Who cursed Medusa?

Medusa and Poseidon engaged in a love affair and would have two children together, but not before Athena

Athena
Athena or Athene, often given the epithet Pallas, is an ancient Greek goddess associated with wisdom, warfare, and handicraft who was later syncretized with the Roman goddess Minerva.
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discovered the illicit affair. When Athena discovered the affair, she was enraged and immediately cursed Medusa by taking away her beauty.

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Why was Medusa cursed and not Poseidon?

Medusa prayed to Athena for guidance and forgiveness. After all, in those days, the gods claimed their mates as their partner forever, and Medusa was now Poseidon's wife. Athena looked down in anger and cursed Medusa for betraying her. Medusa was sent to a faraway island and was cursed so that no man would want her.

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How did Medusa become cursed?

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.

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Why did Athena punish Medusa?

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. Yes: punished for being raped.

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Who was Medusa before she was cursed?

Legend states that Medusa was once a beautiful, avowed priestess of Athena who was cursed for breaking her vow of celibacy. She is not considered a goddess or Olympian, but some variations on her legend say she consorted with one. When Medusa had an affair with the sea god Poseidon, Athena punished her.

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The Punishment of Medusa: The Story of The Cursed Priestess - Mythological Comics - Greek Mythology

38 related questions found

Who got Medusa 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.

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Did Poseidon love Medusa?

Poseidon was enamored by Medusa's beauty, and Medusa returned the same feelings. Medusa and Poseidon engaged in a love affair and would have two children together, but not before Athena discovered the illicit affair.

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Why do Athena and Poseidon hate each other?

Athena bested Poseidon by producing an olive tree on the Acropolis. Poseidon also raped Medusa—a mortal who had the reputation of being beautiful—in Athena's temple, desecrating it. Athena could not do anything to her uncle, so she took vengeance on Medusa by turning her into a woman with snakes on her head.

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Why was Athena jealous of Medusa and Poseidon?

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.

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What does a Medusa tattoo mean?

What does the Medusa tattoo mean? “The Medusa tattoo can mean many things, but it's generally a symbol of survival, strength, and overcoming assault,” says tattoo artist Ruby Rose. “Medusa has become a figure of protection to women who have experienced sexual assault or assault on some level, particularly by men.”

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Did Poseidon and Medusa have a child?

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

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What is the story behind Medusa?

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.

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How did Poseidon impregnate Medusa?

Fact #1: Poseidon had Children with Medusa

Medusa was once a beautiful woman. Medusa was a maiden who served Athena in her temple. As Medusa was in Athena's temple, Poseidon raped her and impregnated her with two children.

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Why did they cut off Medusa's head?

Medusa was seduced by Neptune (Poseidon) in a temple to Minerva (Athena), and in revenge, Minerva turned Medusa's beautiful head of hair into snakes. As she was both mortal and had the ability to turn men to stone, Perseus was sent to cut off her head.

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Is Poseidon Athena's husband?

ATHENE (Athena) The goddess of warcraft was, according to some, the daughter of Poseidon and Tritonis (contrary to the usual account in which she springs fully-grown from the head of Zeus).

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Is Athena a virgin goddess?

In her aspect as a warrior maiden, Athena was known as Parthenos (Παρθένος "virgin"), because, like her fellow goddesses Artemis and Hestia, she was believed to remain perpetually a virgin. Athena's most famous temple, the Parthenon on the Athenian Acropolis, takes its name from this title.

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How did Poseidon seduce Medusa?

Medusa. 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.

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Why is Athena obsessed with Odysseus?

The goddess Athena favors Odysseus for multiple reasons. First, he is a loyal worshiper. He shows her respect and makes sacrifices to her when she shows him kindness. Like many Greek heroes, he understands the importance of having a patron god on his side.

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Did Athena ever fall in love?

In Greek mythology, the goddess Athena is immune to romantic love, so there is no particular lover for her.

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Did Poseidon sleep with Aphrodite?

POSEIDON The god of the sea had an affair with Aphrodite who was grateful for his support following the revelation of her adulterous relationship with Ares. She bore him two daughters Rhodos and Herophilos. ZEUS The king of the gods attempted to seduce Aphrodite when she first set foot upon land in Kypros.

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Who did Poseidon fall in love with?

Amphitrite, in Greek mythology, the goddess of the sea, wife of the god Poseidon, and one of the 50 (or 100) daughters (the Nereids) of Nereus and Doris (the daughter of Oceanus). Poseidon chose Amphitrite from among her sisters as the Nereids performed a dance on the isle of Naxos.

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How many wives did Poseidon have?

Although Poseidon had a large host of lovers and many children by these women, he only had one official wife: Amphitrite, one of the Nereids. Poseidon and his wife had several offspring, including the well-known sea creature Triton.

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Who really killed Medusa?

Because the gaze of Medusa turned all who looked at her to stone, Perseus guided himself by her reflection in a shield given him by Athena and beheaded Medusa as she slept.

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Are Medusa's sisters still alive?

5. Stheno and Euryale Were Immortal (Unlike Medusa) Curiously, in many Greek myths Medusa is described as being mortal, while her two sisters Stheno and Euryale are immortal and entirely indestructible.

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