medusa libyan goddess
Yes, she was. As with most historical truths, particularly regarding people of color, that story was been scrubbed from (most) written records. The [14][15], Diodorus's rationalization was that the Libyan queen in her drunken state was as if she could not see, allowing her citizens free rein for any conduct without supervision, giving rise to the folk myth that she places her eyes in a vessel. Lamia by Zeus gave birth to a Sibyl according to Pausanias, and this would have to be the Libyan Lamia, yet there is a tradition that Lamia the daughter of Poseidon was the mother of a Sibyl. And then, there's the 2021 Amazon Prime commercial in which Medusa buys sunglasses, and becomes the life of the party (but doesn't hesitate to petrify someone who is annoying her and her new friends). After Remember how Herodotus interprets the people of Siwa as a mix of Egyptian and Ethiopian: in reality, we today would most likely call them Berber. "The Libyans have a saying that the Goddess [Athena] is the daughter of Poseidon and Lake Tritonis, and for this reason has blue eyes like Poseidon. | FAQs | ^Mods | Magic ^Words. Her hair forms long curls that, according to Mattel, foretell the serpents that will become her hair. 490 BCE (British Museum, McDaniel, S. 2020. Yes, Medusae. iv. Some believed that Africa became the home to many varieties of snakes as Medusa wandered the continent and shed them from her hair. Athenas participation in the destruction of Medusa may be interpreted as the goddess destroying her own past. Please like and share this article if you found it useful. Perseus beheaded Medusa while she slept, but her severed head retained its power to paralyze and turn viewers to stone. Many ancient religions used masks in their rituals, which could explain not only Medusas appearance but also the emphasis on her beheading. Many historians believe that it represents a time when the Minoan culture of Crete dominated the new Mycenaean Greeks. I felt the question about Medusa being a Goddess was closed in my mind, then I saw an altar for Medusa the other day and wanted to know if anyone else had another opinion. The males have different powers, in that they're bald (so no snake-hair attacks) and they can poison with their gaze rather than petrify, rather like certain mythological depictions of the basilisk. Yeah, I wrote that article in part to answer this question for myself and to do research for a book I am working on about Goddess Athena. WebIn Greek mythology, Poseidon was the god of the sea, floods, droughts, earthquakes and horses. For this reason. [7] She became disfigured from the torment, transforming into a terrifying being who hunted and killed the children of others. In his 9th-century treatise on divorce, Hincmar, archbishop of Reims, listed lamiae among the supernatural dangers that threatened marriages, and identified them with geniciales feminae,[74] female reproductive spirits. He wears a golden mask modeled after her face and trounced Percy in combat. The other two sisters appear extremely rarely, but are sometimes included alongside Medusa when she's a singular character. We'll take a look right away. 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. One interpretation of the Medusa myth, therefore, is that she represents the priestesses of an unknown pre-Greek goddess. She vowed to be celibate her entire life as a priestess of Athena until she fell in love with Poseidon. The story of Medusa seems to obviously be one of a terrible monster. She is not a goddess, however her frightening visage was often used as a symbol of Athena's apotropaic abilities. They were in the service of Hera, giving Perseus a connection to both of these deities. IF IT'S PERSONAL GNOSIS, THERE IS NO REVIVAL. Thanks for the comment and the Quora link. The female are the classic medusa, pretty much the same as in the previous edition except that she can now un-petrify her victims by applying a drop of her own blood. WebMedusa Introduction. The mythical gorgon Medusa. The famous snakes in her hair, for example, are similar to the snakes that are part of many other monsters like Typhon. Medusa, the most beautiful and only mortal Gorgon sister, is a sea spirit. Myth evolves. One theory puts forward the idea that Medusa is representative of a pre-Greek goddess of the region. In the fifth addition, medusae look like humans with snakes for hair, have males with identical powers and are cursed to turn into medusae on an individual basis. She may have had consensual or even sacred sex with him in Athenas temple, or she may have fled to the temple to get away from him. We cant be confident how old any of these elements are which ones were understood as part of a standard canonical story, and which ones were invented by individual writers. She resides in the Petrified Temple in the middle of a petrified forest on Lesbos. The image of her severed head remains a powerful protective amulet. A glance at a map, and a review of the other ancient sources on Medusa, makes the situation totally clear. It can be used to destroy or overwhelm any other power. Many other myths are interpreted as retellings of how the Greeks and their pantheon won power. Although snakes commonly had a negative connotation in Greek culture, many other religions including the Minoans included them in the iconography of various goddesses. Thats clear from his description of the ethnic mix at Siwa (2.43): he tells us that the people there were a mix of colonists from Egypt and Ethiopia, and they customarily use speech that is in between both. He was well aware of ethnic differences between Siwa and the Nile valley, but interpreted them in terms that were familiar to him. In this origin, the Gorgons are typically three sisters, the other two being Stheno and Euryale. As I said at the start, its entirely a matter of what people want. Such is their tale. There was a myth at nearby Antaeopolis that Horus made a pair of sandals from the hide of Seth; Perseus flying sandals would have made an obvious parallel. Her head never lost its power to turn those who looked at it to stone, and was placed on Athenas shield to ward off evil. Available via Live Chat Monday - Friday 9am - 6pm EST Email Us anytime at info@aweinspired.com. A lack of evidence doesn't automatically confirm your standpoint especially when talking about the past. noteAll bets are off, though, if she is of the Gorgeous Gorgon resp. As the source of earthquakes, he is also known as the Earth-shaker. His consort is the sea goddess Amphitrite. Engraged, Athena, unable to punish Poseidon. 2. This prompted Henderson (1998) to "humorlessly infer" that the Lamia must have been a. Keats's reworking makes this Lamia have serpent form for certain, which she wants to lose. WebMedusa was a Libyan Goddess who was worshiped by The Amazons. Medusa in Libya Medusa is a powerful symbol today, as powerful as ever whether you imagine her as the monstrous demon of early Greek art, the beautiful In the view of some historians, however, Medusa can be interpreted as something other than a monster. Hes entirely wrong about Greek gods names, for example: we know now that theyre mostly Indo-European. Either way, Athena was furious. 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. Medusas face was said to be so horrifying to look at that it could turn men to stone. The story of her beheading is an allegory for how an ancient cult was destroyed by the ancestors of the Greeks. Medusa was originally an aspect of the goddess Athene from Libya where she was the Serpent-Goddess of the Libyan Amazons. Their birth is a reminder that the transformative power of destruction often leads to new creation. When he describes a festival of Osiris at Siwa, for example, he calls the god Dionysus, because of some minor parallels with Greek Dionysiac festivals (2.4749). How the West made Arabs and Berbers into races.. 180 (trans. Rhod. "[The tribes of Libya :] Next to the Makhlyes (Machlyes) are the Auseans; these and the Makhlyes, separated by the Triton, live on the shores of Lake Tritonis. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. They're not intended to be submitted as your own work, so we don't waste time removing every error. : Medusa and her family are no exception. She wears snake jewellery and a chiffon fishtail skirt. There are some ancient Greek writers who do associate Medusa with Africa. Notably, the Greek historian Herodotos of Halikarnassos (lived c. 484 c Herodotus, Histories 4. ((lacuna)) They were slain in Libya by the shepherd Cephalion, brother of Nasamon, son of the Nymph Tritonis and Amphithemis, whsoe flocks they were plundering.. Kibin, 2023. http://www.kibin.com/essay-examples/the-views-on-medusa-goddess-in-mythology-u4hTw2Vu. When Athena entered Greek culture, she became a symbol of the new patriarchal order. "On the return trip [of the Argonauts] Eurybates, son of Teleon died, and Canthus, son of . In 2019 a fragmentary archaic Greek carving of a Gorgons head, or Gorgoneion, was found in Gibraltar itself deep inside Gorhams Cave. For this Athena punished her hideously. Will also delete on comment score of -1 or less. Myths are malleable, after all. [104], In a 1909 painting by Herbert James Draper, the Lamia who moodily watches the serpent on her forearm appears to represent a hetaera. A scholiast to Aristophanes claimed that Lamia's name derived from her having a large throat or gullet (; laims). What Were the Hamadryads in Greek Mythology? Rieu) (Greek epic C3rd B.C.) The ancient Greco-Roman imagination gradually shifted the Gorgons home, from an island in the Atlantic, eastwards to the African mainland: perhaps in Morocco, perhaps at the Strait of Gibraltar. The Makhlyes wear their hair long behind, the Auseans in front. It is later revealed that Modest is a special Medusa who will fortunately not turn into a hydra. Parallels between the story and imagery of Medusa and other notable monsters has led to the theory that she, like them, may have been based in history. But once Apollonius reveals her false identity at the wedding, the illusion fails her and vanishes. 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. [93], Lamia may originate from the Mesopotamian demoness Lamashtu. 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. Godley) (Greek historian C5th B.C.) A single glimpse of Medusas face was enough to kill a man instantly. But it does seem to me that it isnt Berber people who want to claim Medusa. Both sexes resemble the scaly humanoid from 3rd edition, though with less haggish features. Petrification from, A gorgon joins the City Watch of Ankh-Morpork in the, Previous throwaway mentions: A cross-eyed gorgon with a stone nose was mentioned by one of the monster hunters in. Use left/right arrows to navigate the slideshow or swipe left/right if using a mobile device, Add gift options or sustainable packaging, Free shipping on $150+ & free returns on all U.S. orders. 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. [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. Alternatively she desired Medusas power. [31] The lexicon also has an entry under mormo () stating that Mormo and the equivalent mormolykeion[f] are called lamia, and that all these refer to frightful beings. ", Pseudo-Apollodorus, Bibliotheca 3. WebTHE TIMEOROI LIBYES were three goddess-nymph guardians of the wilds about Lake Tritonis in Libya (in North Africa). [13][12], According to one myth, Hera deprived Lamia of the ability to sleep, making her constantly grieve over the loss of her children, and Zeus provided relief by endowing her with removable eyes. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. : Pseudo-Apollodorus, Bibliotheca 3. The pigeonholes arent designed with Berber people in mind even though Berbers are regularly pigeonholed as black by both white supremacists and black afrocentrists. Other packaging types available at checkout. Thats the Greek myth. When she's defeated, Medusa herself is turned to stone. Really the whole idea of the African medusa figure is based off of a single historian, Martin Bernel, and his work Black Athena, which posits that the Goddess Athena, as well as the entirety of Greek language and culture are derived from African roots rather than Indo-European roots, as well as Note that the Erinnyes (Furiae) were depicted very similarly as hideous snake-haired women. From Greek mythology, Medusa is the only mortal of the Gorgons. Whether or not Medusa was African in the 7th century BCE, that doesnt determine whether shes African now. According to some myths, Medusa, the most famous of the Gorgons, was originally a beautiful woman. 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. 1495.). As Pallas was about to give Athene a whack, Zeus skittishly held out the aegis, so that she glanced up to protect herself, and thus was wounded by Athene and fell. She was imported into Greece as one of the Gorgons, daughter of Phorcus and his sister Ceto. Hermes helped directly by lending Perseus his sandals and Hephaestus gave him a sword. She doesn't appear that often in media made before the 80s. Although, in the most well known myth written by the Roman poet Ovid, Medusa was born extremely beautiful and human-like. It is eventually revealed that Medusas are the larval form of hydras. In this story she is a powerful monster whom Perseus defeats by decapitating her (and later using her head to petrify enemies) without looking at her he sticks to looking at her shadow or looking through a mirrored shield, depending on the version. Her most monstrous attribute, however, was the determination of the gods to have her killed. 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. Left: a Gorgoneion or Gorgons head on a hydria from Attica, Greece, ca. Kibin. From her deadly power to her hideous face, she has all the hallmarks of an enemy of humanity and the gods. Some of the Gorgons' depictions make them Snake People. Like his brother Zeus, Poseidon fathered Some modern astrologers suggest that this star is associated with female power and the reemergence of the feminine divine. 5 Perseus received divine aid, in the form of a special wallet to carry the head; winged sandals that enabled him to fly; and the cap of Hades to make him invisible. "They say that after Athene's birth, she was reared by Triton [and presumably Tritonis], who had a daughter named Pallas. [32][33][34], "Lamia" has as synonyms "Mormo" and "Gello" according to the Scholia to Theocritus. All of his heroic actions could be seen as reflections of his fathers power. Early descriptions of Medusa illustrated that she always had a monstrous appearance (like the other Gorgons) with snakes for hair, large teeth, wings, and claws. Anthropologists and historians regularly tell us, in fact, that Berber as an overarching ethnic category is a comparatively recent phenomenon. The 1982 novel Lamia by Tristan Travis sees the mythological monster relocated to 1970s Chicago, where she takes bloody vengeance on sex offenders while the cops try to figure out the mystery. She was considered the destroyer aspect of the Great Triple Goddess also Kibin, 2023. http://www.kibin.com/essay-examples/the-views-on-medusa-goddess-in-mythology-u4hTw2Vu. [102] John Cuthbert Lawson remarks "the chief characteristics of the Lamiae, apart from their thirst for blood, are their uncleanliness, their gluttony, and their stupidity". [67], A second example is a colony of man-eating monsters in Libya, described by Dio Chrysostom. In previous centuries, Lamia was used in Greece as a bogeyman to frighten children into obedience, similar to the way parents in Spain, Portugal and Latin America used the Coco. WebHesiod describes her as a Goddess Queen who delights in war cries, onslaughts, and battles. Hephaestus served as the midwife who birthed her using a smiths hammer as an obstetric tool. [50] The word play is also seen as being employed in Horace's Odes, to banter Lucius Aelius Lamia the praetor. She was born far across the ocean from Greece; Later contributing authors to Medusas myth placed her homeland as Libya. [54][55][m][n], Meroe has seduced a man named Socrates, but when he plots to escape, the two witches raid his bed, thrust a knife in the neck to tap the blood into a skin bag, eviscerate his heart, and stuff the hole back with sponge. Dreadlocks? Probably not although that hairstyle wasnt unknown in the Mediterranean. More likely the snakes were inspired by a head-dress that the The Cyprias island of Sarpedon may be purely imaginary though I do wonder if it may reflect a very early awareness of the Canary Islands (just over 100 km from the mainland, and inhabited in antiquity, most likely by Berber people). I don't object to you removing the last sentence at all. Her image was used in Byzantine Greece to protect pregnant women and newborns. She went against her vow and married him. There exists a genus of horned dinosaur named after Medusa called. Source: Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology. Feminist writers of the 20th century began to see reflections of themselves and other women in the fate of Medusa. Raised by Wolves features a character named Lamia, an android mother, who has removable eyes and the ability to shapeshift. Ancient Greek names are normally built out of meaningful Greek words. I have been in love with all things related to Mythology. Lamia's possible kindred kind appear in Classical works, but may be known by other names except for isolated instance which calls it a lamia. In some versions, the removable eye belonged to the three Gorgons, Medusa and her sisters. The first daughter accidentally killed the second in a mock battle. We can leave that aside: Hyperborea was sometimes imagined as being in northern Ukraine, or to the north of the Caspian Sea.). Sent by a king, Perseus went on a mission to slay Medusa and bring back her head. [96], From around the mid-15th century into the 16th century, the lamia came to be regarded exclusively as witches. ", Pseudo-Hyginus, Fabulae 14 (trans. except it's just Tamagotchi School's nurse Mrs. Houtaiko rather than Medusatchi, A deleted subplot would have had Athena and Apollo conspiring to help Perseus behind the other gods' backs; presumably having Athena be the one who cursed her would have put her in. [2.1] KEPHALION, NASAMON (by Amphithemis) (Apollonius Rhodius 4.1493, Hyginus Fab 14), TRITONIS (Tritnis). Hopefully ppl do know that there are African Greeks. Just like there are African Indians, Afro-Mexicans and etc.. Just true history is needed.. no She was imported into Greece as one of the Gorgons, daughter of Phorcus and his sister Ceto. Rieu) (Greek epic C3rd B.C.) They are not strictly speaking "witches", but they are referred to as such by convention. A good friend of mine worships her as a goddess. [a][14][17], According to the same source, Lamia was taken by Zeus to Italy, and that Lamos, the city of the man-eating Laestrygonians, was named after her. [9][10] Heraclitus Paradoxographus (2nd century) also gave a rationalizing account. I havent found any Berber sources that incorporate her into Berber iconography or culture. lamiai or lamiae) was being glossed as a general term referring to a class of beings. In Libya, Medusa was worshiped as a serpent-goddess that represented female And either way, she can still become Berber any time. In others, they are not literal snakes but rather hair that supernaturally behaves as if it were made of living snakes. edd., Strabo. Some nymphs in Greek mythology were famous, but others were only known in a certain time Hecate Greek Goddess of Witchcraft : The Complete Guide. These monsters had a woman's torso, the lower extremities of a snake, and beastly hands. White and black, as a taxonomy of race, are inventions of the modern era. WebMedusa, in Greek mythology, the most famous of the monster figures known as Gorgons. An account of Apollonius of Tyana's defeat of a lamia-seductress inspired the poem Lamia by John Keats. The ancient Greek origin is that she and her fellow Gorgons were simply created/born that way. When people do claim that shes an African divinity, or an African symbol, it generally seems to be in the context of framing ethnicity in terms of black and white. This framework slots all European and African people into either black or white pigeonholes. Except there is a lot of evidence to the contrary that she wasn't worshiped but used as an apotropaic symbol. Her hideousness, deadliness, and removal from the civilized word all made Medusa a monstrous figure. Hades players can get Perseus as a hero in the Mythic age. [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. [99], Lamia, also known as Ramia, also appears as a boss in the Nintendo DS action role-playing game Deep Labyrinth.[100]. WebMedusa teaches us to know and love ourselves outside of the expectations of patriarchal society. The assistance of Athena helped many heroes accomplish their goals. French Polynesia, Guadeloupe, Libya, Martinique, New Caledonia, Reunion, Russian Federation, Singapore, Ukraine, Send your order with a custom message and a special package containing an embossed gift bag, tissue paper, Awe branded polishing cloth and a notecard. They are depicted as female creatures with 'snake-like' bodies and seduce the protagonist Rael in an attempt to devour him, but as soon as they 'taste' Rael's body, the blood that enters the lamias' body causes their death. Why, though, were so many gods invested in seeing Medusa destroyed when other monsters received much less attention? 1. [72], By the Early Middle Ages, lamia (pl. [18][26] Such practices are recorded by the 1st century Diodorus,[9] and other sources in antiquity. Perseus used it as a weapon before surrendering it to Athena. Many pantheons, including the Greek one, had triple goddesses. Hesychius of Alexandria's lexicon (c. 500 A.D.) glossed lamiai as apparations, or even fish. Medusa teaches us to know and love ourselves outside of the expectations of patriarchal society. The essays in our library are intended to serve as content examples to inspire you as you write your own essay. Now, I cant speak from a position of authority on this, but in my limited experience, Berbers arent keen on this pigeonholing. [95] Worded another way, Lamia was emblematic of the hypocrisy of such scholars. "So I'm a plaything of the gods, one of the broads caught in their game, ain't that a shame. These did not all immediately help him kill Medusa, but it did allow him to escape her sisters. Strands of her snake hair went on to protect whole cities. [14][27], Numerous sources attest to the Lamia being a "child-devourer", one of them being Horace. [58], Some commentators, despite the absence of actual blood-sucking, find these witches to share "vampiric" qualities of the lamiae (lamiai) in Philostratus's narrative, thus offering it up for comparison.[59]. Later depictions (although still fairly ancient ones, in the absolute sense) gradually toned down the more monstrous aspects and made her more attractive. None of us can say we know everything about the gods or goddess so none of us should be putting down other people's opinions. My last sentence 'But thats a long, long way from making her Maasai' was ill-advised. Of the three sisters only Medousa was mortal. "a Lamia's groin" (Benjamin Bickley Rogers, 1874), "a foul Lamia's testicles" (Athenian Society, 1912), "sweaty Crotch of a Lamia" (Paul Roche, 2005). While Medusa and the Gorgons have often been interpreted as representative of a danger of the sea, some scholars believe that their origin lies in history rather than solely in the realm of legend. 144 (trans. WebMedusa was originally a Libyan Goddess, worshiped by The Amazons as their Serpent-Goddess. WebMedusa is not just a minor sea spirit. When ancient Greek writers say Libya, they dont mean the modern country. Learn what works (and what doesn't) from the reader's perspective. [14] A different authority remarks that Lamia was once queen of the Laestrygonians. Or they may be simply unnamed or differently named. Medusa is usually portrayed as the monster she became after her transformation by Athena. Please allow a few minutes for this process to complete. FEBRUARY MYSTERY BOX, GET IT BEFORE IT'S GONE ON MARCH 1ST, LAST CHANCE | BUY THE FEBRUARY MYSTERY BOX, Discover your goddess | Take the quiz & get 10% off, Most recognizable for her locks of snakes, Medusa was the daughter of ancient chthonic deities of the sea. Before the girls are set fighting, the whole people choose the fairest maid, and arm her with a Korinthian (Corinthian) helmet and Greek panoply, to be then mounted on a chariot and drawn all along the lake shore. Poets and scholars of all ages knew Her as the Goddess Neith. Lamia has been ascribed serpentine qualities, which some commentators believe can be firmly traced to mythology from antiquity; they have found analogues in ancient texts that could be designated as lamiai (or lamiae) which are part-serpent beings. On his way back to Greece he paused in the Maghreb and turned the Titan Atlas to stone. Lamia appears as an antagonist in Rick Riordan's The Demigod Diaries, appearing in its fourth short story The Son of Magic. [98] August Enna wrote an opera called Lamia.[36]. Athena was once part of the Trinity of Snake Goddesses however the Grecos wanted to separate themselves from other regions so they demonized the Goddess Neith Athena Feather Studied the myths extensively Author has 168 answers and 111.6K answer views 2 y Im not sure what answer you want. WebTHE GORGONES (Gorgons) were three powerful, winged daimones named Medousa (Medusa), Sthenno and Euryale. [38] The last statement has led to the surmise that this lamia/empusa was a sort of blood-sucking vampiress. Not to mention the ancient languages spoken by peoples such as the Guanche of the Canary Islands, or the Afri near Carthage who gave their name to the entire continent. "The Views on Medusa Goddess in Mythology." Snakes are traditionally associated with menstruation. Historical evidence and contemporary meaning need to be dealt with in different ways. http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Medusa.
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medusa libyan goddess