Medusa was the youngest and most beautiful of the three daughters of the sea Titans Porcys and Ceto. She was blessed with untold beauty and had long flowing hair that  fell gently down from her head. Medusa was the only mortal of the three sisters, and all  were very wise serving as priestesses under the goddess of wisdom and war Athena.

The god Poseidon longed for beautiful Medusa, and in a moment of uncontrolled passion he raped Medusa  in Athena's own temple.  The three sisters than became angry and hated all men do to Poseidon's action.

Athena soon grew disgusted with  the three sisters new found wickedness, and the defiling sexual act that was committed  in her temple.  Athena transformed the three girls into hideous beasts, with wings and numerous snakes for hair. These beasts became known as the Gorgons and were so horrid to behold that whosoever looked at them would  instantly turn to stone. 

Medusa the Gorgon

As time went on Medusa and her sisters grew continually more wicked and took untold pleasure in torturing their victims. Their cruelty was than brought to an end by the Greek hero Perseus who with the help of the gods slew  Medusa. 

The goddess Athena provided Perseus with a silver shield, the god Hermes winged sandals, and the god Hades a helmet which would make the wearer invisible.

Wearing Hades helmet Perseus became invisible and approached the sleeping Medusa. He slew her by looking at her image through a reflection on Athena's shield, but never looked upon her with his own eyes knowing full well that this would turn him to stone. Chopping off her head he placed it into a bag to present it later to the goddess Athena.

But as soon as he slue the Gorgon Medusa her sisters woke up in rage and raced to capture and kill Perseus, but with the help of the winged sandals that Hermes had given him, and the invisible helmet of Hades he managed to evade an escape the angered sisters.

Perseus with Medusa's head

From Medusa's dead body sprang forth the elegant winged horse Pegasus and the giant winged horse Chrysaor the result of the union of Medusa and Poseidon.

Perseus than presented Medusa's head to the goddess Athena, who placed Medusa's head into the center of her shield the Aegis, which she than wore over her breastplate.