Description

The tale of Medusa is a tragic one, filled with betrayal, jealousy, and a curse that would ultimately lead to her downfall.

Medusa was once a beautiful priestess in the temple of the goddess Athena. She was known for her stunning looks and her devotion to her duties. However, her beauty would ultimately lead to her demise.

One day, the god Poseidon noticed Medusa and became infatuated with her. He approached her and tried to seduce her, but Medusa resisted. In his anger and frustration, Poseidon cursed Medusa, turning her beautiful hair into writhing snakes and making her face so terrifying that anyone who looked upon her would turn to stone.

Medusa was now an outcast, feared and reviled by all who saw her. She was forced to flee to the remote island of Sarpedon, where she lived in isolation for many years.

However, Medusa’s fate was not yet sealed. The hero Perseus, son of Zeus, was tasked with slaying Medusa as part of his quest to save his mother from an evil king. With the help of Athena, Perseus was able to sneak up on Medusa while she slept and cut off her head using a mirrored shield to avoid her gaze.

In her death, Medusa’s curse was lifted, and her sisters, the Gorgons, mourned her loss. However, her legacy would live on, as her severed head was said to retain its power to turn people to stone.

Though Medusa’s story is a tragic one, she remains an enduring figure in mythology, representing the dangers of beauty, the consequences of angering the gods, and the power of a cursed fate.

“Medusa” was originally commissioned for Great Oak HS (Temecula, CA) for their 2016 season.