One of the three Gorgons (q. v .), is fabled to have been originally a woman of rare beauty, with a magnificent head of hair, but having offended Athena, that goddess changed her hair into hideous serpents, and gave to her eyes the power of turning any one into stone who looked into them; Perseus ( q. v .) cut off her head by the help of Athena, who afterwards wore it on the middle of her breastplate or shield.