One of the three gorgon sisters, hideous winged beings with live snakes for hair. Medusa, like her sisters, was not always a monstrous creature. She began life as an alluring sea goddess with beautiful golden hair.

Unfortunately, Medusa not only thought her beauty superior to the goddess Athena but also dared to have sexual relations with Poseidon in Athena's temple. This enraged the goddess who then transformed Medusa into a petrifying gorgon. Now, no man could look upon her lest he be turned to stone.

Later, King Polydectes (for his own reasons) sent Perseus to slay Medusa. Athena, knowing that Perseus would not be able to look at Medusa directly, gave him a mirrorlike shield so that he could sneak up on her reflection and chop off her head, which he did.

When Perseus beheaded Medusa her twin sons Chrysaor (a giant) and Pegasus (a winged horse) were born either from her spilled blood or they may have emerged directly from her neck. The father was Poseidon.

Perseus then took Medusa's severed head, used it to turn Atlas into a mountain, turn a small army to stone, and turn King Polydectes to stone, then he gave the head to Athena who placed it in the center of her Aegis.

See Also: Creatures by Type: Serpents