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Snakes in mythology - Wikipedia Mythology medusa forearm piece Insta: @leigh . The Medusa in Greek Mythology. The Medusa in D&D 5e. This myth, a later addition to the story of Atlas, explained the creation of the Atlas Mountain range in North Africa. In Greek mythology, the Gorgons were snake-women whose gazes would turn people to stone; they had serpents for hair, long claws, sharp teeth and scales covering their bodies. Feminists reinterpreted Medusa as a woman who used her anger to avenge herself on the male gaze. Medusa in Greek Mythology - Origin Story & Death - World History Edu The Gorgons of Greek myth were snake-women (a common hybrid) whose gaze would turn flesh into stone, the most famous of them being Medusa. Why is Medusa Important? - Myth Nerd In Indian myth, Shiva had a cobra coiled on his head and another at rest on his shoulder, ready to strike his enemies. According to various sources, Medusa was the only Gorgon who was mortal, so she was able to be beheaded by the Greek hero, Perseus. Bragi-Apollo. Medusa was a Gorgon, one of three sisters, who was cursed by Athena and became a monster. Jormungand, the Viking sea serpent. Medusas body was often shown as abnormally large and disproportionate. Some say he honored the agreement and left the watchful Graeae in peace. Aldrich). As the Roman world embraced Christianity and its texts, Medusas evil status was furthered. The Real Story of Medusa: Protective Powers from a Snake-Haired Gorgon The Odyssey - loyalty & vengeance. The practice was so widespread that it is seen on the famous mural that depicts Alexander the Greats battle against the Persians. He is like the Greek god Apollo because they are both gods of poetry, and worshiped by poets. [21] Sea monsters lived in every ocean from the seven-headed crocodile-serpent Leviathan of Hebrew myth to the sea-god Koloowisi of the Zuni people of North America and the Greek monster Scylla with twelve snake-necks. I am the owner and chief researcher at this site. While Perseus beheaded Medusa, however, he still left two Gorgons alive. Perseus must battle Medusa and the Kraken to save the Princess Andromeda. During the multi-day ritual, which is aimed at encouraging rainfall and fertility for the land, male dancers from the Snake Clan put live snakesranging from small garter snakes to rattlesnakesin their mouths and around their necks. It is believed that Nagaraja left his earthly life and took Samadhi but still resides in a chamber of the temple. 13). Throughout many Greek myths, it reappeared. To them, the initial punishment and the subsequent death were both justified. Odin lost his eye upon visiting a Norse god named Mimir.Mimir was known as an extremely wise god, and he had also possessed a well called Mmisbrunnr.The waters in the well contained substantial wisdom and knowledge, and if someone drank from the well they would also gain wisdom. In art, Medusa and her sisters had every terrifying feature the Greeks could imagine. Perseus made a deal with the monsters. As a more sensual villain, Medusas snakes are, once again, linked to Biblical notions of sin and evil. Some stories say that there was one more unnamed Gorgon who was older than the others. In the original story she was killed in her sleep with no chance of fighting back, and most of the deaths caused by her powers were when she was used as a weapon by someone else. She ended up mounting it on her shield, granting her the power to turn people to stone. The Hopi people of North America viewed snakes as symbols of healing, transformation, and fertility. Their parents were early sea gods, predating the Olympians. [22] This creature, known in Akkadian as the muuu, meaning "furious serpent", was used as a symbol for particular deities and also as a general protective emblem. Odin - World History Encyclopedia The Gorgon was mentioned again in the Odyssey. Medusa is seen by some today as the first example of victim blaming. Medusa was the only one of the three who could ever be killed. Danae's father, Acrisius, King of Argos was told that he would be murdered by Danae's son. 10. Poseidon did not seduce or charm Medusa in the later myths. This trio of sisters may have been intended as a dark version of a tripartite goddess. To conserve her energy, she dipped a rope in clay and flicked it so blobs of clay landed everywhere; each blob of clay became an individual human. Perseus manages to kill her, but only with the . The later Gorgon sisters were not the same monster, but a later generation of the same type. Like many pretty young women in Greek legend, she attracted the attention of a god. Athena also told him where to find further assistance. Zeuss lovers were harassed by his jealous wife. snakes symbolized the umbilical cord, joining all humans to Mother Earth. With so many great entries, even that limitation only made it slightly easier! When Perseus ran from the surviving Gorgons, he took their sisters head with him as proof of his deeds. She has been a frequent contributor to History.com since 2005, and is the author of Breaking History: Vanished! There was a lot more to the Gorgon than just the snakes in her hair! It was after the French Revolution that the Gorgon herself began to take on more heroic connotations. If you're a viking lover or you have studied Norse. After creating Medusa herself, the goddess seemed especially eager to aid the hero in the monsters destruction. Medusas punishment was more explicit and harsh than most victims in the Greek myths, but it was not entirely out of place. The earliest versions of the Gorgons connected them to sharp reefs and the storms that could drive ships onto them. It is used, for example, in the scientific names of many animals to reference some particularly unsightly species and, of course, some snakes. But it didnt take long for that to change. The Yeti in Himalayan Mythology. Later writers would identify this as Libya, and in the Roman era Virgil said that it was at the gates of the Underworld. She is famed for her snake-like hair and her gaze, which turns those who look at her to stone. Unlike Perseus, the protagonists in these stories actually have to fight her. Perseus was the real bad guy. Her face took a more traditionally human appearance. After cutting off Medusas fearsome head (from which her two children with Poseidon, Chrysaor and Pegasus, emerged) Perseus mounted it on his shield, and used it to paralyze his enemies in battle. This created the first coral. Delighted, she made another figure, and another and another, and each came to life in the same way. In another myth, the protector Vishnu slept on the coils of the world-serpent Shesha (or "Ananta the endless";). After Bai falls in love with and marries a mortal man, Xu Xian, a Buddhist monk, Fahai, reveals her true identity to her husband. Perseus and Medusa. Although men may have found her name synonymous with monotonousness, in Medusa women could find a reflection of their own fury. Athena later helped the hero Perseus slay Medusa, giving him a shiny bronze shield that he used to watch the Gorgons reflection rather than looking directly at her. Still portrayed as a human woman, albeit with an increasingly thick nest of snakes on her hair, Medusa became a symbol of the Jacobin faction. His roles took the form of everything from bringer of morning winds and bright daylight for healthy crops, to a sea god capable of bringing on great floods. The most common type of flute in ancient Greece had two bodies, a reflection of the two surviving Gorgons. Concept art: Medusa, Assassin's Creed. Medusa in Greek Mythology. Perseus was the child of Zeus and the human woman Danae. Egyptian myth has had several snake-gods, from the 'coiled one' Mehen who assisted Ra in fighting Aapep every day to the two-headed Nehebkau who guarded the underworld. Norse Goddesses in Norse Mythology - Norse and Viking Mythology Even in its more beautiful form, the gorgoneion was used as a symbol to ward off greater evils. Her tryst with the god Poseidon in one of Athenas temples infuriated the virgin goddess, who turned Medusa into a Gorgon as punishment. In some cultures, eels (which spend their early lives in freshwater before returning to the sea as adults) were regarded as magical creatures. The cunning snake convinced Eve to eat the forbidden fruit of the tree of knowledge, telling her that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil. When God learned of Adam and Eves transgression, he banished both of them from Eden and cursed the snake for its role, saying You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life. Debate has long raged over whether the serpent in Genesis was a literal reptile, an allegory for sexual desire or temptation or even Satan himself. The story of Medusa from Greek mythology is perhaps less well known than Medusa herself. It's a new tale of a Greek hero but follows a template similar to the story of Theseus. With the help of the gods, the hero was able to kill one of the most terrifying monsters in the world. It was created by Gaia and killed by Zeus. Medusa - Greek Mythology -Medusa was one of 3 Gorgon sisters, a chthonic monster, and a daughter of . The Mayan sky-goddess was a common attribute. In most Norse texts, Odin is depicted as a long-bearded, one-eyed man wearing a broad hat and a cloak. For this reason, it is taboo in Serer culture to kill snakes. The Chimera: A Complete Guide to the Monster of Mythology 11. The story of Medusas punishment following her rape by Poseidon has a much different meaning in the modern world than it did in Greek times. Medusa in this telling was separated from her monstrous family members and lived a more human life. Zeus: Zeus is one of the most popular Greek mythology baby boy names. He challenged the young man to kill Medusa and bring back her head. As Perseus fled the cave, however, he and the Gorgons were no longer alone. Homosexuality in the Greek myth. These were the creations of Hesiods stories and the legend of Perseus. Some versions of the character emphasize her feminine features, while she is given more attributes of a snake at times when shes shown as particularly monstrous. It was said that anyone who looked directly at her was immediately turned to stone. The only mortal of the three was Medusa, the victim of the Greek hero PERSEUS. [16] Nagas, "the demon cobra"[17] and naginis were human-headed snakes whose kings and queens who lived in jewel-encrusted underground or underwater paradises and who were perpetually at war with Garuda the Sun-bird. The gis (Greek ), already attested in the Iliad, is the shield or buckler of Zeus, which according to Homer was fashioned for him by Hephaestus, furnished with golden tassels and bearing the Gorgoneion (the Gorgon Medusa's head) in the central boss. Everywhere, from Lord of the Rings to The Elder Scrolls games, these creatures are deeply woven into our cultural fabric. Norse Mythology Thesis Odin, Thor, Freya, Loki, Frigg Do these names ring a bell to you? The Almighty Johnsons, TV3 (2011 - 2013) Hailing from New Zealand, The Almighty Johnsons is another series set in modern times that borrows from Norse mythology in the form of reincarnations of the gods. score: 22,174 , and 227 people voted. Paris was famous for for marrying Helen of Troy, which led to the Trojan War. Greek Mythology and Norse Mythology Crossover | FanFiction In that usage, the image of Medusa as a woman who can petrify men takes a more negative connotation than it does in feminist circles. Valhalla, Old Norse Valhll, in Norse mythology, the hall of slain warriors, who live there blissfully under the leadership of the god Odin. . While she always retains the power to petrify her enemies, now she scratches, poisons, and grapples as well. Attic tradition, however, said that the Gorgons were created specifically to be enemies of the gods. The runic inscription reads: "Hrvisl and Farbjrn and Gunnbjrn". Medusa was not the only Gorgon, however. It was a helmet used by the goddess Athena, the gods Hermes and Hades , and the hero Perseus whenever they wanted or needed to become invisible. What is the Norse Creation Story? - Study.com He was sent on a quest to kill Medusa, and with help from the gods and his intelligence, courage, and strength, he successfully located and beheaded her by using his shield as a mirror and avoiding direct eye contact while battling her. According to some myths, Medusa, the most famous of the Gorgons, was originally a beautiful woman. Greek writers never specified why only one Gorgon sister was mortal. Gorgons, especially Medusa, have become a common image and symbol in Western culture since their origins in Greek mythology, appearing in art, literature, and elsewhere throughout history. Please like and share this article if you found it useful. Belenus, also known as Belinos or Belenos, is one of the most important Celtic deities. Werewolves and Witches remained separate and hidden for centuries, branded as monsters. Because of this, it has become a widely-recognized icon. He waved his staff, driving all Irelands snakes into the sea. In ancient Slavic paganism a deity by the name of Veles presided over the underworld. French liberty was not heroic, but it was not content to resign itself to victim hood. Medusa in Greek Mythology: Story & Role | Who Killed Medusa? 33 Medusa Quotes About The Greek Mythological Figure | Kidadl