Who are the Gorgons?
80990#0
In Greek mythology, a Gorgon (; plural: Gorgons, "Gorgon"/"Gorgo") is a mythical creature portrayed in ancient Greek literature. While descriptions of Gorgons vary across Greek literature and occur in the earliest examples of Greek literature, the term commonly refers to any of three sisters who had hair made of living, venomous snakes, as well as a horrifying visage that turned those who beheld her to stone. Traditionally, while two of the Gorgons were immortal, Stheno and Euryale, their sister Medusa was not and she was slain by the demigod and hero Perseus.
Gorgon
80990#2
Gorgons were a popular image in Greek mythology, appearing in the earliest of written records of Ancient Greek religious beliefs such as those of Homer, which may date to as early as 1194–1184 BC. Because of their legendary and powerful gaze that could turn one to stone, images of the Gorgons were put upon objects and buildings for protection. An image of a Gorgon holds the primary location at the pediment of the temple at Corfu, which is the oldest stone pediment in Greece, and is dated to c. 600 BC.
Gorgon
33097914#15
All descendants of Medusa, gorgons are a vicious race of all-female serpentines who have sharp fangs, snake-like tongues, impenetrable scaly skin, and dragon-like tails. They have the ability to shape-shift, making them perfect politicians, strategists, or anything else that duplicity is an asset. In battle, gorgons are not very strong on defense against supernatural opponents, but have superior regenerative abilities that make them very resilient and virtually immortal. Their bite is highly venomous. Ninjutsu is their main fighting style.
Epoch (Top Cow)
80990#21
Of the three Gorgons of classical Greek mythology, only Medusa is mortal.
The "Bibliotheca" (2.2.6, 2.4.1, 2.4.2) provides a good summary of the Gorgon myth. Much later stories claim that each of three Gorgon sisters, Stheno, Euryale, and Medusa, had snakes for hair, and that they had the power to turn anyone who looked at them to stone. According to Ovid ("Metamorphoses"), a Roman poet writing in 8 AD, who was noted for accuracy regarding the Greek myths, Medusa alone had serpents in her hair, and he explained that this was due to Athena (Roman Minerva) cursing her. Medusa had copulated with Poseidon (Roman Neptune) in a temple of Athena after he was aroused by the golden color of Medusa's hair. Athena therefore changed the enticing golden locks into serpents. Diodorus and Palaephatus mention that the Gorgons lived in the Gorgades, islands in the Aethiopian Sea. The main island was called Cerna and, according to Henry T. Riley, these islands may correspond to Cape Verde. According to Pseudo-Hyginus the "Gorgo Aix" (Γοργώ Aιξ), daughter of Helios, was killed by Zeus during the Titanomachy. From her skin, a goat-like hide rimmed with serpents, he made his famous aegis, and placed her fearsome visage upon it. This he gave to Athena. Then Aix became the goat Capra (Greek: "Aix"), on the left shoulder of the constellation Auriga. A primeval Gorgon was sometimes said to be the father of Medusa and her sister Gorgons by the sea Goddess Ceto. This figure may have been the same as Gorgo Aix as the primal Gorgon was of an indeterminable gender.
Gorgon
7647960#45
Archduke Gorgon was a villain who was seen primarily in Great Mazinger, but first appeared in Mazinger Z starting in episode 68 and was a main villain for the rest of the series. He resembles a centaur somewhat, as from the waist up he is a green-skinned man, but below the waist has the body of a saber-toothed tiger. However, his human half is attached to the rear part of the tiger, so it still has its own head. Gorgon was sent by the Mikene Empire to overlook the development of events between Dr. Hell and Mazinger Z, so that everything went according to the plans of the Emperor of Darkness. Hence, he plays an ambivalent role, both of alliance and treason with Hell. He provides him with powerful Warrior Beasts, but his true goal is to use Hell's forces to eliminate Mazinger and then take over with Mikene's own. Allegedly, they forge a deal in the Island of Bardos to collaborate in Mazinger's destruction, but at the end of the series, when the time comes Gorgon leaves Hell to his own fate alone. During this period, he interacts with Hell's henchmen, Baron Ashura and Count Blocken, who are intimidated by him and usually adopt a submissive attitude, except for Ashura's last attempt to regain his honor when he confronts Gorgon asking him to grant him a monster to fight, and eventually dies trying. Ashura dies in the arms of Gorgon, who finally acknowledges his bravery.
List of Mazinger characters
33455218#4
The Gorgon Painter’s ‘name vase’ depicts the Greek myth of Perseus and the Gorgons. This particular myth was quite common and is seen on many pieces of pottery by many different artists, it is considered the most popular myth represented on pottery at this time. This particular depiction shows Perseus fleeing the gorgons after fulfilling his duty to kill Medusa. Although this dinos is the most well-known work attributed to The Gorgon Painter, it is not the only work. The Gorgon Painter often used gorgons in his works as shown in the image of the plate, as well as animals rather than established geometric shapes.
Gorgon Painter
12157447#31
In the 1968 "Doctor Who" story "The Mind Robber", the Second Doctor and his companions (Jamie McCrimmon and Zoe Heriot) travel to the Land of Fiction. In a Labyrinth the Doctor and Zoe encounter Medusa, but when the Doctor denies her reality she becomes a statue. The Gorgons also appear in the "Doctor Who" spin-off series "The Sarah Jane Adventures", with Elizabeth Sladen as former companion Sarah Jane Smith. In "Eye of the Gorgon", the Gorgon being portrayed as an alien parasite using a human host to try and create a portal to its world so that its species can invade. It is revealed that these aliens were the basis for the myth, having come to Earth three thousand years ago. One was the fabled Medusa who was killed by Perseus, another was killed about fifty years before the events of the episode by an archeologist and the last was killed when Maria Jackson used a mirror to reflect the Gorgon's attempt to turn Sarah Jane to stone back on it.
Cultural depictions of Medusa and Gorgons
1894852#3
The son of archivist Milena and architect Korath (brother of the previous king Agon), Gorgon Petragon is a cousin of king Black Bolt and a member of the Royal Family of the Inhumans. As is custom among the Inhumans, Gorgon was exposed to the Terrigen Mists as a teenager, gaining increased strength, while his feet were transformed to hooves, capable of generating highly destructive seismic waves. As an adult, Gorgon became Black Bolt's personal bodyguard and is responsible for training youths recently exposed to the Terrigen Mists in the use of their newly acquired powers and abilities.
Gorgon (Inhuman)
1894852#0
Gorgon is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Gorgon is also a member of the Royal Family of the Inhumans, a race of superpowered beings that inhabit the hidden city of Attilan.
Gorgon (Inhuman)
58904#37
Python was the earth-dragon of Delphi, she always was represented in the vase-paintings and by sculptors as a serpent. Pytho was the chthonic enemy of Apollo, who slew her and remade her former home his own oracle, the most famous in Classical Greece.
Medusa and the other Gorgons were vicious female monsters with sharp fangs and hair of living, venomous snakes whose origins predate the written myths of Greece and who were the protectors of the most ancient ritual secrets. The Gorgons wore a belt of two intertwined serpents in the same configuration of the caduceus. The Gorgon was placed at the center, highest point of one of the pediments on the Temple of Artemis at Corfu.
Serpent (symbolism)
33455218#0
The Gorgon Painter was one of the early Attic black-figure vase painters. He was active between 600 and 580 BC. His name vase, "The Dinos of the Gorgon Painter" is currently on display in the Louvre and depicts Perseus fleeing the gorgons.
Gorgon Painter