Question

The word gelid is used in line 1 to describe the serpents on Medusa's head. What meaning of "gelid" would you infer from lines 1 and 2? Write your definition of "gelid" here and tell how you got it. Then, check your meaning against a print or online dictionary and revise if necessary.

Answer 1

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The word "gelid" in its denotative sense represents something frosty and that causes an intense cold. When we analyze this word in the description of the snakes of Medusa's head, we can consider that this word was used to describe the feeling of dread that the snakes caused, because the extreme cold is felt by people who are terrified. Therefore, we can consider that the snakes of Medusa's head were "gelids" because they managed to cause dread and a supernatural fear in those who saw them.