Gorgon, ruthless female monster and much more

Within Greek mythology we can see how some characters considered monsters were also deities for some religious, these creatures have a very interesting story. We invite you to read this article about the Gorgona, one of the most interesting mythical characters out there.

GORGON

What is a Gorgon?

The Gorgon is not one of the most famous characters in Greek mythology, or at least not everyone knows them by name. When we talk about the gorgons, we refer to a female monster that is characterized by being very ruthless. On the other hand, the participation of gorgons in Greek mythology is very different from those of other creatures.

They were not only monsters that the Greeks were afraid of, but also treated by some people as patron deities in some ancient religious cults. Gorgon's name comes from the ancient Greek γοργώ gorgō which means terrible, they were powerful and feared. The myths narrate how they had the ability to petrify people with just their gaze.

The image of the gorgons was used as a sign of warning and protection. They could be found in different places, from sacred temples to wine jars. Greek myths speak of three main gorgons, Medusa, the deadly and best-known Gorgon in history, Esteno and Euríale, her sisters. Despite this, the researchers have been able to rescue that the gorgons were already used long before these three were recognized.

If you want to read more articles like this one from Gorgona, we invite you to read mythological characters in our mythology category.

Classical tradition

There are many different ways in which gorgons are represented. However, the classic way of doing it visualizes them with golden wings, large bronze claws and powerful boar tusks in their mouths. While it is true that most myths speak of these creatures, many of the narratives emphasize their teeth and snake skin, their most characteristic feature.

Interestingly, his image was commonly used. Although people believed that they were bloodthirsty monsters, that did not prevent them from being used as a protection amulet, so they were seen in temples. Additionally, there are other creatures that were closely associated with gorgons, lionesses and sphinxes were frequently seen together.

homeric tradition

Homer is one of the most consulted authors in ancient myths, in his texts he only speaks of a single Gorgon. His head is represented in the Iliad as a kind of crown worn by Zeus to show off his power. On the other hand, this Gorgon's head has an equivalent for mortals, where it transforms into a contraption known as Agamemnon's shield.

Despite this reference in the Iliad, the Odyssey, a Greek epic poem written by Homer himself, makes a different reference to the gorgons where he explains what a monster from the underworld was like. The appearance of the three gorgons does not happen until the year 700 BC where Hesiod speaks about the three gorgons, daughters of the relationship between Forcis and Ceto, marine deities.

Medusa, the best known Gorgon

Medusa is the best known Gorgon, even though many do not know her for being this creature. This is because she was the mortal sister. While her sisters had a terrible appearance, Medusa, on the other hand, was a very beautiful maiden. The best known myth of Medusa is how she transforms into a monster similar to her sisters.

The story tells how Medusa was the protector of the temple of Athena when she was raped by the god Poseidon, staining the pure appearance of the place. Athena, enraged, decides to take revenge on Medusa and transforms her hair into poisonous snakes. Medusa had the same powers as her sisters, she could turn people into stone just by looking at them.

The end of Medusa's life happens thanks to the hero Perseus, who cut off her head to use as a weapon until he gives it to Athena to place on her shield. It is thanks to this story that Medusa becomes an important creature in mythology, making her, in turn, one of the best-known characters in ancient Greece.

Medusa's image

As we have said before, the painters and carvers of the time imagined Medusa and her sisters as terrible and monstrous beings. However, the stories are completely different, as the scriptures speak of Medusa as a beautiful woman with fair cheeks. This, of course, is the image prior to being transformed, so there are two versions of Medusa, the beautiful maiden and the monster.

GORGON

It is impossible to research the history of Medusa without feeling a little sorry for this character. She was punished for something that she herself could not prevent, while the perpetrator of the crime did not get any punishment. Medusa has been welcomed by various feminist movements today. The image of her has been transformed to remain an amulet of protection, even in such modern times.

You can read other articles like this on our blog. In fact, we recommend you read Origin of the Universe according to the Mayans in our mythology category.

Protective and healing powers

The gorgons were seen as a very extreme duality, on the one hand, they were terrible monsters. On the other hand, they managed to be symbols of protection, even before the three gorgons were mentioned. In ancient Greece they were drawn or engraved with a terrifying appearance, their floating head, their bulging eyes, their snake skin and their tongue between their fangs. These images were placed on doors, walls, floors, coins, shields, tombstones, temples and houses in the hope that they could ward off evil from those places.

The myths explain that the gorgons had quite impressive powers, the best known being that they could turn living beings into stone just by looking at them. Despite this, the myths also tell that there were beings even more powerful than the gorgons since they were immune to their curse. These beings were in fact demons or souls with bodies, watchmen of the gorgons sent by Hades.

History is not very clear about what other powers the gorgons had. Many say that taking the blood from the right side of this creature would manage to resurrect a dead person, while the blood from its left side was a powerful poison that achieved instant death. That speculation stems from the myth that Athena gave Asclepius healing blood, which was in fact taken from the left side, so he died instantly.

Origins

Locating the exact origin of the gorgons is not so difficult, since their concept is as old in mythology as that of Perseus and Zeus. However, there are several experts who theorize that the gorgons are in fact much older than the Greek religion.

In fact, the archaeologist marija gumbutas, believed to observe the prototype of Gorgon in some Neolithic artifacts that agreed to the use of this image as a protective object. Both in anthropomorphic vessels and terracotta masks, it was possible to observe how the image of a creature with bright and large eyes was drawn, which they called divine eyes.

primitive religious rites

On the other hand, the fangs of gorgons, which are identical to snakes, were part of various early religious rites. Even if it was another similar creature, many simply associate it with the origin of the Gorgon. All Greek myths have something in common, the original story has disappeared over time, today there are different versions, some more famous than others, about the birth of certain creatures, characters or important deities.

The reality is that we may never know what the exact origin was or why it was born. What we can assume is that it became important enough for the culture, which in turn made its image survive decades and decades of civilization.

If you are interested in reading more articles like this one from Gorgona, we recommend reading god jupiter in the mythology category.

cultural representations

As we have said before, the image of the gorgons has been used since ancient times. This mythological creature has been a large part of the art and culture of ancient Greece, it has evolved enough to even reach today. Medusa is perhaps one of the most represented characters in mythology. The various forms of her show how this character has gone through different facets, from a monster to a protective symbol and even a victim of rape and a curse.

Known for her hair filled with living poisonous snakes and her incredible power to turn creatures into stone, Medusa is an extremely popular ancient icon. Even now, in more modern times, the image of Medusa appears constantly in culture and art, especially in the branch of art considered to be pop art.

GORGON

Medusa's popularity exceeds that of many other mythological characters, ranking above some heroes and even some gods. The representation of Medusa is the protagonist of the works of some renowned artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Peter Paul Rubens and Pablo Picasso.

From antiquity to the Renaissance

The objective of this section is to study how the image of jellyfish has been represented in different times and cultures, starting from its birth. The Gorgon's head was for the ancient Greeks, a symbol of protection. This means that the image of her was used since it was believed that she was able to ward off or avoid evil, that is why she was more seen in sacred places, such as temples.

On the other hand, this image showed us a Gorgon who was represented with very bulging eyes, fangs and showing her snake tongue. This image was also used on the shield of Athena and this was one of her most famous representations up to the time. On the other hand, the image of Medusa did not remain only with the Greeks, since in 200 BC there was the Alexander Mosaic, a Roman mosaic that was found in Pompeii.

In the crudest and most realistic depictions of this creature, it can be visualized with blood flowing from beneath it. This is perhaps a shocking version for those who are sensitive to graphic images.

In the Renaissance, the artists of the time represented her, together with Perseus. In these works, Perseus was seen holding the head of Medusa, making a direct reference to the myth.

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XIXth Century

After the French Revolution, the Medusa image was transformed to become a popular emblem of Jacobinism. Also, it was often used as a figure to represent French freedom. This symbol was an opposition to "English liberty" which was represented by the image of Athena.

For radicals like Percy Bysshe Shelley, the image of Medusa was an abject hero. A victim who had suffered from tyranny, whose greatest weakness also became his power. On the other hand, Shelley published a poem about Leonardo da Vinci's Medusa, placing her as a revolutionary character.

Modern use

Arriving at a more modern time, we find the image of the severed head of Medusa, it is the most recognized representation in Greek mythology. The representation of Perseus with the head of Medusa was used on the cover of various editions of Edith Hamilton Mythology and several other editions devoted to this field.

On the other hand, the Medusa image also appears in fashion, as the Italian luxury brand Versace uses the head of a Gorgon as its logo. In more modern art, a representation of Medusa with the head of Perseus is the avatar of different feminist movements.

If you liked this article, we invite you to continue exploring the different categories found on our blog, with original articles full of incredible and very complete knowledge. In fact, we recommend you read our latest article on Orpheus.

We are very interested in your opinion, so leave us a comment to know what you think about this Gorgon article.


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