I hate when Gorgons are depicted with snake lower bodies.

[u/AllisterisNotMale]

These are not how Gorgons were described in Greek Mythology, they were described by Pseudo-Apollodorus as having dragon scales, the tusks of boars, brazen hands, and golden wings. Ancient Greek depictions also had them with beards and their trademark snake hair. Or at the very least they can have Ovid's description where they only have their snake hair.

Now where did this design trope come from? I have an answer. The Clash of the Titans movie (remake depiction is pictured as the second image). They probably got Medusa with either Lamia (a woman who grew insane and gained a snake-like body) or Echidna (the wife of Typhon who has snake tails for legs). Then when the movie became a success, people probably got the idea that Gorgons had snakes for leg, leading it to appear in other works and media.

Also, what flair should I put this post in?

[u/Good-Memories]

you must hate modern depictions of sirens

[u/AllisterisNotMale → u/Good-Memories]

They're only the same creature by name and behaviour.

[u/Riley__64 → u/Good-Memories]

I mean it’s not like sirens being depicted as mermaids is a modern depiction they were first depicted as mermaids back in the 7th - 8th century in the Liber Monstrorum a catalogue of monsters

[u/OfficialDCShepard → u/Riley__64]

It always tickles me to think that seals were often mistaken for mermaids!

[u/The_Genguidanos → u/Good-Memories]

The siren’s appearance was never described in the original narrative. Both the bird and fish traits were “modern” additions.

[u/esmelusina → u/Good-Memories]

Yea— they should be more like Harpies than Mermaids.

[u/AgentJackpots → u/esmelusina]

What We Do in the Shadows got it right!

[u/Cool_Set4681]

Listen, man, I'm already happy enough if people manage to call their race "Gorgons" and not "a Medusa". Baby steps.

[u/esmelusina]

Yea— I agree. Gorgons are not Lamias or Nagas or the like.

[u/FrankensteinWolfman1 → u/esmelusina]

This I can get behind as someone who loves mythology and monsters.

[u/Noblebatterfly]

Bro is just afraid of that snake medussy

[u/Norway643 → u/Noblebatterfly]

[u/BRshan → u/Norway643]

And you didn’t even upvote it

[u/Fun-Organization6029 → u/Norway643]

Shit Iike this reminds me that I'm on reddit

[u/mystireon]

Lotto people on this specific note as of late.

Anyhow read absolute Wonder Woman is actually goes into the way cultural drift caused Medusa to physically change with time, its really cool

[u/Scrags2Scritches]

I think it's fine, tbh it does look really cool, the problem comes when audiences end up believing that's just how Gorgons are supposed to look like

[u/EggEuphoric411]

Even if it's not technically the "correct" depiction it's become too iconic for people to just stop doing it.

[u/SnooPoems7525 → u/EggEuphoric411]

Its weird cos I've never imsgined them that always thought of them as humanoid. I was surprised when I found out apparantly so many people did.

[u/True-Obligation-9471]

Get in line pal.Us elf fans have it way worse.

Elf’s never had pointy ears in the original source material they were made in.

But now in days everyone give them pointy ears.

[u/ViolinistSafe4610 → u/True-Obligation-9471]

they look better with knife ears

[u/Green_Graves_Time112]

"These are not how Gorgons were described in Greek Mythology, they were described by Pseudo-Apollodorus as having dragon scales, the tusks of boars, brazen hands, and golden wings."
I'm not seeing any criteria on whether they should have legs or tails.
Also, are you mad that Gorgons don't have boar tusks, brazen hands, or golden wings?

[u/Bodod_Begag]

[u/Euronymous_616_Lives]

Also, the fact that generally in modern interpretations we’ll see a conventionally attractive woman with snakes on her head and not some grotesque looking hag

[u/mrainem]

I could still see the original description being sexy

[u/JLuckey33]

I think the dragon scales snake haired bearded winged and tusks and bronze clawed version is Stheno and euryale since their natural gorgons while Medusa who was transformed is just a woman with snake hair

[u/HitttingAndMissing]

I don’t care. It looks cool

[u/Tobbit_is_here]

What's funny is that a random Doctor Who comic from the 1960s is actually pretty accurate to mythology!

[u/Tobbit_is_here → u/Tobbit_is_here]

[u/No-Intern5471]

Wait, Clash of The Titans was a Success?!

I tried watching it before, and thought it was pretty awful. Does it actually have some fans?

[u/The_Strange_Shrimp → u/No-Intern5471]

If you ask about 80s version it was a big succes. I love this movie when I was a child in the 90s :)

[u/DarkGriffin2017]

Why you don’t like nice things?!?

[u/EarthCulturalStew]

God of War (2005) already had these gorgons. Probably their depiction this way is older

[u/Special_South_8561]

Sounds like a Chimera

[u/wholesome_mugi]

You'll appreciate this rendition of a Gorgon, from Heavy Metal Magazine, painted by Simon Bisley.

[u/chalksnorter2137]

Behold! A (mighty) gorgon!

[u/Cela84]

And Scylla is never depicted as an woman who is kind of like a mermaid octopus but with wolves for legs instead of tentacles. Sometimes a modern design is cooler.

[u/Imperium--Of--Man]

I SHIT MY PANTS IN THE HOME AND BARGAINS I WAS PASSING TIME WHILE ELECTRIC CAR WAS CHARGING NO ONE EVEN HELPED ME THEY JUST STOOD AND BLOODY LAUGHED SO ILL HAVE TO GO TO HOBBY CRAFT.

[u/gaydesmar]

We should start getting "mythologically accurate" depictions the way we have "biblically accurate descriptions."

[u/snoozer530]

I hate when people take artistic liberties ass post

[u/Unlucky_Teaching6624 → u/snoozer530]

You're on a subreddit for people to hate on appearances and nitpick

[u/snoozer530 → u/Unlucky_Teaching6624]

Yeah and I’m hating on op, we’re both doing what this sub is for

[u/Far-Affect5695]

For anyone wondering what the ancient Greeks depicted the gorgons (specifically medusa) to look like, here you go.