ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Cultural depictions of Medusa and Gorgons

Okay kiddo, so do you know who Medusa is? She's a lady with snakes in her hair and she can turn people to stone with just one look! Some people think she's scary, but other people like to tell stories about her.

Long ago, in ancient Greece, people told stories about Medusa and her two sisters, who were also scary ladies with snakes on their heads. They were called Gorgons! People thought they were so scary that if you looked at them, you would turn to stone.

Now, artists and storytellers have been talking about Medusa and the Gorgons for a very long time, and they have different ways of showing what they look like. Some people make them look very scary, with big teeth and scary eyes. Other people make them look very beautiful, with long flowing hair and beautiful features.

But there's one thing that artists and storytellers usually agree on: they usually show Medusa and the Gorgons as women with snakes on their heads. The snakes are a symbol of how scary and dangerous they are.

So, when you see pictures or hear stories about Medusa and the Gorgons, just remember that they're scary ladies with snakes on their heads, and people like to tell stories about them. But don't worry, they're not real, and you don't have to be scared!