Stheno
creatureEldest and most ferocious of the three Gorgon sisters, immortal unlike Medusa, who pursued Perseus after he beheaded her sister.
The Myth
She was more dangerous than Medusa — but Perseus only needed the mortal one. Stheno and her sister Euryale were immortal Gorgons, unkillable even by the gods. Only Medusa, the youngest, was mortal. After Perseus beheaded Medusa while Stheno and Euryale slept, they woke and chased him. Perseus escaped using the cap of invisibility given by the nymphs. Stheno was said to have killed more men than both her sisters combined. Her name means "the strong one." Ancient sources say that the blood from the right side of any Gorgon could restore life, while blood from the left was instantly fatal. Asclepius used Gorgon blood in his medicine.
Parents
Phorcys, Ceto
Symbols
Fun Fact
Gorgon blood from the right side could heal any wound — Asclepius used it to raise the dead.
Words We Inherited
English words and phrases that trace back to this myth:
Explore Further
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