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Description
Among all the monsters of Greek mythology, Medusa is not only one of the most famous, but she also has one of the most tragic stories behind her. One of three sisters known as the Gorgons, she was originally considered so beautiful that the sea god Poseidon lusted after her, forcing himself upon her in the temple of Athena. As if being raped was not a cruel enough fate for Medusa, the goddess Athena transformed her into a monster with snakes for hair and a gaze that could turn people to stone as punishment for defiling her temple. In the end, Medusa found herself slain and decapitated by the demigod Perseus. Ancient myths can be so mean-spirited sometimes.

If you're wondering why I gave Medusa here an African appearance, a Greek novelist in the 2nd century BC identified her homeland as being located within Libya, which was then the Greek term for all of northern Africa. Earlier, the historian Herodotus reported that some of the native people there venerated Medusa as a sort of serpentine deity.

Description
Among all the monsters of Greek mythology, Medusa is not only one of the most famous, but she also has one of the most tragic stories behind her. One of three sisters known as the Gorgons, she was originally considered so beautiful that the sea god Poseidon lusted after her, forcing himself upon her in the temple of Athena. As if being raped was not a cruel enough fate for Medusa, the goddess Athena transformed her into a monster with snakes for hair and a gaze that could turn people to stone as punishment for defiling her temple. In the end, Medusa found herself slain and decapitated by the demigod Perseus. Ancient myths can be so mean-spirited sometimes.

If you're wondering why I gave Medusa here an African appearance, a Greek novelist in the 2nd century BC identified her homeland as being located within Libya, which was then the Greek term for all of northern Africa. Earlier, the historian Herodotus reported that some of the native people there venerated Medusa as a sort of serpentine deity.