Why didn't Athena protect Medusa?

Now, Athena was very much a Goddess in a God's club at this point. But Athena wouldn't – couldn't – blame her priestess Medusa for being raped by her God enemy Poseidon. So, Athena protected Medusa at all costs. Instead of punishing Medusa with a head of snakes that could turn men to stone, Athena protected her.

Why did Athena betray Medusa?

It is in the Roman poet Ovid's Metamorphoses that her story is most deeply elaborated. She was lovely, according to the poem—until she was raped in Athena's temple by Poseidon. Athena then punished her for this violation, by turning her into the monstrous, stony-glanced creature that we know.

Was Athena punishing or protecting Medusa?

The snake-haired Medusa does not become widespread until the first century B.C. The Roman author Ovid describes the mortal Medusa as a beautiful maiden seduced by Poseidon in a temple of Athena. Such a sacrilege attracted the goddess' wrath, and she punished Medusa by turning her hair to snakes.

Why was Athena jealous of Medusa?

In fact, Athena was jealous of Medusa's beauty and lustrous hair. Poseidon ravaged her and took what she held dearly, her purity. Athena, outraged by this incident, cursed Medusa and turned her wonderful hair into venomous snakes, her beautiful face turned so ugly that any man who gazed upon would turn to stone.

Who was Medusa in love with?

Medusa and Poseidon engaged in a love affair and would have two children together, but not before Athena discovered the illicit affair. When Athena discovered the affair, she was enraged and immediately cursed Medusa by taking away her beauty.

Why did Athena Help Perseus Kill Medusa? - (Greek Mythology Explained)

Was Medusa more beautiful than Athena?

Medusa was very proud of her beauty and thought or spoke only of herself. Each day she boasted of how pretty she was. Medusa even boasted that she was prettier than Athena, goddess of wisdom, who watched over Athens. Athena decided to punish Medusa for her pride.

How did Medusa get pregnant?

Since Medusa was the only one of the three Gorgons who was mortal, Perseus was able to slay her while looking at the reflection from the mirrored shield he received from Athena. During that time, Medusa was pregnant by Poseidon.

What crimes did Athena commit?

This goddess, who generally prefers to see most things from a manly point of view, acquitted Orestes ₂, for she deemed Clytaemnestra's crime, killing her husband, to be greater than that of Orestes ₂, killing her mother Clytaemnestra in order to avenge his father Agamemnon.

Why did Poseidon and Athena hate each other?

In his dispute with Athena for dominion over Athens, the two gods had a contest as to which one could give the Athenians the best gift. Poseidon shoved his trident into the Acropolis and produced a flowing stream or a horse. Undismayed, Athena gave the Athenians an olive tree. And Poseidon challenged Athena to combat.

What was Medusa's mistake?

Medusa was once a beautiful but vain girl. She made the mistake of boasting that she was the most beautiful girl in the land, better looking than any goddess. The gods heard this and as punishment they turned her in to a Gorgon – a monster with snakes for hair.

Why is Medusa seen as a villain?

Her beauty caught the eye of the sea god Poseidon, who proceeded to rape her in the sacred temple of Athena. Furious at the desecration of her temple, Athena transformed Medusa into a monster with the deadly capacity to turn whoever looked upon her face to stone.

What race is Medusa?

Medusae are a monstrous race of creatures that appear superficially similar to a beautiful humanoid, however, up close their inhuman traits are revealed.

Who was in love with Athena?

In Greek mythology, the goddess Athena is immune to romantic love, so there is no particular lover for her. The goddess of love, Aphrodite, has power over all the goddesses and can lead them all to romantic love, though she has no power over Athena, Artemis, and Hestia, who are all virgin goddesses.

Why did Medusa get punished instead of Poseidon?

The Medusa we know was raped by Poseidon in the goddess Athena's temple. Athena then punished her for desecrating her sacred space by cursing Medusa with a head full of snakes and a gaze that turns men to stone. Then, a heroic Perseus severed the serpent-headed Medusa, turning her into a trophy.

What was Athena's weakness?

Athena's strengths: Rational, intelligent, a powerful defender in war but also a potent peacemaker. Athena's weaknesses: Reason rules her; she is not usually emotional or compassionate but she does have her favorites, such as the beleaguered heroes Odysseus and Perseus.

How did Zeus get pregnant with Athena?

Athena began growing inside Zeus's head. When Haphaestus cut open Zeus's head, and Athena was born, she was not born an infant. Instead, Athena was born a fully grown warrior, dressed in armor and ready for war. This is how Athena became the goddess of war and wisdom.

Why did Athena stay a virgin?

One of the reasons she became a virgin was to avoid having a fate similar to her mother, Metis. Even though she is a virgin goddess, Athena has demigod children, who are born from her own thoughts combined with the thoughts of mortal men she loves. These children are "gifts" to the men she favors.

Was Medusa male or female?

Medusa was a beautiful woman who was raped, killed and beheaded by various gods. However even in the face of tragedy and disgrace, the Medusa was portrayed as meaningful. Following the moment her head was removed, a Pegasus flew out of her body, representing the birth of beauty.

Can Medusa turn females to stone?

Yes. When Perseus decapitated her head, her head was still active, meaning that her head could be used as a weapon, and could still turn people (and other creatures) into stone. The Gorgon sisters were Medusa, Stheno, and Euryale. Their gaze could turn anyone who looked at them to stone, regardless of gender.

Did Poseidon and Medusa have a child?

From the blood that spurted from her neck sprang Chrysaor and Pegasus, her two sons by Poseidon.

Who was prettier than Aphrodite?

Psyche was a young princess from Sicily, famous for her extraordinary beauty. According to legend, she was even more beautiful than Aphrodite, the goddess of beauty.

Who is more beautiful Aphrodite or Athena?

When the Trojan prince Paris was asked to judge which of three Olympian Goddesses was the most beautiful, he chose Aphrodite over Hera and Athena, despite the latter* two trying to bribe him with power and victory in battle. Aphrodite won because she offered Paris the love of the most beautiful woman in the world.

What does Medusa symbolize?

According to The Met Museum, Medusa is portrayed in most Greek art as an "apotropaic symbol used to protect and ward off the negative," representing a "dangerous threat meant to deter other dangerous threats, an image of evil to repel evil." In modern tales of Gorgon though, she is a symbol of female rage.

Who made Athena pregnant?

Chapter 8: Athena. Zeus swallowed his consort METIS [mee'tis] (“wisdom”), after he had made her pregnant, because he feared that she would bear a son who would overthrow him. And so ATHENA [a-thee'na], or ATHENE (MINERVA), was born from the holy head of Zeus.