 Traditionally, two of the Gorgons, Stheno and Euryale, were immortal, but their sister Medusa was not and was slain by the demigod and hero Perseus.The name derives from the ancient Greek word γοργός "gorgós", which means "grim, dreadful", and appears to come from the same root as the , "", which is defined as a guttural sound, similar to the growling of a beast, thus possibly originating as an onomatopoeia.Gorgons were a popular image in Greek mythology, appearing in the earliest of written records of Ancient Greek religious beliefs such as those of Homer, which may date to as early as 1194–1184 BC.