The snakes that served them instead of hair seemed likewise to be asleep ; although , now and then , one would writhe , and lift its head , and thrust out its forked tongue , emitting a drowsy hiss , and then let itself subside among its sister snakes . The Gorgons were more like an awful , gigantic kind of insect , -- immense , golden-winged beetles , or dragon-flies , or things of that sort , -- at once ugly and beautiful , -- than like anything else ; only that they were a thousand and a million times as big . And , with all this , there was something partly human about them , too . Luckily for Perseus , their faces were completely hidden from him by the posture in which they lay ; for , had he but looked one instant at them , he would have fallen heavily out of the air , an image of senseless stone . `` Now , '' whispered Quicksilver , as he hovered by the side of Perseus , -- `` now is your time to do the deed ! Be quick ; for , if one of the Gorgons should awake , you are too late ! '' `` Which shall I strike at ? '' asked Perseus , drawing his sword and descending a little lower . `` They all three look alike . All three have snaky locks . Which of the three is Medusa ? '' It must be understood that Medusa was the only one of these dragon-monsters whose head Perseus could possibly cut off . As for the other two , let him have the sharpest sword that ever was forged , and he might have hacked away by the hour together , without doing there the least harm . `` Be cautious , '' said the calm voice which had before spoken to him . `` One of the Gorgons is stirring in her sleep , and is just about to turn over . That is Medusa . Do not look at her ! The sight would turn you to stone ! Look at the reflection of her face and figure in the bright mirror of your shield . '' Perseus now understood Quicksilver 's motive for so earnestly exhorting him to polish his shield .
In its surface he could safely look at the reflection XXXXX the Gorgon 's face .
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