Why did Athene curse Medusa?

Athene cursed Medusa as punishment after Medusa was violated by Poseidon in one of Athene's temples. The goddess was angered by the desecration of her sacred space and, instead of punishing Poseidon, she chose to blame Medusa, transforming her into a Gorgon with snakes for hair and the ability to turn people to stone. This transformation served both as a punishment and a means of protecting Medusa from further violations, as her appearance became a source of fear.