Medusa

Nearly everybody in the West, if not all of the world, have heard of Medusa. Medusa is one of the three Gorgons. The Gorgons were three sisters who had the tails of serpents and their head was covered in small snakes. The rest of their bodies are humanoid in appearance. Medusa is the only mortal Gorgon, the others unable to die. However, Medusa is the only one able to turn people to stone. When they look at her they are frozen forever. Legend has it that the snakes were the cause of this, unfortunately no one but Perseus ever survived an encounter with her. It is known however that it is hear head that turns people to stone, as proven when Perseus used her head to kill King Polydectes.
Medusa and her sisters were not always monsters however. They were once beautiful women who lived in the far north of Hellas, most probably in the northern Balkans. One day Poseidon, god of the oceans, came to Medusa and they lay together. But instead of doing this act in a private place, they desecrated the Temple of Athene, or Athena. Athene was furious, and when Medusa refused to apologise, she turned Medusa and her sisters into monsters.
For many years the Greek people lived in fear of the Gorgons, particularly Medusa. That was until Perseus. Perseus was a young boy and lived with his mother in Seriphus. The King intended to force marriage upon Perseus's mother, and told Perseus to get the head of Medusa. This was the only way he would cancel the wedding. Perseus agreed and went in search of her. He received help from Athene by means of a shield that served as a mirror, enabling him to see Medusa without looking directly at her. Hermes provided him with winged sandals.
After a very long time he located the Gorgons, supposedly in northern Africa. He succeeded in killing her and managed to flee, with the other two Gorgons baying for his blood. He severed her head and took it to Polydectes. Polydectes had already married Perseus's mother, so in his fury Perseus used Medusa's head to kill Polydectes. He then gave the head to Athene. She molded the face into her shield. It is said that when Medusa was killed Pegasus emerged from her neck. Pegasus was her son, and had been growing inside her since her union with Poseidon. The other two Gorgons are said to still live in Africa.
For more information visit:

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medusa
• http://www.greekmythology.com/Myths/Creatures/Medusa/medusa.html
• http://www.pantheon.org/articles/m/medusa.html
• http://www.mythicalcreaturesguide.com/page/Medusa
• http://www.mythicalcreatureslist.com/mythical-creature/Medusa