Medusa is a figure from Greek mythology. She is one of the three Gorgon sisters, and she is often depicted as a monstrous woman with snakes for hair. Anyone who looked into her eyes would be turned to stone, making her a fearsome and deadly creature. Perseus, a hero in Greek mythology, famously defeated Medusa by using a mirrored shield to avoid looking directly at her and then beheading her while she slept. Her severed head still retained its petrifying power and was later used as a weapon by Perseus. Medusa's story has been a popular subject in art, literature, and mythology, often symbolizing the dangers of vanity and the power of female beauty.