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by Anonymous on January 11th, 2005

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Why was Athena angered by Medusa, then changed her into a hideous monster?

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  • by wickedwillie on January 12th, 2005

    wickedwillie

    Medusa was changed into a Gorgon by Athena as punishment for desecrating her temple by sleeping with Poseidon there. When Athena came upon Medusa and Poseidon (also an arch-rival of Athena's since he vied for dominance over Athens, Athena offering the olive tree, Poseidon, the horse), she turned Medusa's beautiful hair into snakey tendrils and banished her to the far ends of the earth beyond the Hyperborean lands where she remained with her sisters.

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  • by DA on March 29th, 2008

    DA

    Athena also turned Arachne into a spider, but that was more an act of mercy, because Arachne was going to hang herself after Athena became so jealous at her weaving skill that she tore up her tapestries. Athena then felt sorry for Arachne and turned her into a spider so she could carry on building beautiful webs.

    She wasn't so kind to Medusa, however, since she had sex in Athena's temple, which is an offense to just about any god, and Athena was a virgin goddess. But she decided to help Perseus by taking part in Medusa's destruction, and she gave him her shiney shield so he could look at her reflection without turning to stone.

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  • by LaserFalson on January 21st, 2005

    LaserFalson

    Poseidon offered water not a horse

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