Gorgons in D&D

[Midnight Dawns]

Does anyone know where the D&D concept of the gorgon came from? Is there some story or myth that it was based on? Until I started playing I had only every heard of gorgons like Medusa.

 

[Set]

Does anyone know where the D&D concept of the gorgon came from? Is there some story or myth that it was based on? Until I started playing I had only every heard of gorgons like Medusa.

Medusa was indeed one of the three Gorgons, along with her sisters Stheno and TheOtherOne (ahem).

The closest mythical critter I can think of that fits the D&D metal-covered bull with a breath weapon notion is this;

BRONZE BULLS : Bulls of Aeetes of Colchis, labor Jason ; Greek mythology : TAUROI KHALKEOI

 

[Grazzt]

One version of the mythological catoblepas resembled a bull somewhat (w/ the head of a hog, or something), and it's breath turned its enemies to stone.

 

[D'karr]

In one of the Questions & Answer threads with Gygax, he mentioned that he got the inspiration for the gorgon from a bestiary he had seen, probably in the Lake Geneva public library.

The book in question is probably "The Historie of foure-footed beastes" by Edward Topsell. The cover illustration on this book shows "the gorgon" and is cataloged as such.

 

[Deset Gled]

The gorgon in D+D is also very similar to the gorgon in the Castlevania series. D+D obviously wasn't inspired by Castlevania, but the two probably share the same mythos.

 

[justanobody]

Another reason for the bull form could be simple fright rather than being turned to stone. Greek mythology has it that Zeus himself turned into a bull to win Europa over and the bull was feared so much that people would just freeze when they saw it as if they were statues...which were made of stone at the time.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

The gorgon in D+D is also very similar to the gorgon in the Castlevania series. D+D obviously wasn't inspired by Castlevania, but the two probably share the same mythos.

Gee, ya think Castlevania might be inspired by D&D?

 

[arscott]

In one of the Questions & Answer threads with Gygax, he mentioned that he got the inspiration for the gorgon from a bestiary he had seen, probably in the Lake Geneva public library.

The book in question is probably "The Historie of foure-footed beastes" by Edward Topsell. The cover illustration on this book shows "the gorgon" and is cataloged as such.

IIRC, the metal bull gorgon actually shows up in a bestiary by Pliny the Elder in the first century AD, so that version has been around for a while.

And the third Gorgon Sister is Euryale--Who has her own D&D cameo as a card in the Deck of Many Things.

 

[Thanael]

Gorgon

Edward Topsell gave this mythological name (after the three Gorgons of Greek myth) to the catoblepas, giving them scales and killing breath in place of a deadly gaze. It was further copied and appeared in many medieval bestiaries.

The scale-mailed bull model of a gorgon came directly from a copy of a medieval bestiary, the title of which I do not recall, but it was and probably still is in the local (Lake Geneva) public library. I was happy to use that model, for it added another fearsome monster to the roster for DM use

Gary Gygax, May 13, 2006, EN World Q&A X

Among the manifold and divers sorts of Beasts which are bred in Affricke, it is thought that the Gorgon is brought foorth in that countrey. It is a feareful and terrible beast to beholdd, it hath high and thicke eie lids, eies not very great, but much like an Oxe or Bugils, but all fiery-bloudy, which neyther looke directly forwarde, nor yet upwards, but continuallye downe to the earth, and therefore are called in Greeke Catobleponta. From the crowne of their head downe to their nose they have a long hanging mane, which maketh them to looke fearefully. It eateth deadly and poysonfull hearbs, and if at any time he see a Bull or other creature whereof he is afraid, he presently causeth his mane to stand upright, and being so lifted up, opening his lips, and gaping wide, sendeth forth of his throat a certaine sharpe and horrible breath, which infecteth and poysoneth the air above his head, so that all living creatures which draw in the breath of that aire are greevously afflicted thereby, loosing both voyce and sight, they fall into leathall and deadly convulsions. It is bred in Hesperia and Lybia.

Edward Topsell (c. 1572–1625), The Historie of Foure-Footed Beastes (1607), p. 262.

from: D&D Monster Origins G (also has the picture that EGG mentions)

Gorgon
Edward Topsell in his 1607 History of 4-footed Beasts, included a bit translated from Conrad Gesner's 1551 Historiae animalium that was a description of a Gorgon as a [four-legged] animal with dragon's scales, pig's teeth, a poisonous mane, human hands, and lethal breath, that was a native of Africa and supposedly was bred in Libya. This description is possibly based on misunderstandings of Greek descriptions of Medusa's sisters.

from Literary sources of D&D


D&D Monster Origins
Literary sources of D&D

The two sites above (esp the first) are excellent sources for these kinds of questions.

Also here are some older ENworld threads about Monster Origins:
D&D Monsters in Fantasy Literature: What's Where?
Bizarro World History 101: Monster Origins

 

[Nebulous]

you know, gamers double as excellent scholars. I forgot about the third sister of Medusa on the DoMT.