Monster or Mother
Medusa and Greek mythologyMany of us are familiar with the image of Medusa from Greek Mythology a grotesque monster with a head full of squirming snakes. She is also famous for being able to turn people into stone by the force of her malevolent stare.
However, is there more to this unfortunate cheap Canada Goose lady? Is she really the monster we all assume? As we shall see, Medusa is much more complex and far less malignant than we have been lead to believe by, not just the movies, but by the canada goose coats on sale Greek patriachs themselves.
Canada Goose Jackets Why should the true origins of Medusa have been buried under a veneer of ugliness and evil? We shall see that there is so much more to her than this hideous stereotype and perhaps the real ugliness lies within the minds and hearts of those who supressed her true origins. Canada Goose Jackets
canada goose uk outlet One of the many temples of Athena still standing. Tradition says that Medusa, then a young beautiful woman, was a priestess of the Goddess Athena. Source canada goose uk outlet
According canada goose outlet to Greek mythology, Medusa was one of three daughters born to the sea Titans, Ceto and Phorcys.
Canada Goose Outlet The most popular myth relating to Medusa begins when she is a beautiful young woman. She is a virgin priestess in the temple of Athena. Unfortunately for Medusa her stunning locks of hair and beautiful face caught the attention of the sea god Poseidon. She was raped within the temple and fled in despair at the sacrilege committed. But there was no escaping Athena’s rage. The tragic priestess was transformed into a Gorgon. Canada Goose Outlet
canada goose clearance The Gorgons are a form of beast that goes back thousands of years. The descriptions are also varied. Some have scaly skin, boar’s tusks, vampire like fangs, lolling tongue, popping eyes. Others have the more well known appendage of a head of poisonous snakes. canada goose clearance
After Medusa was turned into a Gorgon as were both of her sisters they were barred to a remote island to remain forever. Medusa however would not remain here forever. She was merely mortal but her two sisters were not. Medusa was beheaded by the Greek hero Canada Goose Outlet Perseus. Her canada goose magical head would then be returned to where her tragic story began in the temple of Athena.
canada goose black friday sale The hero Perseus later married the princess Andromeda interestingly, canada goose deals they named their daughter Gorgonphone after the name Gorgon. canada goose black friday sale
canada goose uk shop The Meaning Behind The Myth?At first glance Canada Goose sale it would canada goose clearance sale seem that the story of Medusa is straight forward. However when we look more closely we see that she is constantly viewed from an opposing angle. For example: canada goose uk shop
Canada Goose online After her transition from human female to Gorgon she was frequently seen as a monster and repellent in art and myth. However, many artists also depicted her as beautiful and enticing. Canada Goose online
canada goose coats She could be the aggressor but she was also a protector. Athena herself had the image of Medusa on her breastplate, symbolising protection in war. Many battle leaders, including Alexander the Great, had the head of Medusa either on their breastplate buy canada goose jacket or shield as an amulet against enemy attack. canada goose coats
uk canada goose outlet She could bring life and she also brought death. This is the classic role of any ‚Mother Goddess‘. Apart from giving birth to Pegasus and Chrysoar, her right vein also had the properties of healing and life. Blood from her left vein was Canada Goose Jackets toxic and killed. uk canada goose outlet
Here we can clearly see that she is already associated with the name Athene basically the same name as the Greek ‚Athena‘. This aspect of the Goddess was later ‚adopted‘ into Greek culture.
buy canada goose jacket cheap Within the triple goddess aspect we find the maiden, the mother and the crone. Medusa was the crone or canada goose coats destructive aspect of Canada Goose Parka the goddess. However, it should be remembered that this is only one aspect of Medusa. In addition ‚destruction‘ does not mean evil or negative. We must have destruction in order not only for new life to be born, but for the continuation of all life. Indeed her aspect as ‚the crone‘ meant that she was: buy canada goose jacket cheap
the ‚Wise One‘
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Medusa also had regenerative powers symbolised by the birds that are shown in many images of her. Birds represent not only death but also a transition in to new life.
canada goose uk black friday What about the snakes the powerful emblem of Medusa?These reptiles represented to ancient peoples the cycles of birth death rebirth as symbolised by the shedding of their skin. The shedding of skin was viewed as a form of death/old skin; and rebirth/new skin. The snake and Medusa were also seen as representing the seasons, the earth and canada goose clearance the underworld. canada goose uk black friday
uk canada goose One of the oldest of Greek gods is Artemis. She is a Goddess of animals. Like Medusa, her form of killing is a sacred one as this allows for rejuvenation and rebirth. Canada Goose online Within one temple dedicated to Artemis are images of Medusa with snakes entwined around her waste the symbolism for ‚healing‘. Artemis is often depicted canada goose black friday sale wearing the ‚mask‘ of Medusa. This was also referred to as the mask of the Gorgon or of Hecate. One of the early associations with Artemis is with the goddess Hecate. uk canada goose
There are also figures of the Mother Goddess Cybele that look similar to Medusa. Cybele was the goddess of wild animals and fertile nature. Here we see Medusa acquainted with the ‚mother‘ aspect. And overall we can see how Medusa was part of the great Triple Goddess, the supreme mother of Earth and the heavens.
Canada Goose Coats On Sale Sadly, the patriarchal Greeks took, what they viewed as, the positive aspects of the triple canadagoosepark goddess the maiden and created Athena. Metis the mother aspect became actual ‚mother‘ to Athena within the Greek myths. Medusa was segregated from both and into a monster/death aspect. In effect when Perseus ‚executed‘ Medusa it was the symbolic killing of the great Mother goddess to be replaced by the supreme male deity Zeus. In addition, the autonomy and position of women within Greek society was also relegated. Medusa was then written into the Greek myths as the dangerous female ogre we are familiar with today. Canada Goose Coats On Sale
Perhaps the next time we see an artistic impression, stone carving or a movie showing Medusa as the villain and monster we will be sympathetic and remember she started life as a maiden, became a mother and only a monster because of a change from a matriarch to a patriarch society.