What is Medusa?
[[File:Persee-florence.jpg|thumb|''Perseus with the Head of Medusa'' by Benvenuto Cellini (1554)]] [[File:Medusa by Caravaggio.jpg|thumb]] '''Medusa''' is a character in [[Greek mythology]]. Her story has been told and retold by ancient and modern storytellers, writers, and artists. The Latin poet [[Ovid]] writes in Book IV of his ''[[Metamorphoses]]'' that [[Poseidon]] had [[rape]]d Medusa in the temple of [[Athena]].<ref name=Met>{{cite journal|url=https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/medu/hd_medu.htm|accessdate=September 9, 2021|publisher=Metropolitan Museum of Art|title=Medusa in Ancient Greek Art|journal=Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History |year=2017|author=Madeleine Glennon}}</ref> The goddess was angry, and changed Medusa into a monster with snakes for hair. To people in Ovid's time, Medusa, not Poseidon, was the one who had done something wrong. Artists have made statues and paintings of Medusa for thousands of years. Ancient Greeks and other ancient people painted Medusa's face on pots and doors and other things. In Greek art from this time, artists usually painted or carved people looking out to the side. Medusa was almost always carved looking out of the picture toward the viewer. This was so Medusa could scare evil things away. These pictures of Medusa are called Gorgoneions. They are an example of using one evil thing to make other evil things leave, the same way Perseus used Medusa against his other enemies.<ref name=Met /> == Myth == [[File:Gorgon Louvre F230.jpg|thumb|left|Gorgon on a black-figure amphora from Greece (520–510 BC)]] Medusa was one of three sisters, the [[Gorgon]]s. Medusa's sisters were [[Stheno]] and [[Euryale]]. Medusa was mortal, but her sisters were immortal. They were all children of the sea gods, Phorkys and his sister Keto. Before they were monsters, all three sisters were beautiful young women, Medusa the most; however, she was a [[priestess]] in the temple of Athena and was bound by a vow of [[celibacy]]. Any man or animal who looked directly upon her was turned t