If a blind man looks at Medusa, will he turn to stone?
This is an interesting question because in the myth it says that Perseus was not affected by Medusa’s reflected image.Yet, the myth says anyone who saw Medusa was turned to stone. So, does that mean everyone in Medusa’s proximity was turned to stone even if she didn’t see them? If so, why was Perseus not affected by her reflected image?So, the question is: Does seeing Medusa turn you to stone or does getting CAUGHT by Medusa turn you to stone?And if the latter is correct, why was her head still potent even after her death?It only makes sense if one figures Medusa had the power to punish those who saw her by turning them into stone, and that after death, this power could be exploited only by those who had gained power over her.So, if a blind man stumbled across her without seeing her, I’d say Medusa could turn him to stone unless… being blind was some sort of condition that was capable of preventing this.“Curse you, mortal. You must be blind and unable to see me. My power to turn you to stone will not work on you. Begone from my presence and do not sully my home any moment. Do not say Medusa is not without compassion.”Of course, it can be reckoned that Medusa is just a foreign goddess of the underworld toppled by Perseus spreading worship of Zeus abroad, and this whole “turning to stone” myth is just an allegory for rigor mortis.
What did Medusa do to turn someone into stone?
Medusa was originally a ravishingly beautiful maiden, "the jealous aspiration of many suitors," but because Poseidon had raped her in Athena's temple, the enraged Athena transformed Medusa's beautiful hair to serpents and made her face so terrible to behold that the mere sight of it would turn onlookers to stone.
If you looked Medusa into the eye, would you turn into stone?
In the legend yes, you would be encased in stone forever if you had the misfortune of looking into her eyes. Some variations of the myth say the curse may be broken if her head is removed from her shoulders, killing her. In the original tale you're doomed no matter what, but time twists stories always.
Medusa's eyes turned the lookers to stone. Athena's eyes caused indescribable dread. Is it just a coincidence, or is there a link?
The Greeks, like many cultures believed in the power of eyes or a gaze. Humans are very sight-ordinated animals and thus anything to do with that sense seems to have power.Athena was said to be “owl-eyed” Owls of course are the totem bird of Athena, and are noted for their eyes. The gaze of Medusa turns people into stone. Greek ships were painted with eyes on them. Charon, the ferry man of the dead was said to have “gleaming eyes.” Sokrates was said to have “daimonovlepos” the “gaze of a demon.” And of course even today in Greece, like many parts of the world there is a fear of “the evil eye.” In modern Greek its most commonly called “to mati,” “the eye” the evil is just understood.One way of defeating “the eye” is to say the word skorodho which means “garlic.” My great-grandmother used to say skorodho sta matia which means “garlic in your eyes.”
If medusa tuns someone in to stone. How would you undo it?
The Gorgon Medusa has two veins in her neck; one that brings instant death, and the other can heal even from the dead. I suppose that once beheaded and the head tucked safely into a bag or something, after carefully figuring out which vein is which, one might be able to use it to unstatue her victims.
If Medusa's head were cutoff and you stare into her eyes, would you still turn to a stone?
Yup and, according to legend, it has been done. After killing Medusa Perseus, the hero who killed her, used her severed head multiple times. He used it to turn a seamonstor to stone and save Princess Andromeda. He used it again to kill the King who had been harrassing his mother and ordered Perseus to bring him Medusa’s head in the first place.
Can Medusa see out of the eyes of the snakes on her head?
I would not think so, the snakes all seem to support themselves and work indivodually, which suggest they have a brain.I’d guess though that the snakes can send some kind of signal to Medusa to alert her of a sneak attack or something.
What are some the main symbols of Medusa?
Throughout ancient Greece, there are a number of references to the Medusa myth by ancient Greek writers Hyginus, Hesiod, Aeschylus, Dionysios Skytobrachion, Herodotus, and Roman authors Ovid and Pindar. When she is depicted in art, usually only her head is shown. She has a broad face, sometimes with tusks, and snakes for hair. In some imagery, she has fangs, a forked tongue, and bulging eyes.While Medusa is usually considered to be ugly, one myth states that it was her great beauty, not her ugliness, that paralyzed all observers. Her "monstrous" form is believed by some scholars to represent a partially-decomposed human skull with teeth beginning to show through the decaying lips.The image of Medusa was thought to be protective.Ancient statuary, bronze shields, and vessels have depictions of Medusa. Famous artists that have been inspired by Medusa and the heroic Perseus story include Leonardo da Vinci, Benvenuto Cellini, Peter Paul Rubens, Gialorenzo Bernini, Pablo Picasso, Auguste Rodin, and Salvador Dali.The snake-headed, petrifying image of Medusa is instantly recognizable in popular culture. The Medusa myth has enjoyed a renaissance since the story was featured in the "Clash of the Titans" movies in 1981 and 2010, and "Percy Jackson and the Olympians," also in 2010, where Medusa is portrayed by actress Uma Thurman.In addition to the silver screen, the mythical figure appears as a character in TV, books, cartoons, video games, role-playing games, usually as an antagonist. Also, the character has been memorialized in song by UB40, Annie Lennox, and the band Anthrax.The symbol of designer and fashion icon Versace is a Medusa-head. According to the design house, it was chosen because she represents beauty, art, and philosophy.
Why MEDUSA (mythology) was punished and condemned?
There are dozens of versions of this story. Medusa wasn't raped in all of them. In some, Medusa was the bride to be of Poseidon. In some she had consensual sex with Poseidon in Athena's temple. In any case. Medusa had love and it was taken from her by force. It is sometimes thought that when Athena turned her hair to snakes, it was not a punishment. It was empowerment. She gave Medusa the ability to destroy her attackers with just a single glance of her eyes. She forced Poseidon back by making his chosen impossible for him. Athena was the strategist, not well known for her emotions. She had to banish her priestess because she was no longer a virgin, but she sent her into the world as something so terrible that men would tremble in fear at her name. Edit: The Goddesses were not considered to be be women. They were of a different class. Like I said, there are many versions. In one, Athena and Medusa had nothing in common till Medusa had something Athena wanted. Medusa wasn't killed. Her head was cut off but she was still alive (think Futurama head in a jar) And that happened out of necessity. She was a weapon and she was needed, it had nothing to do with rage, anger or revenge. I am not familiar with the version of the story you are reading, so I can't really say why Perseus would say that. I could guess that the word punishment could be taken out. As I stated earlier, in some versions it wasn't a punishment, it was an empowerment, in this case, she would still be in the service of the Goddess and still have to sacrifice herself.