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mj_toronto8

Active member
I’ve been diving into Greek mythology lately, and one story that keeps catching my attention is the myth of Perseus and the Gorgons — especially Medusa.

I know the basic outline: Perseus is sent on a quest to bring back Medusa’s head, he receives help from the gods (like Athena and Hermes), and he manages to behead her by using a reflective shield so he won’t turn to stone. Then he escapes using winged sandals and later uses Medusa’s head as a weapon.

But beyond that, I realize I don’t know much about the deeper meaning or variations of the story. Were the other Gorgons, Stheno and Euryale, involved much in ancient sources? Was the myth originally meant to be a heroic tale, or did it have symbolic meaning for ancient Greeks?
 
The Perseus myth is more than just a heroic adventure. Ancient sources highlight divine support and symbolism, with Medusa representing danger and fear. Stheno and Euryale appear briefly, mostly as immortal guardians mourning their sister. Interpretations vary, but the tale remains central to Greek mythology. Stories like this, much like real journeys in Seattle here or Miami here, show how narratives and travel both shape perspective.
 
I’ve been diving into Greek mythology lately, and one story that keeps catching my attention is the myth of Perseus and the Gorgons — especially Medusa.

I know the basic outline: Perseus is sent on a quest to bring back Medusa’s head, he receives help from the gods (like Athena and Hermes), and he manages to behead her by using a reflective shield so he won’t turn to stone. Then he escapes using winged sandals and later uses Medusa’s head as a weapon.

But beyond that, I realize I don’t know much about the deeper meaning or variations of the story. Were the other Gorgons, Stheno and Euryale, involved much in ancient sources? Was the myth originally meant to be a heroic tale, or did it have symbolic meaning for ancient Greeks?
Perseus is the Persian god Mithras/Mitra who sacrificed Haoma [Soma] the Moon god in bull form. See the constellations Perseus and Taurus. The Gorgons are the three Erinyes [Furies]. Phorcys is Ares [Norse Hildisvini/Calydonian Boar/Ninshubur/Nergal/Pelias] who attacked Adonis [Oeneus] in the form of a boar.
Ceto [Medea/Anahita/Angitia] was Phorcys' wife.
Scylla is Skyllaros meaning hermit-crab/constellation Cancer.Scylla was also called Megara or Megaera in Greek myth. Scylla is another name for Amphitrite, the wife of Poseidon [Neptune] and was called Nephthys in Egypt. Set is Poseidon [ Yam ] and Osiris is Hades [ Mavet/Mot ]. Amun is linked to Zeus [ Ammon ], but Amon-Ra is in reality Saturn.Roman Caelus is Greek Uranus [Anu]. Tanit [Mut] is Juno Caelestis [Aphrodite Urania].
Medusa is Echidna [ Viper-woman/Delphyne/Helice ],the wife of Set-Typhon [Telipinu].
Argus Panoptes [Celtic Esus; depicted cutting down a willow tree,the symbol of Hera of Samos], is, however,Horus/Sol.
Sol [Aton/Aten/sun-'disc'] is Perseus' discus.
Medusa [Scylla] lived in the far west [Scilly Isles].
Perseus' reflective shield with which he was able to slay Medusa using his harpes [Hebrew hereb/sickle]
is the aegis of Athena and is Kadmos/Cadmus [meaning round shield in Greek] and is a name for Aquarius [between Capricorn/Aegeus and Pisces/
Athene/Neith of Latopolis].Hence Ganymede [Khnum] was Catamitus in Rome. Scylla [Skyllaros] is the constellation Cancer and her face is reflected in the shield.
Medea [Anahita/Angitia/Anguitia/
Saranyu/Sirona/Seren/Asteria/Shala] as Virgo, was also reflected in the shield.
It is Scylla who is raped by Poseidon [Talos or Talaus,who is also called Polytekhnos/
Polytechnus].
It is Scylla [Medusa/Chelidon/Swallow] who is the daughter of Phorcys and Ceto. Medusa [Ariadne/
Ariane/Arianrhod/Selene/Ariagne/Arachne] was killed by Perseus, with the assistance of Athena [Penelope/Anat/Antum/Circe].
Saranyu [Demeter Erinys] was chased and raped by Surya [Apollo]. Virgo or Cancer is the wicked stepmother in the story of Snow White [Chione in Greek/Athene/Brigid].Leo's head is shaped like a sickle. Autonoe[Harmonia] should be the wife of Cadmus [Aristaeus/Eurystheus/
Autumnus/Atum]. Harmonia is Antimache.
Campaigns ended in Autumn. Arachne [Black Widow spider] is Scylla [Deianira/Aglaea/Anticleia].
See Sumerian Uttu who Enki seduced/raped.
Perseus was also called Theseus in Greek myth and Arthur Pendragon in Britain [ constellations Bootes/Arcturus and Draco].
As Perseus is a name of Pluto the name Theseus is likely to be linked to Thasos,
a source of gold ore [Aurora/Eos]
that Paros [Paris/Autolycus/Parnassus/Paros-Island] invaded.
Euryale [ 'Wide Sea'] was Aphrodite [Tamtu/Medea/Aphrodite], and Apollo Abae/Euryalus was Ares [Abas/Abzu]. Euryale [Danu] was the mother of Orion [Osiris/Vala/Vali].
The three Gorgons are Venus [Morrigan].
Perseus Chrysogenia [Pluto/Mithras] is Theseus Aurigenia.
Thesauros/Thesaurus is Greek and Latin for treasure or treasure-house/treasury.
Zeus Ammon [Aegeus/Saturn/Priapus] was the father of Perseus [Mithras/Misharu/'Law'/Orion/Urien/Osiris]. Perseus was born from Zeus in the form of a shower of gold [golden shower]. Orion was born from Zeus' urine in Greek myth.
Arthurian Lot and Biblical Lot, son of Haran, are both Lleuad/Moon-god/Sin/Laban. Abraham is Mercury.
Terah is Tereus/Terambus/Triambika/Triopas i.e. Shiva [Dionysus/Osiris/Arthur Pendragon/Achilles]. Anahita [Lotis/Vesta/Medea/Ino/Halia/Anna] is Morrigan,
the wife of Lot [Lohita/Mangala/Menelaus] and the sister of Medraut [Daksha-Prajapati/Ammon/Amman/Hammon].
Gorge is the Gorgon Medusa. Andraemon is Androgeus [Indra]. Thoas is Thoth [Hermes/Odysseus].
Andromeda of Joppa [Greek Ioppe] is Iope [Phaedra],wife of Theseus [Perseus].
The Linden-tree [famous for its longevity]
was sacred to Freyja [Aphrodite/Rhea/Philyra/Merope,the daughter of Merops].
Poseidon and Medusa were the parents of Pegasus [Arion]. Arion is Uranus. Chrysaor was the father of Demeter Khrysaoros.
Aristaeus is Sol/Helios [Horus son of Isis/
Har sa Iset].Proteus [Shu/Cetes/Actaeon] is Periclymenus [Mercury]. Menelaus is Mangala [Ares/Phorcys]. Diodorus Siculus wrote that Proteus was also called Cetes.
Ceto [Aphrodite/Nut] was the daughter of Cetes [Proteus]. Set [Heracles] was said to have violently ripped himself from Nut's womb. Tithonus is Thutmosis IV. Memnon [Mnemon] is Amunhotep III. Proteus is Akhenaton [linked himself to Shu and his father to the Aton/Atum-Ra/Helios].
Theoclymenus and Busirus are Hades Clymenus [Osiris] and linked to Telegonus, husband of Io [Isis]. Iphigenia/Iphianassa is Ariadne/Medusa [Hera].
Crotopus is Erisichthon [Argus Panoptes/
Helios].Crotopus was the father of Proteus and Psamathe. Proteus and Psamathe were the parents of Linus [Cygnus constellation/Lot/Lohita].Linus was the father of Theoclymenus [Osiris/Arthur]. Brahma was the father of Kumara [see 4 kumaras]/Kartikeya/Cretheus/Mangala. Aethra [Aphrodite/Theia/Pitys] is the daughter of Aether/Atreus [Mercury/Uther] or Pittheus [Moon-god/Men].
Kartikeya's symbol was a rooster [Alectryon/Electryon].
Pollux [Mithras] is Phanes [Shiva/Dionysus].
Hades Clymenus [Pallas/Mavet/Mot] was the father of Neleus,
and was wounded defending him from the attack of Heracles,at Pylos. Clymene [Pero] is Athena.Bias [Merops/Aeetes] is Mercury.
Merope is Aphrodite [Pleione].Paean [Pan]
healed Hades.
 
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That’s one of my favorite myths too! What’s fascinating is how Medusa’s story evolved over time. In early Greek art, all three Gorgons, Stheno, Euryale, and Medusa, were monstrous sisters, but only Medusa was mortal. Later interpretations, especially in Ovid’s Metamorphoses, turned her into a tragic figure, once beautiful, cursed by Athena after being violated by Poseidon in her temple.

Perseus’s quest was certainly a heroic tale, but symbolically it also represented the triumph of reason and divine order (Athena’s guidance) over chaos and the primal feminine force. The Gorgons weren’t just monsters, they embodied awe, fear, and the sacred feminine power the Greeks both revered and feared.
 

Favorite Greek hero and why?

I’ve been spending more time lately reading Greek mythology, and I keep coming back to how different the heroes are from one another. Some rely on strength, others on intelligence, and some seem almost defined by their flaws as much as their accomplishments. It makes the stories feel more human than I expected.

Personally, I find characters like Odysseus interesting because of the strategy and endurance involved, but I can also see the appeal of someone like Heracles with the raw physical trials. Achilles is another one who’s hard to ignore because of the intensity and tragedy built into his story.

I’m curious which Greek hero stands out most to others and what draws you to them. Is it their personality, their achievements, or the story itself?

How do I fix an automated workout plan that keeps misaligning progress?

Been trying to stick to this automated workout plan, but the thing keeps throwing my progress all outta whack. One week it thinks I’m superhuman, the next it treats me like I’ve never touched a dumbbell. I’m trying to stay consistent, but the constant misalignment’s messing with my motivation big time. I don’t wanna ditch the whole setup, ’cause when it works, it actually helps me stay on track. Anyone been through this or know how to get these apps to stop freaking out and actually track progress like a normal person? I just want the thing to make sense again.

Apollo and Artemis Personality Contrasts

I’ve always been fascinated by Apollo and Artemis, especially the contrast between them as twins. On the surface they share so much, archery, associations with youth, strong connections to nature, but symbolically they seem almost like opposites in some ways. Apollo often represents order, reason, light, music, and prophecy, while Artemis feels more wild, instinctive, independent, and tied to the untamed natural world.

I’m curious how others interpret their relationship and balance. Do you see them as complementary forces, like civilization and wilderness, or more as two expressions of similar divine energy? And are there specific myths that you think best highlight their differences or similarities?

I’d love to hear perspectives, especially from people who study mythology more deeply or look at the symbolic meanings behind the gods.

Role of Women in Greek Myths?

Greek mythology is full of powerful stories, but lately I’ve been thinking about the role of women within those stories and I’d love to hear everyone’s interpretations.

Women in Greek myth are everywhere: goddesses, queens, witches, victims, heroes, catalysts. Yet their roles can be wildly contradictory. We have figures like Athena, symbolizing wisdom and strategic power, alongside Aphrodite, who shapes fate through desire. Then there’s Hera, often portrayed as jealous, but also deeply tied to marriage and sovereignty. Mortal women, like Penelope, Helen, Medea, or Ariadne, each carry a different kind of strength, suffering, or agency.

Some myths elevate women as creators or protectors; others reduce them to cautionary tales. And in some stories, women seem to drive the entire narrative even when the focus is supposedly on male heroes. So what do you think? What is the role of women in Greek myths?

Poseidon’s role beyond the sea?

We all know Poseidon as the god of the sea, storms, and earthquakes — trident in hand, stirring the oceans. But I’ve recently come across references suggesting his influence went far beyond just water. For instance, he was also known as the "Earth-shaker" and linked to horses and even fertility in older, pre-Olympian traditions.

This got me wondering: how much of Poseidon's identity was tied to older Earth-based worship? Was his role as a sea god a later evolution? I've also read that in some regions, he was considered a chthonic deity — tied to the underworld or the land itself.

Do you see him as more of a primal force of nature rather than just the god of the sea? And what do you make of his association with horses? Would love to hear how others interpret Poseidon's deeper role in the mythology!
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