In some of the earliest Greek myths, Medusa was born a monstrous Gorgon, sister to Stheno and Euryale.

The ancient Greek poet Hesiod, writing in the 8th or 7th century BCE, presents Medusa and her sisters, Stheno and Euryale, as monstrous beings from birth. In his work, *Theogony*, he describes them as daughters of the ancient marine deities Phorcys and Ceto, residing "beyond glorious Ocean at the world's end." This depiction suggests that Medusa was always a creature of dread, not transformed, but inherently monstrous, born with snakes for hair and a petrifying gaze. This original portrayal focuses on her as an elemental force of terror, a primordial being rather than a victim of divine punishment. It establishes her as part of a lineage of chthonic (underworld) deities and monsters, reinforcing her connection to the dark and untamed aspects of the cosmos. This foundational version of the myth emphasizes her role as an antagonist for heroes and a symbol of primal danger.