Gorgons, << GAWR guhnz, >> were three sisters in Greek mythology. Most ancient sources describe them as monstrous creatures whose ugliness could turn a viewer to stone. Their hair was a mass of living snakes. They had bronze hands and golden wings. The Greeks carved images of a Gorgon’s head on their armor to terrify their enemies in battle and used images of a Gorgon head as a charm to protect them from evil spells.
According to most accounts, the Gorgons were the daughters of Phorcys, a sea god, and his sister Ceto, a sea monster. The Gorgons were named Stheno, meaning strength; Euryale, meaning wide-leaping; and Medusa, meaning queen or ruler. Stheno and Euryale were immortal, but Medusa was slain by the hero Perseus with the aid of the goddess Athena.
