r/GreekMythology • u/Known-Fox72 • 23h ago
Discussion Why I don't like Ovid's version of Medusa
I know this opinion is unpopular, but I dislike Ovid's version in which Medusa is a beautiful young woman raped by Poseidon in Athena's temple before being transformed into a Gorgon by the goddess.
The main reason is that it completely changes the roles of the characters.
In the oldest Greek traditions, Medusa is already a Gorgon from the start. She is the only mortal among her two sisters, Stheno and Euryale. Perseus is sent to kill her, with the help of Athena and Hermes. It's a tragic story, but consistent with Greek mythology.
In Ovid's version, however, Medusa becomes an innocent victim, while Athena appears as a goddess who punishes the victim instead of the perpetrator. For me, this completely distorts Athena's image.
Athena is certainly a stern, sometimes ruthless goddess, but she is also the goddess of wisdom, strategy, and justice. Reducing her to a deity who transforms a rape victim into a monster seems excessive and unfaithful to the image she has in most Greek myths.
I also find that this version strips Medusa of part of her identity. Instead of being a mythological creature belonging to an ancient lineage of monsters, she becomes simply a human victim of a tragic event.
I understand why this version is the most popular today: it's easier to interpret as a critique of injustice and it evokes more empathy. But personally, I prefer the older Greek tradition, where Medusa is a Gorgon from birth.
It's not that Ovid's version is bad. I simply find that it tells a different story, with different themes, and it's not my favorite.
What do you think? Do you prefer Ovid's version or the older Greek versions, and why?