It had the power to make its wearer invisible. Bragi-Apollo. Snakes were also commonly associated with water especially myths about the primordial ocean being formed of a huge coiled snake as in Ahi/Vritra in early Indian myth and Jormungand in Nordic myth. In ancient Aztec mythology, Quetzalcoatl was the son of the fertility earth goddess, Cihuacoatl, and cloud serpent and hunting god, Maxicoat. Rape was often a feature of Greek mythology, as much as the stories hide it in terms of seduction and marriage. Hesiods account of three Gorgon sisters, possibly a corruption of the three-part goddess archetype, became the more well-known version of an ancient story. The nymphs gladly lent Perseus the treasures Athena had sent him for. Its been suggested that Behemoth could have been a hippopotamus, an elephant or even a dinosaur, while Leviathan may have been an ancient species of crocodile. Fine Art Images/Heritage Images/Getty Images. The Aztec god of wind and rain, as well as learning, agriculture and science, Quetzalcoatl was said to have played a key role in the worlds creation. One day, a witch and a wolf met and fell in love. The myth of Medusa forces readers to confront an ugly truth the victim isnt always avenged. It had the front of a lion, the torso of a goat, and the tail of a serpent. However, in her case, the snakes leaned into her ears and whispered the secrets of the universe (i.e. 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. When Perseus laid the head on a bed of seaweed, its magic caused the plants to harden. In some accounts she is Odin's wife, making her foremost among the Aesir goddesses. She is famed for her snake-like hair and her gaze, which turns those who look at her to stone. St. Patrick depicted with a snake under his foot. The serpent grew until his body encircled all of Midgard (or Earth), and he was able to grasp his own tail in his mouth. Family. Hesiod would write the story that would become well-known. The god of the sea, like many of his peers, had frequent affairs with mortal women and minor goddesses. It is possible that the Gorgon, one of the most terrifying monsters of Greek mythology, was imagined by some to be an evil counterpart to a three-part goddess. But the gods help Perseus, and Hermes appears to him and gives him a magical sword, and Athena gives him a mirrored shield. The presiding deity here is Nagaraja - a five-headed snake god born to human parents as a blessing for their caretaking of snakes during a fire. The Story of Medusa in Greek Mythology Explained Why Kill Medusa? The Wolf, the Witch, and the Giant by Kit Kat Kata. This ancient Chinese myth tells the story of a powerful female white snake demon who lives underwater but takes human form as Madame White, or Bai Suzhen. While Medusa was one of the most iconic and memorable monsters in Greek mythology, Sthenno and Euryale played only a minor role in the story and were never as well-developed. While the tale of her death at the hands of Perseus is one of the most famous moments in Greek mythology, it was not the end of Medusas story. The Gorgons are mentioned in some of the earliest works of Greek literature. The Norns of Norse mythology, the Morrigan and Brigid in Ireland, and the Hindu Tridevi are examples of this motif. This meant that, particularly in a time when legends were passed through oral tradition instead of writing, the two authors likely heard different versions of the stories. Pgasos; Latin: Pegasus, Pegasos) is a winged divine stallion, usually depicted as pure white in color, in Greek mythology.He was sired by Poseidon, in his role as horse-god, and foaled by the Gorgon Medusa.He was the brother of Chrysaor, born at a single birthing when his mother was decapitated by Perseus. In Egypt the snake has healing abilities. 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. Medusa and the Gorgons are used as characters in stories with direct links to Greek mythology, but also in general fantasy and horror settings. Though the earliest depictions of Quetzalcoatl show him clearly as a snake with a plume of feathers, later cultures represented him in human form. Because of this, it has become a widely-recognized icon. He locked up Danae in a bronze chamber. A man. According to him, as the only mortal Gorgon, Medusa was also the only one not born a monster. His first mission was to find and defeat the Graeae. According to Edith Hamilton's Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes, the Aegis is Zeus' breastplate, and was "awful to behold." King Polydictes wished to marry Danae but Perseus, by then an adult, opposed the union of his mother and the untrustworthy king. To them, the initial punishment and the subsequent death were both justified. In Korean mythology, the goddess Eobshin was the snake goddess of wealth, as snakes ate rats and mice that gnawed on the crops. 13). 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. Bellerophon had been tasked with killing the Chimera, the fire breathing monster of antiquity. The most famous story of Medusa is that of her death at the hands of the great 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. But Perseus was able to spite the king by killing Medusa while she was sleeping, thanks to some help from the gods. While the early Greeks depicted Medusa as truly monstrous, later artists began to change this image. They wore snakes around their waists instead of normal belts. 125 Copy quote. [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. After creating Medusa herself, the goddess seemed especially eager to aid the hero in the monsters destruction. Phineus himself was the last of his army to be killed in this way. The Chimera's image remained consistent throughout the Greco-Roman era. In Greek mythology, the Gorgon often refers specifically to Medusa. Despite her family connection to monsters, she fit the mould of many beautiful young human women in mythology. The story of Medusa and the power of facing your fears. Behemoth and Leviathan, by William Blake. She was killed by Zeus before he fought his father and the Titans for power. In these, Poseidon not only took Medusa by force, but did so in a temple of Athena. With monstrous features and snakes in place of her hair, she was a frightful creature that the Greeks believed could scare off even the most potent evil. Gazing directly upon her would turn men to stone. Read on to find out! Aegis - New World Encyclopedia Jormungand, one of three children of the shape-shifting god Loki and the giantess Angrboda, was thrown into the sea by Odin, father of the powerful thunder god Thor. [23] Details vary among tribes, with many of the stories associating the mystical figure with water, rain, lightning and thunder. Werewolves and Witches remained separate and hidden for centuries, branded as monsters. Norse mythology. In the story, the snake convinces Eve to eat fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, which she then convinces Adam to do as well. The good guy sometimes doesnt win and innocent people are sometimes harmed. They noted that in the myths there was never an instance of Medusa turning a woman to stone. As a more sensual villain, Medusas snakes are, once again, linked to Biblical notions of sin and evil. Additionally, the famous snakes on her head gave the artists a chance to display their skills with shape and texture. Snakes in mythology - Wikipedia All Rights Reserved. Their parents were early sea gods, predating the Olympians. Perseus must battle Medusa and the Kraken to save the Princess Andromeda. The Gorgons Of Greek Mythology Medusa, Stheno, And Euryale One of the most popular monsters of Greek Mythology is Medusa. Hesiod claimed that the head mentioned in Homers works was that of only one Gorgon, Medusa. Strong, Unique, Thinking. With their mortal sister gone, the other two Gorgons faded out of legend. Blood of Zeus follows the coming of age of a man named Heron who, like most fabled Greek myth heroes, is an illegitimate love child of a . After the god Zeus liberated the Cyclops , who had been held as prisoners of Tartarus, the giants wanted to return the favor. Aapep would try to engulf the ship and the sky was drenched red at dawn and dusk with its blood as the Sun defeated it.[18]. Shesha in turn was supported on Kurma and when Kurma moved, Shesha stirred and yawned and the gaping of its jaws caused earthquakes.[14]. Medusa | Myth & Story | Britannica She didnt even have to look at her victim it was their gaze that caused their death. The only mortal of the three was Medusa, the victim of the Greek hero PERSEUS. By the 5th century BC this was well-established in art and literature, but the appearances of Medusas sisters were still unknown. Many depictions of Athena show the fearsome head of the Gorgon on her aegis. Pegasus - Wikipedia While Poseidon walked free, Medusa was villainized for the crime of attracting his attention. Although Perseus is sent to kill her, her sisters cannot die so he instead has to avoid them. The circle was particularly important to Dahomeyan myth where the snake-god Danh circled the world like a belt, corseting it and preventing it from flying apart in splinters. Perseus stuffed the head of Medusa in the bag and made his escape. In Egyptian myth, every morning the serpent Aapep (symbolising chaos) attacked the Sunship (symbolizing order). Outside a specifically Greek context the monsters are now seen as a universal type. The interpretation can vary by image, person, and context. Gaia, Rhea, and Demeter, for example, are often seen as three closely-bound earth goddesses. The Chimera was a fire-breathing monster from Greek mythology. The final treasure of the Hesperides was the winged sandals of Hermes. A woman. Her name is even used in politics, being invoked in unfavorable descriptions of female politicians. When Athena heard the cries of the Gorgons as they cried for their sister, she sought to emulate their mournful sounds. Pinterest. "The snake dance is a prayer to the spirits of the clouds, the thunder and lightning, that the rain may fall on the growing crops.."[26] In the northwestern Indian city, Banaras, a festival called Naga Pancami is celebrated during the rainy season of Sravana (July/August) to pay homage to the supernatural snakes or deities. Frigg is similar to Hera as the patron of marriage and motherhood. He also exists in Germanic mythology as Woden (in Old English), Wodan (in Old . Hesiod said they flicked their tongues, much like snakes. The Curse of Medusa From Greek Mythology. Hod is the blind god of winter who kills his brother Balder and is in turn killed by his brother Vali. It was created by Gaia and killed by Zeus. They were associated with rocks, which when hidden below the surface of the water spelled disaster for ships passing by. Examples include they decided to migrate to flee Islamization and persecution, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Snakes_in_mythology&oldid=1144534248, This page was last edited on 14 March 2023, at 07:17. Many myths date back to ancient times. Fighting the Ethiopian king Phineus, Perseus used the head against his enemies. Fahai later kidnaps Xu, and traps Bai under his lakeside pagodabut not before she gives birth to her son with Xu, who will eventually free his mother. Greek myth held that people could acquire second hearing and second sight if their ears or eyes were licked by a snake. Medusa - a woman cursed by Athena to become a snake woman , and people who . Early accounts placed the Gorgons in a faraway place on the edge of night. mythology - Kids | Britannica Kids | Homework Help [9][10] The Dogon believe that Lebe is the very reincarnation of the Dogon's first ancestorwho was resurrected in the form of a snake. Hecate Greek Goddess of Witchcraft : The Complete Guide. SHARES. He is like the Greek god Apollo because they are both gods of poetry, and worshiped by poets. As Perseus fled the cave, however, he and the Gorgons were no longer alone. Everywhere, from Lord of the Rings to The Elder Scrolls games, these creatures are deeply woven into our cultural fabric. Horned Serpents were major components of the Southeastern Ceremonial Complex of North American prehistory. My name is Mike and for as long as I can remember (too long!) They are stories about how the world was created and why certain things happen. Norse mythology holds there to be nine realms. Usually the wisdom of snakes was regarded as ancient and beneficial towards humans but sometimes it could be directed against humans. Medusa was not the only Gorgon, however. When Heracles was sent there, all the souls of Hades fled from him. Kidnapping was a valid form of marriage in Greek mythology and women were often described as fleeing from or fearing the amorous gods. According to some myths, Medusa, the most famous of the Gorgons, was originally a beautiful woman. Medusa in Greek Mythology: Story & Role | Who Killed Medusa? The anthropomorphic basis of many myth-systems meant snake-gods were rarely depicted solely as snakes. On his journeys, he came across the Titan Atlas holding the world on his back and used the head to turn him to stone. 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. Snakes were associated with wisdom in many mythologies, perhaps due to the appearance of pondering their actions as they prepare to strike, which was copied by medicine men in the build-up to prophecy in parts of West Africa. Top 10 Greek Mythology Movies - IMDb His actions were described as a forceful violation. They could also account for the different legends of their parentage. Please like and share this article if you found it useful. The vast majority of stories about the gods in Norse mythology focus on the likes of king Odin, invincible Thor and trickster Loki. 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. As a virgin goddess, the act was particularly loathsome. 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. Major Gods and Goddesses in Norse Mythology - ThoughtCo The Yeti in D&D 5e. From Prometheus to the garden of Eden - the price of knowledge. The head of Medusa was the single most frequently used symbol in ancient Greek art. The reborn gods meet once again, and Sunna, the daughter of Sol, now even outshines her mother. By the time the Roman Empire was established, the face of Medusa was almost indistinguishable from that of any other woman. In the broadest terms myths are traditional stories about gods, kings, and heroes. Artists of the Renaissance made the slaying of Medusa one of their favorite subjects in sculpture and painting. In their traditional African religious belief, they say that the Serpent Lebe guided the Dogon people from Mand to the Bandiagara Escarpment (their current home) when they decided to migrate to flee Islamization and persecution. Top 10 Greek Mythology Movies by caspian1978 | created - 20 Jan 2014 | updated - 20 Jan 2014 | Public . From the eddic poem The Sayings of the High One ( Hvaml ), he is said to have hanged himself in a sacrificial ritual on a tree. But there is much more to the legend of Medusa than just her beheading, and her legacy is far more complicated than that of any other ancient monster. Perseus was the real bad guy. As the next item in our list of mythical creatures, Medusa is another addition from Greek mythology. "Here there is an evil dragon named Nidhogg that gnaws constantly at the root, striving to destroy Yggdrasil" [19] . Medusa - Mythopedia Exceptions to this were the Fijian creator-god Ndengei, the dozen creator-gods of the Solomon Islands (each with different responsibilities), the Aztec Mother Goddess Coatlicue, and the Voodoo snake-spirits Damballa, Simbi and Petro. Like many pretty young women in Greek legend, she attracted the attention of a god. [2], The West African kingdom of Dahomey regarded snakes as immortal because they appeared to be reincarnated from themselves when they sloughed their skins. The Curse of Medusa From Greek Mythology - ThoughtCo The cloak of invisibility that belonged to Hades allowed him to escape the lair of the Gorgon sisters without being seen after he killed Medusa. In both ancient Greek and Norse mythology, too, there are supernatural horses. They continued to believe this even after the development of the story that told of her punishment by Athena. In this region, females are more numbered as the worshippers of Nagas, which most closely resemble religious ritual.[27]. 16. The Chariot Hall or Royal Funerary Chariot Hall at the Wat Xieng Thong in the UNESCO world heritage town of Luang Prabang in Central Laos contains King Sisavang Vong's gilded, carved wooden funeral carriage, decorated with large Naga snakes at the front. Men handling poisonous rattlesnakes, one even holding a snake between his teeth, for the snake dance of the Native American Hopi tribe. In Nordic myth, evil was symbolized by the serpent (actually a dragon) Nidhogg (the 'Dread Biter') who coiled around one of the three roots of Yggdrasil the Tree of Life, and tried to choke or gnaw the life from it. The mythology of the Dogon's primordial ancestor Lebe, it based almost entirely on a serpent mythology. It was shown with three heads, each of a different animal, growing along the length of its body. Magical Cap Of Invisibility Worn By Athena, Hades, Hermes, And Perseus Medusa in this telling was separated from her monstrous family members and lived a more human life. My work has also been published on Buzzfeed and most recently in Time magazine. Keto was synonymous with sea monsters that her name was later used for the great serpents Poseidon conjured from the deep. There was a lot more to the Gorgon than just the snakes in her hair! Ovid, however, makes it very clear that Poseidons actions were not romantic. Some later writers would say that Sthennos scream could kill a man, but this seems at odds with the story of Perseus and his escape from their lair. Perseus was the son of Zeus and Danae. Norse gods and their similar greek counter part by Jessica Helmers - Prezi The ancient Greeks saw Medusa as a particularly terrifying monster of legend. Sarah Pruitt is a writer and editor based in seacoast New Hampshire. The people of Sparta claimed that Ares had been nursed by a nymph called Thero. It is believed that Nagaraja left his earthly life and took Samadhi but still resides in a chamber of the temple. Medusa was a Gorgon, one of three sisters, who was cursed by Athena and became a monster. TOP 25 MEDUSA QUOTES | A-Z Quotes But later depictions tell a much darker tale. Perseus could not look at Medusa or he would be turned to stone. Nor were the sisters ever described as fully as Medusa. Also, in Norse mythology, the snake biting its tail symbolized the sea as the eternal ring which enclosed the world. Early writers, for example, did not mention whether or not Medusa looked any different than her sisters. Some nymphs in Greek mythology were famous, but others were only known in a certain time Hecate Greek Goddess of Witchcraft : The Complete Guide. Kratos also acquires the wax wings of Icarus and the Golden Fleece. Medusas head, the gorgoneion, appeared constantly in Greek art. Medusa - whose name probably comes from the Ancient Greek word for "guardian" - was one of the three Gorgons, daughters of the sea gods Phorcys and Ceto, and sisters of the Graeae, Echidna, and Ladon. Later writers would try to rationalize the discrepancies by saying that there had once been a single Gorgon that fit Homers description. 12. [11][12][13], In the Sumerian culture snakes were also very important as a healing symbol. There are various versions of the Legend of the White Snake, which has evolved over the centuries from a horror story, in which Fahai heroically battles the evil snake demon, to a romance, focusing on the thwarted but genuine love between Xu and Bai. Medusa is seen by some today as the first example of victim blaming. As the Celtic god of fire, he was worshiped primarily in Gaul and Britain. In the underworld, too, she appeared. The Graeae represented sea foam, while the other children of Phorcys and Keto were monsters of the ocean. Their other sisters were Scyllathe legendary monster who hid in a sea-cave, waiting to snatch sailors from their ships and eat them alivewas their sister, and Echidna a serpent woman who was . Let's transport ourselves to the Scandinavian lands with this funny template filled with illustrations of Norse gods, Viking ships and a beautiful design! Hesiod only said that the Gorgon sisters had jagged teeth and snakes hanging at their belts, even saying that they were indescribable. The infamous snake hair of Medusa did not appear in his description. Unlike Perseus, the protagonists in these stories actually have to fight her. He also defeated Medusa. Either way, the Book of Job employed both Leviathan and Behemoth to demonstrate to Job Gods power of creation, and the futility of questioning Him. Who were the Gorgon sisters and why did Perseus not kill them as well? [22] A dragon-like creature with horns, the body and neck of a snake, the forelegs of a lion, and the hind-legs of a bird appears in Mesopotamian art from the Akkadian Period until the Hellenistic Period (323 BC31 BC). But it didnt take long for that to change. Putting the helmet on his head kept them from seeing him, so they flailed blindly in their rage. I have been in love with all things related to Mythology. Later stories had them living in Libya, a favorite setting for myths taking place outside of the Greek world and its cultural influence. Unlike Medusa, Sthenno and Euryale could not be killed. Danae's father, Acrisius, King of Argos was told that he would be murdered by Danae's son. My name is Mike and for as long as I can remember (too long!) These were: Muspelheim, the realm of the fire giants. Horrified, the Graeae demanded the return of their sight. [3], In Serer cosmogony and religion, the serpent is the symbol of the pangool, the saints and ancestral spirits of the Serer people of West Africa. In this case Athena punished the sisters as well, although they had no involvement in the desecration of her temple. Aegis - Wikipedia The world of fantasy is packed full of amazing mythical creatures such as Elves, Dwarfs and Giants. In North America, the Brule Sioux people told of three brothers transformed into rattlesnakes which permanently helped and guided their human relatives. In these roles, Medusa is more of an active monster than she ever was in Greek myths. The earliest versions of the Gorgons connected them to sharp reefs and the storms that could drive ships onto them. Tiresias gained a dual male-female nature and an insight into the supernatural world when he killed two snakes which were coupling in the woods. Like her immortal sisters, she had snakes for hair, and one look at her face could turn any . Gorgon - Greek Mythological Monster | Mythology.net She loved carnage and chilling with her brother, God of War, Ares. The three gray-skinned sisters of the Gorgons were born with only one eye which they shared between them. Medusas head was still treated as a frightening object, even when it was shown as being almost entirely human. Norse Mythology Quotes (78 quotes) - Goodreads In Egyptian myth, the state of existence before creation was symbolized as Amduat; a many-coiled serpent from which Ra the Sun and all of creation arose, returning each night and being reborn every morning. In Egypt the snake has healing abilities. "In mythology, the Medusa can petrify people with a look, which is a good thing, I think. The Hindhu god Brahma was said to have banished the naga to their underground kingdom when they became too populous on Earth. In sculpture, mosaics, and painting, the Gorgon began to lose her more beastly attributes. In these, Medusa is said to be the only one of the Gorgon sisters who is mortal. The Story of Medusa - Betrayed Priestess of Greek Mythology Passing their eye back and forth, one could be watchful at all times. Throughout many Greek myths, it reappeared. Medusa has survived in art as a popular motif in tattoo culture. Odin and the runes of power. This created the first coral. These were Medusa's sisters, who were dangerous monsters in their . In Chinese mythology, the woman-headed snake Nwa made the first humans. The story of Medusa is such a famous Greek myth told in today's world, both to kids and adults alike. Jormungand, the Viking sea serpent. Some nymphs in Greek mythology were famous, but others were only known in a certain time Did Archaeologists Find the Minotaurs Labyrinth? 21st century morals would see Medusa as a victim who was deserving of sympathy instead of punishment.
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