Medusa in a Zoom meeting

You may know that I love all things regarding Greek mythology and that Medusais by far my favourite Greek monster. So when I saw this meme, it really made me laugh. I thought I could share it today to brighten up your Monday. Although, I must say, from a pure geeky point of you, I don't think this is accurate at all: Medusa's reflection is harmless, in fact this is how Perseus kills her, using the back of his shield as a mirror to find her and chop her head off. But anyway, what do you think about it? Worth the risk?

Greek Mythology for Easter

 Looking for something to read this Easter? How about some Greek myths? I don't know why, but I often associate Easter with Greek mythology. Maybe because of the true Pagan origins of the celebration and its imagery, maybe because I find Springtime celebrations more fitting a Meditterranean setting. Be that as it may, I have started this book from Roger Lancelyn Green. I bought it for Wolfie, but truly it is for me. And it has a great Medusa on its cover. I know all the stories, but I don't care: it's just fun to rediscover them on a new perspective.

Medusa the Gorgon

This image was taken from Gods, Men and Monsters from the Greek Myths. We had many of them growing up. For some reasons, I associate Greek mythology with Easter. Maybe because I find it a more Mediterranean holiday? Be that as it may, I thought I shared this picture on the blog today. Medusa is by far my favourite monster that was created by the Ancient Greek's imagination and this is one of the best rendition of Medusa, so all the more reason to share it. She is absolutely terrifying.

The Head of Medusa

I took this picture at the National Museum in Cardiff. I love Greek mythology and the story of Perseus and his epic beheading of the Gorgon Medusa is among my favourite since I watched a certain movie when I was a child. Since then, depiction of the story and of its monster always fascinated me. So when I saw this bronze, I was mesmerized. My wife thought it was funny to see me so eagerly taking pictures of a naked man (although he's not really naked: he has a helmet and sandals), but it was the severed head of the woman that caught my attention. Well, if one could say such vile monster is still a woman. The statue was made by Frederick William Pomeroy. I know nothing about him, but will look for more works from him. According to what I read by the statue, the work was meant to represent the triumph of man over evil. I suspect there may have been a hint of Victorian misogyny in it. All the same, it's a beautiful depiction of the myth and even in death Medusa remains terrifying.

Medusa's poison

Easter has come and gone and I barely had time to blog about it. I was looking for an original angle for my past post about Easter 2017, and I thought I would share this: what I had as my Easter beer. So I drank a ruby red ale named Medusa. Just like her. I bought it on Saturday, when I saw it in the aisle, I knew I had to try it and this would be my Easter ale. As I associate the season with Greek mythology (read my post here), it was only fitting. And I know it is maybe silly to choose a beer by its label, but it was such a gorgeous label, I had to try it. And maybe it is confirmation bias, but I thought it was a beer full of character like every red ale should be. After that pint, I was thirsty for more.So this was my poison for Easter. And it was certainly worth it.

Clash of the Titans

I learned that today is a very special anniversary: Clash of the Titans is 35 years old. Now people probably don't know all that much about the original, since there was a remake of it. That is a shame: the remake did not have the special effects and wonderful creatures done by the great Ray Harryhausen. I did not bother seeing the remake yet, although I caught glimpses of it on TV and I'm not planning to watch it any time soon. The original, however, is a childhood favourite of mine. I must have watched it first when I was five or six. It is the movie that started my long love story with Greek mythology. Yes, it is sometimes cheesy and the acting is hammy and/or wooden. But what a casting! What characters in their own right are the monsters of Harryhausen! And with all its flaws, it still understood very well the morally ambivalent nature of Greek gods and heroes. In the movie as in the source material, they are neither completely good nor completely evil. Zeus acts out of selfish reasons, Thetis (brilliant Maggie Smith!) is at worst an indulgent mother, Calibos himself is truly a tragic character. The Kraken does what he does on order, giving punishment according to the gods' desires and Medusa... Well, what else would you do if you were a monster like Medusa, stranded on an island and cursed by the gods? Medusa, by the way, still gives me the creeps to this day. So yes, great stuff. And to celebrate its anniversary, here is its trailer.

Medusa and a birthday memory

This picture was taken at the Natural History Museum, it is from a section that was still uncompleted when I went, showing the statue of Medusa next to a earthly(volcanic?) phenomenon. I do not know exactly what the section will look like and what exactly it will be about, although I assume it will show how natural phenomenons may be at the origins of old myths such as this one. In any case, I found the statue of Medusa very impressive. I grew fond of Greek mythology in general and the myth of Medusa and Perseus in particular watching Clash of the Titans as a child. Then I knew very little about Greek mythology, but the movie gave me a crash course.

Soon after, on my eight birthday (I think it was my eight birthday, it may have been earlier), I received my first book about Greek mythology.  As it was my birthday today, I had a thought about it.