14/11/2023
Rise and shine, literary explorers!🌟✨
Begin your day with another Greek character! Unlock, Medusa. When we hear the name "Medusa," we immediately think of a woman with snakes in her hair and others turning to stone after seeing her.
However, in the unknown and unseen story of Medusa, she was also just a victim. She was once known as a lovely woman with charm. She is an avowed priestess of the goddess Athena.
She spent her life coming to Athena's temple, faithfully praising and singing melodiously for the goddess' honor. Because of her enchantment and beauty, she drew the male gaze to the point where they would go to Athena's temple only to see Medusa, even if they were not a followers of the goddess. But one day, a heinous event ruined Medusa's reputation, dignity, and life.
Poseidon, the god of the sea, was attracted by Medusa's beauty and persuaded her to become a disciple of the god himself. But Medusa, a loyal devotee of Athena, continues to disagree, making Poseidon commit the heinous crime of his wishes. Medusa was sexually assaulted by Poseidon while powerless and helpless, and that night, she underwent the most agony, torment, and misery she had ever known.
After the awful act, she went to Athena's temple and told her story, seeking for comfort, assistance, and solace. But instead of Athena comforting Medusa, she condemned her for breaching the trust and purity of her temple, because Poseidon is Athena's mortal enemy. She punished her instead, turning Medusa's hair into mounds of deadly and aggressive snakes and her lovely beauty, on which people keep gazing, into a curse that anybody who sees her will turn to stone.
This is the unsaid story of Medusa. How sad and tragic. Who knows that a villain itself has its own story? A reminder to everyone: do not judge easily based on what they see and what they notice until they know the truth.
✍️: Agatha Vielle Taguna
🎨: Agatha Vielle Taguna
