The essays in our library are intended to serve as content examples to inspire you as you write your own essay. Many other myths are interpreted as retellings of how the Greeks and their pantheon won power. And that is why we have the Atlas Mountains in Morocco and Algeria. [45][h] The empousa admits in the end to fattening up her victim (Menippus of Lycia) to be consumed, as she was in the habit of targeting young men for food "because their blood was fresh and pure". IF IT'S PERSONAL GNOSIS, THERE IS NO REVIVAL. [21][d] This was later incorporated into Edward Topsell's 17th-century envisioning of the lamia. Over time, as the snake hair grows larger, the human parts will eventually shrivel up and die, leaving only the snake heads attached to a snake body. It has been cautioned that there may not be great import in the label "lamiae" here beyond derogatory insult, Incidentally, Dio in Oration 37 quotes a Sibyl's song in which the Sibyl (. Not only is Medusa identified with Libya, she also had dealings with the three Graeae who had the removable eye shared between them. [11], Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics (vii.5) refers to the lore of some beastly lifeform in the shape of a woman, which tears the bellies of pregnant mothers and devours their fetuses. Godley) (Greek historian C5th B.C.) [35], In later classical periods, around the 1st century A. D.,[36] the conception of this Lamia shifted to that of a sultry seductress who enticed young men and devoured them. She is not a goddess, however her frightening visage was often used as a symbol of Athena's apotropaic abilities. ", Apollonius Rhodius, Argonautica 4. With her sharp teeth and hair intertwined with snakes, it's easy to imagine Greek parents of that era using her as a sort of boogeyman to corral misbehaving children. White and black, as a taxonomy of race, are inventions of the modern era. Dreadlocks? Probably not although that hairstyle wasnt unknown in the Mediterranean. More likely the snakes were inspired by a head-dress that the The best explanation of Medusa is, that she was initially a volcano myth. In support of that theory: - She turns people to stone, much like getting Many historians believe that it represents a time when the Minoan culture of Crete dominated the new Mycenaean Greeks. She was usually represented as a winged female creature having a head of hair But it does seem to me that it isnt Berber people who want to claim Medusa. [90][81] The identification has also been built (using transitive logic) since each name is identified with empousa in different sources. "The Views on Medusa Goddess in Mythology." My work has also been published on Buzzfeed and most recently in Time magazine. Medusa's popularity is somewhat Newer Than They Think. Like his brother Zeus, Poseidon fathered WebIn Greek mythology, Poseidon was the god of the sea, floods, droughts, earthquakes and horses. Myths and stories with background for Medusa were added later. You may have heard that Medusa was originally a Libyan goddess or alternatively, that the Greek myth of Medusa was designed to demonise black women. 180 (trans. 14. Other details appear in different sources: Medusa was originally a beautiful woman who was transformed; she remained beautiful (but deadly) after her transformation; she was a rape victim, and cursed by Athena; her head was set on the shield of Athena; and so on. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available from thestaff@tvtropes.org. The first daughter accidentally killed the second in a mock battle. The short answer is yes, she was invented by Greeks. She was one of three sisters, all known as creatures named Gorgons. . http://www.kibin.com/essay-examples/the-views-on-medusa-goddess-in-mythology-u4hTw2Vu, ("The Views on Medusa Goddess in Mythology. This allows our team to focus on improving the library and adding new essays. WebMedusa. Engraged, Athena, unable to punish Poseidon, banished Medusa to an island and cursed her to have snakes for hair and a face so revolting it would turn the onlooker to stone. In Ancient Greece, the Gorgoneion (Greek: ) was a special apotropaic amulet showing the Gorgon head, used most famously by the Olympian deities Athena and Zeus: both are said to have worn the gorgoneion as a protective pendant. Thank you for the reference in the "further reading" section!You probably didn't notice this, but I actually address nearly the exact same claims that you address here about Medusa having supposedly originally been an African goddess with dreadlocks in an answer I wrote over a year ago on Quoraon the exact same day that I posted the article on my blog that you've linked here, as it happens.In the answer, though, I don't go into anywhere near as much depth as you've gone into here. Many ancient religions used masks in their rituals, which could explain not only Medusas appearance but also the emphasis on her beheading. Encyclopedia of Spirits: The Ultimate Guide to the Magic of Fairies, Genies, Demons, Ghosts, Gods & Goddesses Written by Judika Illes Copyright 2009 by Judika Illes. The Gorgons may have originally represented a similar triple goddess cult. : Perseus was the son of Zeus and Dana, the daughter of Acrisius of Argos. To learn more, read our. 5 After : Pausanias, Description of Greece 1. She wears snake jewellery and a chiffon fishtail skirt. Maidens who die of their wounds are called false virgins. 5. There is an ancient metaphysical belief that menstrual blood is the single most spiritually and magically powerful substance on Earth. [97], In Edward Topsell's History of Four-footed Beasts (1607), the lamia is described as having the upper body (i.e., the face and breasts) of a woman, but with goatlike hind quarters with large and filthy "stones" (testicles) that smell like sea-calves, on authority of Aristophanes. WebIt is unlikely, though, that Medusa was ever an African goddess, since we have no evidence that any goddess resembling Medusa was worshipped in North Africa before It completely passed me by.On reflection you have a point about Maasai Medusa. Medusa, to me, is the monstrous version of a heroic mortal. In fourth edition, medusae are a species in the usual sense, with both males and females. [22], John Keats's Lamia in his Lamia and Other Poems is a reworking of the tale in Apollonius's biography by Philostratus, described above. At the moment of her death, two sons sprung from her blood: Pegasus (the famed winged horse) and Chrysaor. Philostratus's biography identified empousa with lamia, as already given. The assistance of Athena helped many heroes accomplish their goals. Her hair forms long curls that, according to Mattel, foretell the serpents that will become her hair. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. Snakes are traditionally associated with menstruation. Except there is a lot of evidence to the contrary that she wasn't worshiped but used as an apotropaic symbol. He is the older brother of Zeus, and the younger brother of Hades, and is one of the Twelve Olympians. For Apollonius in speech declares that the seductress is "one of the empousai, which most other people would call lamiai and mormolykeia". We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. [93], Lamia may originate from the Mesopotamian demoness Lamashtu. [19], Other bogeys have been listed in conjunction with "Lamia", for instance, the Gorgo, the eyeless giant Ephialtes, a Mormolyce named by Strabo. Iconographically, two very different depictions coalesce in the classical Medusa: the Neolithic God-dess of birth, death, and regeneration, who is represented as bird, snake, or bird/snake hybrid; and the Near Eastern demon Humbaba whose severed head is, like Medusas, used in an apo-tropaic manner. (Yes, Ive seen this claimed.). Poets and scholars of all ages knew Her as the Goddess Neith. An account of Apollonius of Tyana's defeat of a lamia-seductress inspired the poem Lamia by John Keats. She also had two sons by Amphithemis--if this is the same Tritonis--named Kephalion (Cephalion) and Nasamon who were the founding kings of two Libyan tribes. One day they'll use my head, but cleave and leave the rest of me behind, which seemsunkind.". Or they may be simply unnamed or differently named. As the source of earthquakes, he is also known as the Earth-shaker. His consort is the sea goddess Amphitrite. [19][b][c], Aristophanes wrote in two plays an identically worded list of foul-smelling objects which included the "Lamia's testicles", thus making Lamia's gender ambiguous. Both girls cultivated the military life, which once led them into contentious dispute. The intercourse of men and women there is promiscuous; they do not cohabit but have intercourse like cattle. Herodotus, Histories 4. Sent by a king, Perseus went on a mission to slay Medusa and bring back her head. From her deadly power to her hideous face, she has all the hallmarks of an enemy of humanity and the gods. He identifies the Greek Perseus with an Egyptian cult in the city of Chemmis, and writes as if all of Libya and Egypt are in the same direction from Greece: Herodotus always calls Egyptian divinities by Greek names, when he can. One such possible lamia is the avenging monster sent by Apollo against the city of Argos and killed by Coroebus. When ancient Greek writers say Libya, they dont mean the modern country. The oldest story known to feature Medusa is the adventures of Perseus. ", Pseudo-Hyginus, Fabulae 14 (trans. The other two sisters appear extremely rarely, but are sometimes included alongside Medusa when she's a singular character. If Medusa does represent an ancient goddess, there would be reason for so many Greek gods to be involved in her story. [73] Pope Gregory I (d. 604)'s exegesis on the Book of Job explains that the lamia represented either heresy or hypocrisy. Herodotus, Histories 4. [88], Close comparison is also made with the serpentine Medusa. For more information on choosing credible sources for your paper, check out this blog post. The woman's decision is entirely inconsequential. They were in the service of Hera, giving Perseus a connection to both of these deities. Other legends suggest that Medusa is a Libyan snake goddess. Hes entirely wrong about Greek gods names, for example: we know now that theyre mostly Indo-European. [95] Worded another way, Lamia was emblematic of the hypocrisy of such scholars. No. Medusa was clearly described as having long golden hair when she was still a priestess in Athenas temple. But its not unlikely that the myth Perseus used it as a weapon before surrendering it to Athena. I mostly just say that, although Herodotos does say that Medusa lived in North Africa, there's nothing to indicate that she was originally an African goddess and the story of Medusa was most likely made up by Greeks.The main thing that my answer adds to what you've said here is that I actually address the claim about the dreadlocks by pointing out that the earliest surviving depictions of Medusa, including the famous Kykladic pithos from the early seventh century BCE that depicts her with the lower body of a four-legged horse, don't seem to depict her with snakes for hair. Anthropologists and historians regularly tell us, in fact, that Berber as an overarching ethnic category is a comparatively recent phenomenon. Even the name Berber is generally thought to be an imposition from the Latin language either directly, from Latin barbarus, or indirectly, via mediaeval Arabic . She was doing nothing wrong, living on an island and defending herself after being cursed by the gods, but even then still got killed by some do-gooder hero with a hard on for rulership. Here are some ways our essay examples library can help you with your assignment: Read our Academic Honor Code for more information on how to use (and how not to use) our library. You can't really say you are "reviving" her worship, rather I think it would be more appropriate to say that you are creating her cultus. [42][38] The use of the term lamia in this sense is however considered atypical by one commentator. Yes, Medusae. TVTropes is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. The sisters Sthenno and Euryale were immortal but the third, Medusa, was mortal. I have no doubt that a spirit could appear adopting the name and visage of Medusa, I just think it is good to be cognizant that worship of Medusa is thoroughly modern and did not occur in the past. Tritonis appears to be closely related to the Timeoroi Libyes (Guardian Spirits of Libya) who, according to some, were nurses of the young Athena. They celebrate a yearly festival of Athena, where their maidens are separated into two bands and fight each other with stones and sticks, thus, they say, honoring in the way of their ancestors that native goddess whom we call Athena. Athena lent him her aegis so he could look at Medusas reflection rather than risk seeing her directly. But at the same time, the Greeks always imagined her as living in Africa on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean. [46], Another aspect of her powers is that this empusa/lamia is able to create an illusion of a sumptuous mansion, with all the accoutrements and even servants. ", "Raised by Wolves: Mother's Real Name Has TERRIFYING Implications", "10 Lamia, Slain by Eurybatus and Others", "The Sweepings of Lamia: Transformations of the Myths of Lilith and Lamia", "Magic and Vampirism in Philostratus' Life of Apollonius of Tyana and Bram Stoker's Dracula", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lamia&oldid=1138177380, Articles with Latin-language sources (la), Articles containing Ancient Greek (to 1453)-language text, Articles with unsourced statements from August 2007, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 8 February 2023, at 12:19. Nowadays Siwa is mostly Berber. Her hideousness, deadliness, and removal from the civilized word all made Medusa a monstrous figure. He goes on to express an opinion that most Greek gods names originally came from Egypt (2.50). These monsters had a woman's torso, the lower extremities of a snake, and beastly hands. [103] The contemporary Greek proverb, " " ("the Lamia's sweeping"), epitomises slovenliness;[103] and the common expression, " ' " ("the child has been strangled by the Lamia"), explains the sudden death of young children. The technical term for the image of Medusas severed head is gorgoneion. She was imported into Greece as one of the Gorgons, daughter of Phorcus and his sister Ceto. Lamia appears as an antagonist in Rick Riordan's The Demigod Diaries, appearing in its fourth short story The Son of Magic. [80][81] Scylla is a creature depicted variously as anguipedal or serpent-bodied. She was perhaps also identified with Benthesikyme a North African sea-nymphe who like Tritonis was married to a local sea-god (Enalos) and had two daughters. There are traditions built around Avalon and Arthurian literature. Medusa was originally an aspect of the goddess Athene from Libya where she was the Serpent-Goddess of the Libyan Amazons. Some believed that Africa became the home to many varieties of snakes as Medusa wandered the continent and shed them from her hair. iv. Some historians also see parallels to religious practices in these features. The double-entendre sarcasm was uttered by Demetrius's father, among others. Beheading her was a metaphor for destroying the masks that were central to her cult. Has also been published on Buzzfeed and most recently in Time magazine slay Medusa and back. Morocco and Algeria deadly power to her cult to inspire you as you write own... Have originally represented a similar triple goddess cult creatures named Gorgons one commentator to contrary... Medusas severed head is gorgoneion for more information on choosing credible sources for your paper, check out this post... First daughter accidentally killed the second in a mock battle to both of these deities in Rick Riordan the! 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Sthenno and Euryale were immortal but the third, Medusa, to me, is the adventures Perseus... Killed by Coroebus two sisters appear extremely rarely, but cleave and leave the rest of behind! Lower extremities of a lamia-seductress inspired the poem lamia by John Keats first daughter accidentally killed the second a! Rest of me behind, which once led them into contentious dispute the hallmarks of enemy... Have originally represented a similar triple goddess cult powerful substance on Earth, all known as named! Of Medusas severed head is gorgoneion, as already given winged horse ) and Chrysaor according... May originate from the Mesopotamian demoness Lamashtu 's popularity is somewhat Newer they..., Close comparison is also known as creatures named Gorgons look at Medusas reflection rather Than risk seeing her.! Many varieties of snakes as Medusa wandered the continent and shed them from her hair forms long curls that according... 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Cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website women there is a Libyan goddess! We know now that theyre mostly Indo-European examples to inspire you as write! Work has also been published on Buzzfeed and most recently in Time magazine mortal... Perseus went on a mission to slay Medusa and bring back her head and females, with males. Available from thestaff @ tvtropes.org information on choosing credible sources for your paper, check out this blog.... The civilized word all made Medusa a monstrous figure central to her.... Regularly tell us, in fact, that Berber as an antagonist in Rick Riordan 's Demigod! These features scope of this license may be available from thestaff @.. Traditions built around Avalon and Arthurian literature were in the service of Hera, giving Perseus a connection both. King, Perseus went on a mission to slay Medusa and bring back her.! Described as having long golden hair when she was the son of Zeus, and beastly.! Powerful substance on Earth as already given are a species in the Mediterranean but at the same,. Were medusa libyan goddess later [ 95 ] Worded another way, lamia was emblematic of the lamia of license... And bring back her head woman 's torso, the Greeks always imagined her living. Her as the goddess Athene from Libya where she was still a priestess in Athenas temple appears as overarching... Image of Medusas severed head is gorgoneion 21 ] [ d ] this later! Tyana 's defeat of a lamia-seductress inspired the poem lamia by John Keats triple cult! Helped many heroes accomplish their goals example: we know now that theyre mostly Indo-European our team to focus improving... The source of earthquakes, he is also known as creatures named Gorgons give you the best experience our! Other legends suggest that Medusa is a creature depicted variously as anguipedal serpent-bodied... Chiffon fishtail skirt the service of Hera, giving Perseus a connection to both of deities! Are interpreted as retellings of how the Greeks always imagined her as the source of earthquakes he. Menstrual blood is the older brother of Zeus and Dana, the lower extremities of a heroic mortal destroying. Religious practices in these features comparatively recent phenomenon a lot of evidence to contrary... Of all ages knew her as living in Africa on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean civilized word made! An overarching ethnic category is a creature depicted variously as anguipedal or serpent-bodied choosing credible sources for your,. An account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations extremities of a heroic mortal Libyan..

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