133163; 2019b). 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. : [31] The lexicon also has an entry under mormo () stating that Mormo and the equivalent mormolykeion[f] are called lamia, and that all these refer to frightful beings. To protect Perseus from this danger, the gods gave him special items to help him on his quest to kill the monster. [63] According to a scholiast to Ovid, it had a serpent's body carrying a human face. IF IT'S PERSONAL GNOSIS, THERE IS NO REVIVAL. Priests and priestesses would wear images of their deities or monsters from their myths to take on the spirit of the deity. She may also be accessed as a living goddess by those seeking menstrual, serpentine mysteries. One development stage of jellyfish is named after Medusa, and jellyfishes are called Medusa in several languages. A scholiast to Aristophanes claimed that Lamia's name derived from her having a large throat or gullet (; laims). These could be one goddess with three forms, such as the Morrigan and Brigid in Ireland, or three closely related goddesses who worked together, like the Norns in Norse mythology. [99], Lamia, also known as Ramia, also appears as a boss in the Nintendo DS action role-playing game Deep Labyrinth.[100]. The TImeoroi were perhaps Naiad-nymphs of the fresh-water springs of the region. Combining both of the classical Medusa origin stories, this Medusa is the youngest of the three Gorgon sisters who desecrated the resident Athena. A nymph of lake Tritonis in Libya, who according to an ancient tradition was the mother of Athena by Poseidon. [21][d] This was later incorporated into Edward Topsell's 17th-century envisioning of the lamia. : Pseudo-Apollodorus, Bibliotheca 3. Many pantheons, including the Greek one, had triple goddesses. As the source of earthquakes, he is also known as the Earth-shaker. His consort is the sea goddess Amphitrite. Medusa in Libya Medusa is a powerful symbol today, as powerful as ever whether you imagine her as the monstrous demon of early Greek art, the beautiful Another double of the Libyan Lamia may be Lamia, daughter of Poseidon. Even once she does start having snaky hair in Greek art, the snakes are most commonly entwined in her hair, rather than her hair itself.I do have one minor disagreement with what you've said, which is that you make it sound like Medusa can only possibly become Berber and she can't possibly become Maasai. 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. [88], Close comparison is also made with the serpentine Medusa. An account of Apollonius of Tyana's defeat of a lamia-seductress inspired the poem Lamia by John Keats. The story of Medusa is one of the most well-known in Greek mythology. Thank you for the reference in the "further reading" section!You probably didn't notice this, but I actually address nearly the exact same claims that you address here about Medusa having supposedly originally been an African goddess with dreadlocks in an answer I wrote over a year ago on Quoraon the exact same day that I posted the article on my blog that you've linked here, as it happens.In the answer, though, I don't go into anywhere near as much depth as you've gone into here. It's nice to know that you have read my article. Medusas normally have entirely human bodies, snake hair aside, but medusas who mate with powerful humanoids give birth to brazen medusas, who have the lower bodies of giant, bronze-scaled snakes. Lib () was the ancient Greek name for the entirety of the Maghreb, that is, northern Africa all the way from the Strait of Gibraltar to what is now western Egypt. These include the half-woman, half-snake beasts of the "Libyan myth" told by Dio Chrysostom, and the monster sent to Argos by Apollo to avenge Psamathe (Crotopus). WebIt is unlikely, though, that Medusa was ever an African goddess, since we have no evidence that any goddess resembling Medusa was worshipped in North Africa before Except there is a lot of evidence to the contrary that she wasn't worshiped but used as an apotropaic symbol. He also gifted her with a shapeshifting ability in the process. [14][27], Numerous sources attest to the Lamia being a "child-devourer", one of them being Horace. 1. When citing an essay from our library, you can use "Kibin" as the author. 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. Perhaps instead of a monster, she was an example of how painfully demonized feminine people have been for embracing themselves and their power. Thats why Ovid, for example, has Perseus flying eastward over Libya to reach the Mediterranean. Also, in African mythology, Medusa was a Libyan goddess; the serpent goddess of female wisdom. Athena lent him her aegis so he could look at Medusas reflection rather than risk seeing her directly. It has been cautioned that there may not be great import in the label "lamiae" here beyond derogatory insult, Incidentally, Dio in Oration 37 quotes a Sibyl's song in which the Sibyl (. Perseus beheaded Medusa while she slept, but her severed head retained its power to paralyze and turn viewers to stone. If Medusa does represent an ancient goddess, there would be reason for so many Greek gods to be involved in her story. Before the girls are set fighting, the whole people choose the fairest maid, and arm her with a Korinthian (Corinthian) helmet and Greek panoply, to be then mounted on a chariot and drawn all along the lake shore. WebMedusa is not just a minor sea spirit. WebSome believed that Medusa was the Libyan Goddess, Neith, who was the Goddess of Hunting and War. Although later details, such as her origins as a beautiful maiden, were added by writers such as Ovid, the earliest surviving myths make it clear that Medusa was a fearsome goddess. Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh. Herodotus is responsible for much of the misunderstanding over Medusa being Libyan. When we look for data on the origins of the Medusa legend, we have to look at Greek sources. My last sentence 'But thats a long, long way from making her Maasai' was ill-advised. 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. In the view of some historians, however, Medusa can be interpreted as something other than a monster. The ancient Greco-Roman imagination gradually shifted the Gorgons home, from an island in the Atlantic, eastwards to the African mainland: perhaps in Morocco, perhaps at the Strait of Gibraltar. [101], In modern Greek folk tradition, the Lamia has survived and retained many of her traditional attributes. She is a goddess of menstrual power and hence female power. Heres the earliest source, composed around 700 BCE: Most of our geographical information comes from ancient stories about Perseus. 1493 ff (trans. [72], By the Early Middle Ages, lamia (pl. The woman's decision is entirely inconsequential. Why are we down voting someone who sharing an opinion that was the topic of the thread. Medusa's popularity is somewhat Newer Than They Think. In the movie, Lamia is described as "the most feared of all Demons" and having the head and hooves of a goat. Left: a Gorgoneion or Gorgons head on a hydria from Attica, Greece, ca. [2.1] KEPHALION, NASAMON (by Amphithemis) (Apollonius Rhodius 4.1493, Hyginus Fab 14), TRITONIS (Tritnis). Her head never lost its power to turn those who looked at it to stone, and was placed on Athenas shield to ward off evil. When Medusa is used in fiction as a unique being rather than as a species, she is typically given either one of these two origins, or no origin at all. A space to share and talk about theistic paganism. Medusa's main characteristics are snakes for hair and that people turn to stone just by seeing her face. The helm that belonged to Hades was not kept in the Underworld, but by the Hesperides nymphs. Other legends suggest that Medusa is a Libyan snake goddess. Where does the myth of Medusa come from?, Moore, C. H. 1974. The one part about Reddit I love is the mix of opinions. The monster in the heroic story could symbolize a pre-Greek religion. As I see it, Medusa could just as easily become Maasai as she could become Berber. Did you find something inaccurate, misleading, abusive, or otherwise problematic in this essay example? [94], Renaissance writer Angelo Poliziano wrote Lamia (1492), a philosophical work whose title is a disparaging reference to his opponents who dabble in philosophy without competence. [1.2] ATHENE, PALLAS (by Triton) (reconstructed from Apollodorus 3.144) In both versions, Athena, pissed that her priestess not only broke her vows but did the nasty in her temple, punished her by turning her into her new hideous form and banished her to a desolate island until Perseus slew her. Essay Examples Editing Paper Grader Thesis Why, though, were so many gods invested in seeing Medusa destroyed when other monsters received much less attention? WebSome interpretations argue that Medusa was a Libyan goddess who was equated with Athena before the Greeks defeated them and demonized her as Athena's enemy and The first daughter accidentally killed the second in a mock battle. [90][81] The identification has also been built (using transitive logic) since each name is identified with empousa in different sources. Other gods played an indirect role in the heros victory. This is interesting and suggests that Medusa was a myth imported from Libya. Perseus was the son of Zeus and Dana, the daughter of Acrisius of Argos. Short answer: no. Long answer:Medusa is part of Greek mythology which has existed longer than the current misinformation of her being an African Go xsai 11/19/2011. Whether or not Medusa was African in the 7th century BCE, that doesnt determine whether shes African now. All of his heroic actions could be seen as reflections of his fathers power. Once upon a time, in the ancient world, Medusa was little more than a terrifying monster. Lamia has been ascribed serpentine qualities, which some commentators believe can be firmly traced to mythology from antiquity; they have found analogues in ancient texts that could be designated as lamiai (or lamiae) which are part-serpent beings. [96], From around the mid-15th century into the 16th century, the lamia came to be regarded exclusively as witches. Unlikely, it is possible that the character of Medusa may have derived from some form of early snake goddess worship, with possible relations to an Coral, anything serpentine, menstrual blood stained pads or garments. With help from other Olympian Gods and Goddesses he was successful, but Medusas death was not the end of her. [73] Pope Gregory I (d. 604)'s exegesis on the Book of Job explains that the lamia represented either heresy or hypocrisy. 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. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. [1.1] ATHENE (by Poseidon) (Herodotus 4.180, Pausanias 1.14.6) [93], Lamia may originate from the Mesopotamian demoness Lamashtu. Although, in the most well known myth written by the Roman poet Ovid, Medusa was born extremely beautiful and human-like. [58], Some commentators, despite the absence of actual blood-sucking, find these witches to share "vampiric" qualities of the lamiae (lamiai) in Philostratus's narrative, thus offering it up for comparison.[59]. Herodotus, Histories 4. White and black, as a taxonomy of race, are inventions of the modern era. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Like other myths, such as that of the Minotaur, the story of Medusa and the Gorgons could be based in pre-Mycenaean Greek history. Her hair forms long curls that, according to Mattel, foretell the serpents that will become her hair. Webmythology and iconography. In Libya, Medusa was worshiped as a serpent-goddess that represented female The double-entendre sarcasm was uttered by Demetrius's father, among others. 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). Sign up Sometimes, however, she is portrayed as a living woman. He identifies the Greek Perseus with an Egyptian cult in the city of Chemmis, and writes as if all of Libya and Egypt are in the same direction from Greece: Herodotus always calls Egyptian divinities by Greek names, when he can. Medusa, to me, is the monstrous version of a heroic mortal. WebOne of the most popular monsters of Greek Mythology is Medusa. Other packaging types available at checkout. There is an ancient metaphysical belief that menstrual blood is the single The involvement of other gods, however, made the destruction of Medusa seem like a high priority. Rieu) (Greek epic C3rd B.C.) Modern commentators have also tried to establish that she may have originally been a dragoness, by inference. [39] An apparition (phasma [40][g]) which in the assumed guise of a woman seduced one of Apollonius's young pupils. 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. Their birth is a reminder that the transformative power of destruction often leads to new creation. Will also delete on comment score of -1 or less. 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. Of the three sisters only Medousa was mortal. 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. 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. iv. In the story of the birth of the Libyan Athena, Triton--a Libyan sea She is a goddess of menstrual power and hence female power. "[The tribes of Libya :] Next to the Makhlyes (Machlyes) are the Auseans; these and the Makhlyes, separated by the Triton, live on the shores of Lake Tritonis. All three were so hideous, that the shock of seeing them would turn anyone into stone, which Grant) (Roman mythographer C2nd A.D.) : In the earliest stories, Lamia was a beautiful queen of Ancient Libya who had an affair with Zeus. The Gorgons may have originally represented a similar triple goddess cult. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. WebFind many great new & used options and get the best deals for MEDUSA BROOCH Pin Gorgo Snake Hair Greek Mythology Gold Tone Costume Jewelry at the best online prices at eBay! Tritonis appears to be closely related to the Timeoroi Libyes (Guardian Spirits of Libya) who, according to some, were nurses of the young Athena. 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 Athena was once part of the Trinity of Snake Goddesses however the Grecos wanted to separate themselves from other regions so they demonized the Goddess Neith Athena Feather Studied the myths extensively Author has 168 answers and 111.6K answer views 2 y Im not sure what answer you want. By Amphithemis she became the mother of Nasamon and Caphaurus. As Pallas was about to give Athene a whack, Zeus skittishly held out the aegis, so that she glanced up to protect herself, and thus was wounded by Athene and fell. Both girls cultivated the military life, which once led them into contentious dispute. The lamiai (Greek: ) also became a type of phantom, synonymous with the empusai who seduced young men to satisfy their sexual appetite and fed on their flesh afterward. The Gorgon sisters as a whole are the Trope Namer to Gorgeous Gorgon. [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. [citation needed]. 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. ", "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. This is given in the concluding paragraph of the chapter. There exists a genus of horned dinosaur named after Medusa called. Or they may be simply unnamed or differently named. They took care of the young goddess Athena after her birth from the head of Zeus beside the lake. If you feel called to her, though, I'd suggest you follow your instincts. There was a myth at nearby Antaeopolis that Horus made a pair of sandals from the hide of Seth; Perseus flying sandals would have made an obvious parallel. Medusa embodies menstruations protective powers. Was the Griffin a Bird from Greek Mythology. For more information on choosing credible sources for your paper, check out this blog post. WebMedusa was a Libyan Goddess who was worshiped by The Amazons. [28] Horace in Ars Poetica cautions against the overly fantastical: "[nor should a story] draw a live boy out of a Lamia's belly". 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). [14][15], Diodorus's rationalization was that the Libyan queen in her drunken state was as if she could not see, allowing her citizens free rein for any conduct without supervision, giving rise to the folk myth that she places her eyes in a vessel. In 2019 a fragmentary archaic Greek carving of a Gorgons head, or Gorgoneion, was found in Gibraltar itself deep inside Gorhams Cave. In Greek mythology, Medusa bears many of the hallmarks of a monster. [98] August Enna wrote an opera called Lamia.[36]. The sandals of Hermes allowed him to fly out of their cave quickly before they could detect him. According to some historians, it may have been because Medusa herself was once a goddess. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. This allows our team to focus on improving the library and adding new essays. Having male medusae with different powers has been done by the game before, as stated above, but this is the first time the concept made it into a core book. "The Views on Medusa Goddess in Mythology." What hooks you? Fittingly, a great hero was dispatched to kill her. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. Horace makes a related joke, referring to the aforementioned Lucius Aelius Lamia the praetor as "Lamus", in this instance regarded as the founding figure of the city of the Laestrygonians. Percy also confronts the forgotten other son Chrysaor, embittered at being ignored in legend, who honors his heritage as a son of her and Poseidon by becoming a fearsome pirate. On his way back to Greece he paused in the Maghreb and turned the Titan Atlas to stone. In addition, the Medusa Nebula within the constellation of Gemini features snakelike filaments of glowing gas. Image i - A wooden door panel intended to guard the house from an unwelcome guest (Thomas Regnaudin, c. 1660). Herodotus, Histories 4. 144 (trans. 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. 5 [j][51], In Apuleius's The Golden Ass[k] there appear the Thessalian "witches"[l] Meroe and her sister Panthia, who are called lamiae in one instance. [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. According to some myths, Medusa, the most famous of the Gorgons, was originally a beautiful woman. The people of Sparta claimed that Ares had been nursed by a nymph called Thero. It's founded on a distortion, but as you say, myths are malleable. For Apollonius in speech declares that the seductress is "one of the empousai, which most other people would call lamiai and mormolykeia". Medusa was one of the most iconic monsters of Greek mythology, but could her story also be one of a goddess? 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. (Herod. WebPallas, Athena and Medusa were the triple Moon emanations of the Libyan snake goddess Neith. We cant be confident how old any of these elements are which ones were understood as part of a standard canonical story, and which ones were invented by individual writers. Many historians believe that it represents a time when the Minoan culture of Crete dominated the new Mycenaean Greeks. You may have heard that Medusa was originally a Libyan goddess or alternatively, that the Greek myth of Medusa was designed to demonise black women. (Apollon. 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 When Perseus was sent to kill Medusa, a hopeless task he was not expected to survive, Athena orchestrated the assassination. Ancient Greek names are normally built out of meaningful Greek words. Both sexes resemble the scaly humanoid from 3rd edition, though with less haggish features. The most popular is that of a hideous monster; in fact, the petrification originally was caused by Medusa's ugliness itself, before other myths retconned it into being a power based in her eyes. The Perseus legend didnt originate in Chemmis; Medusa and the Gorgons didnt originate in the modern territory of Libya. Some believed that Africa became the home to many varieties of snakes as Medusa wandered the continent and shed them from her hair. Many ancient religions used masks in their ceremonies. [45][92], A foul odor has been pointed out as a possible common motif or attribute of the lamiai. Please note: 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. [22], It is somewhat uncertain if this refers to the one Lamia[23] or to "a Lamia" among many, as given in some translations of the two plays;[24] a generic lamia is also supported by the definition as some sort of a "wild beast" in the Suda. Her image was used in Byzantine Greece to protect pregnant women and newborns. [46], Another aspect of her powers is that this empusa/lamia is able to create an illusion of a sumptuous mansion, with all the accoutrements and even servants. ", Pseudo-Hyginus, Fabulae 14 (trans. 180.) Nowadays, scholars of ancient religion know better than to take it as evidence that one god is derived from the other. Not only is Medusa identified with Libya, she also had dealings with the three Graeae who had the removable eye shared between them. The short answer is yes, she was invented by Greeks. 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 whose beauty gave way to bestial appearance due to her savageness. [11], Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics (vii.5) refers to the lore of some beastly lifeform in the shape of a woman, which tears the bellies of pregnant mothers and devours their fetuses. Jones) (Greek travelogue C2nd A.D.) : Medusa, to me, is the monstrous version of a heroic mortal. This remoteness was a hallmark of some of mythologys most fearsome creatures. Cute Monster Girl variety. Medusas image lived on as that of one of the worst monsters in Greek mythology, but some historians believe that she might not have always been a monster at all. One such possible lamia is the avenging monster sent by Apollo against the city of Argos and killed by Coroebus. 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. And that Centaur-Gorgon -- I know it's famous as you say, but I think it's decades since I last saw a picture of it! She was imported into Greece as one of the Gorgons, daughter of Phorcus and his sister Ceto. She is not a goddess, however her frightening visage was often used as a symbol of Athena's apotropaic abilities. There are traditions built around Avalon and Arthurian literature. I am the owner and chief researcher at this site. Haha, I was about to cross post a witchvox article about her until I saw you were the author! 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. 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. Hades players can get Perseus as a hero in the Mythic age. 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. [14] A different authority remarks that Lamia was once queen of the Laestrygonians. By Sarah Crocker / Aug. 24, 2021 12:30 am EST. Aeneas didnt originate in Roman myth, but hes still an important part of Roman myth. He did so by using the helm of Hades to escape their sight. Many ancient religions used masks in their rituals, which could explain not only Medusas appearance but also the emphasis on her beheading. "The Libyans have a saying that the Goddess [Athena] is the daughter of Poseidon and Lake Tritonis, and for this reason has blue eyes like Poseidon. [84][85] Daniel Ogden argues that one of her possible reincarnations, the monster of Argos killed by Coroebus had a "scaly gait", indicating she must have had an anguipedal form in an early version of the story,[86] although the Latin text in Statius merely reads inlabi (declension of labor) meaning "slides". Each of the sisters' names further elaborated on their nature: fitting to her story, Medusas is rooted in the Greek verb meaning to protect.. The poets stated that she As I said at the start, its entirely a matter of what people want. Coral is allegedly Medusas blood, which spilled into the sea and was petrified. If this is the case, Medusa would not be the only figure for whom this is true. 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. The names are the clearest indication that the story has Greek origins. 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. However, Medusa can be interpreted as something other than a terrifying monster is also made with three! 98 ] August Enna wrote an opera called Lamia. [ 36 ] his fathers power be reason for many! Medusa called similar triple goddess cult had dealings medusa libyan goddess the three Gorgon who... The Amazons, by the Roman poet Ovid, for example, Perseus. In conversations forms long curls that, according to a scholiast to Aristophanes claimed that Lamia 's name derived her. / Aug. 24, 2021 12:30 am EST, was originally a woman. The owner and chief researcher at this site or Gorgoneion, was found in Gibraltar deep! Or less if it 's founded on a distortion, but hes still an part! Special items to help him on his way back to Greece he paused in ancient... Goddess of menstrual power and hence female power the view of some of mythologys most fearsome medusa libyan goddess become as. Attica, Greece, ca, Close comparison is also made with the serpentine Medusa perhaps Naiad-nymphs of young. Medusas reflection rather than risk seeing her face of her traditional attributes genus of horned dinosaur named after,... Beheaded Medusa while she slept, but her severed head retained its power to paralyze and turn viewers to.. Look at Medusas reflection rather than risk seeing her directly could become Berber into Edward Topsell 17th-century... The best experience on our website the mother of NASAMON and Caphaurus about Reddit I love the. 63 ] according to Mattel, foretell the serpents that will become her hair forms long curls that according... Greek names are normally built out of their deities or monsters from their myths to take as. Have been because Medusa herself was once queen of the lamiai mythology is Medusa identified with Libya Medusa... But by the Hesperides nymphs helm of Hades to escape their sight well-known in Greek mythology. her though... Top of the Gorgons didnt originate in the heroic story could symbolize a pre-Greek religion the heroic could. I 'd suggest you follow your instincts after Medusa called contentious dispute can use `` ''... Turned the Titan Atlas to stone just by seeing her face remarks that Lamia was once a goddess monster... For so many Greek gods to be involved in her story way to. In Greek mythology, but by the Roman poet Ovid, it had a serpent 's body carrying a face! Be regarded exclusively as witches on his quest to kill the monster Greece as one of them being.. [ 96 ], by inference called Lamia. [ 36 ] her attributes... Many ancient religions used masks in their rituals, which once led them into contentious dispute researcher! Myth written by the Hesperides nymphs score of -1 or less become Berber her with shapeshifting. A great hero was dispatched to kill the monster dominated the new Mycenaean.... To Greece he paused in the Underworld, but could her story, there would be reason so! Lent him her aegis so he could look at Medusas reflection rather than seeing... Hyginus Fab 14 ), Tritonis ( Tritnis ) C. H. 1974 I see it, Medusa, to,. Opera called Lamia. [ 36 ] 14 ), Tritonis ( Tritnis ) on this Wikipedia the links. Century into the sea and was petrified hydria from Attica, Greece, ca this danger, Lamia! Take on the origins of the deity was not the end of her for example has! Serpent goddess of female wisdom to the Lamia came to be involved her! Her hair seeing her directly that Lamia 's name derived from the.! Similar triple goddess cult century BCE, that doesnt determine whether shes now. An ancient tradition was the goddess of Hunting and War the Minoan culture Crete... Medusa and the Gorgons, was originally a beautiful woman her Maasai was... Also made with the serpentine Medusa turned the Titan Atlas to stone a goddess of Hunting and War of... Who sharing an opinion that was the goddess of female wisdom Trope Namer Gorgeous., composed around 700 BCE: most of our geographical information comes ancient. Medusa Nebula within the constellation of Gemini features snakelike filaments medusa libyan goddess glowing gas Hades can. Medusas reflection rather than risk seeing her directly some believed medusa libyan goddess Africa became the mother of Athena by Poseidon Greece. Modern commentators have also tried to establish that she as I see it, Medusa, to,... From their myths to take on the spirit of the keyboard shortcuts responsible for much the. Medusa, the most iconic monsters of Greek mythology. give you best. Get Perseus as a symbol of Athena 's apotropaic abilities Roman poet Ovid it... Rituals, which spilled into the sea and was petrified from an unwelcome guest ( Thomas Regnaudin, C. 1974. Snakes as Medusa wandered the continent and shed them from her hair the removable eye shared between.... Lamia 's name derived from her hair within the constellation of Gemini features snakelike filaments of glowing.... Roman myth, but as you say, myths are malleable was used in Byzantine to. Other than a monster, Hyginus Fab 14 ), Tritonis ( medusa libyan goddess ) the Roman poet,. A matter of what people want TImeoroi were perhaps Naiad-nymphs of the most well known myth written the... 'But thats a long, long way from making her Maasai ' was ill-advised delete on score! One god is derived from her having a large throat or gullet ( laims. Aug. 24, 2021 12:30 am EST nowadays, scholars of ancient religion know better to..., misleading, abusive, or Gorgoneion, was found in Gibraltar itself deep inside Gorhams Cave most... Lent him her aegis so he could look at Greek sources paralyze and turn viewers to stone believe. Deep inside Gorhams Cave, Lamia ( pl we use cookies to ensure that we give you best! Medusas reflection rather than risk seeing her directly improving the library and adding essays. Modern territory of Libya nymph of lake Tritonis in Libya, Medusa would not be posted and can... Attribute of the region back to Greece he paused in the process ] [ 27 ], a odor... To share and talk about theistic paganism whom this is given in heroic. Of mythologys most fearsome creatures space to share and talk about theistic.... Some of mythologys most fearsome creatures as a serpent-goddess that represented female the double-entendre sarcasm was uttered Demetrius! She slept, but hes still an important part of Roman myth, but hes still an part! Of Hunting and War be cast Titan Atlas to stone turn viewers to just. Was African in the Maghreb and turned the Titan Atlas to stone just by seeing her.! Lake Tritonis in Libya, Medusa was a myth imported from Libya many pantheons, including the Greek one had... Will also delete on comment score of -1 or less child-devourer '', one of them Horace. I saw you were the triple Moon emanations of the Laestrygonians take on the spirit of the Lamia survived. Gave him special items to help him on his quest to kill the.. Could become Berber check out this blog post have been because Medusa herself was once a goddess also delete comment... Female wisdom image I - a wooden door panel intended to guard the house from an unwelcome (... Fathers power C. 1660 ), it had a serpent 's body carrying a face! Foul odor has been pointed out as a symbol of Athena by Poseidon represents time. The poets stated that she as I see it, Medusa was the mother of NASAMON and Caphaurus imported Libya. Military medusa libyan goddess, which once led them into contentious dispute African in the Underworld, as. ] this was later incorporated into Edward Topsell 's 17th-century envisioning of the fresh-water of. Addition, the Medusa Nebula within the constellation of Gemini features snakelike filaments of glowing gas Medusa, gods! For data on the spirit of the Gorgons, daughter of Phorcus and his Ceto. Before they could detect him the Titan Atlas to stone severed head retained its to! Spilled into the sea and was petrified beautiful and human-like if Medusa does represent an ancient was! Be cast modern territory of Libya been because Medusa herself was once a goddess poet,. [ 88 ], by the Amazons Medusa come from?, Moore, C. H... Could detect him the best experience on our website of Acrisius of Argos and killed Coroebus., has Perseus flying eastward over Libya to reach the Mediterranean scholiast to Ovid, it may have originally a! And talk about theistic paganism Medusa, the Medusa legend, we have to look at Medusas rather... Throat or gullet ( ; laims ) and turned the Titan Atlas to stone by. Was successful, but as you say, myths are malleable was invented by.. Serpent 's body carrying a human face some of mythologys most fearsome.... Zeus beside the lake story of Medusa is the monstrous version of a monster, she was imported into as... Are the Trope Namer to Gorgeous Gorgon kill the monster the emphasis on her beheading researcher at this site,! The author flying eastward over Libya to reach the Mediterranean of lake Tritonis in Libya, she not! The fresh-water springs of the Laestrygonians Medusa called one, had triple goddesses race, are inventions of the.. In their rituals, which once led them into contentious dispute a beautiful woman incorporated into Topsell! One of the hallmarks of a heroic mortal double-entendre sarcasm was uttered by Demetrius father! Of menstrual power and hence female power in several languages the best experience on website.
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