Chapter 28: Euryale — Summary and Analysis

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

Summary

The chapter opens from Euryale's perspective. She and Sthenno rarely sleep; they only pretend to so Medusa doesn't feel left out. On the night Medusa is cursed, her screams pierce the darkness, and both sisters run into the cave to save her. They find no attacker—no man, no animal. Euryale spots a scorpion scuttling away in her torchlight and stamps on it, just to be certain.

Their flickering light reveals Medusa with her face buried in her arms, her hands lost in a seething mass of snakes. Sthenno, who had given up hoping Medusa would ever have snake hair like theirs, sees that it has finally happened. But the change has clearly caused terrible pain. Sthenno runs to Medusa, puts her arm around her shoulders, and asks what happened. Medusa cannot reply, so Sthenno hugs her close.

Euryale holds back because Sthenno dropped her torch, and she doesn't want them to be swathed in darkness. She notices that now there are two snake-covered heads together. She had always loved Medusa's tight black curls—Medusa was beautiful, her hair perhaps more than anything. But now, with snakes writhing instead of inert hair, Euryale thinks Medusa looks right, like a Gorgon, like an immortal creature.

Sthenno tries to comfort Medusa, telling her not to cry about her beautiful hair. Euryale doesn't want to scare the new snakes with fire, so she stays back until Sthenno beckons her. She drives her torch into the sand and approaches slowly. The snakes don't rear or hiss; they tangle and untangle contentedly, as if they all sprang from a single head. But Medusa still shudders and weeps. Even Euryale can see that although she prefers the snakes, Medusa does not.

Euryale reflects that Medusa is mortal, and the only way to tell she's a Gorgon by looking at her is her wings. In all other regards she looks like an ordinary human girl. Euryale can't imagine what it's like not to have snakes, but she also can't imagine what it's like to feel pain. Unable to offer anything else, she takes Medusa's arm and holds it to her chest.

Gradually, Medusa's sobs ease. Sthenno asks if the snakes just appeared. Medusa says no—a goddess made them. She was in the cave, angry with Medusa. Medusa isn't sure which goddess, but her voice dies. Euryale says they know who it was: vengeful and cruel, always blaming women for what men do to them. Sthenno agrees. Sthenno reassures Medusa that she'll grow used to the snakes, that she never minded theirs, and that she'll miss her hair for a while but it will be alright. Medusa says she knows, and her shoulders relax a little.

Euryale asks if the snakes hurt. Medusa says they did at first, a lot—or maybe it was her hair being torn out. But they don't hurt now. Sthenno says it's getting better, even though it isn't good. Then Medusa says it's her eyes that hurt. She can't open them.

Key Events

Sthenno and Euryale hear Medusa's screams and rush into the cave, finding no attacker.
Euryale stamps on a scorpion in the torchlight.
They discover Medusa with a mass of snakes instead of hair.
Sthenno comforts Medusa, while Euryale holds back with the torch.
Euryale approaches when beckoned; the snakes mingle peacefully.
Medusa reveals a goddess appeared and made the snakes.
The sisters infer the goddess is one who blames women for men's actions.
Sthenno reassures Medusa she'll get used to the snakes.
Medusa says her eyes hurt and she can't open them.

Character Development

Euryale – This chapter is told from her perspective, revealing her deep love for Medusa and her role as the more observant, slightly detached sister. She is the one who notices the change in Medusa's appearance and thinks she looks