According to Hesiod, and Apollodorus, Stheno and Euryale, along with Medusa, were daughters of the primordial sea-god Phorcys and the sea-monster Ceto,[5] while, according to Hyginus, they were daughters of "the Gorgon", an offspring of Typhon and Echidna, and Ceto.[6]
Two views of the same vase. Above: a headless Medusa on the left, with Stheno and Euryale running right. Below: the continuation of the scene showing Perseus running right. Dinos of the Gorgon PainterLouvre E874 (early sixth century BC)[7]
The Gorgons Stheno and Euryale were immortal, whereas their Gorgon sister Medusa was mortal.[8] The only story involving them is their pursuit of Perseus after he has beheaded Medusa. The Hesiodic Shield of Heracles (c. late seventh–mid sixth century BC) describes the two Gorgons' pursuit of Perseus, as depicted on Heracle's shield:
Perseus himself, Danae’s son, was outstretched, and he looked as though he were hastening and shuddering. The Gorgons, dreadful and unspeakable, were rushing after him, eager to catch him; as they ran on the pallid adamant, the shield resounded sharply and piercingly with a loud noise. At their girdles, two serpents hung down, their heads arching forward; both of them were licking with their tongues, and they ground their teeth with strength, glaring savagely. Upon the terrible heads of the Gorgons rioted great Fear.[9]
While the "great Fear" rioting upon the heads of the Gorgon, in the passage from the Shield quoted above, might possibly be a vague reference to hair made of snakes, the poet Pindar makes such a physical feature explicit, describing the two Gorgons, just like their sister Medusa, as having "horrible snakey hair" (ἀπλάτοις ὀφίων κεφαλαῖς).[10]
According to Apollodorus' version of their story, all three Gorgons had the ability to turn to stone anyone who looked upon them. And when Perseus managed to behead Medusa by looking at her reflection in his bronze shield, Stheno and Euryale chased after him, but were unable to see him because he was wearing Hades' cap, which made him invisible.[11]
Euryale's lamenting cry, while chasing Perseus, is noted in two sources. Pindar has Athena create the "many-voiced songs of flutes" to imitate the "shrill cry" of the "fast-moving jaws of Euryale".[12] While Nonnus, in his Dionysiaca, has the fleeing Perseus "listening for no trumpet but Euryale's bellowing".[13]
The typical archaic (c. 8th–5th century BC) depictions of Stheno and Euryale, show their head turned to face the viewer, sitting (seemingly without a neck) atop a running body in profile, with wings on its back and curl-topped boots. In later depictions the heads shrink in size with respect to their bodies, possess necks, and become less wild looking.[14]
Mayor, p. 433; Bane, s.v. Euryale (or "far-howling" and "wide-leaping"); Daly and Rangel, s.v. Euryale ("wide-stepping" or "Euryale may also mean 'the wide sea,' which would fit her role as a daughter of sea gods.").
Tripp, s.v. Gorgons; Hyginus, Fabulae Preface 9, 35. Euripides, Ion986–991, has "the Gorgon" being the offspring of Gaia, spawned by Gaia as an ally for her children the Giants in their war against the Olympian gods.
Hard, Robin (2004), The Routledge Handbook of Greek Mythology: Based on H.J. Rose's "Handbook of Greek Mythology", Psychology Press, 2004, ISBN9780415186360. Google Books.
Hesiod, Theogony from The Homeric Hymns and Homerica with an English Translation by Hugh G. Evelyn-White, Cambridge, MA.,Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1914. Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.
