Stone Blind

Mapping out the home of the Gorgons, the Medusa-Narrator describes the impossibility of mortals seeing this cave. She also mentions the home of the Gorgons’ sisters—the Graiai—and Olympus.

Metis, Zeus’s first wife and Hera’s rival, changes shape to escape her husband, transforming from eagle to snake to cat and, finally, to ant. Zeus envelopes and sexually assaults her. Hera, Zeus’s sister-wife, considers his infidelities, as she sees him following his sexual assault of Metis. Thinking about Metis, she remembers a prophecy that the mortal’s children will overthrow Zeus. She makes a veiled comment to Zeus, and the fearful god destroys Metis by absorbing her.

Medusa’s older sister, the Gorgon Sthenno, counsels patience as she and sister Euryale find an infant Medusa outside their cave. The Medusa-Narrator explains that Gorgons are typically large, winged immortals, as opposed to the small, mortal Medusa. Noticing seaweed under the baby, Sthenno and Euryale assume she belongs to their father, Phorcys, a sea god. As Medusa grows, she changes, shocking her unchanging sisters, and they learn to take care of her by watching mortals. Being mortal, Medusa can get hurt, tripping over a rock and cutting her leg. Euryale licks the wound and destroys the rock. She and Sthenno explain their divine parentage to Medusa, who asks about their parents. Sthenno recognizes her unfamiliar fear for Medusa as love.

Hera describes Zeus’s plummeting mood and throwing of thunderbolts at his children by the goddess Leto—twins Apollo and Artemis—as they joke about Apollo’s music. Thinking about the unknown location of Zeus’s child with Metis, Hera portrays Zeus and herself as equals in anger. She thinks about her own son Hephaestus and Zeus’s anger at her infidelity. Detailing Hephaestus’ forge, the Medusa-Narrator characterizes him as docile, unlike his mother.

Zeus, sick with a headache, grows ill-tempered, and Hera tries to treat him with medicine. As the other Olympians make themselves scarce, Hephaestus offers to help Zeus. He sees something in the reflection of Zeus’s eyes, offering to swing his axe to let it out.

Medusa sits alone in a favorite spot, watching the sea and thinking about her mother, Ceto, and, occasionally, her father, Phorcys. She recalls how Euryale reunites the nearby sheep with their mothers, attempting to silence their bleating.

Amphitrite, a water nymph or Nereid, recounts how Poseidon pursued her—albeit never with the violence that characterizes his brother Zeus. He enlisted the winds and sea creatures to entreat her to be his wife. She found refuge with the Titan Atlas, but Poseidon persisted, and she eventually yielded. Amphitrite notices Poseidon watching Medusa.

Hephaestus gathers his strength to strike Zeus’s aching skull as the other Olympians return. Ares protests, but Zeus defends Hephaestus. When Hephaestus strikes, a grown goddess appears from Zeus’s skull: Athene. Zeus, unharmed, greets his daughter.

Medusa notes that Euryale cares for mortals more than Sthenno, who shuns them. Seeing a new temple built for Athene, she asks her sisters to visit it with her. Both are busy, but she convinces them that she’s mature enough to go alone.Medusa travels to the temple, flying up a wall to enter the new building and observing the friezes depicting the Olympians and their struggle with the Titans. Interrupted by a man, she realizes that Poseidon has entered the temple. As the two speak, she understands the danger he poses. Poseidon shows Medusa a group of mortal girls and threatens to sexually assault and drown one of them. He suggests that she can save the would-be victim by taking her place, though he notes her sacrifice will be unacknowledged.

Returning home, Medusa retreats to the darkness of the Gorgons’ cave. She ignores Sthenno and Euryale’s pleas to come out. Days pass, and Euryale, thinking of lost sheep, leaves food for Medusa. She gropes through the dark, eventually embracing Medusa. Medusa reveals her newfound fear of the sea, and her sister understands. Euryale pushes away the shore of Ethiopia with her foot.

Describing a statue of a bird, the Medusa-Narrator calls it the first and compares it to a real bird. Noting differences, she maintains that one would be tempted to touch the statue.