The locks of her hair flowed around her elegant shoulders. Her captivating eyes gazed from under tendrils that danced around her face. She was bewitching. Zeus was captivated. 

“Medusa,” he thought to himself, “I will have you.” 

She could not escape him. The awful deed was done. The temple of Athena was desecrated by his heinous act, but he walked away without remorse. 

Athena was furious, but her anger was directed towards Medusa, victim shaming her for inviting the assault. She raged against the defiled Goddess, changing her beautiful locks into snakes. Medusa became a feared Gorgon, turning all who gazed into her eyes into stone. 

Her hair, her hair, her beautiful hair! No-one would see the power of her, now represented by the serpent. They would only come to fear this representation of the Divinity that she was. She would now pass her days, hoping that women would not be consumed by wanting beautiful hair only to assuage the desires of men. 

She prayed that the women to come would see and understand not only the fierceness of the serpent, but also its depth of wisdom. 

She hoped that women would use her story to not be like Athena, who did not shame Zeus, but instead shamed her. 

She hoped for this and that it would not be too long coming.