gorgon

Gorgon is a figure from Greek mythology referring to one of the three sisters known as the Gorgons: Stheno, Euryale, and Medusa. The name derives from the Greek gorgōn, meaning dreadful or formidable. The trio are traditionally described as daughters of Phorcys and Ceto; Medusa is the best known and, in many accounts, the only mortal among them.

Gorgons are usually depicted as female monsters with snakes for hair and a terrifying countenance. Their gaze is said to turn onlookers to stone; in some traditions they may also possess wings or other monstrous features. They inhabit distant regions of the world in myth and are generally inimical to heroes.

Medusa is best known because Perseus kills her. With help from Athena and Hermes, he uses a polished shield as a mirror to approach Medusa without looking directly at her, then decapitates her. From Medusa's neck spring Pegasus and Chrysaor. Perseus places Medusa's head in a sack; in later myth, Athena bears the severed head on her shield, the Aegis, where it retains its petrifying power.

Gorgons appear in classical art and literature as symbols of terrifying femininity and protective power. The Gorgon’s head, especially Medusa’s, became a widespread motif in sculpture, vase painting, and heraldry, often used as a protective emblem.

In modern usage, the term gorgon can describe a fearsome or formidable woman in fiction and criticism, reflecting the enduring influence of the myth.