Medusa 💔#history #art

[Llotel]

I think it's really beautiful to see how the perspective of her story has changed overtime. From disgusting monster to victim, it gives me hope and reminds me that maybe we aren't going backwards.

[Capster]

In the Roman version, Medusa was a beautiful woman that was violated by Poseidon in Athenas Temple, so Athena cast a curse on Medusa to make anyone that looked at her turn into stone. But in the original Greek version, the Medusa was born as a gorgon.

[Doctorrr_]

I love the ones that show her as sad, rather than a true monstrosity.

[miumiu]

I once read someone’s theory that Athena didn’t curse Medusa. She gave Medusa the power to defend herself, even then men still found a way to harm her. Truly sad.

[silviatonapetian]

It’s amazing to see perspectives change depending on who tells the story. I always grew up being on the “hero’s” side because that’s the story I was told. Now? Medusa deserved better and it’s sad that she was let down by everyone.

[peasmehasselberg]

The version where she was violated was written by Ovid, a Roman poet. He wrote gods harming mortals into his retelling of the myth (and into his other poetry) because he had problems with authority.

[yin-sin]

Keep in mind: this is a Roman version and the poet, Ovid, didn’t believe in the myths. I understand why it’s popular but this retelling isn’t even the original

[idontknowwhatahandleisohwell]

honestly this channel has made me think about art history in a completely new way. i never knew one could FEEL history like this. love every episode.

[sarahe]

When I first read that Medusa was assaulted, it really bothered me. So I did some digging, and what I found made me feel a little better. I'll share it with you all.

In the earliest recordings of Medusa r*pe was not mentioned. Her coupling with Neptune/Poseidon was either undefined or consensual. Hesoid, the first to write about this, never mentioned Athena, and he wrote that Medusa lay softly in a field of flowers with Poseidon.

Ovid was Roman and had authority issues. He was exiled from the Roman Empire and his writings are often viewed as political critiques against authority. Which is why in his retelling of pre-existing myths, he included a lot of horrible behavior towards mortals by the gods that weren't originally part of the myths. Ovid was the first to mention Medusa as being r*ped by Neptune, and that influenced the telling of the myth from that point on. Ovid's copies of the myths were written in Latin, which was more wide spread than Greek. So his version became the more well known version of the story.

The myth was Greek, but the element of Medusa's r*pe is Roman.

[xSmuggen]

Greek version was the first. Medusa was a Gorgon.

[TheKittyfizzle]

I prefer the version where Athena blessed her with her power so that no man could hurt her again. But then, of course, they murdered her.

[Sequor.]

You do realise medusa being the victim was a later addition in the myth, found only in Ovid's metamorphosis.
In the original greek traditions she had sisters and was just an ugly monster. Making all depictions of medusa being an evil, hideous monster valid and accurate.

[Knave_Orange_]

In every version of the myth she was always a monster. Ovid added the part about her being a woman before in his epic poem Metamorphoses

[MGMG-lcfe]

This story has envoked great curiosity and imagination for years. The complexity and plethora of lessons to be gleaned do not pale in comparison to the many magnificent works inspired by the events. Your selections are inspiring as well, thank you again Ms. Mae✨

[peachr]

The original is she was a gorgon from birth. I hate the Roman retelling that makes her the victim because in the end it ruins Athena’s perception pitting a woman against a woman going against everything she stands for

[Kyopse]

Interesting seeing peoples different perspectives especially because I’m Sicilian. Medusa is on our flag. The Trinacria. Her death represents the removal of evil, and her symbol on the flag represents fertility, protection, and resilience.

[PhoenixPonyPhoenixOwl]

Original Greek: Monster
Roman fanfic: Victim

[chickenfoot]

People take this channels videos as historical fact, so I wish you'd include the caveat that this is the roman myth, not the original greek whenever you talk about medusa. Mythology is history, too.

[Ameon_]

Not to be that guy but:
In the original story of Medusa she was born a gorgon with snakes for hair and all.
The one you are talking about was written by a Roman guy named Ovid, Ovid was in exile when he wrote the story and hated authority figures.

[Loki-N]

I honestly hate it. The Roman version was made to mock Greeks and the story isn't beautiful at all. It's made out of bigotry. And I hate anyone who calls the Roman version a Greek tale, y'all are just falling to what the author intended