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mj_toronto8

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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 [Erisichthon/Erichthonius].
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].
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/
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 [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] by Apollo [Linus/
Lynceus/Lug]. Linus and Danu were parents of Sati of Philae [Philyra/Linden tree/Philonoe/Phylonoe/Philonis/
Phaedra]. Minos is Daedalus [Daedalion/
Autolycus],son of Hermes and Chione.
Philyra was the mother of Chiron [Centaurus/anagram of Kurunta].
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/Acrisius] or Pittheus [Moon-god/Men/Proetus/Pirithous/Anpu].
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. Pleione, mother of the Pleiades/Peleiades [doves/pigeons] is Aphrodite Area [Bellona].
 
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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.
 

Athena and the Story of Athens

I’m planning a trip to Athens later this year, and I realized I’d love to refresh my memory on the story behind the city, especially how it’s connected to Athena.

I remember that there was some kind of contest between Athena and Poseidon for control of the city, but I’m a little fuzzy on the details. I think it had something to do with gifts they offered, but I’d love a clearer version of the story.

For those who know Greek mythology well, how does the myth actually go, and what’s the significance behind it? Does it still show up in the city today in any meaningful way?

Would love to hear a simple breakdown or any insights before I go!

What is the symbolism behind Medusa?

I’m Greek, but I feel like I only ever heard the surface version of Medusa growing up, the “monster with snakes for hair who turns people to stone.” Lately I’ve been seeing people talk about her in a completely different way, more symbolic than literal, and now I’m curious what the deeper meaning actually is.

Was she always meant to be a monster, or is there more to her story? I’ve also heard that in some versions, she wasn’t originally a monster at all, which changes how you look at everything.

Is Medusa meant to represent danger, protection, transformation… something else entirely? And how did ancient Greeks view her compared to how we interpret her now?

I’d really love to understand this from a more cultural and mythological perspective, not just the simplified version most of us grew up with.

Which Greek myth feels most relevant to modern life?

I am curious, which Greek myths feel the most relevant to you in modern life? I’ve been thinking about this lately and I’m curious how others see it.

For me, the myth that feels most relevant right now is Narcissus. The focus on reflection, self-image, and the need for validation feels very familiar in a world shaped by social media. So much of modern life revolves around how we look, how we’re perceived, and how much attention or approval we receive.

The story feels less about vanity and more about becoming absorbed in an image and losing real connection in the process. That idea seems especially timely.

What about you? Which Greek myth feels most relevant to modern life, and what makes it stand out to you today?

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?

Exploring the Story of Persephone and Spring

I’ve recently started learning more about Greek mythology, and I keep coming across the story of Persephone and how it’s connected to the arrival of spring. The idea that her return from the underworld brings life back to the earth is really fascinating to me, especially how it ties into the seasons in such a symbolic way.

I’m curious how others interpret this myth beyond the basic explanation. Do you see it more as a story about nature and seasonal change, or is there a deeper emotional or psychological meaning behind it? I’ve also read a bit about Demeter’s role and how her grief affects the earth, which adds another layer to it.

Would love to hear how others understand or connect with this story!
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