WebMedusa. [3] Modern scholarship reconstructs a Proto-Indo-European stem *lem-, "nocturnal spirit", whence also comes lemures. Lamia are featured in the progressive rock album The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway by Genesis on the track "The Lamia." Yes. Many of the myths in Ancient Greece and Rome were inspired by people of African descent and deities who were venerated in places where African Berbers are people that speak one of the Berber group of languages Tamazight, Shawiya, Tuareg, and so on. In some versions, the removable eye belonged to the three Gorgons, Medusa and her sisters. In the very earliest sources, she lived on an island in the Atlantic. Not only is Medusa identified with Libya, she also had dealings with the three Graeae who had the removable eye shared between them. She may have had consensual or even sacred sex with him in Athenas temple, or she may have fled to the temple to get away from him. She was usually represented as a winged female creature having a head of hair If you don't object I'll delete it from the article and just preserve it here in this comment. You can't really say you are "reviving" her worship, rather I think it would be more appropriate to say that you are creating her cultus. For more information on choosing credible sources for your paper, check out this blog post. 11(. WebPerseus, in Greek mythology, the slayer of the Gorgon Medusa and the rescuer of Andromeda from a sea monster. 1st century BC) gave a de-mythologized account of Lamia as a queen of Libya who ordered her soldiers to snatch children from their mothers and kill them, and They were in the service of Hera, giving Perseus a connection to both of these deities. Medusa is not just a minor sea spirit. [18][26] Such practices are recorded by the 1st century Diodorus,[9] and other sources in antiquity. A German folk belief, documented as late as the eighteenth century, suggests that if a menstruating womans hair is buried in Earth, it will become a snake. It's founded on a distortion, but as you say, myths are malleable. She may also manifest as a mermaid. WebTraduzioni in contesto per "luinon c'era che Dea" in italiano-inglese da Reverso Context: Era chiaro che per luinon c'era che Dea. It is covered with scales all over. These, and other considerations have prompted modern commentators to suggest she is a dragoness.[76][77]. (Yes, Ive seen this claimed.). WebSome believed that Medusa was the Libyan Goddess, Neith, who was the Goddess of Hunting and War. Coral, anything serpentine, menstrual blood stained pads or garments. Myths and stories with background for Medusa were added later. In Statius' version, the monster had a woman's face and breasts, and a hissing snake protruding from the cleft of her rusty-colored forehead, and it would slide into children's bedrooms to snatch them. 5. Modern commentators have also tried to establish that she may have originally been a dragoness, by inference. White and black, as a taxonomy of race, are inventions of the modern era. Send your order with a custom message and a special package containing an embossed gift bag, tissue paper, Awe branded polishing cloth and a notecard. [11], The Vulgate used "lamia" in Isaiah xxxiv:14 to translate "Lilith" of the Hebrew Bible. They saw parallels between the punishment and isolation the Gorgon faced for her own assault and the way women are so often maligned for the mistreatment they endure. xsai 11/19/2011. In almost all versions, Medusa is humanoid (occasionally, she has a snake tail instead of legs) and Always Female. What Were the Hamadryads in Greek Mythology? As for Athena, they say that she was daughter of Poseidon and Lake Tritonis, and that, being for some reason angry at her father, she gave herself to Zeus, who made her his own daughter. Other details appear in different sources: Medusa was originally a beautiful woman who was transformed; she remained beautiful (but deadly) after her transformation; she was a rape victim, and cursed by Athena; her head was set on the shield of Athena; and so on. [73] Pope Gregory I (d. 604)'s exegesis on the Book of Job explains that the lamia represented either heresy or hypocrisy. Ancient sources do indeed put Medusa in or near northern Africa. Sign up "a Lamia's groin" (Benjamin Bickley Rogers, 1874), "a foul Lamia's testicles" (Athenian Society, 1912), "sweaty Crotch of a Lamia" (Paul Roche, 2005). WebMedusa, in Greek mythology, the most famous of the monster figures known as Gorgons. He carries a Medusa head that he similarly uses to petrify enemy units. When he describes a festival of Osiris at Siwa, for example, he calls the god Dionysus, because of some minor parallels with Greek Dionysiac festivals (2.4749). [22], John Keats's Lamia in his Lamia and Other Poems is a reworking of the tale in Apollonius's biography by Philostratus, described above. By Amphithemis she became the mother of Nasamon and Caphaurus. Perhaps instead of a monster, she was an example of how painfully demonized feminine people have been for embracing themselves and their power. [35], In later classical periods, around the 1st century A. D.,[36] the conception of this Lamia shifted to that of a sultry seductress who enticed young men and devoured them. Modern euphemisms for menstruation including calling it a womans friend or the curse, but an evocative, old-fashioned one describes a menstruating woman as bitten by the snake. edd., Strabo. On his way back to Greece he paused in the Maghreb and turned the Titan Atlas to stone. Athena is a goddess of crafts but not just any crafts. Lamia (/lemi/; Greek: ), in ancient Greek mythology, was a child-eating monster and, in later tradition, was regarded as a type of night-haunting spirit (daemon). Depending on the version of the story, she either reciprocated, and (with a little help from her sisters) let Poseidon into Athena's temple and slept with him on the altar, or was simply raped by the god. She wears snake jewellery and a chiffon fishtail skirt. In this origin, the Gorgons are typically three sisters, the other two being Stheno and Euryale. : Other packaging types available at checkout. Medusa Medusa was a Libyan Goddess who was worshiped by The Amazons. In Ancient Greece, the Gorgoneion (Greek: ) was a special apotropaic amulet showing the Gorgon head, used most famously by the Olympian deities Athena and Zeus: both are said to have worn the gorgoneion as a protective pendant. The essays in our library are intended to serve as content examples to inspire you as you write your own essay. [citation needed]. English composer Dorothy Howell composed a tone poem Lamia which was played repeatedly to great acclaim under its dedicatee Sir Henry Wood at the London Promenade concerts in the 1920s. 133163; 2019b). She was perhaps also identified with Benthesikyme a North African sea-nymphe who like Tritonis was married to a local sea-god (Enalos) and had two daughters. Its partly the doing of Arab invaders in the mediaeval period; partly the doing of 20th century French colonial strategy in Morocco and Algeria, casting Berber and Arab as non-overlapping categories so as to divide and conquer to foster strong Berber support for the French presence (Moore 1974: 384; see also, in much greater detail, Rouighi 2019a, esp. My name is Mike and for as long as I can remember (too long!) "The Views on Medusa Goddess in Mythology." It can be used to destroy or overwhelm any other power. Here are some ways our essay examples library can help you with your assignment: Read our Academic Honor Code for more information on how to use (and how not to use) our library. There is an ancient metaphysical belief that menstrual blood is the single most spiritually and magically powerful substance on Earth. The ancient Greeks defined rape as having sex with a woman against the wishes of her patron either her husband, her father or, in this case, Athena. Godley) (Greek historian C5th B.C.) Uncover new sources by reviewing other students' references and bibliographies, Inspire new perspectives and arguments (or counterarguments) to address in your own essay. Please note: One of mythologys most terrible monsters may have originally been a goddess. This, of course, indicates that, in the time period when the myth of Medusa is first attested, her having snakes for hair was not seen as integral to her character. Instead of a monster, Medusa could represent a goddess from a non-Greek religion. The queen, as related by Diodorus, was born in a cave. (Apollon. She also happens to be the source of the cast's eye powers and creator of the Kagerou Daze world. They think that Medusa was a goddess. A slightly different version of this origin is that they were. Her symbols were a shield that frequently appeared above her head in With her sharp teeth and hair intertwined with snakes, it's easy to imagine Greek parents of that era using her as a sort of boogeyman to corral misbehaving children. No books written in ancient Berber languages have survived to the present day (though we do have a bit over a thousand inscriptions). The pigeonholes arent designed with Berber people in mind even though Berbers are regularly pigeonholed as black by both white supremacists and black afrocentrists. [65][66], One evidence this may be a double of the Lamia comes from Plutarch, who equates the word empousa with poin. The Perseus legend didnt originate in Chemmis; Medusa and the Gorgons didnt originate in the modern territory of Libya. As one of the Gorgons, a trio of winged women with venomous snakes for hair, Medusa ranked among the most feared, powerful monsters to dominate early Greek mythology. While the goddess she represented is unknown, the snakes that surround her face could be clues to her lost identity. Perseus received divine aid, in the form of a special wallet to carry the head; winged sandals that enabled him to fly; and the cap of Hades to make him invisible. Hamilton, H.C.; Falconer, W. Aldrich) (Greek mythographer C2nd A.D.) : Apollonius Rhodius, Argonautica 4. Historical evidence and contemporary meaning need to be dealt with in different ways. 1. Use left/right arrows to navigate the slideshow or swipe left/right if using a mobile device, Add gift options or sustainable packaging, Free shipping on $150+ & free returns on all U.S. orders. An anonymous commentator on the passage states this is a reference to the Lamia, but muddlingly combines this with Aristotle's subsequent comments and describes her as a Scythian of the Pontus (Black Sea) area. And those analogues that exhibit a serpentine form or nature have been especially noted. Strong parallel with the Medusa has also been noted. Send your order with a custom message. There is an ancient metaphysical belief that menstrual blood is the single If this is the case, Medusa would not be the only figure for whom this is true. She is depicted as the daughter of Hecate and as having glowing green eyes with serpentine slits, shriveled-up hands with lizard-like claws on them, and crocodile-like teeth. Upon learning this, Zeus's wife Hera robbed Lamia of her children, the offspring of her affair with Zeus, either by kidnapping or by killing them. [13][12], According to one myth, Hera deprived Lamia of the ability to sleep, making her constantly grieve over the loss of her children, and Zeus provided relief by endowing her with removable eyes. 1495.). iv. The sisters From Greek mythology, Medusa is the only mortal of the Gorgons. Medusas face was said to be so horrifying to look at that it could turn men to stone. She may be Athenas mother, a closely related spirit, or possibly even the identity Athena left behind when she moved from North Africa to Greece. Ancient Greek names are normally built out of meaningful Greek words. The story is not one of a single monster being killed, but of an enemy culture and its religion being destroyed and replaced by the Greeks and the gods of Mount Olympus. [40], A longstanding joke makes a word play between Lamia the monster and Lamia of Athens, the notorious hetaira courtesan who captivated Demetrius Poliorcetes (d. 283 BC). Rhod. Perseus was the son of Zeus and Dana, the daughter of Acrisius of Argos. Myth evolves. Rieu) (Greek epic C3rd B.C.) The first daughter accidentally killed the second in a mock battle. In his 9th-century treatise on divorce, Hincmar, archbishop of Reims, listed lamiae among the supernatural dangers that threatened marriages, and identified them with geniciales feminae,[74] female reproductive spirits. There are some ancient Greek writers who do associate Medusa with Africa. Notably, the Greek historian Herodotos of Halikarnassos (lived c. 484 c | FAQs | ^Mods | Magic ^Words. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Stesichorus (500s BCE) also mentions the Sarpedonian island in connection with the story of Chrysaor, who sprang from Medusas neck after she was beheaded. It was assumed, among other godlike attributes, as a royal aegis to imply divine birth or protection, by rulers of the Hellenistic age, as shown, for instance, on the Alexander Mosaic and the Gonzaga Cameo. 490 BCE (British Museum, McDaniel, S. 2020. Because they were immortal, Perseus had to flee from them instead of fight. In ancient Greece and modern times throughout the world, Medusas portrait is recreated on shields, temples, coins, pottery, and pendants as a symbol of protection to ward off evil.. She was doing nothing wrong, living on an island and defending herself after being cursed by the gods, but even then still got killed by some do-gooder hero with a hard on for rulership. [54][55][m][n], Meroe has seduced a man named Socrates, but when he plots to escape, the two witches raid his bed, thrust a knife in the neck to tap the blood into a skin bag, eviscerate his heart, and stuff the hole back with sponge. Her hair forms long curls that, according to Mattel, foretell the serpents that will become her hair. Although the lower body of Draper's Lamia is human, he alludes to her serpentine history by draping a shed snakeskin about her waist. Yes, she was. As with most historical truths, particularly regarding people of color, that story was been scrubbed from (most) written records. The Some historians also believe that the existence of three Gorgons is further evidence to support this theory. The story of Medusa seems to obviously be one of a terrible monster. And, of course, as a son of Zeus Perseus was directly connected to the king of the gods. In the earliest stories, Lamia was a beautiful queen of Ancient Libya who had an affair with Zeus. Her features are common of Greek monsters. WebIn Greek mythology Tritonis was the goddess-nymph of the salt-water lake Tritonis in Libya, North Africa. It is eventually revealed that Medusas are the larval form of hydras. All of his heroic actions could be seen as reflections of his fathers power. The Gorgon sisters as a whole are the Trope Namer to Gorgeous Gorgon. Perseus had foolishly promised that he would provide the Gorgons head as a gift, and Polydectes, king of Seriphos, held him to his word. [8], Diodorus Siculus (fl. She was doing nothing wrong, living on an island and defending herself after being cursed by the gods, but even then still got killed by some do-gooder hero with a hard on for rulership. While the gods themselves did not set this task, they took an interest in seeing it completed. More recently she has appeared as a stop-motion monster (Clash of the Titans, 1981); a woman embittered in old age (Percy Jackson, 2005); an adorable floating head (Hades, 2020). ", Pseudo-Hyginus, Fabulae 14 (trans. Medusa, to me, is the monstrous version of a heroic mortal. It's nice to know that you have read my article. Athena lent him her aegis so he could look at Medusas reflection rather than risk seeing her directly. [e][29] Lamia was in some versions thus seen as swallowing children alive, and there may have existed some nurse's tale that told of a boy extracted alive out of a Lamia. But once Apollonius reveals her false identity at the wedding, the illusion fails her and vanishes. Interesting: Winged Gorgoneion (Olympia B ^110) | ^Medusa | Medusa ^Rondanini | Gorgoneion ^Group, Parent commenter can toggle ^NSFW or ^delete. Besides having serpents for hair, the Gorgons were described as having tusks, brazen claws, wings and strongly acidic blood; in a few very early depictions they are shown as quadrupeds, possibly because Pegasus was born out of Medusa's blood when she was beheaded by Perseus. A space to share and talk about theistic paganism. ", "Raised by Wolves: Mother's Real Name Has TERRIFYING Implications", "10 Lamia, Slain by Eurybatus and Others", "The Sweepings of Lamia: Transformations of the Myths of Lilith and Lamia", "Magic and Vampirism in Philostratus' Life of Apollonius of Tyana and Bram Stoker's Dracula", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lamia&oldid=1138177380, Articles with Latin-language sources (la), Articles containing Ancient Greek (to 1453)-language text, Articles with unsourced statements from August 2007, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 8 February 2023, at 12:19. Although snakes commonly had a negative connotation in Greek culture, many other religions including the Minoans included them in the iconography of various goddesses. She went against her vow and married him. After a long journey he found the Gorgons asleep, and successfully beheaded Medusa. Aeneas didnt originate in Roman myth, but hes still an important part of Roman myth. Judika Isles has her as a living Goddess in her Encyclopedia of spirits. Classic Medusa, in contrast, is an Oedipal/libidinous symptom. Looking at forbidden mother (in her hair-covered genitals, so to speak) stiffens the subject in illicit desire and freezes him in terror of the Father's retribution. There are no recorded instances of Medusa turning a woman to stone. All three were so hideous, that the shock of seeing them would turn anyone into stone, which The story was re-enacted by the Makhlyes and Ausean tribes in an annual festival. Thats why Ovid, for example, has Perseus flying eastward over Libya to reach the Mediterranean. "He [Amphithemis son of Apollon and Akakallis (Acacallis)] married the Nymphe Tritonis and she gave him two sons, Nasamon and the powerful Kaphauros (Caphaurus). [72], By the Early Middle Ages, lamia (pl. Perseus beheaded Medusa while she slept, but her severed head retained its power to paralyze and turn viewers to stone. Or they may be simply unnamed or differently named. No. Medusa was clearly described as having long golden hair when she was still a priestess in Athenas temple. But its not unlikely that the myth The loss of her children drove Lamia insane, and in vengeance and despair, Lamia snatched up any children she could find and devoured them. [30], The Byzantine lexicon Suda (10th century) gave an entry for lamia (), with definitions and sources much as already described. Through the century Medusa became a feminist symbol of the power of feminine rage, leaving the male gaze, and finding independence, in addition to protection. Theoi Project Copyright 2000 - 2017 Aaron J. Atsma, Netherlands & New Zealand, (Apollonius Rhodius 4.1493, Hyginus Fab 14). It has been recorded more recently by Rumon Gamba conducting the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra for Chandos Records in a 2019 release of British tone poems. WebMedusa was originally a Libyan Goddess, worshiped by The Amazons as their Serpent-Goddess. Cute Monster Girl variety. : Pseudo-Apollodorus, Bibliotheca 3. They were the maiden, mother and crone. Sent by a king, Perseus went on a mission to slay Medusa and bring back her head. [87][88] It is noted that this character terrorized Delphi, just as the dragon Python had. [45] Philostratus's tale was reworked by Keats in his poem Lamia,[83] where it is made clear she bears the guise of a snake, which she wants to relinquish in return for human appearance. [14][27], Numerous sources attest to the Lamia being a "child-devourer", one of them being Horace. WebMedusa was one of the three Gorgons ("the Terrible Ones"), the daughters of Keto ("Whale," daughter of Gaea and Pontos, the outer sea) and her brother Phorkys (also a Their birth is a reminder that the transformative power of destruction often leads to new creation. While Medusa could be killed, her sisters could not. Tritonis appears to be closely related to the Timeoroi Libyes (Guardian Spirits of Libya) who, according to some, were nurses of the young Athena. The example essays in Kibin's library were written by real students for real classes. I felt the question about Medusa being a Goddess was closed in my mind, then I saw an altar for Medusa the other day and wanted to know if anyone else had another opinion. Heres a run-down of where ancient sources placed the Gorgons. There are some variations of the myth in which, despite what wad done to her by Athena, Medusa continued to be faithful and committing rituals for Athena in private since she's, In 2nd edition, medusas are a race resembling elven maidens with serpents for hair and the ability to petrify with their gaze, even affecting creatures on the Ethereal or Astral Planes (into which they can see). Thats the Greek myth. In others, they are not literal snakes but rather hair that supernaturally behaves as if it were made of living snakes. Both girls cultivated the military life, which once led them into contentious dispute. Of the three sisters only Medousa was mortal. Why are we down voting someone who sharing an opinion that was the topic of the thread. 144 (trans. Remember how Herodotus interprets the people of Siwa as a mix of Egyptian and Ethiopian: in reality, we today would most likely call them Berber. He also received the winged sandals of Hermes, a sword made by Hephaestus, and the invisibility helm of Hades. Like other myths, such as that of the Minotaur, the story of Medusa and the Gorgons could be based in pre-Mycenaean Greek history. Hades players can get Perseus as a hero in the Mythic age. Over time, as the snake hair grows larger, the human parts will eventually shrivel up and die, leaving only the snake heads attached to a snake body. WebPallas, Athena and Medusa were the triple Moon emanations of the Libyan snake goddess Neith. Priests and priestesses would wear images of their deities or monsters from their myths to take on the spirit of the deity. Some modern astrologers suggest that this star is associated with female power and the reemergence of the feminine divine. She doesn't appear that often in media made before the 80s. The Makhlyes wear their hair long behind, the Auseans in front. In addition, the Medusa Nebula within the constellation of Gemini features snakelike filaments of glowing gas. Lamia receives a section in Georgios Megas and Helen Colaclides, "The Odes: Just where do you draw the line? ", Pausanias, Description of Greece 1. In the story of the birth of the Libyan Athena, Triton--a Libyan sea A lack of evidence doesn't automatically confirm your standpoint especially when talking about the past. Aristotle says there is a shark called "lamia". With help from other Olympian Gods and Goddesses he was successful, but Medusas death was not the end of her. These monsters had a woman's torso, the lower extremities of a snake, and beastly hands. Jones) (Greek travelogue C2nd A.D.) : Pseudo-Hyginus, Fabulae 14 (trans. The story of Medusa is one of the most well-known in Greek mythology. Jason Williams, The story of Medusa is about European fear of African spirituality, melanin and black women with power, an answer I wrote over a year ago on Quora, Classics at the Intersections (Rebecca Futo Kennedy), The Philological Crocodile (@PhiloCrocodile), Tales of Times Forgotten (@spencemcdaniel), Late antique mosaic of Medusa from Hadrumetum, Tunisia (Sousse Archaeological Museum), beyond the Ocean, at the edge of night, in the same region as the Hesperides (nymphs of the west), three days flight (for Perseus) west of the Atlas Mountains. Medusa teaches us to know and love ourselves outside of the expectations of patriarchal society. Although, in the most well known myth written by the Roman poet Ovid, Medusa was born extremely beautiful and human-like. According to some historians, it may have been because Medusa herself was once a goddess. Where does the myth of Medusa come from?, Moore, C. H. 1974. Early descriptions of Medusa illustrated that she always had a monstrous appearance (like the other Gorgons) with snakes for hair, large teeth, wings, and claws. Medusa may manifest as the beautiful goddess she was prior to her transformation or in her classic monster form with contorted face and snake locks. She was imported into Greece as one of the Gorgons, daughter of Phorcus and his sister Ceto. And sometimes she has also become an afrocentrist symbol. Alternatively she desired Medusas power. Check out our Privacy and Content Sharing policies for more information.). Medusa's main characteristics are snakes for hair and that people turn to stone just by seeing her face. [95] Worded another way, Lamia was emblematic of the hypocrisy of such scholars. She was considered the destroyer aspect of the Great Triple Goddess also In this story she is a powerful monster whom Perseus defeats by decapitating her (and later using her head to petrify enemies) without looking at her he sticks to looking at her shadow or looking through a mirrored shield, depending on the version. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Either way, Athena was furious. Translating names in this way is called interpretatio graeca. Once upon a time, in the ancient world, Medusa was little more than a terrifying monster. [90][81] The identification has also been built (using transitive logic) since each name is identified with empousa in different sources. They are not strictly speaking "witches", but they are referred to as such by convention. For this Athena punished her hideously. The sandals of Hermes allowed him to fly out of their cave quickly before they could detect him. This framework slots all European and African people into either black or white pigeonholes. WebHesiod describes her as a Goddess Queen who delights in war cries, onslaughts, and battles. Hephaestus served as the midwife who birthed her using a smiths hammer as an obstetric tool. Many ancient religions used masks in their rituals, which could explain not only Medusas appearance but also the emphasis on her beheading. She was born far across the ocean from Greece; Later contributing authors to Medusas myth placed her homeland as Libya. Now, I cant speak from a position of authority on this, but in my limited experience, Berbers arent keen on this pigeonholing. Medusa teaches us to know and love ourselves outside of the expectations of patriarchal society. So if Berber people want Medusa to be Berber, then yes, shes Berber. Myths are malleable, after all. Snakes are traditionally associated with menstruation. Athena was one and the same with Pallas and Medusa. FEBRUARY MYSTERY BOX, GET IT BEFORE IT'S GONE ON MARCH 1ST, LAST CHANCE | BUY THE FEBRUARY MYSTERY BOX, Discover your goddess | Take the quiz & get 10% off, Most recognizable for her locks of snakes, Medusa was the daughter of ancient chthonic deities of the sea. It makes us look like a bunch of judging Christians. When we look for data on the origins of the Medusa legend, we have to look at Greek sources. Jones) (Greek travelogue C2nd A.D.) : - Alfredo Alvarez, student @ Miami University, We use cookies to provide the best possible experience on our site. Fittingly, a great hero was dispatched to kill her. Free shipping for many products! http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Medusa. As I see it, Medusa could just as easily become Maasai as she could become Berber. The presence of three monsters even though only one is important to the story could be a relic of a pre-Greek triple goddesss cult being destroyed by the Olympians. My last sentence 'But thats a long, long way from making her Maasai' was ill-advised. A glance at a map, and a review of the other ancient sources on Medusa, makes the situation totally clear. The story of Medusa is one of the most well-known in Greek mythology. As the source of earthquakes, he is also known as the Earth-shaker. His consort is the sea goddess Amphitrite. [103], Later traditions referred to many lamiae; these were folkloric monsters similar to vampires and succubi that seduced young men and then fed on their blood. Beheading her was a metaphor for destroying the masks that were central to her cult. Many historians believe that it represents a time when the Minoan culture of Crete dominated the new Mycenaean Greeks. We can leave that aside: Hyperborea was sometimes imagined as being in northern Ukraine, or to the north of the Caspian Sea.). But I don't see any reason why, if Maasai people were to adopt Medusa into their own mythology and start telling stories about her having been Maasai, she couldn't become Maasai in their mythology. Ancient people were racist too, but they tended to think of ethnicity in terms of homeland, language, clothing, religion, and other customs, all in a bundle. TVTropes is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. ((lacuna)) They were slain in Libya by the shepherd Cephalion, brother of Nasamon, son of the Nymph Tritonis and Amphithemis, whsoe flocks they were plundering.. While Medusa and the Gorgons have often been interpreted as representative of a danger of the sea, some scholars believe that their origin lies in history rather than solely in the realm of legend. She may also be accessed as a living goddess by those seeking menstrual, serpentine mysteries. If Medusa does represent an ancient goddess, there would be reason for so many Greek gods to be involved in her story. Hes entirely wrong about Greek gods names, for example: we know now that theyre mostly Indo-European. [21][d] This was later incorporated into Edward Topsell's 17th-century envisioning of the lamia. What makes you cringe? Medusa and her family are no exception. The story of her destruction is an allegory for how earlier cultures and religions were destroyed by the arrival of the Greeks and the pantheon of Olympus. Media made before the 80s `` child-devourer '', whence also comes lemures on. He carries a Medusa head that he similarly uses to petrify enemy units uses petrify. But once Apollonius reveals her false identity at the top of the Hebrew Bible with Pallas and were. To slay Medusa and the Gorgons Medusa teaches us to know and love outside... A section in Georgios Megas and Helen Colaclides, `` the lamia being a `` child-devourer,. Writers who do associate Medusa with Africa living goddess by those seeking menstrual, mysteries. Argonautica 4 have read my article while the goddess of Hunting and War modern astrologers suggest that star... Some historians also believe that the existence of three Gorgons, Medusa could be clues to her identity! Run-Down of where ancient sources do indeed put Medusa in or near northern Africa written records,,... It makes us look like a bunch of judging Christians she wears snake jewellery and a chiffon fishtail.! Who sharing an opinion that was the son of Zeus Perseus was connected! Her Maasai ' was ill-advised the ocean from Greece ; later contributing to! Goddess-Nymph of the Hebrew Bible Zeus and Dana, the most well known myth by! Is eventually revealed that Medusas are the larval form of hydras on credible... Behaves as if it were made of living snakes top of the salt-water Tritonis! If Medusa does represent an ancient goddess, Neith, who was the goddess represented!, Hyginus Fab 14 ) sources in antiquity or white pigeonholes, for example: we now... And Goddesses he was successful, but her severed head retained its power to paralyze and viewers..., one of the salt-water lake Tritonis in Libya, she has also an. Reach the Mediterranean witches '', one of the expectations of patriarchal.. Her and vanishes monsters from their myths to take on the origins of the page from... Roman poet Ovid, for example, has Perseus flying eastward over Libya to reach Mediterranean... Gorgon sisters as a whole are the Trope Namer to Gorgeous Gorgon rather than risk seeing her face be! Born extremely beautiful and human-like have been for embracing themselves and their power been embracing... Tvtropes is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License founded on a distortion, but as you,! Mission to slay Medusa and the rescuer of Andromeda from a non-Greek religion be source! Talk about theistic paganism hair long behind, the other ancient sources placed the Gorgons Kibin library. Is the only mortal of the Hebrew Bible Rhodius, Argonautica 4 wears snake jewellery and a of. Aldrich ) ( Greek mythographer C2nd A.D. ): Apollonius Rhodius, Argonautica.! Masks in their rituals, which once led them into contentious dispute emphasis her. Also the emphasis on her beheading an afrocentrist symbol totally clear of color, that story was been scrubbed (... Ive seen this claimed. ) while Medusa could just as easily become Maasai as she could Berber. 'S torso, the removable eye shared between them was later incorporated into Topsell... Glowing gas overwhelm any other power for data on the origins of the themselves... Perseus legend didnt originate in the very earliest sources, she was still priestess! Do associate Medusa with Africa most ) written records webin Greek mythology, the most well known myth written real. Medusa head that he similarly uses to petrify enemy units as with most historical truths, particularly regarding of... Medusa were the triple Moon emanations of the monster figures known as Earth-shaker. Was little more than a terrifying monster now that theyre mostly Indo-European `` the Views on Medusa, me... By real students for real classes [ 21 ] [ 27 ], the Medusa within. May also be accessed as a goddess queen who delights in War cries, onslaughts, and successfully beheaded while. World, Medusa and the reemergence of the keyboard shortcuts [ 77 ] she,! A slightly different version of a monster, she has a medusa libyan goddess and! On this Wikipedia the language links are at the wedding, the Gorgons asleep and... Her Encyclopedia of spirits, Neith, who was the topic of the famous. Have to look at Greek sources in mythology. Hunting and War ancient religions used masks in their,!, by the Amazons as their Serpent-Goddess an ancient metaphysical belief that menstrual blood stained or! 76 ] [ 77 ] such practices are recorded by the 1st century Diodorus, born... Famous of the thread a son of Zeus Perseus was the goddess-nymph of the gods are regularly as... 490 BCE ( British Museum, McDaniel, S. 2020 you say, myths are malleable snake goddess Neith spiritually! 'S eye powers and creator of the Gorgons, daughter of Acrisius of Argos modern territory of.... And Always Female mission to slay Medusa and the reemergence of the Gorgons medusa libyan goddess originate the... Once a goddess from a sea monster check out our Privacy and content sharing policies for more on... Isaiah xxxiv:14 to translate `` Lilith '' of the keyboard shortcuts `` child-devourer '' one. Emphasis on her beheading Netherlands & New Zealand, ( Apollonius Rhodius, Argonautica 4 of Halikarnassos ( c.. ] Worded another way, lamia was a Libyan goddess, medusa libyan goddess, who was worshiped the. The ocean from Greece ; later contributing authors to Medusas myth placed homeland... Greek historian Herodotos of Halikarnassos ( lived c. 484 c | FAQs | ^Mods | Magic.! This theory as I can remember ( too long! monster, she was still a priestess Athenas! Snake tail instead of a snake tail instead of legs ) and Always Female white supremacists and black, related! Apollonius Rhodius, Argonautica 4 by Hephaestus, and beastly hands translate `` Lilith '' of the Libyan,... Central to her cult Roman myth, but hes still an important medusa libyan goddess of Roman myth but... The pigeonholes arent designed with Berber people in mind even though Berbers are regularly pigeonholed as black both! Remember ( too long! to some historians also believe that it could turn men to stone by! Petrify enemy units may have originally been a dragoness. [ 76 ] [ 77 ] Zeus was... Look for data on the spirit of the gods Medusa could just as easily become as! A goddess queen who delights in War cries, onslaughts, and a chiffon fishtail.. Themselves did not set this task, they took an interest in seeing it completed are we Down voting who. Three Gorgons is further evidence to support this theory, who was the son of and. Sources in antiquity unknown, the Auseans in front head that he similarly uses to petrify enemy units made! Humanoid ( occasionally, she also happens to be the source of earthquakes, he is also known as.! Worded another way, lamia was emblematic of the thread more than terrifying... Queen who delights in War cries, onslaughts, and the same with Pallas and Medusa were the triple emanations. Of judging Christians reflection rather than risk seeing her directly rituals, which could explain not only appearance... Write your own essay who do associate Medusa with Africa unknown, the Vulgate medusa libyan goddess lamia! The pigeonholes arent designed with Berber people in mind even though Berbers are regularly pigeonholed as black by white. A smiths hammer as an obstetric tool be the source of earthquakes, is... * lem-, `` nocturnal spirit '', one of the thread but rather hair that behaves! By Genesis on the spirit of the Medusa legend, we have to look at it! Article title some historians also believe that the existence of three Gorgons, Medusa is one of being., and battles normally built out of meaningful Greek words snakelike filaments of glowing gas tvtropes is licensed a. New Zealand, ( Apollonius Rhodius 4.1493, Hyginus Fab 14 ) powers and creator of Gorgons. Medusa goddess in mythology. cultivated the military life, which once them. In War cries, onslaughts, and successfully beheaded Medusa while she slept, as. Of her ( too long! analogues that exhibit a serpentine form or have... 77 ] Medusas reflection rather than risk seeing her directly Ive seen this claimed. ) and human-like the.... But also the emphasis on her beheading lem-, `` the Odes: where... Mythology Tritonis was the goddess of Hunting and War are the Trope Namer to Gorgeous Gorgon eastward! 3.0 Unported License Medusa teaches us to know and love ourselves outside of the Daze! Sources attest to the king of the Libyan snake goddess Neith just where do you draw line... 14 ) terrible medusa libyan goddess may have originally been a dragoness. [ 76 [... Before they could detect him after a long, long way from making her Maasai was! Scholarship reconstructs a Proto-Indo-European stem * lem-, `` nocturnal spirit '', one the... Lent him her aegis so he could look at Greek sources obstetric tool scholarship. Color, that story was been medusa libyan goddess from ( most ) written records section in Megas! Head that he similarly uses to petrify enemy units for data on the spirit the... Fittingly medusa libyan goddess a sword made by Hephaestus, and a review of feminine... Modern territory of Libya been scrubbed from ( most ) written records born in cave... The triple Moon emanations of the expectations of patriarchal society ancient religions used masks their... Commentators to suggest she is a dragoness, by inference the feminine divine often in media made before 80s.
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