female version of perseus

There are three different ways you can cite this article. See Marjorie J. Milne, "Perseus and Medusa on an Attic Vase," Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin (New Series) 4 (1946): 12630, at 126. His bones became stones. Accessed on 28 Apr. In a late version of the Medusa myth, related by the Roman poet Ovid, Medusa was originally a ravishingly beautiful maiden, the jealous aspiration of many suitors, but because Poseidon had raped her in Athenas temple, the enraged Athena transformed Medusas beautiful hair to serpents and made her face so terrible to behold that the mere sight of it would turn onlookers to stone. Now she is in heaven with the other great women, like Elektra, my mother Maia, and your mother Semele., Dionysus calmed and let Perseus live. Zurich: Artemis, 1988. They lived together in a remote part of the world. Perseus, admiring her beauty even in death, beheaded her to show the Greeks upon his return. Percy's "real" name is Perseus, a famous hero of Greek mythology who - spoiler alert! H. G. Evelyn-White. But Perseus is, without a doubt, the son of the king of the gods, Zeus. Medusa. Mythopedia, 11 Mar. Webchapter 6. chapter 7. chapter 8. chapter 9. book 3. Legend says while she was there baby snakes dropped from her head and this is why there are plenty of snakes in Africa. Perseus is a godly Greek hero (he was a son of Zeus) whose ancient name just Aeschylus, Prometheus Bound 798800, trans. Pegasus, the famous horse with wings, arose from her dead body. The bronze polished shield was quite reflective, which came in very handy. London: Spottiswoode and Company, 1873. He handed the kingdom to Dictys, who had protected Danae from his brother. Unlike other stories that claim she caught them in the throes of passion, this version says that she was upset that her priestess went against her rules. As the guardian of the welfare of kings, Athena became the goddess of good counsel, of prudent restraint and practical insight, as well as of war. Accessed May 1, 2023. WebIn one version of the Medusa story, she was a gorgeous young woman who agreed to become one of Athenas priestesses. However, Atlas also remembered the sayings of an Oracle, as told by Themis. The Origin of Hotdogs, The History of Boracay Island in The Philippines. One of the most popular monsters of Greek Mythology is Medusa. Ogden, Daniel. The best-known story of Perseus and Dionysus comes from Nonnus, who wrote an entire biography of the bacchic god. A Roman cameo from the second or third century contains her head. The messenger god stepped in. Medusa also appeared in multiple pieces of art from the Renaissance and later. A woman in the midst of an unsavory, unrequested task, she stands naked, her hair a tangle of serpents, a sword in one hand, a severed head in the other. WebAcrisius Grandfather of Perseus. For some examples, such as the winding snake in the right foreground, Rubens probably also used casts made from nature, which were particularly popular in northern Italy. Polydectes had fallen in love with Danae. Athenas punishment came with great and terrible features. 2023. Leonardo da Vinci did a painting of her using oil on canvas. (2023, March 11). From then on, all who looked upon her were turned to stone. He would then marry the princess, Leda. It came out in 2013 as part of a limited edition series.-Many people use an image of her head because they believe it will protect them from others. Perseus hunted the King down and showed him the head of the Gorgon literally. Perseus stayed in Ethiopia where he met Andromeda, daughter of Cassiopeia. While it was Zeus that fathered Helen and Pollux by sleeping with Leda while in the form of a Swan, Tyndareus was considered their mortal father. Kapach, Avi. [27] The antiquarian Diodorus of Sicily claimed that they were wiped out by Heracles when he traveled through Libya.[28]. When she eventually died, Athena took her body into the sky and made her a constellation. Webtext Epitome. [1] Alcmene was the daughter of Electryon, the king of Mycenae and a son of the hero Perseus. One version of his battle with Atlas claims that Perseus turned his opponent into a mountain. While no longer as famous as Heracles or Odysseus, the Argive king and Greek hero Perseus has just an interesting story. Chrysaor also came from Medusa. Many of the women only knew her as a monster and not what she looked like before. Howe, T. P. An Interpretation of the Perseus-Gorgon Myth. PhD diss., Columbia University, 1952. [2] The composition proved to be one of the most important of Canovas career. The Legend of Perseus. According to Hesiod, Theogony 33335. Medusa has made several appearances in modern pop culture. The other Greek hero, Bellerophon, tamed the magical beast. Her profile is engraved on coins of the reign of Seleceus I Nicator of Syria from 312-280 B.C. For this insult, Perseus showed the severed head of Medusa, and the old Titan turned to stone. Subscribe to DailyArt Magazine newsletter, A Very Florentine Story: Perseus and the Head of Medusa by Benvenuto Cellini, Greek Mythological Creatures That Combine Female Beauty and Beastly Ugliness, scariest creatures that Greek mythology created, Proto-Renaissance 101: From Guilds to Giotto, Hags and Slags? Dionysus could not be turned to stone, however. The subject of Perseuss quest, she is one of the most iconic monsters in Greek lore. This phenomenon can be viewed yearly in early August and is the result of the path of the Swift-Tuttle Comet. When Perseus arrived, he forced her to look into the shield and see her reflection, which turned her to stone. WebIo (/ a. The snakes were likely executed by a specialist, Frans Snyders, but the idea was Rubens. So maybe its a good time to say what Sigmund Freud in his Das Medusenhaupt (Medusas Head) thought of her. The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York has a terracotta jar created by Polygnotos that shows Perseus murdering her in her sleep. A fellow child of Zeus, Perseus famously beheaded the snake-haired Medusa, fought a sea monster for Andromeda, and accidentally killed his grandfather while playing sport. To link to this article in the text of an online publication, please use this URL: 3. And anyone who looked upon the head, even after it was removed, would turn to stone. The Gorgon came out in 1964 and was a Hammer film that told a modern version of her story. No human-made weapon could pierce the armor of the great blacksmith, and only a weapon he made himself had a chance the sword of Hephaestus. Benvenuto Cellini, Perseus with the head of Medusa, 1545-1554, Piazza della Signoria, Florence, Italy. Feeling as though his work was done, Perseus tracked down Athena and presented her with the head. It is also said that Perseus built the towns of Mideia and Mycenae, and fought to stop the Dionysian mysteries. Priestesses took a vow of chastity and devoted their The myth of Perseus slaying of Medusa is also described in the Shield of Heracles (220ff). In ancient Greek astronomy, it represented the head of Medusa. Athena became the goddess of crafts and skilled peacetime pursuits in general. Medusas Head is a study released in 1940 after Freuds death. Gorgon head on terracotta tile, South Italy (c. 540 BC). Several regions also depict her on their flags and emblems. What had been his head before was the crest on the mountain summit. By the fifth century BCE, however, Medusa and the Gorgons were increasingly depicted as beautiful women in the visual arts as in literature.[8]. He pointed out that a simple translation shows that the woman wore a mask to scare intruders and those who thought to bring her harm. Though many know the story of Medusa and her powers, not as many know about her sisters. Were building the worlds most authoritative, online mythology resource, with engaging, accessible content that is both educational and compelling to read. Homer never named Medusa in the Odyssey but did talk about a monsters head that Hades could send o Persephone. Being the favourite child of Zeus, she had great power. Early artwork depicted both Medusa and her sisters as gruesome creatures capable of frightening any man. Freud disregards any myths that claim she turned men to stone. The sisters convince her to change her mind before the Gorgon can slaughter the men. Medusa, the daughter of the sea gods Phorcys and Ceto, was the most feared of the Gorgons. In the 20th century, Bernard Berenson and other leading critics argued against Leonardos authorship of the Uffizi painting. Athena, insulted that Medusa was no longer a virgin, punished her by turning her into a monster. Medusa was the only Gorgon who was mortal; hence her slayer, Perseus, was able to kill her by cutting off her head. For this Athena punished her hideously. Poseidon took special interest in her, and one day came down to Athenas shrine and raped the poor woman. Euripedes and Homer each only referred to a single Gorgon, Medusa. This shows that the island has protection from Athena. When she found them together, Athena transformed her into a woman with serpents in her hair and a cold stare. Sky was the first who ruled over the whole world. [3] Other authors have proposed still more remote dwelling places, including the obscure Gorgonean Plains near Cisthene in Asia Minor[4] and the island of Sarpedon.[5]. Perseus was assisted by the gods, who provided him with a mirrored shield, winged sandals, a helmet of invisibility, an adamantine sword, and a magical satchel that could carry Medusas head. Priestesses took a vow of chastity and devoted their lives to her. He received a mirrored shield from Athena, gold, winged sandals from Hermes, a sword from Hephaestus, and Hades helm of invisibility. Frightened by this prophecy, Acrisius imprisoned his daughter in a bronze chamber and buried her underground. Most legends claim that the hero Perseus killed her with help from Hermes and others. Greek poet Hesiod wrote that Medusa lived close to the Hesperides in the Western Ocean near Sarpedon. Hermes, the messenger of the Greek gods, wore winged sandals that let him fly at supernatural speed around the world to pass messages between gods, and also bring warnings and prophesies to mortals. 2023 Nameberry.com.Nameberry is a registered trademark of Nameberry, LLC. Parthenon Themis was a Titaness (the female version of Titan), which was a generation of gods that came before the Olympians. Webdigital intermediate producer: Technicolor (3D version) Jo Stedall post-production coordinator (as Jo Harrop) Dominic Thomson digital intermediate editor (as Dom Thomson) Allen Tracy stereo conform supervisor: Prime Focus World, Los Angeles Matthew Tucker first assistant editor In Ovids telling, Perseus describes Medusas punishment by Minerva (Athena) as just and well earned. For Perseus to take his place as King would be considered a good thing for many of the people of Argo. It is from the Perseus Constellation that we also see the Perseid Meteor Shower, which has been documented since 36 AD. It was said that Sthenmo and Euryale tried to kill Perseus but could not find him due to the special helmet he wore. Though both were marine deities, their children were chthonic monsters. In the view of the woman, We love art history and writing about it. Medusa was one of the three Gorgons, daughters of the sea gods Phorcys and Ceto. And sometimes, shes holding a scale, a symbol for justice and balance. There are several versions of the Medusa myth. However, instead of it being in battle or any form of murder, death came only as an accident. Whether it is Pausanius or Apollodorus you read, the story is remarkably the same. 1 According to Hesiod ( Hes. For standing by their sibling, she did the same to the other two gorgons. The serpentine locks of Medusas hair had an effect very similar to that of the head: while they did not necessarily turn people to stone, they could scatter entire armies. What Do We Know About Historical Perseus? Medusa herself had a chilling face topped with serpents that sprang from her hair. Athena, the daughter of Zeus, was produced without a mother and emerged full-grown from his forehead. 4, 288345. That she ultimately became allegorized to personify wisdom and righteousness was a natural development of her patronage of skill. Only according to the scholia on Apollonius of Rhodes Argonautica 4.1399. Menu. The stories about Medusa in Greece are unique because they changed quite a bit over the years. Uma Thurman took on the film role and was in a pivotal scene. Herodotus found some evidence that she appeared in Berber mythology where she was a major part of their religion. She was particularly known as the patroness of spinning and weaving. Popularity: 2996. Medusas head was finally given to the goddess Athena, becoming part of the armor she wore into battle. Diodorus of Sicily, Library of History: A work of universal history, covering events from the creation of the cosmos to Diodorus own time (mid-first century BCE). Origin: Greek. Medusa followed the goddess for many years before she met and fell in love with Poseidon. Poseidon tempted her into having sexual intercourse with him in a temple to Athena. Medusa by Michelangelo Caravaggio (159596). Acrisius, not knowing his grandson was present and not being careful as a spectator, was struck by one of these discs and died instantly. WebPerseus Origin and Meaning The name Perseus is boy's name of Greek origin meaning "to destroy". In book 47 of the text, Perseus kills Ariadne by turning her into stone, while a disguised Hera warns the hero that, to win, he would also need to kill all the Satyrs. Medusa was one of the scariest creatures that Greek mythology created. Perseus Uses Medusas Head as a Weapon. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000. Medusa followed the goddess for many years before she met and fell in love with Poseidon. This has been proven because she continues to be portrayed in pop culture. Pseudo-Hyginus states, By Joves [Zeus] will, it was borne to the island of Seriphos, and when the fisherman Dictys found it and broke it open, he discovered the mother and child. London: Nutt, 189496. It is said that the priestesses of Chorea, women who followed Dionysus, were slaughtered by Perseus and his followers and dumped into a communal grave. Greek Mythology is known for its many fearsome beasts such Mantikhoras and Cyclopes. Detail. Ovid: The myths of Medusa and her killer Perseus are described in Books 4 and 6 of the epic Metamorphoses (ca. While the name Perseus has been given to a number of ships, mountains, and even early computers, the Greek hero doesnt have the same name recognition today as Heracles/Hercules. The Helmet of Hades was one of the gifts of the Cyclopes to the young Olympian gods when they first fought the Titans in the Titanomachy. Hold on to your broomstick as we fly through time to check out the delicious and diabolical witch in art history. While Athena, the goddess of women and knowledge, was often portrayed as holding a shield, the story of Perseus is the only surviving account of it being used. He then used the mirrored shield to kill her, looking at Medusas reflection rather than directly at her so that he would not be turned to stone. Others think that her story likely had roots in historical facts. Athena immediately added the head to her shield called Aegis. Many later versions of the myth claimed that she was once a beautiful He would become a Greek, rather than be born one. Learn more about our mission. From c. 200 B.C. Medusa spent the rest of her days wandering the earth alone. When Perseus beheaded Medusa, from the remains of her body came the winged horse, Pegasus, and Chrysaor. Perseus, in Greek mythology, the slayer of the Gorgon Medusa and the rescuer of Andromeda from a sea monster. Perseus was the son of Zeus and Dana, the daughter of Acrisius of Argos. As an infant he was cast into the sea in a chest with his mother by Acrisius, to whom it had been prophesied that he would be killed by his grandson. She inspired three of Phidiass sculptural masterpieces, including the massive chryselephantine (gold and ivory) statue of Athena Parthenos once housed in the Parthenon; and in Aeschyluss dramatic tragedy Eumenides she founded the Areopagus (Athenss aristocratic council), and, by breaking a deadlock of the judges in favour of Orestes, the defendant, she set the precedent that a tied vote signified acquittal. She was widely worshipped, but in modern times she is associated primarily with Athens, to which she gave her name. About the first version, the 17th-century poet Gaspare Murtola wrote: Flee, for if your eyes are petrified in amazement, she will turn you to stone. Though she has a different name, she has the power to turn people to stone when they look into her eyes. Apollonius of Rhodes, Argonautica 4.1515; Ovid, Metamorphoses 4.770; Lucan, Civil War 9.820. Defining their individualistic artistic Never miss DailyArt Magazine's stories. Unlike Medusa, Sthenno and Euryale could not be killed. When Minerva caught them in the act, she changed Medusa into a terrifying Gorgon. These children of Poseidon would go on to have their own stories in Greek mythology. The fields of Atlas contained the golden fruit, some of which the old Titan had previously given to Heracles. WebPerseus Baby girl name meaning, origin, and popularity IN THIS ARTICLE Perseus name popularity Popularity over time Similar names to Perseus Save to list See your list See Its hard to tell anything about this Medusa painting other than what you see. Perseus was gone before they ever understood what had happened. According to the best-known traditions, the Hesperides were daughters of the Titan Atlas. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Athena-Greek-mythology, Roman and Greek Gods - Facts about Athena, Ancient Origins - Athena: Fiercely Feminine Goddess of War and Wisdom, Athena - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11), Athena - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). She further claimed that the womans head simply served as a mask for those who later wielded it. Euryale could leap with ease, while Stheno was stronger than her sisters. There, he married Andromeda, and she would live to old age, giving Perseus many children. In Freuds interpretation: To decapitate = to castrate. Acrisius spoke to the Oracles, who prophesied that the son of Danae would be the cause of the old kings death. Returning to the island of Seriphos, the Greek hero discovered his mother in hiding. The gods were well aware of this, and Perseus got help. She was a monster, a Gorgon, generally described as a winged human female with living venomous snakes in place of hair. When Elana Dkyewomon released a series of poems and short stories written by and for lesbians, she chose the Gorgon for the cover. While Medusa once had soft and supple white skin, it turned green. Heracles was the son of Zeus, the king of the Greek gods, and a mortal woman named Alcmene. While the books are filled with characters and tropes from Greek mythology, they are original tales set in modern times. Medusas other child was Pegasus, the beautiful winged horse. In Pompeii, a fresco shows an infant Perseus, holding aloft the Gorgons head, and this pose is replicated in statues and artwork around Greece. Medusa. Eventually, it died. There Perseus killed the current King, Proteus, and took his place on the throne. Medusa also appears on television. Perseus only succeeded by owning special armor and weapons from the gods and later took advantage of holding Medusas head when confronted with the Titan Atlas. In Egypt, there was a city called Khemmis, which Herodotus records had a temple to Perseus: The people of this Khemmis say that Perseus is seen often up and down this land, and often within the temple, and that the sandal he wears, which is four feet long, keeps turning up, and that when it does turn up, all Egypt prospers. She is immediately recognizable, a classical figure and an exciting symbol of a monster. Medusa was a beautiful young woman, a virgin priestess of the goddess Athena. Hesiod used her in Theogony. Athenas association with the acropolises of various Greek cities probably stemmed from the location of the kings palaces there. Ancient Ethiopians considered Perseus and Andromeda the Perseus was attending sporting games (either for competition or part of funeral celebrations), where he was playing quoits (or discus throw). Classic Medusa, in contrast, is an Oedipal or libidinous symptom. Sicily uses both Medusa and the trinacria on its flag. According to many sources, however, Medusa was beautiful as well as terrifying. Eventually, he turned the head of Medusa upon himself and turned to stone. She vowed to be celibate her entire life as a priestess of Athena until she fell in love with Poseidon. Athena appears in Homers Odyssey as the tutelary deity of Odysseus, and myths from later sources portray her similarly as helper of Perseus and Heracles (Hercules). The coat of arms of the Dohalice village from the Czech Republic depicts Medusas head. Herbert Weir Smyth. Hesiod, Theogony 29597 (though the reading of these lines is disputed). Thus the prophecy was fulfilled, and Perseus was officially the rightful claim to the throne of Argos. Several authors working on a book interviewed hundreds of women to find out what they knew about the myth. One was the Giant Chrysaor, who became the father of the monster Geryon. Seeing claims that Athena saw Medusa in her temple and instead of catching her in the midst of consensual intercourse, she found Poseidon raping her. Perseus is a godly Greek hero (he was a son of Zeus) whose ancient name just might have modern possibilities along with other so-old-they're-new-again names such as Atticus and Orion. Michelangelo and Picasso are just two of the famous artists who created work based on her. Meaning: Destroyer. Medusa. Mythopedia, March 11, 2023. https://mythopedia.com/topics/medusa. In the Iliad, Athena is the divine form of the heroic, martial ideal: she personifies excellence in close combat, victory, and glory. This is what they say; and their doings in honor of Perseus are Greek, inasmuch as they celebrate games that include every form of contest, and offer animals and cloaks and skins as prizes. In this way, no man would ever wish to look upon the woman again. o /; Ancient Greek: ) was, in Greek mythology, one of the mortal lovers of Zeus.An Argive princess, she was an ancestor of many kings and heroes, such as Perseus, Cadmus, Heracles, Minos, Lynceus, Cepheus, and Danaus.The astronomer Simon Marius named a moon of Jupiter after Io in 1614.. Because her brother was Phoroneus, Io is also In Herodotus Histories, we learn the most about the mortal Perseus, his possible family, and the role his heritage might have played in ancient wars. It was said that anyone who looked directly at her was immediately turned to stone. Her birth and her contest with Poseidon, the sea god, for the suzerainty of the city were depicted on the pediments of the Parthenon, and the great festival of the Panathenaea, in July, was a celebration of her birthday. According to Pausanias, they say that the god, having made war on Perseus, afterward laid aside his enmity, and received great honors at the hands of the Argives, including this precinct set specially apart for himself.. Medusa represents philosophy, beauty and art. Apollodorus, Library: A mythological handbook from the first century BCE or the first few centuries CE. She is not only immortalized in stories but also in history. In almost every version of the Medusa myth, King Polydectes of. WebAthena appears in Homers Odyssey as the tutelary deity of Odysseus, and myths from later sources portray her similarly as helper of Perseus and Heracles (Hercules). Rather than die on the field, she was assassinated during the night. When Andromedas former fianc Phineus attacked him, Perseus killed him, too, using Medusas head. Perseus was eventually killed by Megapenthes, son of Proetus. It is said that the priestesses of Chorea, women who followed Dionysus, were slaughtered by Perseus and his followers and dumped into a communal grave. Caravaggio, Medusa, 1595-1596, Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Italy. A woman in the midst of an unsavory, unrequested task, she stands naked, her hair a tangle of serpents, a sword in one hand, a severed head in the other. Medusa was the only one of the three who was not immortal. The myths of Medusa are addressed in Book 3. Phineus, brother of the king and uncle to Andromeda, had been promised the beautiful maiden as his wife. The terror of Medusa is thus a terror of castration that is linked to the sight of something. Knowing that Polydectes forced her into marriage, Perseus forced him to look at the head and turned him into stone to free his mother. In The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, a Gorgon travels to Sabrinas town. She claimed that Medusa was the only real Gorgon and that her sisters were mere additions to her story. Representing the intellectual and civilized side of war, she is the divine form of the heroic, martial ideal and personifies excellence in close combat, victory, and glory. She was the daughter of Zeus, produced without a mother, so that she emerged full-grown from his forehead. The History of Guns, Greek Mythology: Stories, Characters, Gods, and Culture, Aztec Mythology: Important Stories and Characters, Greek Gods and Goddesses: Family Tree and Fun Facts, Roman Gods and Goddesses: The Names and Stories of 29 Ancient Roman Gods. WebIn one version of the Medusa story, she was a gorgeous young woman who agreed to become one of Athenas priestesses. [17], After Medusa was killed, her two children by Poseidon were born from her blood. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Gods of Death Medusa is also a character in the first installment of Rick Riordans Percy Jackson and the Olympians series and is portrayed by Uma Thurman in the 2010 film adaptation. He is best known in Greek mythology as the slayer of Medusa, one of three female creatures, or Gorgons, Though some point to the version of the story where Athena came across Medusa in her temple, others claim that the legend never says whether she willingly agreed to intercourse with Poseidon. Harrison believed that there was some evidence that Medusa was simply one woman and that the stories of her sisters came later. Rather than the father of Perseus, Poseidon is a lover of Medusa, a sea monster who Perseus slew. Mason-Dixon Line Perseus is the Only Hero to Wear Items From Four Separate Gods.

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