Gorgon

For the Lords of Shadow 2 enemies, see Gorgon Sisters.

The Gorgon 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

File:Gorgon - 02.png

Gorgon's woodcut image

While it is 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, though, which can also be an obnoxious poisonous gas in some versions.

This creature has its origins in Edward Topsell's zoological text, The Historie of Fovre-Footed Beastes (The History of Four-Footed Beasts, 1607). In his work, Topsell presents a zoological exploration of the world. Rather than basing his work on his personal observations, Topsell cited diverse zoological accounts, including the Swiss Historiae Animalium and Pliny's somewhat dated Natural History from circa 77~79 C.E. Topsell also includes whole creatures entirely on his predecessor's recommendations. One such inclusion was the "strange Lybian Beast" or the "Gorgon". Topsell describes the creature as such:

Gorgon - 01 — Cover of *The Historie of Fovre-Footed Beastes* by Edward Topsell (1607)

"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."

Relying on the authority of "sundry learned men", Topsell includes the Gorgon, the Sphinx, the Manticore, the Lamia, the Winged Dragon and the Unicorn. He does, however, express skepticism regarding the Hydra.

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 Lightning 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: 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 Slashing 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

Enemy Data: Gorgon
Image	Name - Game Description	Statistics	Items	Location	Notes
	125. Gorgon (jpn) - Symphony of the Night				[ edit ]
	Armor plated war-beast.	Strong: Fire, Stone, Cut, Hit Level: 38 HP: 240 Exp: 555	Drop: Hammer, Stone Sword	Black Marble Gallery
	Gorgon (jpn) - Circle of the Moon				[ edit ]
	'	Strong: Stone HP: 230 Exp: 219 Atk: 215 Def: 165	Common Drop: Heart (2.5%) Rare Drop: Meat (1%)	Eternal Corridor, Chapel Tower	Abil: Stone
	76. Gorgon (jpn) - Harmony of Dissonance				[ edit ]
	'	Strong: Thunder Level: 32 HP: 420 Exp: 295	Common Drop: Double Mail Rare Drop: Silver Bangle	Castle A: Castle Treasury
	52. Gorgon (jpn) - Aria of Sorrow				[ edit ]
	An ox-llike^[sic] creature with hardened skin of iron.	Weak: Sword, Poison, Curse HP: 320 MP: 1 Exp: 95 Atk: 35 Def: 45	Common Drop: Meat Strip Rare Drop: Milk Soul: Body of Silver	Floating Garden, Underground Reservoir	Abil: Attack petrifies
	78. Gorgon (jpn) - Dawn of Sorrow				[ edit ]
	A monstrous bull that breathes clouds of toxic gas.	Strong: Poison, Stone Weak: Piercing, Slashing HP: 230 MP: 30 Exp: 280 Atk: 51 Timestop: Affected	Common Drop: Milk (8%) Rare Drop: Tasty Meat (4%) Soul: Poison Breath (1.56%)	Silenced Ruins
	93. Gorgon (jpn) - Portrait of Ruin				[ edit ]
	A monstrous bull that breathes clouds of toxic gas.	Strong: Poison, Stone Weak: Whip, Slash, Fire HP: 295 Exp: 187 Skill Pt: 6	Drop: New York Steak, Mirror Cuirass	Forgotten City, Burnt Paradise

Item Data

Item Data: Gorgon
Image	Name - Game Type - Users Description	Attributes / Consume	Statistics / Sell	Found	Notes
	Hammer (jpn) - Symphony of the Night Medicine (Cure) - Alucard				[edit]
	Unpetrify [Familiar use only]	Attrib: Stone		Buy: $200 Find: Marble Gallery, Reverse Entrance, Reverse Outer Wall Drop: Gorgon, Hammer, Gargoyle (Saturn-only)	Effect: Allows the Faerie Familiar to remove Stone status
	Stone Sword (Milican's Stone Blade) - Symphony of the Night Short Sword - Alucard				[edit]
	May "petrify" enemies... Immobilizes enemies, may also turn them into stone...	Attrib: Stone	ATT +1	Drop: Gorgon	Effect: Horizontal Slash; may inflict Stone status
	Double Mail (jpn) - Harmony of Dissonance Body - Juste Belmont				[edit]
	Double-layered armor.		DEF +55	Common Drop: Gorgon
	Milk (jpn) - Aria of Sorrow Food - Soma				[edit]
	Low-fat milk.		HP +150 Sell: $40	Rare Drop: Catoblepas, Werewolf, Gorgon
	Tasty Meat (jpn) - Aria of Sorrow Food - Soma				[edit]
	Restores 290 HP.		HP +290 Sell: $200	Find: Underground Reservoir Rare Drop: Killer Fish, Needles, Red Minotaur
	Gorgon - Body of Silver - Aria of Sorrow Enchanted Soul - Soma				[edit]
	CON is increased by 12. (CON is increased by 3.)		CON +12	Drop: Gorgon
	New York Steak (Thick Steak) - Portrait of Ruin Item (Food/Meat) - Jonathan, Charlotte				[edit]
	A juicy, mouth-watering steak.		HP +1,000 Sell: $1,250	Find: Dark Academy Drop: Gorgon
	Mirror Cuirass (jpn) - Portrait of Ruin Body Gear (Armor) - Jonathan				[edit]
	Mirrored armor that protects the wearer from petrification.		DEF +16 Sell: $5,000	Drop: Gorgon	Effect: Resistance vs. Stone.