Stheno is one of the three Gorgons, daughters of the sea-deities Phorcys and Ceto, who dwell beyond glorious Ocean in the frontier land toward Night, near the clear-voiced Hesperides. With her sister Euryale she is undying and ageless; only their sister Medusa was mortal, and so only Medusa could be slain.1
Hesiod places Stheno in the deep genealogy of the sea: Phorcys and Ceto bore the grey Graiae and the Gorgons, who keep the frontier land toward Night beyond glorious Ocean, where the clear-voiced Hesperides sing. The three Gorgons he names Sthenno, Euryale, and Medusa — and of them Medusa alone suffered a woeful fate, while Stheno and Euryale were deathless and grew not old.2
What sets Stheno and Euryale apart is what befell their sister. Medusa lay with the Dark-haired One, Poseidon, in a soft meadow amid spring flowers; and when Perseus cut off her head, great Chrysaor and the horse Pegasus sprang forth from her. That doom touched only the mortal sister — the two immortal Gorgons could not be killed.3
Apollodorus gives the sisters their monstrous shape and traces them to the sea's first stock. Phorcys was a child of Sea and Earth, and to him and Ceto were born the Phorcides and the Gorgons. Perseus came upon the Gorgons asleep — Stheno, Euryale, and Medusa — and Medusa alone was mortal, which is why he was sent for her head. The Gorgons had heads twined about with the scales of dragons, great tusks like swine's, hands of bronze and wings of gold by which they flew, and they turned to stone whoever looked upon them.4
By the shared parentage of Phorcys and Ceto, the Gorgons stand as sisters to the Graiae, the grey old women who guard the way to Medusa.5
Hyginus too lists Stheno first among the Gorgons — Stheno, Euryale, Medusa — set beside the Phorcides Pemphredo, Enyo and Persis; his preface text is corrupt, naming the parents as 'Gorgon and Ceto' where Phorcys and Ceto are meant.6
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the spine ignites as you read · hover a bond on the card — every mention of them lights in the story
