Difference between revisions of "Gorgon" - New World Encyclopedia
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[[Image:Medusa_by_Caravaggio.jpg|thumb|240px|right|Baroque Medusa combined beauty and horror: ''Medusa,'' after 1590, by [[Caravaggio]]]] | [[Image:Medusa_by_Caravaggio.jpg|thumb|240px|right|Baroque Medusa combined beauty and horror: ''Medusa,'' after 1590, by [[Caravaggio]]]] | ||
− | In [[Greek mythology]], the '''Gorgons''' | + | In [[Greek mythology]], the '''Gorgons''' were three vicious female [[monster]]s that lived on an island and possesed the ability to turn a person to stone by looking at them. Of the three, '''Medusa''' (Greek: Μέδουσα, Médousa), is perhaps the most famous of the Gorgons. |
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− | == | + | ==Etymology== |
− | + | ==Description== | |
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− | + | Often, the gorgons are identified as female, with scaly golden bodies, a human, if not hideous, face, hair of coiled, live snakes and the [[tusk]]s of [[boar]]s. They also are said to possess wings of gold, but it is not said if they can fly. Beyond their ability to turn anyone into stone by simply looking at them, the snakes on their head were believed to be posionous and they sometimes were depicted as having sharp claws that could easily rip and tear flesh. | |
− | + | ==Origins== | |
− | + | [[Image:Rubens Medusa.jpeg|thumb|300px|left|''Tête de Méduse'', by [[Peter Paul Rubens]].]] | |
+ | As with many Greek myths, it is difficult to trace the legend of the gorgons to its original source. While many mythological creatures come out of an attempt to understand nature and the world, the gorgons seem to represent ugliness and fear. The ability to kill their opponents with a look renders nearly all human abilities useless, thus making even the most skilled warriors impotent. In many cultures, snakes are regarded with fear, so it is justifiable that such a dark creature would have them covering her head. Furthering this is the body of scales, suggesting a more replitilian connection, but their is just enough humanity, mirrored in the face, to make the gorgon recognizable to humans, and thus represents perhaps the ugliest and most demented aspects of humanity. | ||
− | + | As with many other Greek legends, succesive generations and authors re-told stories, and with each re-telling changed the story somewhat. It was [[Hesiod]] ([[Theogony]], [[Shield of Heracles]]) who increased the number of Gorgons to three—[[Stheno]] (the mighty), [[Euryale]] (the far-springer) and [[Medusa]] (the queen), and claimed they were the daughters of the sea-god [[Phorcys]] and of [[Ceto|Keto]]. Medusa was believed to be the only one mortal of the three, and conciedentally, she was also the only one to become pregnant. Their home was said to be on the farthest side of the western ocean. The [[Attica, Greece|Attic]] tradition, reproduced in [[Euripides]] ([[Ion (play)|Ion]]), regarded the Gorgon as a monster, produced by [[Gaia (mythology)|Gaia]] to aid her sons the giants against the gods and slain by [[Athena]]. Of the three Gorgons, only Medusa is mortal. | |
− | + | According to [[Ovid]] (''[[Metamorphoses (poem)|Metamorphoses]]''), Medusa alone had serpents in her hair, and this was due to [[Athena]] (Roman [[Minerva]]) cursing her. Medusa had copulated with [[Poseidon]] (Roman [[Neptune (god)|Neptune]]), who was aroused by the golden color of Medusa's hair, in a [[temple]] of Athena. Athena therefore changed the enticing golden locks into serpents. [[Aeschylus]] says that the three Gorgons had only one tooth and one eye between them, which they had to swap between themselves. | |
− | + | [[Image:Achilles's shield (Corfu Achilleion).JPG|thumb|250px|Gorgon decorates the shield of [[Achilles]] at the [[Corfu]] [[Achilleion (Corfu)|Achilleion]]]] | |
− | + | ==Perseus and Medusa== | |
− | + | [[Image:Medusa.jpg|thumb|left|''Medusa'', by [[Arnold Böcklin]] (1878)]] | |
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+ | The most famous legend involving the gorgons, was the story of how [[Perseus]] killed [[Medusa]]. Hence [[Perseus (mythology)|Perseus]] was able to kill her by cutting off her head while looking at her in the reflection in a mirrored shield he got from the [[Graeae]]. Some authors say that Perseus was armed with a scythe by [[Hermes]] ([[Mercury (mythology)|Mercury]]) and a mirror by [[Athena]] ([[Minerva]]). Whether the mirrored shield or the scythe, these weapons allowed him to defeat Medusa easily. From the blood that spurted from her neck sprang [[Chrysaor]] and [[Pegasus]] (other sources say that each drop of blood became a snake), her two sons by [[Poseidon]]. He gave the head, which had the power of turning into stone all who looked upon it, to Athena, who placed it in her shield; according to another account, Perseus buried it in the marketplace of [[Argos]]. | ||
Perseus then flew to his mother's island where she was about to be forced into marriage with the king. He cried out "Mother, shield your eyes," and everyone but his mother was turned into stone by the gaze of Medusa's head. | Perseus then flew to his mother's island where she was about to be forced into marriage with the king. He cried out "Mother, shield your eyes," and everyone but his mother was turned into stone by the gaze of Medusa's head. | ||
Then he gave the Gorgon's head to Athena, who placed it on her shield, the [[Aegis]]. Some say the goddess gave Medusa's magical blood to the physician [[Asclepius]], some of which was a deadly poison and the other had the power to raise the dead. | Then he gave the Gorgon's head to Athena, who placed it on her shield, the [[Aegis]]. Some say the goddess gave Medusa's magical blood to the physician [[Asclepius]], some of which was a deadly poison and the other had the power to raise the dead. | ||
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==Protective and healing powers== | ==Protective and healing powers== |
Revision as of 20:59, 3 June 2007
In Greek mythology, the Gorgons were three vicious female monsters that lived on an island and possesed the ability to turn a person to stone by looking at them. Of the three, Medusa (Greek: Μέδουσα, Médousa), is perhaps the most famous of the Gorgons.
Etymology
Description
Often, the gorgons are identified as female, with scaly golden bodies, a human, if not hideous, face, hair of coiled, live snakes and the tusks of boars. They also are said to possess wings of gold, but it is not said if they can fly. Beyond their ability to turn anyone into stone by simply looking at them, the snakes on their head were believed to be posionous and they sometimes were depicted as having sharp claws that could easily rip and tear flesh.
Origins
As with many Greek myths, it is difficult to trace the legend of the gorgons to its original source. While many mythological creatures come out of an attempt to understand nature and the world, the gorgons seem to represent ugliness and fear. The ability to kill their opponents with a look renders nearly all human abilities useless, thus making even the most skilled warriors impotent. In many cultures, snakes are regarded with fear, so it is justifiable that such a dark creature would have them covering her head. Furthering this is the body of scales, suggesting a more replitilian connection, but their is just enough humanity, mirrored in the face, to make the gorgon recognizable to humans, and thus represents perhaps the ugliest and most demented aspects of humanity.
As with many other Greek legends, succesive generations and authors re-told stories, and with each re-telling changed the story somewhat. It was Hesiod (Theogony, Shield of Heracles) who increased the number of Gorgons to three—Stheno (the mighty), Euryale (the far-springer) and Medusa (the queen), and claimed they were the daughters of the sea-god Phorcys and of Keto. Medusa was believed to be the only one mortal of the three, and conciedentally, she was also the only one to become pregnant. Their home was said to be on the farthest side of the western ocean. The Attic tradition, reproduced in Euripides (Ion), regarded the Gorgon as a monster, produced by Gaia to aid her sons the giants against the gods and slain by Athena. Of the three Gorgons, only Medusa is mortal.
According to Ovid (Metamorphoses), Medusa alone had serpents in her hair, and this was due to Athena (Roman Minerva) cursing her. Medusa had copulated with Poseidon (Roman Neptune), who was aroused by the golden color of Medusa's hair, in a temple of Athena. Athena therefore changed the enticing golden locks into serpents. Aeschylus says that the three Gorgons had only one tooth and one eye between them, which they had to swap between themselves.
Perseus and Medusa
The most famous legend involving the gorgons, was the story of how Perseus killed Medusa. Hence Perseus was able to kill her by cutting off her head while looking at her in the reflection in a mirrored shield he got from the Graeae. Some authors say that Perseus was armed with a scythe by Hermes (Mercury) and a mirror by Athena (Minerva). Whether the mirrored shield or the scythe, these weapons allowed him to defeat Medusa easily. From the blood that spurted from her neck sprang Chrysaor and Pegasus (other sources say that each drop of blood became a snake), her two sons by Poseidon. He gave the head, which had the power of turning into stone all who looked upon it, to Athena, who placed it in her shield; according to another account, Perseus buried it in the marketplace of Argos. Perseus then flew to his mother's island where she was about to be forced into marriage with the king. He cried out "Mother, shield your eyes," and everyone but his mother was turned into stone by the gaze of Medusa's head.
Then he gave the Gorgon's head to Athena, who placed it on her shield, the Aegis. Some say the goddess gave Medusa's magical blood to the physician Asclepius, some of which was a deadly poison and the other had the power to raise the dead.
Protective and healing powers
In Ancient Greece a Gorgoneion (or stone head, engraving or drawing of a Gorgon face, often with snakes protruding wildly and tongue sticking out between the fangs) was frequently used as an Apotropaic symbol and placed on doors, walls, coins, shields, breastplates, and tombstones in the hopes of warding off evil. In this regard Gorgoneia are similar to the sometimes grotesque faces on Chinese soldiers’ shields, also used generally as an amulet, a protection against the evil eye. In some cruder representations, the blood flowing under the head can be mistaken for a beard.
In Greek mythology, blood taken from the right side of a Gorgon could bring the dead back to life, yet blood taken from the left side was an instantly fatal poison. Athena gave a vial of the healing blood to Asclepius, which ultimately brought about his demise.
Heracles is said to have obtained a lock of Medusa’s hair (which possessed the same powers as the head) from Athena and given it to Sterope, the daughter of Cepheus, as a protection for the town of Tegea against attack.
According to the later idea of Medusa as a beautiful maiden, whose hair had been changed into snakes by Athena, the head was represented in works of art with a wonderfully handsome face, wrapped in the calm repose of death.
Medusa in art and legend
Medusa is a well-known mythological icon throughout the world, having been portrayed in works of art as well as popular media over the ages.
Examples of Medusa and the Perseus legend in the arts:
- Medusa (oil on canvas) by Leonardo da Vinci;
- Perseus with the Head of Medusa (bronze sculpture) by Benvenuto Cellini (1554);
- Perseus with the Head of Medusa (marble sculpture) by Antonio Canova (1801);
- Perseus (bronze sculpture) by Salvador Dalí;
- Medusa (oil on canvas) by Arnold Böcklin
- Medusa (oil on canvas) by Caravaggio.
Gorgons in modern culture
Like cyclops, harpies, and other beasts of Greek mythology, gorgons have been popularized in modern times by the fantasy genre such as in books, comics, role-playing games, and video games. Although not as well known as dragons or unicorns, most popular lore concerning gorgons derives from Medusa and the Perseus legend. Images of gorgons and Medusa are commonly mistaken to be the same. According to most of the original Greek myths, Medusa was the only one of the Gorgon sisters to be beautiful; the others being hideous beasts. Over time, however, and possibly even in their original day, both gorgons and Medusa came to be seen as evil monsters.
Notes
ReferencesISBN links support NWE through referral fees
- Jane Ellen Harrison, (1903) 3rd ed. 1922. Prolegomena to the Study of Greek Religion,: "The Ker as Gorgon"
This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.
Additional material has been added from the 1824 Lempriere's Dictionary.
External links
- Theoi Project, Medousa & the Gorgones References to Medusa and her sisters in classical literature and art
- Medusa in Myth and Literary History
- On the Medusa of Leonardo Da Vinci in the Florentine Gallery, by Percy Bysshe Shelley
- Medusa Coins Ancient coins depicting Medusa
- Women in Antiquity An Essay on Medusa
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