Gorgon

The Gorgon is an enemy in the Castlevania series. It is a metal-plated ox-like beast which sometimes spews dangerous gas. Not to be confused with the Greek inspired Gorgons, such as Medusa. In its early appearances (Symphony of the Night, Circle of the Moon, Harmony of Dissonance and Aria of Sorrow), both it and its relative, the Catoblepas, had petrifying breath. In Dawn of Sorrow and later games, its breath changed to being poisonous, while the Catoblepas continued to use its petrifying breath.
It paces back and forth very slowly, occasionally stopping to belch its petrifying breath. Its back can be jumped on without taking damage. Its soul gives Soma the Body of Silver ability (CON +12) in Aria of Sorrow, and Poison Breath in Dawn of Sorrow.
==Origins==
While it's widely known that the term "gorgon" collectively refers to the monstrous sisters Stheno, Euryale and Medusa from Greek mythology, the Gorgon in the Castlevania series appears as an armor-plated ox-like beast which has one trait in common with the aforementioned characters: the ability to petrify living beings. The latter does this via spewing a petrifying gas cloud from its mouth, which can be a poisonous gas in some versions.
This creature has its origins in Edward Topsell's zoological text, The History of Four-Footed Beasts (1607). One entry refers to the "strange Lybian Beast" or the "Gorgon". Topsell describes the creature as such:
:"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 upward, 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."
==Appearances==
===Castlevania: Symphony of the Night===
The Gorgon's elemental resistances only apply to its body, which is protected with an armor plate. The head has no resistance to any form of attack. It is even has lower defense (2 DEF, as opposed of the body which has 40 DEF) and weak against Water and Thunder attack such as Agunea and Thunderbrand.
It is the only monster able to drop Stone Sword, which can only be obtained by killing its body.
===Castlevania: Circle of the Moon===
Gorgons in this game do not have a plated sprite, but simply look like purple bulls. Their petrifying breath will last a few seconds, making them dangerous if Nathan Graves gets stuck inside and takes multiple hits.
===Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow===
Instead of covering its body with an armor plate, the game description depicts it as having a "hardened skin of iron". It may drop Meat Strip or Milk.
It has no tolerances, but it's weak against Dark, Poison and Sword attacks.
Just like its weaker twin, the Catoblepas, it's possible for Soma to stand on its back, thus avoiding its petrifying gas and also accessing areas which are too high to reach on your own.
Its soul grants Soma the Body of Silver ability, which increases his CON +12.
==Enemy Data==
==Item Data==
==Gallery==
HoD 076.png|Gorgon enemy list entry from Harmony of Dissonance.
AoS 052.png|Gorgon enemy list entry from Aria of Sorrow.
Dxc 123.png|Gorgon enemy list entry from The Dracula X Chronicles version of Symphony of the Night.
==See also==
*Catoblepas
==External links==
*Gorgon at the University of Chicago
*F. Wesley Schneider at tumblr
es:Gorgón
Category:African Monsters
Category:Animal-Type Enemies
Category:Armored Enemies
Category:Platform Enemies
Category:Poison Enemies
Category:Stone Enemies
Category:Aria of Sorrow Enemies
Category:Dawn of Sorrow Enemies
Category:The Dracula X Chronicles Enemies
Category:Portrait of Ruin Enemies
Category:Symphony of the Night Enemies