Greek mythology
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External Websites
- Ancient Origins - The Real Story of Medusa: Protective Powers from a Snake-Haired Gorgon
- Greek Legends and Myths - Medusa in Greek Mythology
- Ancient Origins - Medusa and the Gorgons: The Origins of the Legendary Tale
- Roman and Greek Gods - Medusa
- Mythopedia - Medusa
- Theoi - The Curse of Medusa in Greek Mythology
- Greek Gods and Goddesses - Medusa
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art - Medusa in Ancient Greek Art
- World History Encyclopedia - Medusa
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Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.
External Websites
- Ancient Origins - The Real Story of Medusa: Protective Powers from a Snake-Haired Gorgon
- Greek Legends and Myths - Medusa in Greek Mythology
- Ancient Origins - Medusa and the Gorgons: The Origins of the Legendary Tale
- Roman and Greek Gods - Medusa
- Mythopedia - Medusa
- Theoi - The Curse of Medusa in Greek Mythology
- Greek Gods and Goddesses - Medusa
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art - Medusa in Ancient Greek Art
- World History Encyclopedia - Medusa
Britannica Websites
Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.
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Category: Arts & Culture
Medusa, in Greek mythology, the most famous of the monster figures known as Gorgons. She was usually represented as a winged female creature having a head of hair consisting of snakes; unlike the Gorgons, she was sometimes represented as very beautiful. Medusa was the only Gorgon who was mortal; hence her slayer, Perseus, was able to kill her by cutting off her head. From the blood that spurted from her neck sprang Chrysaor and Pegasus, her two sons by Poseidon. The severed head, which had the power of turning into stone all who looked upon it, was given to Athena, who placed it in her shield; according to another account, Perseus buried it in the marketplace of Argos.
Heracles (Hercules) is said to have obtained a lock of Medusa’s hair (which possessed the same powers as the head) from Athena and given it to Sterope, the daughter of Cepheus, as a protection for the town of Tegea against attack; when exposed to view, the lock was supposed to bring on a storm, which put the enemy to flight.
Britannica Quiz
A Study of Greek and Roman Mythology
In the British writer Iris Murdoch’s novel A Severed Head (1961), the heroine is a Medusa figure.
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica This article was most recently revised and updated by Adam Augustyn.
