Why did Athena help Perseus defeat Medusa?

Answer 1

Perseus went to a cave where Medusa lived with her two other Gorgon sisters Stheno and Euryale. He received guidance from the Hesperides. The cave is assumed to be in Greece or on one of its islands.

Answer 2

While nobody was there to help in the physical slaying of Medusa, Perseus gained a great deal of tools to help him do so. Hermes gave him winged sandals that Athena made because she hated Medusa, and a sickle given to him by Hermes. Athena also gave him a shield and Hades allowed him to borrow his Helmet of Invisibility. He gained the location of Medusa from the Hyperboreans only because he promised to destroy their only eye between them if they didn't. The Helmet of Invisibility was used to sneak up on Medusa, the shield was used as a reflection device so that he did not directly look at her (and thus turn to stone), the sandals were used to reach the island, and the sickle was used to decapacitate her.

In a different version, Hermes came and gave him the Athena made flying sandals, he gained the location of the Nymphs who knew the location of Medusa by the Hyperboreans, and he was told how to defeat Medusa by these Nymphs (called the Gray Ones). The Gray Ones promised to help him only if he came back and slept with them afterwords. They were also the ones who gave him the polished bronze shield, the sickle-shaped sword (as opposed to the sickle in the other version), and a Cap of Darkness (this version's Helmet of Invisibility). The way he defeats Medusa in this version is the same though.

Answer 3

Medusa is one of the Three Gorgon sisters. She dated Poseidon, who has a fancy for sea monsters. Athena caught Medusa & Poseidon in her temple, the Parthanon. So she cast a spell on Medusa turning her into an ugly hag with snakes as hair. When Perseus went to hunt down Medusa Athena was happy to help. Athena also wanted Medusa's head on her shield.

Answer 4

Perseus