Symbol or Attribute: Her gaze which can turn observers into stone, and the hair-snakes.
Strengths: Can stop anything in its tracks.
Weaknesses: Her severed head will turn anything into stone, including those who see it by accident.
Birthplace: Not known.
Family: One of a trio of Gorgon sisters, Medusa was the only one who was not immortal. The other two sisters were Stheno and Euryale. Gaia is sometimes said to be the mother of Medusa.
Spouse: Generally considered unmarried, though she did lie with Poseidon, and one account of her myth indicates the hero Perseus was her husband as well as her slayer.
Children: Pegasus, the winged horse, was said to have sprung from her severed head, along with Chrsaor, the hero of the golden sword.
Some Major Temple Sites: In modern times, her carved image adorns a rock off the coast of the popular Red Beach outside of Matala, Crete.
Basic Story: The hero Perseus, instructed by Athena, seeks Medusa's head. Athena tells him to only look at Medusa's reflection in his highly-polished shield. He obeys and succeeds in lopping off her head, which still retained its power to turn people into stone. An image of this head was placed on Athena's own aegis (breastplate) or shown on her shield.
Interesting Fact: While Medusa is usually considered to be ugly, one myth states that it was her great beauty that paralyzed all observers.
Clip Art for Medusa: Medusa Images
More Fast Facts on Greek Gods and Goddesses:
Olympian Gods and Goddesses - Greek Gods and Goddesses at Home - Aphrodite - Apollo - Ares - Artemis - Athena - Demeter - Hades - Hercules - Hermes - Pan - Persephone - Poseidon - Zeus. Clip Art on other Greek Gods and Goddesses: Greek Deities Clip Art Images
