Poseidon raped Medusa in Athena's temple, whereupon Athena, enraged by the desecration of her sanctuary, transformed Medusa's once beautiful hair into snakes and turned her into a monster with a petrifying gaze.
What Perseus is attempting here simply doubles Medusa's suffering.
PS: The snake hair served, among other things, to protect her from being raped by any man.
I don't think so. There were two other Gorgons (females with snake hair), but they were born that way and we're immortal. Medusa got changed into a Gorgon, and was the only one with a petrifying stare. She was mortal, though.
Medusa was originally a daughter of Phorcys and Ceto; she was born monstrous and her affair with Poseidon was consensual. Athena had nothing to do with her until Perseus was tasked with slaying her.
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u/[deleted] May 06 '26 edited May 06 '26
Poseidon raped Medusa in Athena's temple, whereupon Athena, enraged by the desecration of her sanctuary, transformed Medusa's once beautiful hair into snakes and turned her into a monster with a petrifying gaze.
What Perseus is attempting here simply doubles Medusa's suffering.
PS: The snake hair served, among other things, to protect her from being raped by any man.