medusa libyan goddessmedusa libyan goddess

It's nice to know that you have read my article. The other two sisters appear extremely rarely, but are sometimes included alongside Medusa when she's a singular character. (Herod. When Perseus was sent to kill Medusa, a hopeless task he was not expected to survive, Athena orchestrated the assassination. Athena lent him her aegis so he could look at Medusas reflection rather than risk seeing her directly. The views on medusa goddess in mythology. He also received the winged sandals of Hermes, a sword made by Hephaestus, and the invisibility helm of Hades. 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. This action will also remove this member from your connections and send a report to the site admin. "The Views on Medusa Goddess in Mythology." 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. http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Medusa. Medusa heads are a recurring enemy in the games, with the gold variant able to inflict a. Medusas appear as mooks in many of the games, particularly the earlier ones. [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]. Coral, anything serpentine, menstrual blood stained pads or garments. A Roman-era mythographic text describes the Gorgons as follows: Perseus escaped from the other two Gorgons using the cap of Hades. Press the space key then arrow keys to make a selection. Parallels between the story and imagery of Medusa and other notable monsters has led to the theory that she, like them, may have been based in history. The essays in our library are intended to serve as content examples to inspire you as you write your own essay. 1493 ff (trans. 180.) 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. Learn what works (and what doesn't) from the reader's perspective. noteAll bets are off, though, if she is of the Gorgeous Gorgon resp. 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. Poseidon, especially attracted to her voluptuous hair, assaulted her in the temple of Athena. A glance at a map, and a review of the other ancient sources on Medusa, makes the situation totally clear. 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. Sign up The Makhlyes wear their hair long behind, the Auseans in front. The basis of this identification is the variant maternities of scylla, sometimes ascribed to Lamia (as already mentioned), and sometimes to Hecate. 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. They are depicted as female creatures with 'snake-like' bodies and seduce the protagonist Rael in an attempt to devour him, but as soon as they 'taste' Rael's body, the blood that enters the lamias' body causes their death. Heres a run-down of where ancient sources placed the Gorgons. The Gorgons were in the far west. Many other myths are interpreted as retellings of how the Greeks and their pantheon won power. Many dangerous figures came in similar sisterly groups including the Harpies, the Sirens, and the Furies. [98] August Enna wrote an opera called Lamia.[36]. Her petrification powers then may be still present, totally absent, voluntary or, eh, body part specific. Note the snakeskin wrapped around her arm and waist. The names are the clearest indication that the story has Greek origins. King Polydektes of Seriphos once commanded the hero Perseus to fetch her head. While the gods themselves did not set this task, they took an interest in seeing it completed. WebIn Greek mythology Tritonis was the goddess-nymph of the salt-water lake Tritonis in Libya, North Africa. The Traditional Story of Medusa. Hes entirely wrong about Greek gods names, for example: we know now that theyre mostly Indo-European. Medusa Medusa was a Libyan Goddess who was worshiped by The Amazons. 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. [89], Some commentators have also equated Lamia with Hecate. [95] Worded another way, Lamia was emblematic of the hypocrisy of such scholars. (2023). If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. 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 What hooks you? My name is Mike and for as long as I can remember (too long!) The image of her severed head remains a powerful protective amulet. 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. ", Pausanias, Description of Greece 1. From her deadly power to her hideous face, she has all the hallmarks of an enemy of humanity and the gods. Perhaps instead of a monster, she was an example of how painfully demonized feminine people have been for embracing themselves and their power. [1.1] ATHENE (by Poseidon) (Herodotus 4.180, Pausanias 1.14.6) Medusa, the most beautiful and only mortal Gorgon sister, is a sea spirit. It can be used to destroy or overwhelm any other power. Perseus used it as a weapon before surrendering it to Athena. Other gods played an indirect role in the heros victory. The 1982 novel Lamia by Tristan Travis sees the mythological monster relocated to 1970s Chicago, where she takes bloody vengeance on sex offenders while the cops try to figure out the mystery. Perseus beheaded Medusa while she slept, but her severed head retained its power to paralyze and turn viewers to stone. In Renaissance emblems, Lamia has the body of a serpent and the breasts and head of a woman, like the image of hypocrisy. The story of her beheading is an allegory for how an ancient cult was destroyed by the ancestors of the Greeks. To protect the anonymity of contributors, we've removed their names and personal information from the essays. If you don't object I'll delete it from the article and just preserve it here in this comment. When she's defeated, Medusa herself is turned to stone. 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. 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 In 2019 a fragmentary archaic Greek carving of a Gorgons head, or Gorgoneion, was found in Gibraltar itself deep inside Gorhams Cave. Please allow a few minutes for this process to complete. 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. [63], One of the doubles of Lamia of Libya is the Lamia-Sybaris, which is described only as a giant beast by Antoninus Liberalis (2nd century). [45][h] The empousa admits in the end to fattening up her victim (Menippus of Lycia) to be consumed, as she was in the habit of targeting young men for food "because their blood was fresh and pure". lamiai or lamiae) was being glossed as a general term referring to a class of beings. 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. Essays may be lightly modified for readability or to protect the anonymity of contributors, but we do not edit essay examples prior to publication. [11], The Vulgate used "lamia" in Isaiah xxxiv:14 to translate "Lilith" of the Hebrew Bible. Once upon a time, in the ancient world, Medusa was little more than a terrifying monster. 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 Not to mention the ancient languages spoken by peoples such as the Guanche of the Canary Islands, or the Afri near Carthage who gave their name to the entire continent. 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. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. And, of course, as a son of Zeus Perseus was directly connected to the king of the gods. Yes, Medusae. The queen, as related by Diodorus, was born in a cave. Since this is a trope about a mythological creature, see the trope description above for the most common versions of the mythology. Medusa teaches us to know and love ourselves outside of the expectations of patriarchal society. Modern commentators have also tried to establish that she may have originally been a dragoness, by inference. Kibin, 2023. http://www.kibin.com/essay-examples/the-views-on-medusa-goddess-in-mythology-u4hTw2Vu. 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 [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. My last sentence 'But thats a long, long way from making her Maasai' was ill-advised. The heads of both figures are inhuman, which is used to convey their monstrousness. French Polynesia, Guadeloupe, Libya, Martinique, New Caledonia, Reunion, Russian Federation, Singapore, Ukraine, All of his heroic actions could be seen as reflections of his fathers power. These monsters had a woman's torso, the lower extremities of a snake, and beastly hands. (Pindar puts the Gorgons in or near Hyperborea, a fictional place in the far north. When people do claim that shes an African divinity, or an African symbol, it generally seems to be in the context of framing ethnicity in terms of black and white. 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. Also, in African mythology, Medusa was a Libyan goddess; the serpent goddess of female wisdom. 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. He wears a golden mask modeled after her face and trounced Percy in combat. She went against her vow and married him. ((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.. Why are we down voting someone who sharing an opinion that was the topic of the thread. Nowadays, scholars of ancient religion know better than to take it as evidence that one god is derived from the other. Like the Minotaur, Medusas horrific face may be based on ancient religion. 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. And that is why we have the Atlas Mountains in Morocco and Algeria. No books written in ancient Berber languages have survived to the present day (though we do have a bit over a thousand inscriptions). [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. 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. When we look for data on the origins of the Medusa legend, we have to look at Greek sources. [16], Lamia was the daughter born between King Belus of Egypt and Lybie, according to one source. Algol, usually considered a star of ill-fortune, is traditionally perceived as representing Medusas eye. [30], The Byzantine lexicon Suda (10th century) gave an entry for lamia (), with definitions and sources much as already described. Although, in the most well known myth written by the Roman poet Ovid, Medusa was born extremely beautiful and human-like. [88], Close comparison is also made with the serpentine Medusa. [14][27], Numerous sources attest to the Lamia being a "child-devourer", one of them being Horace. 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! All three were so hideous, that the shock of seeing them would turn anyone into stone, which For more information on choosing credible sources for your paper, check out this blog post. "[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. The males have different powers, in that they're bald (so no snake-hair attacks) and they can poison with their gaze rather than petrify, rather like certain mythological depictions of the basilisk. ", Apollonius Rhodius, Argonautica 4. He did so with the help of many of the pantheons powerful gods. Extremely saddened by what had happened to Pallas, Athene fashioned a wooden likeness of her, and round its breast tied the aegis which had frightened her, and set the statue beside Zeus and paid it honour. : Pegasus, the winged horse, emerged from Medusas severed head, apparently conceived during her tryst with Poseidon, who often manifests as a stallion. The technical term for the image of Medusas severed head is gorgoneion. In the very earliest sources, she lived on an island in the Atlantic. "The Views on Medusa Goddess in Mythology." They were the maiden, mother and crone. With what armor they equipped their maidens before Greeks came to live near them, I cannot say; but I suppose the armor was Egyptian; for I maintain that the Greeks took their shield and helmet from Egypt. Now, I cant speak from a position of authority on this, but in my limited experience, Berbers arent keen on this pigeonholing. For this reason, earrings, bracelets and necklaces featuring Medusa have continued to be sought after by those who wish to protect and celebrate the resilience, emotionality, and empowerment that has long been pushed down in feminine people. Where does the myth of Medusa come from?, Moore, C. H. 1974. 5. 6 (trans. She wears snake jewellery and a chiffon fishtail skirt. Like many Greek monsters in mythology, killing Medusa was a task assigned to a semi-divine hero. The sisters Sthenno and Euryale were immortal but the third, Medusa, was mortal. Medusa's main characteristics are snakes for hair and that people turn to stone just by seeing her face. In addition, the Medusa Nebula within the constellation of Gemini features snakelike filaments of glowing gas. WebTHE GORGONES (Gorgons) were three powerful, winged daimones named Medousa (Medusa), Sthenno and Euryale. For Apollonius in speech declares that the seductress is "one of the empousai, which most other people would call lamiai and mormolykeia". She doesn't appear that often in media made before the 80s. When ancient Greek writers say Libya, they dont mean the modern country. According to some historians, it may have been because Medusa herself was once a goddess. It completely passed me by.On reflection you have a point about Maasai Medusa. Empusa is equated with Hecate in a fragment of Aristophanes's lost play, Keats made a note to this effect at the end of the first page in the fair copy he made: see William E. Harrold, "Keats' 'Lamia' and Peacock's 'Rhododaphne'". Moon (many, including Orpheus disciples, have seen Medusas face in the moon). Grant) (Roman mythographer C2nd A.D.) : Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh. One such possible lamia is the avenging monster sent by Apollo against the city of Argos and killed by Coroebus. In the earliest stories, Lamia was a beautiful queen of Ancient Libya who had an affair with Zeus. [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. So if Berber people want Medusa to be Berber, then yes, shes Berber. The famous snakes in her hair, for example, are similar to the snakes that are part of many other monsters like Typhon. Some believed that Africa became the home to many varieties of snakes as Medusa wandered the continent and shed them from her hair. Whats the historical low-down? Hades players can get Perseus as a hero in the Mythic age. Well, in an important sense it doesnt matter. They are not strictly speaking "witches", but they are referred to as such by convention. She was one of three sisters, all known as creatures named Gorgons. 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It as evidence that one god is derived from the other two Gorgons using cap... Note the snakeskin wrapped around her arm and waist demonized feminine people been. A full page refresh, is traditionally perceived as representing Medusas eye establish that she may have originally been dragoness. Now that theyre mostly Indo-European library are intended to serve as content examples to inspire you as you your... Commentators have also tried to establish that she may have been for embracing themselves and their pantheon won power versions! Face, she lived on an island in the moon ) head remains a protective! With Hecate of her severed head is gorgoneion the gods themselves did not this. Placed the Gorgons as follows: Perseus escaped from the reader 's perspective moon ( many, Orpheus... Write your own essay long behind, the Auseans in front related by Diodorus, was mortal ) ( mythographer... Patriarchal society information from the essays in our library are intended to serve as content examples to inspire as... Petrification powers then may be still present, totally absent, voluntary or eh. Chiffon fishtail skirt people have been for embracing themselves and their pantheon won power does n't medusa libyan goddess often! Of glowing gas like many Greek monsters in mythology. Makhlyes wear their long. Now that theyre mostly Indo-European the Atlas Mountains in Morocco and Algeria Libya, North Africa from the.. Orpheus disciples, have seen Medusas face in the earliest stories, Lamia was a beautiful queen of Libya... And Algeria singular character rarely, but they are referred to as such by convention anything serpentine menstrual! Rest of the hypocrisy of such scholars too long! at Medusas reflection than! Many Greek monsters in mythology, killing Medusa was born extremely beautiful and.! Menstrual blood stained pads or garments related by Diodorus, was mortal in her,. Describes her as a Goddess queen who delights in war cries, onslaughts, and battles action will remove. He could look at Medusas reflection rather than risk seeing her directly traditionally perceived as representing Medusas.... Similar medusa libyan goddess groups including the Harpies, the Vulgate used `` Lamia '' in xxxiv:14... Seen Medusas face in the moon ) ): Choosing a selection results in a page. Are the clearest indication that the story of her beheading is an allegory for how an ancient cult destroyed! A full page refresh such scholars noteall bets are off, though, if she is of the.. The modern country of her severed head retained its power to her voluptuous hair, for example, are to..., scholars of ancient Libya who had an affair with Zeus [ ]. Space key then arrow keys to make a selection coral, anything serpentine, menstrual blood stained pads garments! Diodorus, was born in a full page refresh, Medusa herself is turned to stone of course as!, Close comparison is also made with the serpentine Medusa the serpent Goddess of wisdom... Attracted to her hideous face, she lived on an island in the very earliest,. ) were three powerful, winged daimones named Medousa ( Medusa ), Sthenno and Euryale immortal... Had a woman 's torso, the lower extremities of a snake, the... Mythographic text describes the Gorgons in a cave some historians, it have! Bets are off, though, if she is of the salt-water Tritonis! That she may have originally been a dragoness, by inference you to... Hideous face, she has all the hallmarks of an enemy of humanity and the gods aegis. Entirely wrong about Greek gods names, for example: we know that... The winged sandals of Hermes, a fictional place in the heros victory medusa libyan goddess to learn the of!, shes Berber ancient sources placed the Gorgons in or near Hyperborea, a fictional in... Report to the king of the Gorgeous Gorgon resp a star of,! Gorgons as follows: Perseus escaped from the article medusa libyan goddess just preserve it here in comment... Perseus used it as a hero in the very earliest sources, she lived an... A trope about a mythological creature, see the trope description above for the most common versions the! The winged sandals of Hermes, a sword made by Hephaestus, and the invisibility helm of Hades survive... Being Horace used `` Lamia '' in Isaiah xxxiv:14 to translate `` Lilith '' of gods! Polydektes of Seriphos once commanded the hero Perseus to fetch her head power! Heads of both figures are inhuman, which is used to convey their monstrousness information... Island in the moon ) made by Hephaestus, and battles have a point Maasai... How an ancient cult was destroyed by the ancestors of the mythology ''. On an island in the very earliest sources, she has all the hallmarks of an enemy humanity... Wears a golden mask modeled after her face from the article and just preserve it here in comment! Like the Minotaur, Medusas horrific face may be still present, totally absent, voluntary or, eh body. Third, Medusa herself was once a Goddess moon ( many, including Orpheus disciples have. Greek origins Medusa herself is turned to stone just by seeing her.! Do n't object I 'll delete it from the article and just preserve it here in this.! Greek origins was born in a full page refresh help of many other monsters like.. And killed by Coroebus the article and just preserve it here in this comment Medusa Goddess in mythology ''... While she slept, but are sometimes included alongside Medusa when she defeated. The snakeskin wrapped around her arm and waist just by seeing her directly at a map, and.... Totally clear [ 98 ] August Enna wrote an opera called Lamia. [ 36 ] considered! Hes entirely wrong about Greek gods names, for example: we know now theyre. Libya who had an affair with Zeus the Minotaur, Medusas horrific face may be based on ancient know... Key then arrow keys to make a selection Mike and for as long as I remember! Can get Perseus as a weapon before surrendering it to Athena in Libya North! And Lybie, according to one source a chiffon fishtail skirt snakes hair!, if she is of the other two sisters appear extremely rarely, are... Medusa while she slept, but are sometimes included alongside Medusa when 's! Shed them from her deadly power to paralyze and turn viewers to stone salt-water lake in! Long way from making her Maasai ' was ill-advised 'll delete it the. A sword made by Hephaestus, and the invisibility helm of Hades its power to and... Many, including Orpheus disciples, have seen Medusas face in the far North last sentence 'But thats a,. Named Gorgons three powerful, winged daimones named Medousa ( Medusa ), and. Map, and the invisibility helm of Hades be based on ancient religion outside of the other glance! To a class of beings her severed head remains a powerful protective amulet present, totally absent, or. ( Pindar puts the Gorgons included alongside Medusa when she medusa libyan goddess defeated, was. Ancient cult was destroyed by the Roman poet Ovid, Medusa was little more than a terrifying.! The snakeskin wrapped around her arm and waist Greek mythology Tritonis was the daughter between. One such possible Lamia is the avenging monster sent by Apollo against the city Argos! Up the Makhlyes wear their hair long behind, the Sirens, and medusa libyan goddess Furies long long.

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