Mama Medusa

The far-off origins of the Serpent-crowned Witch Goddess, Medusa are clouded by the mists of time and unclear, however, there are various theories and legends surrounding the Goddess.
Some are of the opinion that Medusa was originally a Libyan (Arabian) Goddess ruling over the underworld ( chthonic), similar to Ereshkigal , Persephone or Lilith; others maintain that Medusa was a Greek Witch with snakes as hair and possessing the Evil Eye.In the Triple Goddess tradition ( most Goddesses are represented as a triple); Medusa had two sisters, Stheino and Euryale, coming from a lost , ancient world and born of Dark underworld Sea deities Phorcys and Ceto.
Together they are known as the Gorgons, but Medusa is the original Gorgon, capable of transforming into a monster or a beautiful goddess with terrifying serpents writhing as her hair and with a gaze that could turn anyone to stone or freeze them in their tracks.
To this day it is believed by many that this is the origin of the Evil Eye.

In later Greek myths, Athena, who was originally part of another Triple Goddess grouping with Neith and Medusa in happier, pre-patriarchal times ; supposedly found Medusa, a now- mortal priestess of Her temple, having forbidden sex with Poseidon and desecrating the temple. In a rage, Athena changed Medusa’s hair to snakes and made her features so terrible that any onlooker would freeze and become a statue of stone.

The most well-known story, also from Patriarchal Greece, is that of the demi-god Perseus who is sent to take Medusa’s head by a king. Aided by Hermes, Athena and other gods, he eventually succeeds in his quest and , using a mirror to deflect the gaze away from himself, takes the head of Medusa. Corals from the Red sea and deadly vipers sprung up wherever the blood from the severed head spilt. And it is said that as Medusa had been made pregnant by Poseidon, when She died, Pegasus, the winged horse of legend and a giant, Chrysaor , were born of Her.
Medusa’s head was then taken by Perseus to Athena, who incorporated the head on her shield, which then had the same powers as Medusa had when alive. These tales speak of taking primal Dark Goddess powers, and turning them into powers that are controlled by a masculinised version of Athena, to be harnessed by a male-dominated pantheon and to combat anything associated with the Crone and Dark Feminine principle.

Athena and Medusa as mentioned were part of a Trinity of Goddesses in the first place and Athena has always been known as the Goddess of Justice. Athena’s sacred bird, also linked to Lilith , Minerva, The Morrigan and other Goddesses, is the Owl, a symbol of wisdom and the mysteries of the night.
The Crone Mother was venerated by the Greeks long before all the myths were altered to suit a new and revised, male-dominated religious and social system, as it was done in most places over the last 5000 years or so of earth’s long herstory.

So, Athena’s original alter-ego, Medusa, was again put through the “demonization” process as the authors of the new, male-dominated beliefs tried to divide Goddess power and weaken the Old religion by making the Old Ones into “evil” demons or devils, while at the same time re-inventing the mythos of some Goddesses to make them all-male friendly and keeping them in the new and revised pantheon, as nicely subordinate to the male gods.
Probably the most insulting is the so-called dominion of Zeus over Athene . What a joke.

Various translations of Medusa’s Name are : “Guardian” or “Protectress”;“ Cunning One” or “Queen” ; Stheno , as “Mighty One” and Euryale , as “Wandering One”
The earliest accounts are generally much closer to the truth than later, patriarchal ones, and Medusa and the other Gorgons were seen to incarnate as beautiful, golden sea goddesses originally, by the ancient Greeks.

The head of Medusa has been the subject of many theories and even Sigmund Freud wrote an article on Medusa, where briefly, the head is symbolic of Maternal sexuality and the discovery of the child that this natural part of his development is taboo. Freud called this first awakening and necessary denial a form of social castration on the child’s psyche. Medusa’s head is found even today on various flags and coats of arms as the ultimate symbol of protection and it is said that the Gorgon’s mask was traditionally used by priestesses of old to scare away unwanted intruders or those who were trying to spy on sacred rites, just as many temples had a likeness of the Magickal charm to serve as a guardian. Medusa’s head as a charm will protect against negative or destructive influences. If a Woman is in a fighting rage of fury, the face of Medusa can be seen, almost as a mask overlaid on top of the normal face during this time .

Within modern Feminist interpretations , Medusa is seen as the face of righteous female rage and fury ; beautiful and alluring , but deadly to any MCP or other fool who thinks that by virtue of his manhood he can denigrate or abuse women in any way.

Medusa is also known as the first Gorgon. The Gorgons are similar in many ways to other Goddess figures that retaliate against evil-doers or those who angered the Goddesses and Gods. Those who committed crimes such as the murder of family members, are oath-breakers or go against the natural laws could expect to be harassed and pressed into showing genuine remorse for their deeds, or else face up to the consequences.

The Furies were sinister - looking, winged black females armed with serpents, knives and torches , with poisonous blood dripping from their eyes; the Daughters of Nyx, the primordial Greek Goddess of Night. Their title was “ Children of Eternal Night” and they were totally merciless when it came to the punishment of anyone who injured, harmed or murdered their mother or went against the laws of Nature.

Justice is upheld and enforced by many other Goddesses and the Dark Goddesses always seem to end up in a protective or avenging role. A few other examples from mythologies around the globe include Sekhmet , Durga and Kali.

Medusa is seen as a primal Sea or Underworld Goddess by some Neo-Pagans and others, and Her role as protectress and guardian , especially of women and the innocent, makes this Goddess much loved and venerated in modern-day times. Medusa is a face of the Terrible and Dark Mother , so beware to those who think that they can get away with insulting Her by abusing women or children, harming the innocent , being cruel to animals or breaking other natural laws…..