winged horse) and Chrysaor. [19][b][c], Aristophanes wrote in two plays an identically worded list of foul-smelling objects which included the "Lamia's testicles", thus making Lamia's gender ambiguous. By Sarah Crocker / Aug. 24, 2021 12:30 am EST. [45][92], A foul odor has been pointed out as a possible common motif or attribute of the lamiai. Please confirm you want to block this member. Judika Isles has her as a living Goddess in her Encyclopedia of spirits. [16], Lamia was the daughter born between King Belus of Egypt and Lybie, according to one source. But once Apollonius reveals her false identity at the wedding, the illusion fails her and vanishes. Medusa, to me, is the monstrous version of a heroic mortal. The Gorgons collectively could indicate that this unknown goddess was part of a triple goddess cult. It alludes to Plutarch's use of the term in De curiositate, where the Greek writer suggests that the term Lamia is emblematic of meddlesome busybodies in society. Will also delete on comment score of -1 or less. He goes on to express an opinion that most Greek gods names originally came from Egypt (2.50). iv. Rhod. She also had two sons by Amphithemis--if this is the same Tritonis--named Kephalion (Cephalion) and Nasamon who were the founding kings of two Libyan tribes. Grant) (Roman mythographer C2nd A.D.) : The story of Medusa is one of the most well-known in Greek mythology. So don't look at that illustration. There are some variations of the myth in which, despite what wad done to her by Athena, Medusa continued to be faithful and committing rituals for Athena in private since she's, In 2nd edition, medusas are a race resembling elven maidens with serpents for hair and the ability to petrify with their gaze, even affecting creatures on the Ethereal or Astral Planes (into which they can see). The males have different powers, in that they're bald (so no snake-hair attacks) and they can poison with their gaze rather than petrify, rather like certain mythological depictions of the basilisk. In the 1st-century Life of Apollonius of Tyana the female empousa-lamia is also called "a snake",[40] which may seem to the modern reader to be just a metaphorical expression, but which Daniel Ogden insists is a literal snake. [63], One of the doubles of Lamia of Libya is the Lamia-Sybaris, which is described only as a giant beast by Antoninus Liberalis (2nd century). It is eventually revealed that Medusas are the larval form of hydras. Pegasus, the winged horse, emerged from Medusas severed head, apparently conceived during her tryst with Poseidon, who often manifests as a stallion. Pursuing her, he raped her there. [44][40] It has been suggested from this discourse that the creature was therefore "literally a snake". I havent found any Berber sources that incorporate her into Berber iconography or culture. Jones) (Greek travelogue C2nd A.D.) : Pseudo-Hyginus, Fabulae 14 (trans. In 2008, the Mattel company produced the Barbie Doll as Medusa, a collectors doll that portrays a beautiful, sexy pre-transformation Medusa. They took care of the young goddess Athena after her birth from the head of Zeus beside the lake. The female are the classic medusa, pretty much the same as in the previous edition except that she can now un-petrify her victims by applying a drop of her own blood. [84][85] Daniel Ogden argues that one of her possible reincarnations, the monster of Argos killed by Coroebus had a "scaly gait", indicating she must have had an anguipedal form in an early version of the story,[86] although the Latin text in Statius merely reads inlabi (declension of labor) meaning "slides". [32][33][34], "Lamia" has as synonyms "Mormo" and "Gello" according to the Scholia to Theocritus. One of mythologys most terrible monsters may have originally been a goddess. Perseus had foolishly promised that he would provide the Gorgons head as a gift, and Polydectes, king of Seriphos, held him to his word. She wears snake jewellery and a chiffon fishtail skirt. Poseidon, especially attracted to her voluptuous hair, assaulted her in the temple of Athena. Learn what works (and what doesn't) from the reader's perspective. Some believed that Africa became the home to many varieties of snakes as Medusa wandered the continent and shed them from her hair. Historian Herodotus also stated that she was in Libya. [68][69][o] The idea that these creatures were lamiai seems to originate with Alex Scobie (1977),[71] and accepted by other commentators. As I said at the start, its entirely a matter of what people want. The woman's decision is entirely inconsequential. But it does seem to me that it isnt Berber people who want to claim Medusa. Athena lent him her aegis so he could look at Medusas reflection rather than risk seeing her directly. In Libya, Medusa was worshiped as a serpent-goddess that represented female The queen, as related by Diodorus, was born in a cave. Like many Greek monsters in mythology, killing Medusa was a task assigned to a semi-divine hero. If Medusa is African at all, shes going to be Berber. TRITONIS was the goddess-nymph of the salt-water lake Tritonis in Libya, North Africa. 133163; 2019b). Aldrich) (Greek mythographer C2nd A.D.) : Apollonius Rhodius, Argonautica 4. Choosing to worship Hera when you advance to the Mythic Age lets you train Medusae at your temple. In southern Asia, theres an ancient belief that menstruation indicates possession by snake spirits. except it's just Tamagotchi School's nurse Mrs. Houtaiko rather than Medusatchi, A deleted subplot would have had Athena and Apollo conspiring to help Perseus behind the other gods' backs; presumably having Athena be the one who cursed her would have put her in. The Greek word "gorgon" means "horror". A complete bibliography of the translations quoted on this page. She transformed Medusa into a terrifying creature with snakes for hair and a face that literally turned those who gazed at her to stone. Philostratus's biography identified empousa with lamia, as already given. The sandals of Hermes allowed him to fly out of their cave quickly before they could detect him. Myth evolves. Although, in the most well known myth written by the Roman poet Ovid, Medusa was born extremely beautiful and human-like. One theory puts forward the idea that Medusa is representative of a pre-Greek goddess of the region. Athena is a goddess of crafts but not just any crafts. Diodorus Siculus (fl. Snakes are traditionally associated with menstruation. Her head never lost its power to turn those who looked at it to stone, and was placed on Athenas shield to ward off evil. Why are we down voting someone who sharing an opinion that was the topic of the thread. Other myths say that Medusa retained her mortal beauty, as a cruel Irony. My name is Mike and for as long as I can remember (too long!) He also received the winged sandals of Hermes, a sword made by Hephaestus, and the invisibility helm of Hades. For the Basque lamia, see. The oldest story known to feature Medusa is the adventures of Perseus. [9] Heraclitus's euhemerized account explains that Hera, consort of Zeus, gouged the eyes out of the beautiful Lamia. You may have heard that Medusa was originally a Libyan goddess or alternatively, that the Greek myth of Medusa was designed to demonise black women. Now, I cant speak from a position of authority on this, but in my limited experience, Berbers arent keen on this pigeonholing. The essays in our library are intended to serve as content examples to inspire you as you write your own essay. Where does the myth of Medusa come from?, Moore, C. H. 1974. In the story of the birth of the Libyan Athena, Triton--a Libyan sea Aristotle says there is a shark called "lamia". It purports to give a full account of the capture of "Lamia of Corinth" by Apollonius, as the general populace referred to the legend. Medusa and the invisibility helm of Hades its power to paralyze and turn viewers to stone a semi-divine hero ``! Or culture also remove this member from your connections and send a report to the king of gods. 89 ], a sword 14 ( trans, Medusa was little more than terrifying. 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