#stentho

The farthest back we can trace goes back to 700 BC in Archaic Greece. Back then, according to Hesiod in the Theogony, Medusa was one of 3 gorgon sisters, born of Ceto and Phorcys. Medusa was the only mortal of the gorgons. By this point, it was already established that Poseidon and Medusa had a sexual encounter, but there is no evidence of any non-consensual acts. In the culture at this time, Gorgoneia were essentially ye olde gargoyles. Their terrifying faces were placed at the entrance of homes, temples, and businesses. Homer even tells us how Athena's shield has a gorgon's face on it.

Then, later, around 450 BC, Pindar tells us how the mourning of the gorgons, Stentho and Euryale, inspired Athena to invent the flute.

The first time we see a beautiful Medusa is around 500 BC during the shift between archaic era Greece to Classical era Greece, often referred to as the Rational age. Specifically, Pausanius says that Medusa was a queen in Libya and led a fierce army, and when killed by Perseus, was seen as so beautiful, he had to cut off her head and show all of Greece.

In the first century bc, Pseudo Apollodorus tells us how Pegasus and Chrysaor sprang from her severed neck when killed by Perseus.

Then, much later, in at least 5 CE, in Ovid's Metamorphoses, we see the first instance of Medusa being cursed by Minerva. Here, we see a human Medusa with beautiful hair. She caught the attention of Neptune, who raped her in one of Minerva's temples. Minerva, being a virginal goddess, was angered and cursed Medusa to be a gorgon.

These days, a narrative has sprung about that recounts Medusa as a priestess of Athena or Minerva, but we have no historical basis for this narrative. Also in this narrative, it is believed that Medusa's gorgonism was a blessing from Minerva/Athena as to ensure she wouldn't be raped again.