Medusa

Northern Constellations: Persée and the Head of Médusa
Celestial globe by Vincenzo Coronelli
BnF, département des Cartes et Plans, GE A 499 RES
Photo © Bibliothèque Nationale de France
To decapitate the Gorgon Medusa, Perseus wore the helmet of invisibility of Hades, the winged sandals of Hermes, the mirrored shield of Athena.
Medusa petrified with a simple glance. To confront her, Perseus had to find her hiding place, then get the necessary equipment. Many fantasy tales prepare for the final encounter with the monster by involving us in the heroes’ preparations, by giving considerable importance to the weapons and armor that will ensure their success, and the strategic information they needs to gather — a narrative scheme that is prevalent in video games.