Medusa was a monster, who turned those who looked into her eyes into stone. She was beheaded by Perseus, who then used her head as a weapon until he gave it to the goddess Athena to put on her shield, the aegis. She was a beautiful woman and Poseidon desired her for himself. The god of the seas attacked her and raped her inside a temple dedicated to Athena. The goddess took this attack as an offense and punished the woman by giving her snakes instead of hair and with the curse.