Hesiod, Theogony (trans. H. G. Evelyn-White, adapted by P. Rogak)

Greek epic poem, 8th/7th century BCE

[270-294] And to Phorcus, Ceto bore the Graeae, with fair faces and gray from birth. These the gods who are immortal and men who walk on the earth call Graeae, the gray sisters, Pemphredo robed in beauty and Enyo robed in saffron, and the Gorgons who, beyond the famous stream of Ocean, live in the utmost place toward night, by the singing Hesperides. They are Sthenno, Euryale, and Medusa, whose fate is a sad one, for she was mortal, but the other two immortal and ageless both alike. Poseidon, he of the dark hair, lay with one of these, in a soft meadow and among spring flowers. But when Perseus had cut off the head of Medusa, there sprang from her blood great Chrysaor and the horse Pegasus so named from the springs (pegai) of Ocean, where she was born.

Taken from: https://www.theoi.com/Text/HesiodTheogony.html

Ovid, Metamorphoses, Book 4 (trans. A. S. Kline, adapted by P. Rogak)

Latin narrative poem, 1st century CE

[content warning for the following source: sexual assault]

[790-803] Next one of the many princes asked why Medusa, alone among her sisters, had snakes twining in her hair. The guest [ Perseus ] replied, “Since what you ask is worth the telling, hear the answer to your question. She was once most beautiful, and the jealous aspiration of many suitors. Of all her beauties none was more admired than her hair: I came across a man who recalled having seen her. They say that Neptune, lord of the seas, violated her in the temple of Minerva. Jupiter’s daughter turned away, and hid her chaste eyes behind her aegis. So that it might not go unpunished, she changed the Gorgon’s hair to foul snakes. And now, to terrify her enemies, numbing them with fear, the goddess wears the snakes, that she created, as a breastplate.”

Taken from: https://www.poetryintranslation.com/PITBR/Latin/Metamorph4.php#anchor_Toc64106272

Translated by A. S. Kline © Copyright 2000 All Rights Reserved

Apollonius of Rhodes, Argonautica (trans. R. C. Seaton, adapted by P. Rogak)

Greek Epic, 3rd century BCE

[1502] And then, on the same day, a pitiless fate seized Mopsus too, son of Ampycus; and he did not escape a bitter doom by his prophesying; for there is no way to escape death. Now there lay in the sand, avoiding the midday heat, a terrifying serpent, too sluggish of his own will to strike at an unwilling foe, nor yet would he dart full face at one that would shrink back. But into whatever of all living beings that life-giving earth sustains that serpent once injects his black venom, his path to Hades becomes not so much as a cubit’s length, not even if Paean, if it is right for me to say this openly, should tend him, when its teeth have only grazed the skin. For when godlike Perseus Eurymedon (for by that name his mother called him) flew over Libya — bearing to the king the Gorgon’s head newly severed, all the drops of dark blood that fell to the earth, produced a brood of those serpents. Now Mopsus stepped on the end of its spine, setting thereon the sole of his left foot; and it writhed round in pain and bit and tore the flesh between the shin and the muscles. And Medea and her handmaids fled in terror; but Canthus bravely felt the bleeding wound; for no excessive pain harassed him. Poor wretch! Already a numbness that loosed his limbs was stealing beneath his skin, and a thick mist was spreading over his eyes. Straightway his heavy limbs sank helplessly to the ground and he grew cold; and his comrades and the hero, Aeson‘s son, gathered round, marvelling at the close-coming doom. And, though dead, he could not lie beneath the sun even for a little time. For at once the poison began to rot his flesh within, and the hair decayed and fell from the skin. And quickly and in haste they dug a deep grave with pick-axe of bronze; and they tore their hair, the heroes and the maidens, bewailing the dead man’s piteous suffering; and when he had received due burial rites, thrice they marched round the tomb in full armour, and heaped above him a mound of earth.

Taken from: https://www.theoi.com/Text/ApolloniusRhodius4.html

Ovid, Metamorphoses, Book 4 (trans. A. S. Kline)

Latin narrative poem, 1st century CE

[706-752] Released from her chains, the girl [ Andromeda ] comes forward, the prize and the cause of his efforts. He [ Perseus ] washes his hands after the victory in seawater drawn for him and, so that Medusa’s head, covered with its snakes, is not bruised by the harsh sand. He makes the ground soft with leaves, spreads out plants from below the waves and places the head of that daughter of Phorcus on them. The fresh plants, still living inside, and absorbent, respond to the influence of the Gorgon’s head, and harden at its touch, acquiring a new rigidity in branches and fronds. And the ocean nymphs try out this wonder on more plants, and are delighted that the same thing happens at its touch, and repeat it by scattering the seeds from the plants through the waves. Even now corals have the same nature, hardening at a touch of air, and what was alive under the water, above water is turned to stone.

Taken from: https://www.poetryintranslation.com/PITBR/Latin/Metamorph4.php#anchor_Toc64106271

Pseudo-Apollodorus, Bibliotheca, Book 2 (trans. K. Aldrich, adapted by P. Rogak)

Greek mythography, 2nd century CE

[2.4.3] [Perseus gave] the Gorgon’s head to Athena [. . .]Athena placed the Gorgon’s head in the center of her shield. It is affirmed by some that Medusa was beheaded because of Athena, for they say the Gorgon had been willing to be compared with Athena in beauty.

Taken from: https://www.theoi.com/Pontios/Gorgones.html

Homer, Iliad, Book 5 (trans. A. S. Kline)

Greek Epic, 8th century BCE

[703-766] Meanwhile Athena, daughter of aegis-bearing Zeus, shed her soft richly embroidered robe the work of her own two hands, at her Father’s threshold, dressed herself in the tunic of Zeus the Cloud-Driver, and donned her armour ready for sad war. She threw the dreadful tasselled aegis about her shoulders, crowned at every point with terror, violence and strife within, adorned with the monstrous image of the Gorgon’s head, grim and awful emblem of aegis-bearing Zeus. She set on her head the golden helmet with its four cones and double-crest, adorned with warriors of a hundred cities. Then she set foot on the fiery chariot, grasped her huge, strong, weighty spear, with which this daughter of a mighty Father shatters the ranks in anger.

Taken from: https://www.poetryintranslation.com/PITBR/Greek/Iliad5.php#anchor_Toc239244908

Translated by A. S. Kline © Copyright 2009 All Rights Reserved.