How many mythological figures have deadly gazes?

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OgreBattle
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How many mythological figures have deadly gazes?

Post by OgreBattle »

The medusa turns folks to stone with their gaze, but what else is there?

Shani...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shani

Has a 'gaze of destruction' that is sometimes said to be why Ganesh has an elephant's head (When Ganesh was born his mom told Shani to look at him because he was so cute but he said no cuz he has the gaze of destruction but she kept on bugging him so he looked and baby Ganesh's head fell off so they needed to find a replacement and an elephant was nearby)

Does anyone have laser vision? Did cyclopses ever shoot lasers or was that purely a Jack Kirby invention?
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Post by spongeknight »

Are you including unintelligent monsters in this, or just people?
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angelfromanotherpin
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Post by angelfromanotherpin »

I am shocked that there isn't a wikipedia page for this.

Medusa's gaze actually doesn't do squat, its her visage that petrifies. It's about you seeing her, not the other way around. That's why it still works when she's dead.

As for the laser vision thing: http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/EyeBeams/Folklore
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Post by TiaC »

Basilisk, cockatrice, Balor(the celtic one), catoblepas, Shiva, Renenutet, there were a pair of Rabbis who got pissed that people dared to work productively rather than just study the Torah and started setting things on fire with their eyes.

That's all I could find for now.
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OgreBattle
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Post by OgreBattle »

spongeknight wrote:Are you including unintelligent monsters in this, or just people?
Monsters top
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OgreBattle
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Post by OgreBattle »

TiaC wrote:there were a pair of Rabbis who got pissed that people dared to work productively rather than just study the Torah and started setting things on fire with their eyes.

That's all I could find for now.
Where can I find out more about that one?
TiaC
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Post by TiaC »

OgreBattle wrote:
TiaC wrote:there were a pair of Rabbis who got pissed that people dared to work productively rather than just study the Torah and started setting things on fire with their eyes.

That's all I could find for now.
Where can I find out more about that one?
Shabbat 33b wrote:Now, Judah the son of proselytes went and related their talk, which reached the government. They decreed: Judah, who exalted [us], shall be exalted, Jose, who was silent, shall be exiled to Sepphoris; Simeon, who censured, let him be executed.
He and his son went and hid themselves in the Beth Hamidrash, [and] his wife brought him bread and a mug of water and they dined. [But] when the decree became more severe he said to his son, Women are of unstable temperament: she may be put to the torture and expose us.' So they went and hid in a cave. A miracle occurred and a carob-tree and a water well were created for them. They would strip their garments and sit up to their necks in sand. The whole day they studied; when it was time for prayers they robed, covered themselves, prayed, and then put off their garments again, so that they should not wear out. Thus they dwelt twelve years in the cave. Then Elijah came and stood at the entrance to the cave and exclaimed, Who will inform the son of Yohai that the emperor is dead and his decree annulled? So they emerged. Seeing a man ploughing and sowing, they exclaimed, 'They forsake life eternal and engage in life temporal!' Whatever they cast their eyes upon was immediately burnt up. Thereupon a Heavenly Echo came forth and cried out, 'Have ye emerged to destroy My world: Return to your cave!' So they returned and dwelt there twelve months, saying, 'The punishment of the wicked in Gehenna is [limited to] twelve months.' A Heavenly Echo then came forth and said, 'Go forth from your cave!' Thus.'; they issued: wherever R. Eleazar wounded, R. Simeon healed. Said he to him, 'My son! You and I are sufficient for the world.' On the eve of the Sabbath before sunset they saw an old man holding two bundles of myrtle and running at twilight. What are these for?' they asked him. 'They are in honour of the Sabbath,' he replied. 'But one should suffice you'? — One is for 'Remember-' and one for 'Observe.' Said he to his son, 'See how precious are the commandments to Israel.' Thereat their minds were tranquilized.
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