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Perseus, realizing he had been tricked by Hera, changed his ways and supported the Dionysian mysteries. Most legends claim that the hero Perseus killed her with help from Hermes and others. 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.. According to Greek mythology, Mycenaes story goes back to the hero Perseus, the demigod son of Zeus and Danae, who was said to have founded the city of Mycenae. Medusa was killed by the hero Perseus, a son of Zeus and the mortal Argive princess Danae. 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. Pegasus, the famous horse with wings, arose from her dead body. When the king turned to the Gods, they agreed to help as they worried about what the creature could do. Perseus took the beautiful woman with him back to Argos. There are three different ways you can cite this article. Medusas siblings awoke but could not find her killer as he wore the Helm of Hades. This shows that the island has protection from Athena. Pausanias, Description of Greece 8.47.4; Apollodorus, Library 2.7.3. Medusa. Mythopedia, March 11, 2023. https://mythopedia.com/topics/medusa. Themis was one of the first twelve Titans, direct descendants of Gaea (Mother Earth) and Uranus (Father Sky), the first beings to ever exist in the universe. Perseus was gone before they ever understood what had happened. Webchapter 6. chapter 7. chapter 8. chapter 9. book 3. Themis Goddess of Order and Justice With the help of several gods, Perseus tracked Medusa down to her remote lair and beheaded her. Athena became the goddess of crafts and skilled peacetime pursuits in general. It is also said that Perseus built the towns of Mideia and Mycenae, and fought to stop the Dionysian mysteries. The Timeless Myth of Medusa, a Rape Victim Turned Into a Monster Rather than die on the field, she was assassinated during the night. While some myths suggest that Perseus volunteered to retrieve the head as a wedding gift, others say he was ordered to as a method of getting rid of the pesky young man. This piece dates back to around 450 BC. A lot of focus is put on the Renaissance when learning art history. Many later versions of the myth claimed that she was once a beautiful Benvenuto Cellini, Perseus with the head of Medusa, 1545-1554, Piazza della Signoria, Florence, Italy. This he gave to Perseus, and it was only ever used once. Nemesis: Greek Goddess of Divine Retribution, iPhone History: A Timeline of Every Model in Order, US History Timeline: The Dates of Americas Journey, Ancient Civilizations Timeline: The Complete List from Aboriginals to Incans, Why Are Hot Dogs Called Hot Dogs? Many mythical features are assigned to Perseus within the ancient Greek legends, like the famous winged shoes of Hermes which allowed him to fly and the Pindar, an early Greek poet who lived in the fifth century BCE, described Medusa as fair-cheeked.[7], In ancient art, Medusa was originally depicted as a hideous monster. Themis was one of the first twelve Titans, direct descendants of Gaea (Mother Earth) and Uranus (Father Sky), the first beings to ever 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. 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. Aeschylus: The fifth-century BCE tragedian Aeschylus evoked the uniquely terrifying Gorgons in several of his plays, including the Libation Bearers (1048ff), the Eumenides (46ff) and Prometheus Bound (788ff). Medusa wandered Africa for some time. Perseus made a deal if he dealt with the monster, Andromeda would become his wife. Polydectes had fallen in love with Danae. In Homers Iliad, Athena, as a war goddess, inspires and fights alongside the Greek heroes; her aid is synonymous with military prowess. Atlas immediately turned to stone, thus becoming the Atlas Mountains. 1 And having wedded Earth, he begat first the Hundred-handed, as they are named: Briareus, Gyes, Cottus, who were unsurpassed in size and might, each of them having a hundred hands and fifty heads. There are also references to Medusa in the Fabulae. Garber, Marjorie, and Nancy Vickers. [26], Other authors believed the Gorgons were an ancient race of wild, hairy women. In one of his poems, Pindar applied the epithet euparaos (fair-cheeked) to Medusa. The other Greek hero, Bellerophon, tamed the magical beast. They lived together in a remote part of the world. Perseus stayed in Ethiopia where he met Andromeda, daughter of Cassiopeia. Atlas attempted to fight but saw her head and turned to stone. Sterope used the hair to defend the city and keep it safe. Medusa In later times, Artists would paint quite detailed works of Perseus holding the head of Medusa, and they would inform similar beheadings, such as David and Goliath, or the beheading of John the Baptist. His entire body, including his head and hair, became part of a mountain range. She believes that the story relates more to Athena than others do. Perseus as a boy's name is of Greek origin. Thence, by Athenas curse anyone she looked upon turned to stone. She was able to see the future, and because of this, became one of many in a line of Oracles of Delphi (also known as Pythia). During the French Revolution, those who wanted to defeat the royals used the head of Medusa as a symbol of their freedom.