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Article: Medusa
- Article from:
- Myths and Legends of the World
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2001 Macmillan Reference, USA. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Medusa
Medusa, one of three sisters in Greek mythology known as the Gorgons, had a destructive effect upon humans. In many myths, she appeared as a horribly ugly woman with hair made of snakes, although occasionally she was described as being beautiful. In
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See Names and Places
at the end of this volume for further information.
both forms, Medusa's appearance was deadly: any person who gazed directly at her would turn to stone.
Although the two other Gorgons were
immortal,
Medusa was not. One of the best-known legends about her tells of how the Greek hero Perseus killed her. Perseus and his mother, Dana
ë
, lived on the island of Seriphos, which was ruled by King Polydectes. ...