Many centuries ago in Greece, a cursed creature remained hidden. Among all the monsters who inhabited the nightmares of the Hellenic, this was surely one of the most feared. Many brave heroes dared to hunt this creature, but none ever returned. They said that this being was so hideous that no one could face it.
Her name was Medusa. But Medusa wasn’t always like that. She once had been one of the most beautiful women ever to walk the Earth. Many warriors engraved Medusa’s head on their shields with the hope to ward off evil. Today, we don’t wear shields but we surely get tattoos.
But what does a Medusa tattoo stand for? To answer your question, we must get to know Medusa. Greek mythology, here we come!
The Story of the Cursed Priestess
Medusa wasn’t always considered a monster. In fact, it was quite the opposite.
She was the only mortal of three sisters born to Phorcys and Ceto, two of the primordial sea gods. She possessed great beauty and many men lusted for her. However, out of respect for the goddess Athena, she remained pure and she would eventually become the priestess of Athena’s temple. There were thousands who visited Athena’s temple just for a glance at Medusa’s beauty. They even claimed that her hair rivaled that of Athena. One thing led to another and it wasn’t long until Athena’s jealousy of Medusa became resentful.
One day when Medusa was walking along the shore she caught the attention of Poseidon, the god of the sea and he was instantly infatuated with her. Medusa rejected multiple approaches from Poseidon because if she wished to remain the priestess of Athena’s temple she must stay a virgin. Since Poseidon was in the middle of a conflict with Athena, he saw Medusa as a possession that he could steal from the goddess. Consequently, Poseidon grew tired of being rejected by Medusa, so he decided to take her by force.
Medusa in fear for her life ran into Athena’s temple in the hopes that the goddess would offer her protection — but there was no protection given that evening and Poseidon had his way with Medusa. When Poseidon finished his evil deeds and needs, Athena did appear and she was enraged by the events that had just taken place. She decided to punish Medusa, since punishing a god-like Posseidon was considered unthinkable.
So, Athena cursed Medusa. The hair that she was once so envious of she turned into a head of venomous snakes. Anyone who looked into Medusa’s eyes would be petrified and turned to stone. Word spread of the monster that Medusa had become and she became the target of many warriors who wished to add her head to their list of trophies. Sadly, all that tried shared the same fate — being turned into stone.
Medusa — Victim or a Villain?
Medusa had no intention of hurting anyone. She simply wanted to defend herself from unfair aggression. She decided to hide in a region that had been abandoned by its inhabitants for centuries. There she found an ancient temple in ruins which she turned into her hiding spot.
Isolated, Medusa kept losing her remaining humanity. Her reputation as a terrible monster became legendary. She survived by hunting small animals and rodents. One of her prey led to an unexpected reunion. She encountered an ancient bust that represented the goddess Athena; she realized that those ruins had once been one of the first temples to give shelter to the goddess.
This discovery revived her ancient habits and Medusa started to take care of the temple and to exalt the glory of the goddess. This goes to show that the young woman still showed her nobility towards the dogs.
On the other side, in her heavenly residence, the goddess didn’t fail to notice the honorable acts of her former priestess. She realized that her actions could not be justified by vanity since no one could witness those kind acts by Medusa — and she felt sorry for being enforced such a cruel and irreversible punishment on the girl.
The Fall of Medusa
While conducting one of her many rituals, Medusa heard the steps of another invader. Medusa’s bestiality re-emerged and she prepared to face another opponent.
The daring warrior walked cautiously in the creature’s abode while she prepared the ambush. Sneaking close to the warrior she was stunned when noticing that he was carrying Athena’s shield — the sacred aegis that once belonged to Zeus.
Athena’s shield was so polished that it reflected like a mirror and using the reflection the warrior realized that the monster was behind him. With a sharp blow, the young warrior severed Medusa’s head from her body.
Medusa was dead and her blood kept dripping to the ground. The warrior, anonymous to that point would go down in history under the name of Perseus. After completing his labors, Perseus returned the shield to Athena and also gave her Medusa’s head.
What few knew was that Medusa carried Poseidon’s divine seed and from her, blood Chrysour was born — the warrior of the golden sword. Not only that, but another beautiful creature also emerged, the winged horse Pegasus. It embodied all the original purity that had been stolen from his mother.
Athena’s Redemption
Many believed that the help Athena provided to Perseus when she handed him her precious shield was another act of retaliation against Medusa. Actually, she only wished to free the young girl from that dreadful existence that had been unjustly imposed upon her.
Athena glorified Medusa by adding the Gorgon’s head to her shield. The image of the loyal priestess was now internalized beside the goddess she loved so much.
What Does a Medusa Tattoo Symbolize?
If the right meanings are used, the Medusa tattoo is a great image if you want to represent feminism in a new way. Countless relics from Ancient Greece depict the image of the snake-haired Medusa as a symbol of protection. It was ritually used on armor, weaponry, entrances, and doorways as a means of warding away evil.
Medusa could have been a very prototypical goddess of a matriarchal society. Her hair of snakes and reptilian skin is symbolic of the natural cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. Snakes are used due to their shedding of skin, the rebirth to a new skin i.e new beginning.
Some go for the Medusa tattoo because they are victims of rape. Others pick this tattoo because they admire her bravery — to move on and still hold on to what you believe in even though the world turned its back against you.
Medusa Tattoo Designs
Are you considering a Medusa tattoo but don’t know where to put it? Maybe the designs below can help you out. On that note, keep in mind the most painful places to get a tattoo.
Medusa Rib Tattoo
Medusa Arm Tattoo
Medusa Forearm Tattoo
Medusa Sternum Tattoo
Medusa Back Tattoo
Medusa Hip Tattoo
Medusa Thigh Tattoo
Medusa Hand Tattoo
Medusa Ankle Tattoo
Medusa Leg Tattoo
Medusa Sleeve Tattoo
Final Thoughts: The Many ”Faces” of a Medusa Tattoo — Victim, Monster, or Protector?
Medusa is probably one of the most misunderstood characters in Greek mythology. She’s often regarded as a cruel monster — which is a perfect reason to conceal a tattoo, right? No, because we don’t judge the book by its cover.
She had only the best intentions and placed her trust in the goddess Athena who ultimately failed her and punished her for actions that were beyond her control.
Her story shows us that even gods are prone to the sins that they so heavily pride themselves on. Even in death, Medusa can be seen as a symbol of good as her head is used as a protective amulet to keep evil away.
Medusa was surely cursed, but she wasn’t the only one. San Judas Tadeo, the patron saint of lost causes had a similar fate. Alongside the Medusa tattoo, his image also became one of the most popular tattoos ever inked.
