Which goddess cursed Medusa?

Study for the Newman Myth Test. Explore myths with multiple choice questions, hints, and detailed explanations. Get prepared effectively for your exam!

Multiple Choice

Which goddess cursed Medusa?

Explanation:
In most versions of the myth, the goddess who curses Medusa is Athena. Medusa was a beautiful mortal woman and a priestess of Athena; when Poseidon assaulted her in Athena’s temple, Athena punished Medusa by turning her hair into living snakes and giving her a gaze that petrified anyone who looked at her. That act—transforming Medusa into a monster—embodies Athena’s punishment, which is why Athena is the one associated with the curse. The other gods listed—Zeus, Hera, and Aphrodite—are not the ones who curse Medusa in the standard telling.

In most versions of the myth, the goddess who curses Medusa is Athena. Medusa was a beautiful mortal woman and a priestess of Athena; when Poseidon assaulted her in Athena’s temple, Athena punished Medusa by turning her hair into living snakes and giving her a gaze that petrified anyone who looked at her. That act—transforming Medusa into a monster—embodies Athena’s punishment, which is why Athena is the one associated with the curse. The other gods listed—Zeus, Hera, and Aphrodite—are not the ones who curse Medusa in the standard telling.

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