MEDUSA III
Joseph Campbell teaches us that in his journey the archetypal hero must defeat his worst monster. Ovid, what kind of monster did you choose for your hero?
Medusa Gorgon was born a beautiful girl. Thin face, dimpled cheeks, smooth hair. Not a bad heroine, isn’t she? But there is a problem: she chose to become a priestess, chose to be active, and chose to remain alone.
Not allowed: such beauty is lost for nothing.
Well, it’s okay, the positive heroine didn’t work out – let’s make a negative one. Let her be raped by Poseidon in the Temple of Athena. Let Athena put all the blame on her. Here is a recipe for how to get a monster out of a woman. No more ingredients were needed.
Raped and mutilated, she flees with her sisters to a remote deserted island at the edge of the universe. To not face people anymore. She sits on that island, not touching anyone. Just let her sit. Why then is the whole island strewn with turned-to-stone heroes? Were they just passing by?
This is the goal, Ovid, you have chosen for your hero. What could be worse than a woman who harbors hatred?