Medusa was a Gorgon. Medusa was a great beauty, but became vain and arrogant. Because of her arrogance and vanity, Medusa was transformed into an ugly woman with snakes for hair, and whom ever she gazed on would turn to stone.

Being turned to stone is figurative for the inability to act due to fear. The woman was so beautiful people wished to please her, but owing to her contemptible nature whatever they did was met with displeasure eventually leading to a passivity where the captive fears to act uncertain of the result.

Another kind of beauty beheads. It is the Schopenhauerian will-less-ness, brought on by seeing that which is “timeless”. One does not act because there is no sensuous requirement. One gazes on beauty, and there is nothing to be done, since knowledge has become the act, and any ownership of action would betray the beauty. One’s head is in the clouds.

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”

"God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

So it is not the rational mind, nor the carnal mind that knows love.

That garden sweet, that lady fair,
And all sweet shapes and odours there,
In truth have never passed away:
'Tis we, 'tis ours, are changed; not they.

For love, and beauty, and delight,
There is no death nor change: their might
Exceeds our organs, which endure
No light, being themselves obscure.